All this time but little taste had been exhibited in the decoration of their buildings, which were mostly of brick, or, at best, of stone obtained in the neighbourhood ; but as their conquests extended, and they became intimate with the more, costly buildings of their enemies, they began to enter tain more expanded ideas of magnificence in art. Metellus Macedonicus, the contemporary of Mummins, the victor of Corinth, was the first to build at Rome a temple of marble ; but from this time most of the larger edifices were con structed of this material. At this period also, Grecian art and architects were introduced, and many works of art brought thence to decorate Rome ; Sella carried away the columns, &e., from the temple of Jupiter Olympias at Athens, to embellish that of Jupiter Capitolinus at Rome.
The first permanent theatre was erected by Pompey ; pre vious to his time, such erections were not allowed to remain after the shows, and therefore only temporary buildings were erected for the purpose. Of these, however, some were of great size and magnificence ; 11, yEmilius Scaurus, when ludile, erected one capable of containing 80,000 persons, which is reported to have been sumptuously decorated. An other theatre was erected by Curio, one of Ca;sar's partisans, which exhibited great mechanical skill. Two large theatres of timber were constructed back to back, and on one side so connected with hinges :mil machinery for the purpose, that when the theatrical exhibition had closed, they were wheeled ur slung round, so as to form an amphitheatre, wherein, in the afternoon, shows of gladiators were exhibited. Pompey's theatre was built of stone, and was made capable of accom modating 40,000 persons ; it was surrounded by a portico for shelter in case of unseasonable weather, and had attached to it a curia provided with a basilica, or hall of justice, as also a temple dedicated to Venus.
Under the auspices of Julius Caesar, many new and mag trificent buildings were erected. On his return from Utica, after his threefold victory, he brought into the treasury no less than 65,000 talents, and 2,22 crowns of gold, which afforded him every facility for carrying out his magnificent projects, amongst which may be mentioned the extension of the circus, and formation of a lake for the exhibition of Egyp tian and Tyrian galleys, a new forum, two temples to Venus, one of which was on an exceedingly grand scale, and a third to Clemency. Besides these, he commenced a vast theatre, the drainage of the Pontine marshes, the improvement of the navigation of the Tiber, by forming a new bed from Rome to the sea, a canal through the Isthmus of Corinth, the for mation of a port at. Ostia, and of a causeway across the Apennines, from the Adriatic to Rome ; add to this, the re building of Corinth and Carthage, and we shall be enabled to form a conception of the vast ideas and ready execution of this great man.
Such an introduction as this was worthy the golden age which followed in the next reign, an age which the peace purchased by the victorious arms of Caesar had yielded to the cultivation of civil arts, and that excessive refinement which led the way to luxury and consequent ruin. In this reign most of the finest buildings were erected, and architects flocked from all quarters, and especially from Greece to assist in beautifying the city, the latter being highly esteemed and eagerly employed ; in short, Greece at this time had become the standard of taste amongst the Romans, not only in the arts, but in customs and manners. Augustus had conceived the project of making Rome the most splendid city in the world; and not only set about embellishing it himself with the greatest ardour, but also incited his friends, and the prin cipal personages of the empire to follow his example, which indeed they were not slow in following ; and amongst the buildings erected by them may be mentioned, a temple of Hercules Musagetes, by Marcius Philippus; a temple of Diana, by L. Corlidius ; of Saturn, by M. Plaucus; of Concord, and of Castor and Pollux, by Tiberius; the Atrium Libertatis, by Asinius Pollio; a theatre, by Cornelius Balbus ; and an am phitheatre, by Statilius Taurus. his friend Agrippa was highly distinguished in this respect ; he erected many magnificent buildings, aqueducts, baths, fountains, &c., but he stands pre eminent above all his countrymen, by the erection of that monument of Roman skill and enterprise, the Pantheon. The principal edifices erected by Augustus himself were—the forum and temple of Mars Ultor; the temple of Apollo Palatine, with a portico and library; the temple of Jupiter Tonans, on the Capitol ; the porticos of Livia and Octavia; the basilica of Ca us and Lucius ; the theatre of Marcel I us ; and a mausoleum for himself and ihmily. After such an enumeration, the boast of Augustus will not appear a vain one, "that he found Rome built of brick, and left it of marble." During the reigns of the immediate successors of Angus : tus, architecture fell into decline, and the only building of any importance which we hear of before Ne•o's tune, is the Aqua Claudia, a large aqueduct, which was completed by Claudius. its length was 40 miles, and fur more than 10 it was carried on arches more than 100 feet above the level of the ground. Nero's edifices were gorgeous in the extreme, but more remarkable for expensive decoration than intrinsic merit of design ; his Domus Aurea is a remarkable specimen of his prodigality in such matters ; it was erected by two architects, Severus and Celar, and was most lavishly embel lished, so that it would be difficult to form an idea of its expense.