The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-17
An Ancient Parallel for the Lawrence
Disaster.
OVER TWENTY THOUSAND PERSONS UNDER THE
RUINS OF ROMAN THEATRE.


late disaster at Lawrence, Mass, refers to
similar catastrophe near Rome, and says:
Tacitus, the historian, from whose works
this account is taken, was born nineteen
years after the death Of the Emperor Tiber-
Jus. Coming on the stage Of life so early
after the event, and having associated, as be
must have done, with those who witnessed
the calamity, his account is the more relia-
BILE. Tacitus, Ann. book i, p. 196, sec. g.:
A sudden calamity occurred in the consul
ship of Marcus Licinius and Lucius Calpur.
MUS, which equalled the havoc of the most
destructive wars: its beginning and ending
were simultaneous. One Atilius had under
taken to erect an amphitheatre at Fidena,
there to exhibit combat of gladiators. He
was of the race of freedmen, and as he en-
gagged in the business from no exuberance of
wealth, nor to acquire popularity among the
inhabitants, but as matter of sordid gain,
he neither put it on solid foundations, nor
employed braces to strengthen the wooden
fabric which formed the superstructure.
Thither focked from Rome persons of
every sex and age, eager for such shows as
during the reign Of Tiberius they were de-
barred from diversions at home, and in great
er crowds from the nearness of the place.
Hence the calamity was the more disastrous,
for the theatre being crowded so as to form
a dense mass, and then others bullying to-
wards the outer parts, countless number of
human beings, either intent upon the spec
tacle or standing near around the place, were
either borne headlong to the ground or bur-
;oI up1or no
were not killed by the shock of the first
crash, escaped, as far as possible in such a
disaster, the misery eff torture much more
to be pitied were those who, with portions
OF their bodies torn away, were not yet for
saken of life; those who by day beheld their
wives and children, and by night distin
guished them by their groans and cries.
And now others summoned to the spot by
the sad tidings, bewailed, one his brother,
another his kinsman, and third his parents.
Even they whose friends or kindred were
absent on different account were yet terri
fed for, as it was not distinctly known
who had fallen in the calamity, the alarm
spread wider for the uncertainty.
When the ruins began to be removed,
they crowded around the dead, embracing
them and kissing them and frequently
there arose contest about their identity,
where distortion of the features, personal
resemblance or similarity of age had created
liability to error in those who claimed
them. Twenty thousand persons, according
to Suetonius, and fifty thousand, according
to Tacitus, were crushed to death or manned
by this sad disaster. It was, therefore for
the future provided, by decree of the Sen
ate, that no man under the qualification
of four hundred thousand sesterces, should
exhibit the spectacle Of the gladiators and
no amphitheatre should be founded but upon
ground of proved solidity." Atilius was
punished with exile. However, Immediately
upon this destructive calamity, the doors of
the great city were thrown open medicines
and physicians were furnished to all and in
that juncture the city though under an as
pect of sorrow, presented an image of the
public spirit of the ancient Romans, who,
after great battles, relieved and sustained
the wounded by their liberality and atten.
tions.