Dictionary of Greek and Roman geography . probable, from the natureof the ground where it stood, that the gate itself hadbeen preserved. The road through so narrow a gorgecould never have been disturbed for building or otherpurposes; and it is probable that the gate remainedstanding till the ravine was enlarged by cutting awaythe Quirinal in order to make room for Trajansforum. We learn from the passages just cited, aswell as from Festus (p. 274), that the gate derivedits name from a charioteer, who, returning victoriousfrom the Circensian games at Veil, was thrown outof his chariot and killed
Dictionary of Greek and Roman geography . probable, from the natureof the ground where it stood, that the gate itself hadbeen preserved. The road through so narrow a gorgecould never have been disturbed for building or otherpurposes; and it is probable that the gate remainedstanding till the ravine was enlarged by cutting awaythe Quirinal in order to make room for Trajansforum. We learn from the passages just cited, aswell as from Festus (p. 274), that the gate derivedits name from a charioteer, who, returning victoriousfrom the Circensian games at Veil, was thrown outof his chariot and killed at this spot, whilst tjeaffrighted horses, thus freed from all control, dashedup the Capitoline hill, and, as the legend runs, did notfinish their mad career till they had thrice made thecircuit of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. ( 65.) So remarkable an omen would have beenquite a sufficient ground in those days for changingthe name of the gate. But it matters little whatfaith we may be disposed to place in the legend ; for. TOMB OF CAIUa BIBULUS. ROMA. even if it was an invention, it must have been framedwith that regard to local circumstances which wouldhave lent it probability, and no other gate can bepointed dut which would have so well suited thetenor of the story. Its existence at this spot isfurther confirmed by the tomb of Bibulus, one of thefew remaining monuments of the Republic, whichstands in the Mucel dei Corvi, and by the discoveryof the remains of another sepulchral monument a littlefarther on, in the Via delta Pedacchia. It is wellknown that, with a few rare exceptions, no intermentswere allowed within the walls of Rome ; the tomb ofBibulus must therefore have been a little withoutthe gate, and its front corresponds to the directionof a road that would have led from the forum intothe Campus Martins (Canina, Roma Antica, p. 218).Bunsen, however, is of opinion (Besclir. p. 35)that it lay within the walls,and infers from the inscrip-tion, whi
Size: 1676px × 1490px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorsmithwil, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookyear1854
