Parker, John Henry: The archaeology of Rome (1,2): Illustrations to I. The primitive fortifications. II. The walls and gates of Rome. III. The historical constructions of walls (Oxford [u.a.], 1874)

Walls and Gates of Rome.

I.
1, Porta Flaminia. The present gate is modern, and not exactly
on the old site, which was rather more to the left, and eastward, on
higher ground (as we are told by Procopius), the line of the road has
been carried further out from the cliffs. The tomb of Nero was on
the site of the church of S. Maria del Popolo, on the west side of
this gate. The building seen to the left of this diagram is the
northern part of the great palace of Sylla, to which the celebrated
Muro Torto belonged. It was inhabited by Belisarius when he was
the general in command of the defence of Rome.
2, The view shews the Muro Torto as seen in profile to the right,
where the lower part of the great wall against the cliff of the Pincian
Hill was built straight, it now hangs over considerably; the upper
part was built upon this after the settlement had taken place, but in
a series of niches or semicircular recesses, to throw back the weight
of the earth beyond the line of the foundations. To the left of this
is the lower part of the western front of the same palace, in which
the wall to support the cliff is built in a double series of niches one
over the other, apparently because the builders had profited by the
experience they had gained on the northern side. All these inter-
esting remains of antiquity are now concealed by a hideous modern
wall, the late architect to the municipality of Rome having per-
suaded them that it was dangerous. It had been so considered also
in the fifth century, as Procopius mentions.
3, and 4, Shew some of the Towers and Wall of Aurelian, but in
this part there is no corridor, as is seen by the plan given under
this part, probably on account of the different level of the ground,
the wall there being built upon part of the old mcenia, or earthworks,
of the time of the Kings.