DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42497#0253
SECT. IV.]
Circuit of the Walls.
153
fication at the gate of S. Peter’s in [the fortress of] Hadrian. It
was at this point that his survey begins and ends.
Hadrianum a.
The great mass of this enormous structure consists of the Mauso-
leum or Tomb, the erection of which was commenced before a.d.
138; it is a massive circular tower about a thousand feet in circum-
ference, standing originally on a square basement, and faced with
large square blocks of peperino, each side being about two hun-
dred and fifty feet in length. It was originally faced with Parian
marble, according to the description of Procopius, and had statues
of the same material at the top. But the great mass of this enor-
mous structure is of concrete, faced, at different times and in different
parts, with marble, stone, and brick. In the centre of the mass is
the sepulchral chamber in the form of a Greek cross, sadly mutilated,
in which was the sarcophagus now removed to the Vatican Museum.
We learn from the biographer of Hadrian b that his tomb was at
least begun during his lifetime, and that at the same time a bridge
was made. The reason assigned by Dion Cassiusc is that the
Mausoleum of Augustus was full. It is probable that Hadrian also
wished to have a grand mausoleum for himself, and from the bridge
being built along with it, there seems every probability that he always
intended it to be part of the fortifications of the city which were
being carried on at the same time.
An inscription is mentioned by the Einsiedlen chroniclerd as
existing in his time upon the fortress, implying that the work was
not completed till some fifty years after Hadrian’s death, namely,
under Aurelius Commodus, i.e. a.d. 192, the death of Hadrian
having taken place a.d. 138. There is nothing improbable in as-
signing this length of time for the completion of the building, when
the massive structure is taken into account, and the many chances
of interruption in the work.
* See the Appendix to this Sec-
tion.
b “ Romae instauravit Pantheum,
Septa, basilicam Neptuni, sacras aedes
plurimas, forum Augusti, lavacrum
Agrippas : eaque omnia propriis et ve-
teribus nominibus consecravit. Fecit et
sui nominis pontem, et sepulchrum juxta
Tiberim, et aedem Bonae Deae trans-
tulit.” (ALlii Spartiani Hadrianus, c.
19, ap. Script. Hist. August.)
c Cassii Dionis Cocceiani Rerum
Romanarum, lib. lxix. c. 23. ed. Imm.
Bekker, t. ii. p. 332. Lipsiae, 1849,
8vo. de Vita Hadrian.
d “In Adrianio. Imperatori Cae-
sari, divi Marci Antonini Pii, Germanici,
Sarmatici filio, divi Pii nepoti, divi Ha-
driani pronepoti, divi Trajani Parthici
abnepoti, divi Nervae adnepoti, Lucio
/Elio Aurelio Commodo Augusto,
Sarmatico, Germanico, Maximo, Bri-
tannico, Pontifici Maximo, tribunici
potestat. xviii. Imperat viii. Consuli
vii. Path Patriae.” [i.e. A.D. 192.] (Ve-
tera Analecta, &c., p. 359, c. 2.)
Circuit of the Walls.
153
fication at the gate of S. Peter’s in [the fortress of] Hadrian. It
was at this point that his survey begins and ends.
Hadrianum a.
The great mass of this enormous structure consists of the Mauso-
leum or Tomb, the erection of which was commenced before a.d.
138; it is a massive circular tower about a thousand feet in circum-
ference, standing originally on a square basement, and faced with
large square blocks of peperino, each side being about two hun-
dred and fifty feet in length. It was originally faced with Parian
marble, according to the description of Procopius, and had statues
of the same material at the top. But the great mass of this enor-
mous structure is of concrete, faced, at different times and in different
parts, with marble, stone, and brick. In the centre of the mass is
the sepulchral chamber in the form of a Greek cross, sadly mutilated,
in which was the sarcophagus now removed to the Vatican Museum.
We learn from the biographer of Hadrian b that his tomb was at
least begun during his lifetime, and that at the same time a bridge
was made. The reason assigned by Dion Cassiusc is that the
Mausoleum of Augustus was full. It is probable that Hadrian also
wished to have a grand mausoleum for himself, and from the bridge
being built along with it, there seems every probability that he always
intended it to be part of the fortifications of the city which were
being carried on at the same time.
An inscription is mentioned by the Einsiedlen chroniclerd as
existing in his time upon the fortress, implying that the work was
not completed till some fifty years after Hadrian’s death, namely,
under Aurelius Commodus, i.e. a.d. 192, the death of Hadrian
having taken place a.d. 138. There is nothing improbable in as-
signing this length of time for the completion of the building, when
the massive structure is taken into account, and the many chances
of interruption in the work.
* See the Appendix to this Sec-
tion.
b “ Romae instauravit Pantheum,
Septa, basilicam Neptuni, sacras aedes
plurimas, forum Augusti, lavacrum
Agrippas : eaque omnia propriis et ve-
teribus nominibus consecravit. Fecit et
sui nominis pontem, et sepulchrum juxta
Tiberim, et aedem Bonae Deae trans-
tulit.” (ALlii Spartiani Hadrianus, c.
19, ap. Script. Hist. August.)
c Cassii Dionis Cocceiani Rerum
Romanarum, lib. lxix. c. 23. ed. Imm.
Bekker, t. ii. p. 332. Lipsiae, 1849,
8vo. de Vita Hadrian.
d “In Adrianio. Imperatori Cae-
sari, divi Marci Antonini Pii, Germanici,
Sarmatici filio, divi Pii nepoti, divi Ha-
driani pronepoti, divi Trajani Parthici
abnepoti, divi Nervae adnepoti, Lucio
/Elio Aurelio Commodo Augusto,
Sarmatico, Germanico, Maximo, Bri-
tannico, Pontifici Maximo, tribunici
potestat. xviii. Imperat viii. Consuli
vii. Path Patriae.” [i.e. A.D. 192.] (Ve-
tera Analecta, &c., p. 359, c. 2.)