DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42499#0072
4
The Foss of Roma Quadrata.
time on the vault of one of the chambers h; perhaps, also, because
a subterranean passage leads from the south side of the house of
Augustus and Livia nearly to this point. These chambers have
been cut through in the most reckless manner by some of the trans-
verse walls before mentioned. Still further to the east, and getting
towards the Arch of Titus, these walls may be seen again passing
under the Basilica Jovis, or state hall of the Empire, which is also
of the time of Domitian.
The remains of these buildings of the time of Domitian are shewn
in the plates of the Palaces of the Caesars (9 and 10). The tall
brick pier of an angle of the Basilica Jovis appears in all four of
these views °, but as they are not understood, diagrams, with some
probable restorations to make it more clear, are now addedd. The
reason for thinking that this is really a great foss of the time of the
first king of Rome (by whatever name he may have been called),
and not merely a natural formation of the ground, is that there are
remains of vertical cliffs on each side of it, and that there is no
stream of water through it. The south-west corner of Roma Quad-
rata stands upon the edge of it, and is built upon the rock, with
subterranean passages cut in that rock passing under it, all of which
can be distinctly seen, and are shewn in one of the diagramse.
These passages are at two levels, the upper one leading from the
foss to the house of Hortensius and Augustus, the lower one to
reservoirs of water at a great depth. This is also a proof that the
Palatine Hill is really one of the hills of tufa, and does not consist
merely of buildings one on the top of the other, as some have
asserted ; the rock is visible in several places. Further on, upon
this northern side of the foss, the cliff has been destroyed, either
when the palaces were built, or during the Middle Ages, when the
hill was turned into a great fortress. But towards the Arch of Titus
remains of the great tufa wall are visible in another pit on that side,
and what appears to be part of the Porta Mugionis f, which would
be an entrance on the south side to Roma Quadrata, the citadel of
b See photograph of this painting,
No. 2227. .
c These plates are engraved from
photographs, by the process called
photo-engraving, so that no drawing is
required or used, and there is no oppor-
tunity for the errors of the human hand
to creep in. These are authentic re-
presentations of the objects ; they are
necessarily reduced, but that is also
done by photography. Those who
want to see any particular point brought
out more distinctly must get the pho-
tograph of it, or go to Rome to see it.
d See Historical Photographs of the
Basilica Jovis, Nos. 2225, 2226, 2228,
2229, 2296, 3184 ; and Restorations and
Plan of it, Nos. *3192, *3i93A, 3193B,
and Plate III. of this Supplement.
e Foss of Roma Quadrata, No. 2298,
and Diagram of it, No. *3194.
£ See the engraving of it, Plate II.
of this Supplement.
The Foss of Roma Quadrata.
time on the vault of one of the chambers h; perhaps, also, because
a subterranean passage leads from the south side of the house of
Augustus and Livia nearly to this point. These chambers have
been cut through in the most reckless manner by some of the trans-
verse walls before mentioned. Still further to the east, and getting
towards the Arch of Titus, these walls may be seen again passing
under the Basilica Jovis, or state hall of the Empire, which is also
of the time of Domitian.
The remains of these buildings of the time of Domitian are shewn
in the plates of the Palaces of the Caesars (9 and 10). The tall
brick pier of an angle of the Basilica Jovis appears in all four of
these views °, but as they are not understood, diagrams, with some
probable restorations to make it more clear, are now addedd. The
reason for thinking that this is really a great foss of the time of the
first king of Rome (by whatever name he may have been called),
and not merely a natural formation of the ground, is that there are
remains of vertical cliffs on each side of it, and that there is no
stream of water through it. The south-west corner of Roma Quad-
rata stands upon the edge of it, and is built upon the rock, with
subterranean passages cut in that rock passing under it, all of which
can be distinctly seen, and are shewn in one of the diagramse.
These passages are at two levels, the upper one leading from the
foss to the house of Hortensius and Augustus, the lower one to
reservoirs of water at a great depth. This is also a proof that the
Palatine Hill is really one of the hills of tufa, and does not consist
merely of buildings one on the top of the other, as some have
asserted ; the rock is visible in several places. Further on, upon
this northern side of the foss, the cliff has been destroyed, either
when the palaces were built, or during the Middle Ages, when the
hill was turned into a great fortress. But towards the Arch of Titus
remains of the great tufa wall are visible in another pit on that side,
and what appears to be part of the Porta Mugionis f, which would
be an entrance on the south side to Roma Quadrata, the citadel of
b See photograph of this painting,
No. 2227. .
c These plates are engraved from
photographs, by the process called
photo-engraving, so that no drawing is
required or used, and there is no oppor-
tunity for the errors of the human hand
to creep in. These are authentic re-
presentations of the objects ; they are
necessarily reduced, but that is also
done by photography. Those who
want to see any particular point brought
out more distinctly must get the pho-
tograph of it, or go to Rome to see it.
d See Historical Photographs of the
Basilica Jovis, Nos. 2225, 2226, 2228,
2229, 2296, 3184 ; and Restorations and
Plan of it, Nos. *3192, *3i93A, 3193B,
and Plate III. of this Supplement.
e Foss of Roma Quadrata, No. 2298,
and Diagram of it, No. *3194.
£ See the engraving of it, Plate II.
of this Supplement.