In quitting the forum by the Via Secondaria, we pass through the broken and defaced triumphal arch of Tiberius. It consists or a single arch, and only four of its eight fluted marble columns remain; two of which are entire. The interimr of the arch is adorned with two bas reliefs, representing Titus in triumph, and time spoils of the temple of Jerusalem. On the roof is the apotheosis of the emperor. Through this mouldering arch are seen the ruins of the magnificent Coliseum, one of the grand monuments of ancient Rome. This amphitheatre is a structure of an oval form, 580 feet long, 470 broad, and above 1600 in cir cumference. It was erected by Vespasian out of a part of the materials, and on a portion of the site of Nero's golden house; and though its demolition was begun by the hatbarous conquerors of Rome, yet it was so perfect in the thirteenth century, that games were exhibited in it for the amusement of the Italian nobility. Upon the revival of architecture in Rome, the Coliseum was used as a quarry both by the vulgar and the grandees, and Paul V. pulled much of it down in order to build his huge palaces. This system of depredation would soon have completed its destruc tion, had not Benedict XIV. erected a cross in the centre of the arena, and declared the place sacred, out of respect to the martyrs whn had suffprod within its walls. In no part of its vast circuit has the Coliseum been completely broken through, and in only a small segment is its external elevation preserved entire. In the interior the destruction of the building is deplora ble. The marble seats are all torn away, the steps and vomitories overthrown, and the sloping walls and broken arches overgrown with the luxuriance of vege tation.* Here is a temporary wooden staircase, by which visitors ascend to the highest practicable point. See Civit. ARCHITECTURE, Plate CLXXXVI. for a part of the elevation of the Coliseum.
The forums of the emperors were chiefly situated to the cast of the Roman forum. The forum of Czesar extended from the churCh of St. Adrian to the church of St. Cosmo and Damiano, and in the court of that convent are still to be seen some massy walls which are supposed to have been a part of the forum. The
forum of Augustus, which contained the splendid tem ple of Mars, stood behind the present church of Santa Martina and S. Luca. Some fragments of walls be longing to the shops which encircled it still remain. The forum of Vespasian is supposed to have been in the vicinity of the temple of Peace. Of the forum of Nerva there are some beautiful remains at the Arca Pantani. They consist of three fluted Corinthian co lumns and one pilaster of Parian marble 50 feet high. They are supposed to have belonged to the beautiful temple of Nerva; the columns are flanked by a lofty wall of large masses of Tiburtine stone. The ruin of the temple of Minerva, situated in that part of the forum which was built by Domitian, consists of two marble Corinthian columns in front of a wall of Tiburtine stone. They are more than half buried beneath the pavement, and support a richly sculptured frieze. The forum of Trajan stood at the base of the Quirinal Hill. The centre of the Piazza Trajana,which contains Tra jan's column, was excavated by the French to the level of the ancient pavement, and they brought to light va rious majestic columns of black oriental granite, once the supports of the Basilica Ulpia. The entrance to this forum (near the little church of Santa Maria in Campo Carleo) passed under the triumphal arch of Trajan. At the farther extremity stood the temple of Trajan, with the triumphal column in front of it, and in the centre the Basilica Ulpia, one of the most splen did buildings of any age. The steps that led to this Basilica may still be traced, and fragments of them are still strewed around. The portico of the temple consisted of eight immense columns of oriental granite, a fragment of one of which was six feet in diameter, and must have been 72 feet high. The column of Trajan, 140 feet high, is ascended by an easy winding staircase of solid Parian marble, lighted by loop-holes, and at the top stands the bronze statue of St. Peter which was placed there by Sextus V. (See CIVIL