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)

Construction of Walls.

Plate I.
Opus Quadratum.
1. First Period. Romulus (?). This construction is found only
on the Palatine Hill, on three sides of Roma Quadrata, and in the
foundations of the Temple of Jupiter Feretrius, built in the year iv.
of Rome, in the arx or Capitol of Romulus, and in the steps of
Cacus (?) leading up to it.
The walls of this period are distinguished by the width of the
vertical joints, called wide-jointed masonry, and the rude construc-
tion. The probable date of it is from b.c. 753 to 720, or the first
thirty years of Rome, Annis Urbis Conditee (a.u.c.) i—33.
2. Second Period, b.c. 713, a.u.c. 39, to a.u.c. 177, b.c. 576.
The Tabularium. In this the vertical joints are closely fitted toge-
ther, it is what is called fine-jointed masonry. It is part of the great
building called the Capitolium, erected when the two hills were made
into one City, and enclosed in one wall. This great building con-
tained all the public offices necessary for the new City, the future
progress of which was anticipated. The stones are larger than
those on the Palatine, but this may be only because they are from
a different quarry. The construction of the AErarinm under the
Tabularium is the same, but part of it has been faced with small
square stones, probably by King Theodoric, who repaired many of
the ancient buildings of Rome.