TI'VOLI, the ancient Tibur, a town of the Comarca di Roma, 16 miles E.N.E. from Rome, is situated on the slope of a hill on the left bank of the Anio, or Teverone, just above the spot where that river falls by a succession of rapids into tho lowlands of the Campagna. Tibur was a much more ancient city than Rome itaelf. Virgil, in relating the ware a the Latina and ltutuli against tEneam, speaks repeatedly of Tiber. Gores and CetiIlea, two brothers of Tiburtos, the reputed founder of Tibur, fought against A.:neas and his Trojan followsis (' sEneld.: vii., 670472.) I'llny e Hist. Nat.: xvi. 67) iseintions three old oek-trees, existing in his time, which were reported to be older than Tiburtus, the founder of Tibur, and were consecrated to him. According to a purge in Horse. i. 7), they were galled ' Mend locus.' The Line and grove of the Sibyl Albunca at Tibor are celebrated by Horace and Virgil, and her oracles were consulted from the oldest times.
In the early part of the history of Rome Tihur is mentioned as one of the principal towns of the Latin Coofedoration. It stood where it still stands, oar the left bank of the Ante, which river divided the territory of the lAtini from that of the &thin!, and it was strong by Its situation between the mountain and the river. It was finally sub jectal by Rome, mt. 337. [Leeinx.) During the Samnite ware the Romans made a road from Tibor over the Apennines to the country of the Peligni. which eau called Vie Valerie. The aqueducts of the Milo Vetus and Anio Nevus, and of the Aqua Marcia, which supplied Rome with wholesome water, passed through the territory of Tibur, where their remains are still seen. The healthy and romantic sitnation of this district induced the wealthy Romans to construct in it band eaus country residences. Scipio Aimilianue, Madeline Numidicus, the famous Manus, Maecenas, Munstins Platens, and Manlius Vopiscus, had their Tihurtine villas. The families of the Mnustii, the Coponii, and the Plautii, which flourished at Rome in the latter times of the republic and under the first emperors, were from Tibur. The mausoleum of the Plautii (a massive round tower) is still seen at Ponta Lucano, a few miles from the town on the road to Rome.
Augustus used to visit Mracenas at his villa at Tibur, and Suetonius e Octev.; 72) mentions his holding his tribunal under the porticoes of the splendid temple of Hercules, part of the cella of which is still seen behind the choir of the modern cathedral, which has been partly con structed with the materials of the ancient temple. Gellius (xix. 5) mentions a public library as annexed to the temple. Horace preferred Tibur to all other places of resort, and he had a country house in the neighbourhood, distinct from his Sabine farm at Digentia.
The emperor Hadrian constructed near Tibur a magnificent villa, of which extensive remains are still seen. Under his reign Getulius, a native of Tibur, and his wife Simphorosa, with their seven sons, being converts to Christianity, suffered martyrdom. Zenobia, queen of
Palmyra, after her capture by Aurelian, was ordered to reside at Tibur, and here she lived many years. The grammarian Nonius Marcellus, who belongs to the 4th century, was a native of Tibur.
D A.D. 543 the Goths tinder Totila took Tibur, and slaughtered moat of the inhabitants, including the bishop. During the Longobard dominion in Italy, Tibur was included in the duchy of Rome. After the fall of the Carlovingian dynasty, Tibur, like most other towns of Central Italy, governed itself ass municipal community. Its territory, which extended westward about half-way between Tibur and Rome, embraced in the opposite direction the whole valley of the Auio as far as the borders of Naples. In the 12th century the Tiburtines were frequently at war with the abbots of Sublaqueum, now called Subiaco, who had assumed the civil jurisdiction over the upper part of the valley, of which they had already acquired by various grants the utile dominium.' In 1141 the Tiburtines acknowledged the anti-Pope Anacletus, and the people of Rome, who had had frequent border quarrels with them, seized this opportunity to assail their town with a considerable force. While they were trying to break open one of the gates, the inhabitants turned off part of the waters of the Anio, and made them fall with overwhelming force down the declivity upon the assailants, part of whom were swept away; and the citizens, sallying out at the same time, routed the remainder of the besiegers, who ran away, leaving behind their tents and baggage. In the fol lowing year the people of Tibur, being threatened with another attack, thought it prudent to make their pence with Pope Innocent II., and they swore allegiance to him, which so incensed the Romans, who were bent upon the destruction of Tibur, that they rose in arms against the pope, restored the senate, and proclaimed the republic. In 1145 Pope Eugenics III. took refuge at Tibur from the turbulence of the Roman people. During the subsequent dissensions between the emperor Frederick I. and the pope, the people of Tihur remained faithful to the latter. Frederick in his wan against the pope, held for a time possession of l'ibur. After a course of desultory warfare between Rome and Tibur, • treaty was concluded and signed by the magistrates of both towns in August, 1259, by which the city of home eseured the right of sending to Tibur a count, rector, or podeeth; but the judges, the captain of the militia, end the councillors of the commune, continued to be chosen by the citizens of Tibur as here* tofors. The town of Tibur was to pay to the senate of Rome an annual tribute. After this the people of Tibur remained attached to the popes. Pope l'ios II. built a castle at Tivoli, which remains.