Rambles in Rome: An Archæological and Historical Guide to the Museums, Galleries, Villas, Churches, and Antiquities of Rome and the CampagnaForbes, S. Russell
History
Rambles in Rome: An Archæological and Historical Guide to the Museums, Galleries, Villas, Churches, and Antiquities of Rome and the Campagna
Forbes, S. Russell
Art -- Rome; Rome (Italy) -- Guidebooks; Rome -- Antiquities
These tombs were ruthlessly destroyed by the municipality in 1884.
_From the square the road leads to some remains of_
THE BATHS OF GALLIENUS,
miscalled the Temple of Minerva Medica, from a statue of the goddess
discovered here. It is a circular building, 80 feet in diameter, and
its walls contain numerous niches for statues; it was surmounted by a
lofty cupola, which fell in a short time ago. This building was no
doubt the sudatorium of the baths of Gallienus, which stood in his
gardens and occupied this ground. In the fragments of chambers
adjoining, terra-cotta pipes for the supply of hot water may still be
seen.
_The road from here leads to_
THE CHURCH OF S. BIBIANA,
built in commemoration of her martyrdom. At the early age of eighteen,
during the prefecture of Apronianus, she was first scourged, and then
stoned to death. The church contains eight antique columns, and
frescoes from the saint's life by Cortona and Ciampelli. Her statue at
the high altar is the work of Bernini, and is considered to be his
masterpiece. The _fête_ of S. Bibiana is the S. Swithin's day of the
Romans, who have a saying that "if it rain on this day it will
continue to do so for the next forty." We are not superstitious, but
we cannot help wishing that the saint will smile upon us. The Church
of S. Bibiana was built in the fifth century, on the site of the house
where the virgin-martyr is believed to have lived. It was in a great
measure rebuilt by Pope Urban VII., and is only open on the Friday
after the fourth Sunday in Lent, and on the 2nd of December, the
anniversary of the saint.
_Passing by the church, the road leads us through the new quarter of
the town. Passing the remains of a tower in the Agger, we turn to the
right, and pass the railway station through another section of the new
quarter. Behind the custom-house is a fine piece of the Agger and the
Porta Viminalis. Beyond, the barracks occupy the site of_
THE PRÆTORIAN CAMP,
founded by Sejanus, the minister of Tiberius Cæsar, and destroyed by
Constantine. The walls consist of brickwork, and have corridors on the
inside, decorated with stucco and paintings. The camp was between the
Portæ Viminalis and Nomentana, and forms a square projection in the
present wall. It was outside the agger of Servius Tullius. The north
wall is of the time of Tiberius; the east was rebuilt in the fourth
century; the south has been reconstructed out of old square stones,
probably material taken from the west or city wall (which has never
been found), or from fragments of the Agger of Servius Tullius. To
write the history of the Prætorian Camp would be equivalent to writing
the history of Rome from Tiberius to Constantine. Here murderers were
made emperors, and the empire put up to auction. Hence the Prætorians
sallied out to attack the citizens, who in their turn assailed the
camp. Here the guilty found asylum, and the innocent death.
_Near the camp stood_
THE TEMPLE OF FORTUNA PRIMIGENIA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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