Dion Cassius (Xiphilin, Trajan) says: "He erected in the forum that bears his name a vast pillar, as well to serve as a receptacle for his bones as to be a monument of his magnificence to posterity. In good earnest, it was a piece of work that could not be finished without extraordinary expense, because it was necessary to cut through a mountain as high as the pillar, to make the level for the forum." [Illustration: PLAN OF THE FORUM OF TRAJAN.] "The bones of Trajan were put into the pillar we have mentioned; and, to reverence his memory, sports were celebrated for several years after, which were called Parthica" (Dion Cassius, "Hadrian"). "Trajan, of all the emperors, was buried within the city. His bones, being put up in a golden urn, lie in the forum which he built, under a pillar, whose height is 144 feet, Roman" (Eutropius). _Going down the_ VIA ALESSANDRINA, _which commences at the left-hand corner of the above forum, as we come into it, take the first turning on the left_, VIA CAMPO CARLEO. _The gate on the left leads to the_ double row of shops that surrounded the Forum of Trajan. _Custodi at the Forum. Following this street, we pass the_ medieval Torre del Grillo _on our left. On our right_ are massive remains of the SECOND WALL OF ROME. (See page xviii.) _Turning to the right under the arch, we are within_ THE FORUM OF AUGUSTUS. "The reason of his building a new forum was the vast increase in the population, and the number of cases to be tried in the courts; for which the two already existing not affording sufficient space, it was thought necessary to have a third. He placed statues of the great Roman generals in both the porticoes of his forum. In building his forum, he restricted himself in the site, not presuming to compel the owners of the neighbouring houses to give up their property" (Suetonius, "Augustus," lvi.). It was restored by the Emperor Hadrian (Spartianus). THE TEMPLE OF MARS ULTOR, the Avenger. Vowed by Augustus at the battle of Philippi, B.C. 42, and erected by him in the centre of his new forum. Three beautiful pillars, and part of the wall of the cella and of the roof of the vestibule, still exist near the Arco dei Pantani, which owes its medieval name to the marshes caused by the water collecting in this neighbourhood. They stand upon a substruction only excavated a few years ago, and present one of the finest specimens extant of a temple, all the essential parts of which have been preserved. The gigantic walls of rectangular blocks of tufa, into which the travertine arch already mentioned was introduced for the purpose of forming a communication with the other part of the city, are most imposing, and formed part of the second wall of Rome and the boundary of the Forum of Augustus. [Illustration: TRAJAN'S FORUM.]