Rambles in Rome / An Archæological and Historical Guide to the Museums, Galleries, Villas, Churches, and Antiquities of Rome and the Campagna

by S. Russell Forbes

PORTA OSTIENSIS.

(Porta S. Paolo.)

This is the most picturesque of the gates of Rome. It consists of a double gateway, the outer (of the time of Theodoric) with one, the inner (of the time of Claudius) with two arches, flanked with towers.

On the right is the

PYRAMID OF CAIUS CESTIUS,

erected by his heir, Pontius Mela, and his freedman Pothus. This imposing structure was faced with smoothly hewn slabs of marble, and stands on a basement of travertine measuring 95 feet in diameter. It is 115 feet high.

This monument, erected some twenty or thirty years before the Christian era, was indebted for its preservation to the circumstance of its having been incorporated by Aurelian with the line of his fortifications. The confined burial chamber (the paintings on the roof and walls of which are now almost obliterated) is reached through the doorway, introduced at some height on the north side. As is usually the case with tombs, in order to prevent spoliation, there were no steps leading up to the door. The west entrance is of more modern origin, dating from the time of Alexander VII., who caused it to be broken through the wall, although the ancient original doorway already afforded the means of ingress. The lower portion of the monument was cleared from the rubbish, which had accumulated to the height of twenty feet, at the same time; and the two fluted columns, resting upon travertine bases, were also dug up. Still more remarkable is the discovery of the remains of the colossal statue of C. Cestius, consisting of the foot and arm, now in the Hall of Bronzes in the Capitol Museum.

Keeping the straight road, we come, on the left, to

THE CHAPEL OF SS. PETER AND PAUL.

A relief over the door represents their parting, where this chapel now stands. The inscription says:—

IN THIS PLACE SS. PETER AND PAUL SEPARATED ON THEIR WAY TO MARTYRDOM.
AND PAUL SAID TO PETER, "PEACE BE WITH THEE, FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH,
SHEPHERD OF THE FLOCK OF CHRIST."
AND PETER SAID TO PAUL, "GO IN PEACE, PREACHER OF GOOD TIDINGS, AND
GUIDE OF THE SALVATION OF THE JUST."

THE CHURCH OF S. PAOLO.

The first church built, in the time of Constantine, to commemorate the martyrdom of S. Paul. It was destroyed by fire on July 15, 1823; its restoration was immediately commenced, and it was reopened in 1854 by Pio Nono. The festa days are January 25th, June 30th, and December 28th. The principal entrance towards the Tiber is still unfinished. Before the Reformation it was under the protection of the kings of England. It is the finest of Roman churches, and the visitor cannot fail to be charmed with its beauty; it is one vast hall of marble, with eighty Corinthian pillars forming the nave, reflected in the marble pavement. The grand triumphal arch which separates the nave from the transept is a relic of the old basilica; and the mosaic, Christ blessing in the Greek manner, with the twenty-four elders, is of the fifth century, given by Placidia, sister of Honorius, in 440. The mosaic of the tribune was erected by Pope Honorius III., 1216–27; it has been restored since the fire. On either side are statues of S. Peter and S. Paul; around the church, above the columns, are portraits of the popes, from S. Peter, in mosaics. The altar canopy is supported by four pillars of Oriental alabaster, given by Mehemet Ali, Pasha of Egypt. A marble staircase leads to the subterranean chapel, where are preserved the relics of the martyrs Paul and Timothy. The altars at each end of the transept are of malachite, given by the Czar of Russia. The painted windows are worthy of attention, as also a beautiful alabaster candelabrum saved from the fire. The walls and numerous chapels are adorned with paintings and statues of the present day, giving a good idea of the actual state of art in Rome. By applying for the key in the sacristy, visitors can see the beautiful court of the thirteenth century, which will fully repay inspection.

