the Calian to the Aventine hill by means of a large aqueduct. Previous to the time of Nero, the Marcia and Julia had supplied the Aventine hill 218; and therefore the Marcia was only restored to its original use. In the opinion of Fabretti, this was the work of Nerva, arguing from the context of Frontinus, and the time at which he wrote his treatise 214: but that learned antiquary does not sufficiently account for the inscription found on the leaden pipe, and which has just been cited. The question is, whether Nerva or Trajan conveyed the Aqua Martia to the Aventine: a truly antiquarian dispute, but certainly not worth the trouble of deciding; more especially as it will not affect the circumstance of this being a part of the aqueduct that conveyed it, by whomsoever made. The adjoining building is entitled, from its excellent work, to be considered as of the same age, and some of the vaulted apartments within it may be assigned for the use of a reservoir or "castellum aquæ." There are, however, rooms which must have served for other purposes; for when we consider that the whole occupies an ample space of about 120 feet by 80, such an enormous building could not be required for a mere "castellum aquæ." We find in this region the private baths of Trajan. Now, if Nerva or Trajan, no matter whether, brought the water by means of this aqueduct, which joins the very building, what so probable as that this also formed

213 Frontin. ibid. p. 145.; and compare "Et imprimis Marcia reddita amplo opere a Cælio in Aventinum usque perduxit."

214 Fabretti, de Aquis et Aquæduct. diss. iii. p. 168.

the private baths of Trajan? It is, however, but fair to observe, that "privata Trajani" may either be joined with " domus" or "balnea." Panvinio has adopted both, and given an inscription which it is not easy to apply.

At the lower end of this Vigna Cavaletti is the burial-ground of the Jews, whence we again overlook the Murcian valley. Near the church of S. Prisca was found a tablet of basalt, engraven with hieroglyphics.215 It is allowed to have belonged to the temple of Isis; and such a temple is registered in this region.

It now seems as if we had wrought ourselves into that "double night of ignorance and ages which admonishes us to retire from the seven hills. Indeed, with regard to the Aventine, we can hardly say it was ever light; and three hundred years ago, the unintelligible vestiges equally eluded the enquiry of the antiquary.216 Descending, therefore, to the intersection of the roads, we continue along the Via S. Paolo until it brings us into the Via S. Sebastiano, within sight of the Cælian hill; and we shall recognise with some familiarity the respective limits of the first and third, the tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth regions: nor will it be forgotten, that it was here we set out with the Via Appia and its environs, to examine the topography and antiquities of Rome; it is here we end, on this side the Tyber; and if we have already

215 Ficoroni, Vestig. de Rom. Antic. lib. i.
p. 80.

216 «. . . . fra le tante rovine, che vi veggono non si puo discernere questa da quella, tanto son consumate," &c. Camucci, del Colle Aventino, lib. ii. p. 91.

longed to escape from the thraldom of doubts and difficulties, the imagination is now free to wander; and we may converse with the genius of ancient Rome without being altogether ignorant of his footsteps. We may have been sometimes perplexed with the doubts, and scared with the difficulties; but to have discovered the truth, deduced the probability, or even detected the error, is more than a recompence; and, whilst many excuse themselves from a rational investigation of this subject, by pleading the general uncertainty of it, we shall now return by the Colosseum, the Via Sacra, the Roman Forum, and the Capitol, with some degree of complacency, in feeling that we are not altogether unacquainted with the classic ground on which we tread, and to which so many of our countrymen find their distant way.

DISSERTATION THE ELEVENTH.

ON THE FOURTEENTH REGION, OR TRANSTYBERINA, WITH THE TYBER, BRIDGES AND DRAINS OF THE CITY; INCLUDING ALSO THE VATICAN MOUNT, THE FORT S. ANGELO, AND THE MONTE MARIO.

"Ahi! Constantin! di quanto mal fù madre
Non la tua conversion, ma quella dote
Che da te prese il primo ricco padre."

DANTE.

THE vicissitudes of the city of Rome bear a striking analogy to those of her power and dominion. The distant provinces were gradually relinquished, as the power necessary for retaining them failed; and the inhabitants of the city, in an almost continued coincidence, gradually retired from the seven hills. Whilst the invisible contest between imperial and papal power was pending, the Romans clustered their abodes within the windings of the Tyber, as if at the same time doubtful whether the future renown of the city should rest upon the seven hills or the Vatican; but, at length, when time and circumstances declared in favour of the latter, the representative of the power migrated from the Capitoline Jove to the shrine of St. Peter; and now, whether the spiritual dominion shall flourish or decay, the eyes of the world are fixed upon the Vatican; where the pride of Rome has concentrated all her treasures and her

glory; and thus the Transtyberine district, which scarcely deserved the notice of the ancient historian, has gradually risen with the ecclesiastical power, and triumphs over the prostrate city of the

emperors.

The Tyber enters Rome in a south-west direction, and, dividing the city by its serpentine course, embraces, within two alternate windings, the main portion of the present population. The communications from one side to the other are made by six ferries and four bridges.

Comparing the present state of the river with ancient accounts, it does not appear to have undergone much change. It was always subject to inundations, which it defied the power of the emperors to remedy. Dionysius states the width to be about four "plethra," which may be reduced to answer, at the present day, as a mean proportion.1 It has generally a muddy appearance; but when it has been for some time free from the effects of rain, is not unworthy of the epithets which the ancients applied to it. In many places it is deep; but, from inequalities in the bed, is often selfobstructed, forming eddies and whirlpools, in which the poets loved to contemplate the silent dignity of father Tyberinus. It settles down in the summer season to an average depth of twelve or fifteen feet. Its banks are now very high, and show in many places a large deposit of alluvial soil; and

1 Dionys. Halicarn. lib. ix. cap. 67. p. 595.

It is necessary, however, to reduce the four plethra to about 400 feet, which first Donatus (apud Grævium, tom. iii. p. 780.) and then Nardini (tom. iii. p. 380.) have shown may be done.