has been erased here also. It is in this Forum that the circular temple stands, close to the Tiber, usually attributed to Vesta, but more properly to Hercules. Livy mentions the "Chapel of Patrician Chastity, which stands in the cattle-market, near the round temple of Hercules." On the south-eastern side of the open area, and opposite that building, is an interesting example of the conversion of two temples into a Christian church, S. Maria in Cosmedin. The Forum of Trajan was built on the north-eastern side of the Capitoline, with the Forum of Augustus abutting on it to the south-east, and that of Julius Cæsar to the southwest. The level space naturally extending to the foot of the Quirinal not being sufficient to admit all the structures which composed the Emperor's magnificent design, it was enlarged on the eastern side by cutting away as much as was necessary of the rock from the face of the Quirinal Hill. It is recorded in the inscription on the base of Trajan's column that the rock was cut away to a depth equal to the height of the column, and we see the medieval round tower, the Tor delle Milizie, standing now on the natural level of the mount above. At that, the eastern end of the Forum is an apse or semicircular termination, with a triple row of shops rising in stages one above the other behind it; one of these being on the level of the Forum, the old pavement of which remains in front of them; the next on a ledge of the rock behind and above them, and the third row on the top of the cliff. The buildings belonging to this Forum were the temple, basilica, column, and arches. The Temple of Trajan stood farthest to the north of this group: it is shewn on a medal of Hadrian, in whose reign it was finished, as a portico with eight Corinthian pillars, and flanked on each side with a colonnade lower in height: there are three steps up to it from the level area, and in front of the portico is the altar. Attached to the temple was a library in two divisions, of Greek and Latin authors respectively; it is mentioned by the name Bibliotheca Ulpia, Trajan's name having been Marcus Ulpius. To the south of the temple stood the great Basilica Ulpia, the remains of which are visible in the form of a large number of broken shafts, replaced on their bases. Among the fragments are prostrate columns of the largest diameter to be found in Rome, fully six feet. The whole scene conveys an impression of the greatest magnificence, and this is fully borne out by the representations of some of the chief structures on coins. One of these is of the basilica, shewing its façade as solid, with a row of columns supporting a massive entablature covered with sculptures of figures on foot and horseback. Between the temple and this great hall came the celebrated column of Trajan, still standing and perfect, the only change being in the replacement of the Emperor's statue by that of an apostle, and the loss of the two gigantic eagles on either side of the pedestal. It is entirely of white marble, in enormous blocks, and measures 127 feet in height. The interior is occupied with a winding staircase of 185 steps, and lighted by 45 loop-holes. Both the base and the shaft are covered completely with sculptures, those on the column winding upwards in a spiral curve, and representing scenes in the campaigns of the Emperor in the Dacian war. The arch connecting this Forum with that of Augustus is, as represented on the coins, a large triumphal archway, with a flat top and solid sides, and three columns on either side of it with niches containing figures between, the whole surmounted by a figure of the Emperor drawn by six horses abreast, with attendants and trophies. Another coin shews a second arch of a similar character, with a raised centre, on which is the triumphal chariot. This is said to have stood between the column and the basilica. On the Arch of Constantine, between the Palatine and Cœlian, are four panels of oval form, which were taken from one of these arches of Trajan when destroyed in the fourth century; they are of the same high character of art as the sculptures on the column. Roman architecture reached its highest perfection under this Emperor. On the western side of the Forum was a second apse, corresponding to that under the Quirinal cliff, the foundations of which are slightly traceable in the substructions of the houses built on the curve. The architect of these great buildings was Apollodorus of Damascus. Besides the cluster of Fora in Regio VIII. connected with each other, and close to the Forum Romanum, there was a fifth, of Vespasian, which, though not properly within that Regio, was practically joined on to the rest. It is called also Forum Pacis, because, as Procopius states, the Templum Pacis was in it. Regio IV. was named after that temple. There are no remains of this Forum aboveground, but its direction has been in part traced, and it seems to have stood against the Forum of Nerva, in that part where the image of Pallas is preserved, the wall which supports the image being the boundary between the two. Extending southward from thence, it went to the cliff of the Velia, detached by the great foss from the Esquiline, and westward in the direction of the Forum Romanum up to the back of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, and the great Temple of Rome, the same which had the Marble Plans of the city attached to its wall. Thus it is seen that all these different Fora of the Emperors were congregated together in the same district of the city, lying near to the Forum Romanum, forming a continuous line of open spaces magnificently adorned, and opening successively into each other. The Forum Pacis was the largest market place in Rome, and the Temple of Roma stood at the south-west corner of it; under the lofty porch of this temple plans of the principal buildings in Rome, engraved on marble slabs, were placed against a brick wall of the third century. This wall is still standing, and has at regular intervals the remains of the metal hooks by which those slabs were attached to the wall. It was at the foot of this wall that all the fragments of the Marble Plans that have been found were brought to light at a considerable depth, by excavations made in the seventeenth century, as recorded by eye-witnesses; and again in the nineteenth. All these fragments that have been preserved are now fixed against the wall of the staircase of the Capitoline Museum, and the passage at the foot of it. These plans are on three different scales, to allow for the distance at which they are placed from the eye of the spectator. They never could have formed a complete plan of the city of Rome; the wall on which they were fixed is not a tenth part large enough for that purpose; the object evidently was, to display the magnificence of Rome to strangers, not to serve as a plan of the city. The erection of these marble slabs, with the names of the principal buildings engraved in red letters, is assigned to Septimius Severus; the well-known character of that prince for variety and love of display before his foreign subjects renders this view extremely probable, indeed accounts for the whole idea and execution. THE TULLIANUM, OR MAMERTINE PRISON. THE Prison of the Kings, called in mediæval times the Mamertine Prison, placed, as Livy describes it, in the middle of the city of the early Kings, and close to the Forum, can to a certain extent be traced by its remains. There was a statue of Mars placed opposite the entrance to the building, on the side of the Forum, which, through the Oscan form of the name Mamers for that god, gave rise to its name; but it is also derived from Ancus Martius, the first founder of the prison. The existing portion nearest the Forum stands not far from the Arch of Septimius Severus, to the right-hand, and beyond it to one looking towards the Capitol, or northward from the arch: this was the vestibule only; the main body of the prison was detached farther to the north-east. The subterranean cells of the prison remain, and are now cellars under houses; of these the vestibule is under a modern church, which is separated from the Temple of Concord, abutting against the Tabularium, by the flight of steps leading up the ascent to the Capitol from the Forum. There are two chambers, usually called the Prison of S. Peter, from the legend that the Apostles Peter and Paul were confined here; they are not on the same level, but one stands over the other, with a vault between. The lowest of them is circular, and is partly cut out of the tufa rock, and lined on one side with slabs of travertine; another side is built of the large blocks of tufa used in the kingly times, and the roof, or vault between the two chambers, which is flat, is also of travertine. In the centre of this vault is an opening from the upper chamber, to give air to the lower chamber. On the cornice in front of this |