Prudentius, who saw the original basilica in its glory, thus describes it:—

"Imperial splendour all the roof adorns;

Whose vaults a monarch built to God. and graced

With golden pomp the vast circumference.

With gold the beams he covered, that within

The light might emulate the beams of morn.

Beneath the glittering ceiling pillars stood

Of Parian stone, in fourfold ranks disposed:

Each curving arch with glass of various dye

Was decked; so shines with flowers the painted mead

In spring's prolific day."

Passio Beat. Apost.

This description will apply equally well to the present basilica. The church is 396 feet long from the steps of the tribune; width of aisle and nave, 222 feet.

The façade of the basilica, the upper part of which has lately been uncovered, is toward the Tiber; it consists of a beautiful mosaic which has taken thirteen years to complete, and is the finest production of the Vatican manufactory. The whole is surmounted by a cross, under which are the words Spes Unica; below it is our Lord enthroned, with SS. Peter and Paul on either side below the steps of his throne. A scene symbolic of the New Testament is below. A rock occupies the centre, from which flow the four rivers of the Apocalypse; on the summit is the Lamb supporting the cross. The cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem are on each side, whilst flocks of sheep between the palm-trees are symbolic of the apostolic college. Below, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel typify the Old Testament. The whole, a triangle, is bordered with a mosaic of fruit and foliage.

At the back of the church is

THE REMURIA HILL.

It is altogether a mistake to suppose that Remus took his stand upon the Aventine and Romulus upon the Palatine; if so, they would both have commanded nearly the same horizon, and messengers need not have been sent from one to the other to tell the number of birds seen. Romulus stood on the Aventine, and Remus on the hill before us, the Remuria.

"Remus pitched upon the ground now called from him Remuria. This place is very proper for a city, being a hill not far from the Tiber, distant from Rome about thirty stadia" (Dionysius, i. 85).

"Romulus buried Remus at Remuria, since, when alive, he had been fond of building there" (Ibid., i. 87).

This hill is called to the present day La Remuria.

The road straight on past S. Paolo leads to the

TRE FONTANE,

or Three Springs, which are said to have sprung forth when S. Paul was executed on this spot, his head rebounding three times after it was cut off. Three churches have been built here, but they are not of much interest.

The rambler can return to the city from S. Paul's by tramway, fare six sous, to the Piazza Montanara.

To the left the Strada delle Sette Chisse leads to the Via Appia, near the Church of S. Sebastiano.

THE VIA OSTIENSIS.

(Mr. Forbes's carriage excursion at frequent intervals.)

Instead of turning to the left to the Three Fountains, keep straight on. This is the pleasantest and prettiest road out of Rome, but the views are not so commanding as on some others. On the hill to the left was the Vicus Alexandrinus, where the Lateran obelisk was landed; at Tor di Valle we cross the stream that comes from the Vallis Ferentina,—the bridge is of the time of the kings; then the Rivus Albanus, the outlet of Lake Albano; we next cross the Decima stream; beyond, the Via Laurentina, at the Osteria of Malafede, turns off to the left. We descend to the valley of the Malafede, which is still crossed by the

VIADUCT OF ANCUS MARTIUS,

called Ponte della Refolta. It is worth while to get out of the carriage here and turn into the field at the gate on the left, over the bridge, to see this piece of ancient work, formed of great blocks of tufa stone of the time of the kings, having some repairs in opus reticulatum of the republic. The paved arch over the stream is in good preservation, and is older than the Cloaca Maxima, but not so well known. It is evidently the work of Ancus Martius, who made the port of Ostia, and consequently the road to get there. At the top of the hill above we get the first view of the sea and the last of S. Peter's. We now pass through the woods and along an ancient causeway through the salt marshes to the modern village of

OSTIA,

fourteen miles from Rome. The ancient remains are beyond. Founded by Ancus Martius, it was the great port and arsenal of ancient Rome, with which it rose and fell. Ascending the tower of the castle in the village, an extensive view of the Latin coast and the surrounding ancient forests may be had. Several rooms in the castle have been turned into a museum of fragments found in the excavations. The castle was built by Julius II., 1503–13; and besides this there is nothing of interest in the miserable village. The Street of Tombs leads to the ancient city. The principal objects of interest are the Porta Romana and Guardhouse, houses in the city, tombs and columbaria, Temple of Cybele, the Temple of Vulcan, street with portico and warehouses, the Horrea with the Dolia, the Imperial Palace, baths containing many beautiful specimens of mosaic pavement, Temple of Mithras, in which the altar is still standing, the Arsenal, &c.

