The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-08
R0ine's Ruins.

Works OF excavation IN Rome are gen.
orally discontinued during the summe
and autumn months. The Iaborers 20 of
70 the corn and wine harvests, where they
get better pay, but this year the excava,
tions on the Forum. aud along the side OF
the faiattne facing the Temple of Romu.
ius ana the Basilica of Constantine, have
been contihued with increasing activity.
The extent of ground broken Is something
unusual, and evidently Signor Baccelli Is
determined 10 do his utmost to insure. as
lar as possible, the completion CT his grand
scheme OF archaeological exploration by
cutting out all the work he can. 1t com.
lhlses the restoring to light of all that re
mains or tho buildings and construction,
i which surrounded and adorned the Roman
forum; the clearing Of the entire area by
removing everything, of whatever nature.
superimposed upon 1t in modern tlmes:the
Junction of the excavations on the Forum
with those on the Palatlne by tho compile
ting of both; the isolation from-or rather
within tho modern city of the greater
part OF the fourth, the eighth and the tenth
OF The Augustan regions OF ancient Rome
whlcn adjoined each other, and their
dedication to the memories connected with
them.
Extensive excavations have restored
much TO light and hare taught us much.
but tie desoation remained almost M
great as before. These excavations never
assumed any other aspect than that of q
number of great holes, Notwithstanding
that some OF them afforded considerable
space to walk about in. There was-as
regards the Forum-tlrst, the hole betwcsn
inc masive wall OF The Tabutarlum, with
tile re~i OF the modern municipal buildings
slauding upon it on the one side and the
roadway passing from the Via Bunella to
| the Via della Cousol. come IN front of the
Arch of Septlmus Severus on tho other, in
Which weIe completely visible the remains
OF Tie leWples. Of Saturn, Vespaslan, hnd
concord, the ROstra and the Arch of Sep
timlus Severus cXcavated In the time of
fils VII. Then on the further side of
that roadway there Was until twelve years
ago. the small, uncleau hol. dug at the
expense of the Duchess of Dcyonsbire IN
December, 1910. This, between 1870 and
1915, was enlarged as far as ihe Temple of
Antoninus and Faustlua, and in 1854
second roadway being left at that point
another hole was dug beyond, extending as
lar as the Arch Of Titus, and again the
works were Suspended.
|
aiy last TO the exploration Of the Forum.
"A seat In the Italian Cabinet, and tha I scat
the head of the Department of Public In.
structlon, was for tho first time held by a
Roman, Signor Baccelll. The Roman ar
oh@ologlsts were anxious to ascertain the
site OF the Fabian Arch, Of which no traces
had been found on eilhe: side of the Cause
way leit from the Temple of Antoninus
ana Faust1na to the corner of the Palatlne.
Its discovery would determine the yexed
| question OF the course of tho Sacra Via
ana there was 70 difficulty IN interesting
Signor Baccelll suffi, lently to obtain his
permission TO remove the causeway IN
search Of 1t. That search was Intellectual
Notwithstanding that some voulssoirs and
othoT datasis which had evidently formed
parts OF the arch were found, but discover
les OF the greatest interest were made.
Sufficient indications were obtained to sat-
isfy many competent authorities as to the
l'ne of the Sacra Via: considerable romans
OF the Regia were found, and other imnor
tant discoveries were made at the yerv
spot where IL was necessary to discontinue
the excavations. These only served to
stimulate unsatisfied interest. Among
other things fragment Of tho celebrated
marble plan OF Rome, dug up in the course
OF the works, gnve the plan Of the very spot
where II was found, and raised Me-t4ues-
tlon Of the Via Nova.
| The work accomplished 80 far is a rood
earnest of what VIC may look forward to
enjoying when the Palatlne and the Forum
the area within which the whole history
OF Komo conferred and can be studled-are
excaVated as completely as the remains of
Pompeti, cared for with the same scientific
dlscernment. and placed. as what Is left Of
that ancient city IS, open to the easy com
preEenslon OF the most simple. What is
seen at Pompeii ID seen completely and can
be understood. What is visible of the
Palace of the Cesars and other remains on
tho ialatine and Of the Forum can only be
aeen by looking, as l have SAID, into q
numper OF separate holes, and, when seen,
can only be lmpcrfectIy understood after
lnfnite puzzling,
Twelve years ago the question Of the
very direction of the Forum did It extend
from north to south toward the Arch of
Titus, or from east to west toward the
Circus Maxlmus-was still matter of
controversy. Certainly they were few
who continued to hold to the latter theory:
put, clear as the case appeared to the ma
1ority, there was then no vIslble evidence
| UiioN SNei>1 w Puv lOl"hIu dS uoClSlV6. Zen
months ago no one could prove which of
tho two streets rnnning along the Forum
was the Sacra Via, and the theories as to
It's course were many. The difficulty has
not yet been Get at rest to the satisfaction
OF all but the weight of authority ls agreed
that tho excavations made last spring re-
vealcd the exact line Of tho celebrated
street "glorlfied by hundred Victories"
and the removal Of comparatively few
more square metres OF rubbish will settle
the question forever. There arc, with one
or two unImportant exceptions only, no
longer any doubts as to the names of the
temples and other remains standing on the
uncovered potion Of the forum. No one
disputes the fact that we can point with
certainly 10 the ruins of the temple which
Augustus built Oh tho spot where tile body
of"Great Julius'was burned, and to many
other historic sights; but all this is still OF
but limited educational value, for bewil-
derlng controversy Is rlfe--and will con.
tinue 80 upti! the whole area is cleaned
as to where tho Comitiu6n, tho Grecostasls,
the other Rostra and many more important
details were situa.ed.
The excavations on the Palatfne have
also given most valuable resuIts The