DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42497#0262
162
Appendix to Chapter II., Section IV.
of these old bridle-roads were made into one carriage-road on the
higher level, that is, on the natural level of the ground. In some in-
stances this was not done until a much later period, as at the Porta
S. Giovanni, the road on the high level was not made until the seven-
teenth century, when that gate was made. The new road from it
was carried upon an embankment across the valley (here used as the
great outer foss of the Empire), in an oblique direction for about
half-a-mile, when it joined the old road on the outer bank of this
valley. The old road at the bottom of the valley that passed through
the Porta Asinaria, and was called the Via Asinaria, still remains
in use as a cart-road, and a continuation of it runs between the
Via Appia Antiqua and the Via Appia Nova, as far as the Via
Latina, and beyond that for some miles as a farmer’s road only.
The Porta Maggiore, which is the principal gate on the eastern
side of Rome, is called by several names. The original name was
probably Porta Sessorii, for it was the principal entrance to the
Sessorium, the great fortified palace of the later kings, and this
name would be used by persons going there. It was also called
Porta Labicana by the. natives of Labicum going along that road
to their home, and Porta Praenestina by those of Praeneste, who
went along the other road that passed through this gate, thus pass-
ing either along the Via Collatina, the road through Collatia, or
the Via Gabina or road to Gabii. Praeneste was the more important
town, and therefore gave its name to the gate. It is probable that
the original carriage-road passed over the Ponte di Nona, a very
ancient bridge, at the ninth mile on this road, after which one road
goes to the right through Gabii, and the other to the left direct to
Praeneste. Frontinus, in describing the Aqua Appia, gives the
name of Via Praenestina to the Via Collatina ; it was therefore con-
sidered in his time as the direct road to Praeneste, but the road
through Gabii is not much longer, and was afterwards used for the
carriage-road. The two carriage-roads, Labicana and Praenestina,
passed through the Porta Maggiore side by side, but through dif-
ferent arches of the aqueduct, and immediately diverge. The Baker’s
tomb is built between them, close to the gate. Frontinus also calls
this gate Porta Esquilina, which was natural in speaking of the
Aqueducts, which entered Rome at that gate, passing immediately
through the Exquiliae, the great burial-place in the time of the Re-
public. Persons entering by this gate would also go direct through
the Porta Esquilina of the inner line to the Esquiline Hill. We still
see the three conduits called specus of the Marcia, Tepula, and Julia,
carried on one arcade, one arch of which remains on the inside of
Appendix to Chapter II., Section IV.
of these old bridle-roads were made into one carriage-road on the
higher level, that is, on the natural level of the ground. In some in-
stances this was not done until a much later period, as at the Porta
S. Giovanni, the road on the high level was not made until the seven-
teenth century, when that gate was made. The new road from it
was carried upon an embankment across the valley (here used as the
great outer foss of the Empire), in an oblique direction for about
half-a-mile, when it joined the old road on the outer bank of this
valley. The old road at the bottom of the valley that passed through
the Porta Asinaria, and was called the Via Asinaria, still remains
in use as a cart-road, and a continuation of it runs between the
Via Appia Antiqua and the Via Appia Nova, as far as the Via
Latina, and beyond that for some miles as a farmer’s road only.
The Porta Maggiore, which is the principal gate on the eastern
side of Rome, is called by several names. The original name was
probably Porta Sessorii, for it was the principal entrance to the
Sessorium, the great fortified palace of the later kings, and this
name would be used by persons going there. It was also called
Porta Labicana by the. natives of Labicum going along that road
to their home, and Porta Praenestina by those of Praeneste, who
went along the other road that passed through this gate, thus pass-
ing either along the Via Collatina, the road through Collatia, or
the Via Gabina or road to Gabii. Praeneste was the more important
town, and therefore gave its name to the gate. It is probable that
the original carriage-road passed over the Ponte di Nona, a very
ancient bridge, at the ninth mile on this road, after which one road
goes to the right through Gabii, and the other to the left direct to
Praeneste. Frontinus, in describing the Aqua Appia, gives the
name of Via Praenestina to the Via Collatina ; it was therefore con-
sidered in his time as the direct road to Praeneste, but the road
through Gabii is not much longer, and was afterwards used for the
carriage-road. The two carriage-roads, Labicana and Praenestina,
passed through the Porta Maggiore side by side, but through dif-
ferent arches of the aqueduct, and immediately diverge. The Baker’s
tomb is built between them, close to the gate. Frontinus also calls
this gate Porta Esquilina, which was natural in speaking of the
Aqueducts, which entered Rome at that gate, passing immediately
through the Exquiliae, the great burial-place in the time of the Re-
public. Persons entering by this gate would also go direct through
the Porta Esquilina of the inner line to the Esquiline Hill. We still
see the three conduits called specus of the Marcia, Tepula, and Julia,
carried on one arcade, one arch of which remains on the inside of