Besides, the Order is not only Roman, but the Scheam also (consisting of four equilaterall triangles, inscribed within the circumference of a Circle) by which this work Stoneheng formed, was an Architectonicall ScheamVitr. lib. 5. used by the Romans. Whereof, I shall have more occasion to speak, when I come to set down, for what use this Antiquity at first erected.
Again, the Portico at Stoneheng, is made double, as in structures of great magnificence the ancient Romans used; so at the foot of the Capitol the Temple to Jove the Thunderer, built by Augustus Cæsar; so the Pantheon at Athens, royally adorned with one hundred and twenty vast columnes of rich Phrygian marble, by the Emperour Adrian. But, some may alledge, the Romans made the Pillars of their double Portico’s, of one and the same symmetry, or very little different, which in this Antiquity otherwise appearing, cannot be a Roman work. To as much purpose it may be alledged the Temple of Diana at Magnesia, was no Greek work, because the Pillars of the inner Portico were wholly left out. Yet it’s true, the Romans usually made them as is objected, and the reason was, because of the weight the inner Pillars carried: now, in this work, no roof being to be sustained, nor any manner of weight born up, though the judgement of the Architect, thereby to save labour and expence, ordered the stones making the Portico within, of a far lesse proportion then those of the outward circle, it retains neverthelesse the proper Aspect (principally aim’d at by the ancient Architects) in use amongst the Romans, and consequently for ought alledged to the contrary by them built.
In this Antiquity, there is a Portico also (as I may rightly term it) within the Cell, or greater Hexagon, reduced likewise into the same figure. Now, that the Romans used to make Portico’s on the inside of their buildings, as well sacred as secular, by the ruines of their Basilicaes or Courts of Judicature; by that Temple without a roof anciently dedicated to Jove in Mount Quirinalis, now the Horse Mount in Rome; by the Temple of Bacchus there of a round form, at this day consecrate to S. Agnes without the gate Viminalis, manifestly appears. But in what ever structures else the Romans used them, certain it is, within their most stately Temples which lay uncovered, and had no roofs, they always made such Portico’s; and though in other Temples they sometimes dispos’d them, yet from Vitruvius it may be gathered, they properly belonged to the Aspect Hypæthros, which was uncovered and rooflesse as this Antiquity Stoneheng, he peremptorily assigning Portico’s to be made on the inside of no kind of Temples,Vitr. lib. 3. cap. 1. but those; His words are, Hypæthros in interiore parte habet columnas, remotas à parietibus ad circuitionem (ut porticus) peristyliorum. Temples open to the air, and without roofs, have columnes on the inside, distant from the walls, as Courts Portico’s about them. Even, after the same decorum as at Stoneheng.
Furthermore, if cast an eye upon their artifice and manner of workmanship, Stoneheng appears built directly agreeable to those rules, which the Romans observed in great works. For, the Roman Architects, in distinguishing the manner of their Temples, always observed (as Vitruvius in his third book teacheth us) the greater the Columnes were, the closer they set them together; so in this Antiquity, the stones being great, the spaces betwixt them are likewise narrow.
The Architraves also, in this work were all of them set without morter, and fixed upon the upright stones by tenons (as formerly described) in the very same manner, as in great structures, where the stones solid, and of more then ordinary greatnesse, the Romans were wont to doe.Leo Bap. Alber. lib. 3. They laid them without any unctuous incorporating matter, nullo fulta glutino, saith Leo Baptista Albertus. And divers examples of this kind might be brought, I my self amongst other Antiquities have seen the ruines of an Aquaeduct, built by the Romans in Provynce, running through a deep valley, and raised in height equall to the adjacent Mountains, upon huge Arches fifty eight foot wide, the stones whereof, being of extraordinary scantlings, were laid without any cement or morter, to incorporate them with the rest of the work. And, where occasion guided their judgements to the observance of this rule, they united and compared the stones together, by certain ligatures or holdfasts, (the Italians call them Perni, pegs or tops, for such they resemble, and we, from the verb tenere to hold, not improperly calling them tenons) quæ inferiores, & unà superiores in lapides infixæ, cavatæ fuere, ne quid fortè protrusi ordines alteri ab alteris distrahantur. Which (saith Albertus)Leo Bap. Alber. lib. 3. being formed in the inferiour stones, were hollowed or mortaised into those above, left by any chance they should start one from another, and break the order of the work. Here the Florentine Architect gives us the self same manner of banding stones, when the Romans laid them without morter, as if he had seen this very Antiquity Stoneheng.
Moreover, what ever footsteps of the Romans found in other places of this Island, it’s not inconsiderately to be past over, that in Wiltshire, the County (as is said before) where our Stoneheng remains, Roman Antiquities are most perspicuous, not only, by the apparent testimonies of the coyns of their Emperors in divers places digged up, but by severall their encamping places yet to be seen, as Leckham,Camden. in times of yore a seat of the Romans: the place also where old Salisbury now sheweth it self, within six miles of Stoneheng: and within three miles thereof Yanesbury Castle, supposed a work of Vespasians when he conquered, and after kept in subjection the Belgæ, ancient inhabitants of that tract. Likewise the mines nearer yet to Stoneheng,Speed. of a fortresse our Historians hold anciently a garrison of the Romans, and in many other forts of that Shire (both by their form and manner of making well known to have been Roman) the tract of their footing is yet left.
