DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42497#0236
The Later Fortifications.
[CHAP. II.
136
The part of the wall that was most attacked and most damaged
during the siege of the Goths was that between the Porta Flaminia
and the Porta Salaria; and the precise point where they made
a breach is shewn a little to the west of the latter gate, distinguished
by the bad repairs of that period. The wall as then rebuilt is
carried on a low arcade, perhaps because arches would offer a
better resistance to the battering-ram then in use. These low arches
have very much the appearance of having been made to carry the
spccus of an aqueduct, and may have actually carried the Aqua
Virgo, which passes in this direction and not far from this point1.
We read in the account by Procopius of the fortification of the
gates in this part of Rome, which shews that the attack was ex-
pected in this quarter.
“ Belisarius provided in this manner for the safety of the city ; he stationed him-
self at [between '?] the smaller Pincian gate and the larger one which is at the
right hand of it, and is called Salaria, because that part of the wall is more open
to attack, and it affords an easy exit for the Romans to the enemy [for a sortie\.
To Bessa he assigned the Porta Praenestina, to Constantinus he committed the
Flaminian situated to the left of the Pincian, the doors being first closed, and
a heap of large stones piled within for common uses so that no one could open
them. For one of the fortified camps of the enemy was very near, and he feared
lest some of them should be insinuated into the city. The custody of the rest he
committed to the commanders of different bodies of the infantry. Some of the
aqueducts he filled up with strong walls, lest some of the enemy should slip in
through them from without ‘. ”
5. “From the Porta Nomentana to the Porta Tiburtina—57 towers, 806 merlons,
2 pairs of corbels, 225 large windows, 200 small.”
This portion of the wall has also been much altered, only thirty-
six towers can now be counted, but the Praetorian Camp here inter-
feres with the line of the wall, and it is difficult to say which projec-
tions would be reckoned as towers by the chronicler.
A new gate, the Porta Pia, has been built to supersede the Porta
Nomentana, by the modern Roman builders under Pius IX. in their
usual bad taste, as inconsistent with the old city wall as possible.
It is the most ugly of all the ugly modern gates of Rome. Part
r It now enters Rome under the
garden of the French Academy. It
fc r aerly went through the catacomb
of Priscilla, where the remains of the
old specus can still be seen. The line
has been considerably altered in parts
when it was repaired by the Popes.
s That is, in case of an attack at this
point; the large paving-stones piled up
inside the gate were ready for the “com-
mon use” of the soldiers defending the
city, to throw down from the gallery
over the gate on the heads of the as-
sailants, one of the usual modes of de-
fence at that period and long after-
wards.
4 Procopius de Bello Gothico, lib. i.
c. 19.
[CHAP. II.
136
The part of the wall that was most attacked and most damaged
during the siege of the Goths was that between the Porta Flaminia
and the Porta Salaria; and the precise point where they made
a breach is shewn a little to the west of the latter gate, distinguished
by the bad repairs of that period. The wall as then rebuilt is
carried on a low arcade, perhaps because arches would offer a
better resistance to the battering-ram then in use. These low arches
have very much the appearance of having been made to carry the
spccus of an aqueduct, and may have actually carried the Aqua
Virgo, which passes in this direction and not far from this point1.
We read in the account by Procopius of the fortification of the
gates in this part of Rome, which shews that the attack was ex-
pected in this quarter.
“ Belisarius provided in this manner for the safety of the city ; he stationed him-
self at [between '?] the smaller Pincian gate and the larger one which is at the
right hand of it, and is called Salaria, because that part of the wall is more open
to attack, and it affords an easy exit for the Romans to the enemy [for a sortie\.
To Bessa he assigned the Porta Praenestina, to Constantinus he committed the
Flaminian situated to the left of the Pincian, the doors being first closed, and
a heap of large stones piled within for common uses so that no one could open
them. For one of the fortified camps of the enemy was very near, and he feared
lest some of them should be insinuated into the city. The custody of the rest he
committed to the commanders of different bodies of the infantry. Some of the
aqueducts he filled up with strong walls, lest some of the enemy should slip in
through them from without ‘. ”
5. “From the Porta Nomentana to the Porta Tiburtina—57 towers, 806 merlons,
2 pairs of corbels, 225 large windows, 200 small.”
This portion of the wall has also been much altered, only thirty-
six towers can now be counted, but the Praetorian Camp here inter-
feres with the line of the wall, and it is difficult to say which projec-
tions would be reckoned as towers by the chronicler.
A new gate, the Porta Pia, has been built to supersede the Porta
Nomentana, by the modern Roman builders under Pius IX. in their
usual bad taste, as inconsistent with the old city wall as possible.
It is the most ugly of all the ugly modern gates of Rome. Part
r It now enters Rome under the
garden of the French Academy. It
fc r aerly went through the catacomb
of Priscilla, where the remains of the
old specus can still be seen. The line
has been considerably altered in parts
when it was repaired by the Popes.
s That is, in case of an attack at this
point; the large paving-stones piled up
inside the gate were ready for the “com-
mon use” of the soldiers defending the
city, to throw down from the gallery
over the gate on the heads of the as-
sailants, one of the usual modes of de-
fence at that period and long after-
wards.
4 Procopius de Bello Gothico, lib. i.
c. 19.