CAPITOL, the fortress of ancient Rome, and site of the national sanctuary the temple of Jupiter, was situated on the Mons Capitolinus, the smallest but most famous of the seven hills on which Rome was built. The hill itself was first termed irons Saturninus, afterwards _Mons Tarpeius and Rupes Tarpeia, and after the foundation of the capitol, Mons Capitolinus, though a particular portion of it retained its dneient name of Rupes Tarpeia. It was steep and abrupt in ahnost every part, formed a natural fortress, and was strengthened here and there by towers. The C. was founded by Tarquinius Priscus, and completed by Tarquinius Superbus, who tasked the people to work at it. The whole mount had a circumference of about 800 paces. During the civil wars under Stain, the temple was burned (according to Tacitus, by design), and after its res toration, destroyed during the Vitellian riots. It was rebuilt by Vespasian, after whose death it was again destroyed by tire, but was once more restored by Donatian, who instituted here the c,apitoline games. Domitian's structure lasted to a late period of the empire. Regarding the site of the C., there has been great dispute; the German scholars, for the most part, maintaining that it occupied the s.w. summit of the hill, and the Italians, the n.e. The latter situation has the weight of probabilities in its favor. Front that portion of the mount named the Tarpeian rock, state criminals were thrown down. According to the description given by Dionysius of Tfalicarnassus, the
temple of Jupiter, with its peristyle of columns, was 200 ft. long by 185 ft. wide, and was divided into three cellm, separated from each other by walls, and respectively dedi cated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. In the spacious portico, the people feasted on triumphal occasions. The scanty ruins remaining in the present day consist of a sub structure of peperino or volcanic tufa, a wall of same materials, and some remains of the a. front, together with a portion of the great flight of steps leading to the temple.
The modern C. (Campidoglio), built on the site, and partly ou the foundation of the ancient C., was designed by Michael Angelo, but is one of his inferior works. The main entrance, however, presents a splendid view. It is used as a kind of hotel-de-ville and museum.
Besides the great temple of Jupiter, the most important structures on the Capitoline Mount were the temple of Jupiter Tonans, built by the emperor Augustus; and the magnificent Tabularium, containing archives, and, in connection with the zErarium (" Treasury"), serving as a library and place for lectures, etc. The remains of this struc ture, built by Quintus Cattails, 73 n.c., have still an imposing aspect.—For the U. S. Capitol, see WasniNurrox.