But it is objected, If Stoneheng a Roman work, how comes it, no Roman Author makes mention of it? I answer, their Historians used not to commit to writing every particular work, or action the Romans performed: if so, how vast would their volumes have been? Stoneheng ’tis granted, is much admired by us, yet, how far more admirable works were the Romans Founders of, not mentioned in any of their ancient stories? That notable bridge invented and built by Cæsar, for passing his Army over the Rhine, himself at large describes, remembring little or nothing neverthelesse concerning divers other as great works in Gaul and Batavia, suppos’d to be performed by him also. Dion, Herodian, Eutropius and other their Historians tell us, the Romans built the so famed wall, commonly by us called the Picts wall, extending crosseover our Island from the Irish Sea to the German Ocean, above fourscore Italian miles in length, with many towers and fortresses erected upon it; when works of as great admiration in Britain they have past in silence: those wonderfull causeys made throughout the land, by dreining and drying up Fens, levelling hils, raising valleys, and paving them with stones of such breadth, that Wains might without danger passe one by another, not any ancient Roman Author (for ought appears) directly mentioning. Yet, who doubts them Roman works?Cam. fo. 64. I dare confidently avouch, the Romans by little and little founded and raised them up, saith Camden. And why? mark I pray, because, whilst Agricola governed Britain, Tacitus tels us, severall ways were enjoyned. If then, because Tacitus affirms in generall terms only, severall ways enjoyned, Camden confidently concludes them Roman works, no Roman History otherwise remembring them; Why may it not, the same Tacitus telling us in like manner, Agicola exhorted the Britans in private, and helpt them in common, to build Temples, Houses, and Places of publick resort, as peremptorily be inferr’d, Stoneheng was a work built by the Romans, though not particularly remembred by them in their stories? In a word, Temples and places of publick resort,Tacitus.
Beda. the Romans built here, and were the first that did so, leaving it to after ages to find out by their Manner of building, Order in building, and Power and Means for building, such lofty ruines, as appears in this Antiquity, could be remains of none but Roman building.
The next thing to be enquired after, is, in what time Stoneheng built. Happily, about those times, when the Romans having setled the Country here under their own Empire, and, together with bringing over Colonies reduced the naturall inhabitants of this Island unto the society of civill life, by training them up in the liberall Sciences. For, then also (saith Camden)Camden fo. 63. did they furnish the Britans, with goodly houses, and stately buildings, in such sort, that the reliques and rubbish of their ruines, cause the beholders now, exceedingly to admire the same, and the common sort of People plainly say, those Roman works were made by Giants, of such exceeding great admiration, and sumptuous magnificence they are.
This relation of Camdens, reflects chiefly upon the time of Agricola; neverthelesse, that Stoneheng (though fabled Giants work) was then built, I dare not affirm: the great works of the Romans, brought to perfection in this Island, being not the work of a day. It hath been the invention of wise Romans of old, affecting civility, to raise goodly buildings here: but the precise times when, in things so far from all knowledge, cannot be with any certainty avouched. For my part, I should choose to assign those times for building thereof, when the Romans in their chief prosperity most flourished here, and refer the first erection to the time betwixt Agricolas government formerly mentioned, and the reign of Constantine the Great: in order to which, the times rather somwhat after Agricola, if not during his own Lievtenancy, then next preceding Constantine. For, long before Constantine acquired the Soveraignty (which was not till the year of our Lord three hundred and ten) the magnificent splendor of that mighty Empire began sensibly to wane, and the ambition of the great Captains of Rome, (some few excepted) tended rather to make parties for obtaining the Purple Robe, then (after the manner of their ancestors) to eternise their names by great and admirable works, or patronizing good Arts, for want whereof they began likewise to decay apace; Serly in his third Book speaking of those times, telling us, that id temporis Architecti, si cum superioribus conferantur, rudiores & ineptiores extitisse videntur. In those days although there were many Architects, yet, compared with such as lived in the preceding Ages, they were very rude and unskilfull. Besides, the condition wherein this Island was, divers years preceding Constantine, would not admit such undertakings. For, by the civil discord of the Romans, the Britans taking occasion to make frequent revolts, in hope to recover their lost liberty, the Romans were put upon other manner of Councels then to think of building; namely to reduce the Britans to their wonted obedience, and keep the Province in some reasonable quiet, by expelling the Scots and Picts (savage and perfidious People even from times of old) making daily inroads and incursions thereunto.
Now, as for these reasons, it’s not likely Stoneheng could be built in the times next before Constantine, so, by what follows, it will manifestly appear, it was not erected after his Reign. For, after his transplanting the seat of the Empire into the East, and the government of the then known world, under the Romans, distinguished by East and Western Emperours, a deluge of barbarous Nations (like so many Locusts) swarmed over all. Who, as with their vast multitudes they oft had formerly attempted it, so, thence forward, till bringing that mighty Empire unto its finall and fatall period; and thereby utterly destroying in like manner all Arts and Sciences, together with Architecture, (not restored again, even in Italy it self, untill, as formerly remembred) they never desisted. Moreover, in the times after Constantine, no Temples to Heathen Deities (such as I shall make appear this Antiquity Stoneheng was) were erected here, they being times of defacing, rather then erecting idolatrous places. For, most of the succeeding Emperors becoming Christians, the tempestuous storms of perfection were over, and the thick clouds of superstition beginning to be dissolved by the bright beams of the Gospel, and true light of CHRIST, every where Temples were shut up against false Gods, and set open to the true GOD. According to that of Gildas,Gildas. No sooner was the blustering tempest, and storm of persecution blown over, but the faithfull Christians, who in the time of trouble and danger had hidden themselves in woods, deserts, and secret caves, being come abroad in open sight, renovant Ecclesias ad solum usque destructas, basilicas sanctorum martyrum fundant, construunt, perficiunt &c. Churches ruinate to the very ground they reedifie, Temples of holy Martyrs they found, build, and finish &c. So that, in stead of idolatrous Temples, built in the Ages preceding Constantine, during his reign and after, whilst the Romans continued in any prosperous state here, by erecting Christian Churches, they began generally to neglect, and suffer fall to decay, rather then new build Temples to their Pagan Gods.