The archæology of Rome, Part 7

by John Henry Parker

In another chapter Dio repeats the same account, with the addition of “a public supper[57].” This shews that the arrangements in the amphitheatre were the same in the time of Nero as in the time of Commodus, when Dio was himself present, and describes what he saw. If the water was really sea-water, it could only have been in the canals. The fact of three aqueducts having converged to this point to bring water to the great building, makes it most probable that the water was not really sea-water, but perhaps had sea-weed inserted in it to suit the fishes and the sea monsters. Suetonius also mentions the naumachia in the amphitheatre[58] in the time of Domitian, among the magnificent shows that he provided for the people. Dio clearly distinguishes between the Amphitheatre of Nero and that of Statilius Taurus in the Campus Martius, which he also calls Theatrum Tauri[59].

The word stagnum is commonly translated pond, but it does not necessarily mean only a pond; any reservoir of water might be so called; the castellum aquæ, or large cistern for the water supplied by the aqueducts, was also a stagnum. The “Stagna Neronis[60]” are mentioned by Martial, as well as by Tacitus[61], who also mentions a stagnum navale among the games in the public theatre of Augustus[62].

Suetonius[63] compares the Stagnum of Nero to a “sea” surrounded by the buildings of a city: a strong expression, which shews that there were some buildings immediately round it. The Claudium on the Cœlian, the Porticus Liviæ on the Summa Sacra Via, and Porticus of Nero himself on the Esquiline, would be visible on three sides of it. The representation of this great building on the coin of Titus was evidently taken from the design of the architect. It represents a building of two storeys only, with gigantic statues under each of the arches of the corridors.

The new naumachia made by Augustus in the Trastevere were larger reservoirs for the same purpose; this naumachia is also called a stagnum by Tacitus[64], who describes a similar scene in the stagnum of Agrippa[65] (which was in his thermæ, near the Pantheon), with the letting in the water suddenly for a naval battle; and then letting it off again as suddenly, and having a supper in the same place; he also mentions the stagna of Nero[66], and the stagnum navale of Augustus[67]. The stagnum of Agrippa was supplied with water by his aqueduct (the Virgo), and it has been mentioned that those of Nero were supplied by three aqueducts, two from the Cœlian and one from the Esquiline. The remains of the specus and of the piscinæ have been already mentioned[68]. There are slight remains of three reservoirs in the gallery, lined with the peculiar cement used only for the aqueducts, called opus signinum. From the Esquiline the water was brought to the Amphitheatre in leaden pipes, after serving the Thermæ of Titus; a quantity of these leaden pipes have been found in excavations at different periods[69], as recorded at the time by eye-witnesses, and some of them are still preserved as mementoes in the office of the Municipality.

Suetonius[70] mentions that some of the amusements for the people provided by Nero were held in the wooden amphitheatre of Statilius Taurus in the Campus Martius, but he mentions the naumachia separately, and we have no account of any stagnum having been there, nor is it probable, as it could only have been supplied with water by the aqueduct of Agrippa, and it was originally built before that aqueduct was made. The naumachia were an essential part of the amusements of many Roman amphitheatres, and there are considerable remains of the canals for them at Capua and at Tusculum.

Suetonius, in his life of Titus, thus writes:—

“Having dedicated the Amphitheatre, and having quickly completed the Thermæ hard by, he provided the most magnificent and expensive entertainment [for the people]. He exhibited a naval fight in the old Naumachia, and also a combat of gladiators; and, in one day also, five thousand wild beasts of all sorts[71].”

Those stagna were boarded over for the gladiators and for the wild beasts, but the boards could be moved and naval fights exhibited at other times, as had previously been done on the same spot in “the old Naumachia[72].” The account of the scenes that took place here, described by Dio Cassius, agrees with this. The excavations made in 1814 shewed that there were canals built of brick running parallel to each other the whole length of the area, as at Capua, and in several other amphitheatres; these were, no doubt, for the naval fights. The vessels were probably towed along from the opposite ends, and where they met were lashed together, and the sailors of one of them tried to board the other: to prevent this was the naval fight. Probably the space between these two canals was flooded when the water was let in. These canals, reservoirs, or stagna, were brought out more clearly in 1875, and the substructures which supported them were then made visible[73].