SKETCH PLAN OF THE EXCAVATIONS AT OSTIA.
[View larger image.]

The recent excavations were commenced at Ostia at the close of 1870 upon a system more in accordance with the requirements of archæological science and the tendencies of topographical discoveries than had up to that time been practised. All idea of speculating—as had been until then the chief aim of the popes—in the statues and precious objects that might be found, was renounced, and instead it was proposed to uncover, by steady and continued effort, the ruins of the buried edifices; especial attention was bestowed upon those along the banks of the Tiber, as they had played an important part in the career of the city. The earth was first removed round the large edifice known as the "Imperial Palace," bordering on the Tiber; its principal entry, upon the bank of the river, although decorated with a more elegant front, constituted only a common doorway. Three spots, which bore the aspect of stairs leading down to the river, have been excavated: firstly, upon the line from the Temple of Vulcan to the river; secondly, at a basin to the right side of this line; thirdly, at the other extremity of the basin, adjoining the Imperial Palace. At the first point was found the street which terminated at the banks of the river with a flight of steps. Upon removing the soil, a street was discovered paved with immense flagstones, fifteen yards wide, including the porticoes that flanked it on both sides. The porticoes are six yards wide, and are built with pillars of arched brick, decorated at the lower extremity with bas-reliefs, and at the upper with cornices of terra-cotta, lace design. In their interior are large compartments for warehouses, with a depth of six yards below the level of the pavement. This street leading from the river to the Temple of Vulcan is one hundred and fifty yards long. The lateral walls subsist up to the height of seven yards, and the rooms of the porticoes still preserve their ceilings, the pavement of the first floor being mosaic. Another street, parallel to the above, was struck at the second point, also running from the river, and paved with large flagstones; it has a width of five yards, and on each side large warehouses. On the left side are a series of pillars adorned with cornices, having a height of seven yards, and a lateral width of two yards. As the street advances into the city, along the entire course are shops and warehouses, conveying the grandest idea of the life, activity, and commercial traffic that must have prevailed in the city. At the third spot were found the traces of a large stairway, leading to a terrace reared above the level of the river. To this stairway two streets lead, the first six yards wide, and proceeding from the interior of the city; the second, ten yards, running parallel to the Tiber, each side being occupied with warehouses. These are the three main streets lately thoroughly uncovered and examined, and which, while affording an accurate plan to modern eyes of the time-honoured city, unite, with its other ruins, tombs, and mosaic pavements, to make Ostia one of the wonders of the day.

CASTEL FUSANO

is a seat of Prince Chigi, two miles to the left of modern Ostia, just inside the pine-forest. There is nothing further to see. There is a pleasant ramble of about two miles down to the sea.

N.B.—Permission must be obtained of the prince, before leaving Rome, to enter the woods.

Seven miles beyond Castel Fusano is Tor Paterno, the site of the younger

PLINY'S VILLA.

"Seventeen miles from Rome; so that, having finished my affairs in town, I can pass my evenings here without breaking in upon the business of the day. There are two different roads to it: if you go by that of Laurentum, you must turn off at the fourteenth mile; if by Ostia, at the eleventh." (See Letter to Gallus, ii. 17.) Three miles inland is Capocotta, the site of Laurentum, the capital of Latium. Five miles off is Pratica, the ancient Lavinium, founded by Æneas.