Pliny (iii. 9) informs us that the city was entered by three gates.
PORTA MUGONIA (14),
situated on the east of the hill, the site of which has been identified by Varro ("L. L." 164):—
"Moreover, I observe that the gates within the walls are thus named; that at the Palatine 'Mucionis' (from 'mugitus,' lowing), because through it they used to drive out the cattle into the pastures around the old town."
PORTA ROMANA (40).
At the middle of the western side, at the commencement of the ascent on the Via Nova, called the Clivus Victoriæ in commemoration of the victory of Romulus over Acron. The remains were discovered March 1886. Varro says:—
"The other, called Romulana, was so called from Rome, the same which has steps into the Nova Via at the shrine of Volupiæ."
Festus, speaking of the same gate, says:—
"But the Porta Romana was set up by Romulus above the foot of the Hill of Victory, and this place is formed of tiers of steps disposed in a square. It is called Romana by the Sabines in particular, because it is the nearest entrance to Rome from the side of the Sabines."