DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42499#0098
30
House of Mceceiias.
“During the whole of this terrible conflagration Nero remained at Antium
without a thought of returning to the city, till the fire approached the building
by which he had connected the gardens of Maecenas - with the Palatine. All
help, however, was too late. The palace with the contiguous edifices, with
every house adjoining, was laid in ruins.”
These gardens therefore extended from the house southwards,
along the line of the street in what had been the foss, in front
of the cliff of the Esquiline Hill. The present road or street
was made by Pope Sixtus V., in a direct line from the great church
of S. Maria Maggiore to the Lateran; it cuts obliquely through the
agger, and joins the old road from the Arch of Gallienus at an
oblique angle near the end of the hill. The garden was made in
part of the old burial-ground of the time of the Republic, which was
then abandoned for one further from.the city, either the same that is
now the public burial-ground at S. Lorenzo (?), or at Cento Celle (?).
This garden was given to Augustus as Emperor, that is to the State,
and the adjoining garden and burial-grounds of the Lamise and
others were also afterwards left to the Emperors, and became one
large public garden, extending from the outer side of the great agger
of Servius Tullius and the cliff of the Esquiline Hill to-the inner
side of the agger of the Tarquins. The ground is full of tombs of
the time of the Republic, at a very low level, and over them are
remains of aqueducts and of reservoirs and fountains. These
gardens continued to be public gardens under the Empire in
the third century. The fine building known by the name of
Minerva Medica (from a statue found there) was a Nymphseum,
with fountains, and is near the south end of this great garden
or park, on the western side; the building called the Trophies
of Marius is at the north-east corner. This stands on very high
ground, and there are remains of an arcade of the first century,
with the specus of the aqueduct upon it, leading to it from the
great reservoir near the Porta di S. Lorenzo. Close to the Audi-
torium was found, on the southern side, a considerable portion of
the Wall of Servius Tullius, built of the usual great blocks of tufa,
but it has all the appearance of having been rebuilt as foundations
only, and may very likely be the foundation of a lofty tower. There
are similar foundations under the Tor de’ Conti, which may have
of this almost touches the northern wall
of the Basilica, and it is very probable
that the Colossus of Nero stood oil that
site before it was removed by Hadrian.
On the southern side of the Basilica
there are evident remains, against the
cliff of the Velia, of the Porticus of
Nero, which was an arcade of two
storeys, and this can be traced against
the southern cliff of the Esquiline Hill,
almost to the site of the gardens of
Maecenas.
House of Mceceiias.
“During the whole of this terrible conflagration Nero remained at Antium
without a thought of returning to the city, till the fire approached the building
by which he had connected the gardens of Maecenas - with the Palatine. All
help, however, was too late. The palace with the contiguous edifices, with
every house adjoining, was laid in ruins.”
These gardens therefore extended from the house southwards,
along the line of the street in what had been the foss, in front
of the cliff of the Esquiline Hill. The present road or street
was made by Pope Sixtus V., in a direct line from the great church
of S. Maria Maggiore to the Lateran; it cuts obliquely through the
agger, and joins the old road from the Arch of Gallienus at an
oblique angle near the end of the hill. The garden was made in
part of the old burial-ground of the time of the Republic, which was
then abandoned for one further from.the city, either the same that is
now the public burial-ground at S. Lorenzo (?), or at Cento Celle (?).
This garden was given to Augustus as Emperor, that is to the State,
and the adjoining garden and burial-grounds of the Lamise and
others were also afterwards left to the Emperors, and became one
large public garden, extending from the outer side of the great agger
of Servius Tullius and the cliff of the Esquiline Hill to-the inner
side of the agger of the Tarquins. The ground is full of tombs of
the time of the Republic, at a very low level, and over them are
remains of aqueducts and of reservoirs and fountains. These
gardens continued to be public gardens under the Empire in
the third century. The fine building known by the name of
Minerva Medica (from a statue found there) was a Nymphseum,
with fountains, and is near the south end of this great garden
or park, on the western side; the building called the Trophies
of Marius is at the north-east corner. This stands on very high
ground, and there are remains of an arcade of the first century,
with the specus of the aqueduct upon it, leading to it from the
great reservoir near the Porta di S. Lorenzo. Close to the Audi-
torium was found, on the southern side, a considerable portion of
the Wall of Servius Tullius, built of the usual great blocks of tufa,
but it has all the appearance of having been rebuilt as foundations
only, and may very likely be the foundation of a lofty tower. There
are similar foundations under the Tor de’ Conti, which may have
of this almost touches the northern wall
of the Basilica, and it is very probable
that the Colossus of Nero stood oil that
site before it was removed by Hadrian.
On the southern side of the Basilica
there are evident remains, against the
cliff of the Velia, of the Porticus of
Nero, which was an arcade of two
storeys, and this can be traced against
the southern cliff of the Esquiline Hill,
almost to the site of the gardens of
Maecenas.