ROME, the famous capital of the Western world, and the present residence of the Pope, stands on the river Tiber, about fifteen miles from its mouth, in the plain of what is now called the Campagna (Felix ilia Campania—Pliny, Hist. Nat. iii. 6), in lat. 41° 54' N., long. 12° 28' E. The country around the city is not a plain, but a sort of undulating table-land, crossed by hills, while it sinks towards the south-west to the marshes of Maremma, which coast the Mediterranean. In ancient geography the country in the midst of which Rome lay was termed Latium, which, in the earliest times, comprised within a space of about four geographical squam miles the country lying between the Tiber and the Numicius, ex tending from the Alban Hills to the sea, having for its chief city Laurentum. Here, on the Pala tine Hill, was the city of Rome founded by Romu lus and Remus, grandsons of Numitor, and sons of Rhea Sylvia, to whom, as the originators of the city, mythology ascribed a divine parentage. The origin of the term Rome is in dispute. Some derive it from the Greek 'Pc.:),un, strength,' considering that this name was given to the place as being a fortress. Cicero (De Repub. ii. 7) says the name was taken from that of its founder Romulus. At first the city had three gates, according to a. sacred usage. Founded on the Palatine Hill, it was extended, by degrees, so as to take in other six hills, at the foot of which ran deep valleys that, in early times, were in part overflowed with water, while the hill-sides were covered with trees. In the course of the many years during which Rome was acquiring to herself the empire of the world, the city underwent great, numerous, and important changes. Under its first kings it must have presented a very different aspect from what it did after it had been beautified by Tarquin. The destruction of the city by the Gauls (u.c. 365) caused a thorough alteration in it ; nor could the troubled times which ensued have been favourable to its being well restored. It was not till riches and artistic skill came into the city on the conquest of Philip of Macedon, and An tiochus of Syria (u.c. 565), that there arose in Rome large handsome stone houses. The capture of Corinth conduced much to the adorning of the city ; many fine specimens of art being transferred from thence to the abode of the conquerors. And so, as the power of Rome extended over the world, and her chief citizens went into the colonies to en rich themselves, did the masterpieces of Grecian art flow towards the capital, together with some of the taste and skill to which they owed their birth. Augustus, however, it was, who did most for cm bellishing the capital of the world, though there may be some sacrifice of truth in the pointed saying, that he found Rome built of brick, and left it marble. Subsequent emperors followed his ex ample, till the place became the greatest repository of architectural, pictorial, and sculptural skill, that the world has ever seen ; a result to which even Nero's incendiarism indirectly conduced, as af fording an occasion for the city's being rebuilt under the higher scientific influences of the times. The site occupied by modern Rome is not pre cisely the same as that which was at any period covered by the ancient city : the change of locality being towards the north-west, the city has partially retired from the celebrated hills. About two thirds of the area within the walls (traced by Aurelian) are now desolate, consisting of ruins, gardens, and fields, with some churches, convents, and other scattered habitations. Originally the city was a square mile in circumference. In the time of Pliny the walls were nearly twenty miles in circuit ; now they are from fourteen to fifteen miles round. Its original gates, three in number, had increased in the time of the elder Pliny to thirty seven. Modern Rome has sixteen gates, some of which are, however, built up. Thirty-one great roads centred in Rome, which, issuing from the Forum, traversed Italy, ran through the provinces, and were terminated only by the boundary of the empire. As a starting-point a gilt pillar (Millia rium Aureum) was set up by Augustus in the middle of the Forum. This curious monument, from which distances were reckoned, was dis covered in 1823. Eight principal bridges led over the Tiber ; of these three are still relics. The four
districts into which Rome WM divided in early times, Augustus increased to fourteen. Large open spaces were set apart in the city, called Campi, for assemblies of the people and martial exercises, as well as for games. Of nineteen which are men tioned, the Campus Martins was the principal. It was near the Tiber, whence it was called Tiberius. The epithet Martins was derived from the plain being consecrated to Mars, the god of war. In the later ages it was surrounded by several magnificent structures, and porticoes were erected, under which, in bad weather, the citizens could go through their usual exercises. It was also adorned with statues and arches. The name of Fora was given to places where the people assembled for the transaction of business. The Fora were of two kinds—fora venalia, markets ;' fora civilia, law courts,' etc. Until the time of Julius Cxsar there was but one of the latter kind, termed by way of distinction Forum Romanum, or simply Forum. It tay between the Capitoline and Palatine Hills ; it was eight hundred feet wide, and adorned on all sides with porticoes, shops, and other edifices, on the erection of which large sums had been ex pended, and the appearance of which was very im posing, especially as it was much enhanced by numerous statues. In the centre of the Forum was the plain called the Curtian Lake, where Curtius is said to have cast himself into a chasm or gulf, which closed on him, and so he saved his country. On one side were the elevated seats or suggestus, a sort of pulpits from which magis trates and orators addressed the people—usually called Rostra, because adorned with the beaks of ships which had been taken in a sea-fight from the inhabitants of Antium. Near by was the part of the Forum called the Comitium, where were held the assemblies of the people called Comitia Curiata. The celebrated temple, bearing the name of Capitol (of which there remain only a few vestiges), stood on the Capitoline Hill, the highest of the seven : it was square in form, each side extending about two hundred feet, and the ascent to it was by a flight of one hundred steps. It was one of the oldest, largest, and grandest edifices in the city. Founded by Tarquinius Priscus, it was several times enlarged and embellished. Its gates were of brass, and it was adorned with costly gild ings ; whence it is termed 'golden ' and 'glittering,' aurea, fulgens. It enclosed three structures--the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in the centre, the temple of Minerva on the right, and the temple of Juno on the left. The Capitol also comprehended some minor temples or chapels, and the Casa Romuli, or cottage of Romulus, covered with straw. Near the ascent to the Capitol was the asylum [CmEs OF REFUGE]. We also mention the Basi hex, since some of them were afterwards turned to the purposes of Christian worship. They were originally buildings of great splendour, being ap propriated to meetings of the senate and to judicial purposes. Here counsellors received their clients, and bankers transacted their business. The earliest churches, bearing the name of Basilicx, were erected under Constantine. He gave his own palace on the Clian Hill as a site for a Christian temple. Next in antiquity was the church of St. Peter, on the Vatican Hill, built A, D. 324, on the site and with the ruins of temples consecrated to Apollo and Mars. It stood about twelve centuries, at the end of which it was superseded by the modern church bearing the same name. The Circi were buildings oblong in shape, used for public games, races, and beast-fights. The Theatra were edifices designed for dramatic exhibitions ; the Amphitheatra (double theatres, buildings in an oval form) served for gladiatorial shows and the fighting of wild animals. That which was erected by the Emperor Titus, and of which there still exists a splendid ruin, was called the Coliseum, from a colossal statue of Nero that stood near it. 1Vith an excess of luxury, perfumed liquids were conveyed in secret tubes round these immense structures, and diffused over the spectators, some times from the statues which adorned the interior. In the arena which fanned the centre of the amphi theatres, the early Christians often endured mar tyrdom by being exposed to ravenous beasts.