The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-04
IN FOREIGN LANDS.
Correspondence of The Mteuigeneer

correspondents " tNc lNlcNtgeVCtF.
"And this is Rome, that sat on her sever
hills
And from her throne of beauty ruled til.
world
lie who writes Of Rome, assumes task
which requires volumes instead Of
columns, aud years instead of hours in
its completion; but in spite of this, VIC
hope to be able even in the brief limits
of letter, to give our readers some idea
of the Eternal City.
Rome has had wonderous history
From the time when the first fortress was
built on the Palatine Hill by Romulus
moro than two thousand six hundred
years ago, on through the regions of the
Kings, the stern rule Of tho republic, the
glory of the Empire when its population
was numbered by millions, its decline
and fall, the centuries ofruin until during
the ware of the Guelphs aud Ghibellines
the number of its inhabitants was
reduced TO only about 10000, rs we'll as
during the later regeneration of the city,
1t presents history without a parallel
among the nations. The Rome of to day
has o population of about 100000 and
occupies about one half (the Northern
portlon) of the space enclosed by the
AureiIan walls. AS the capital Of united
Italy, however 1t is prosperous city and
promises good things for the future. The
river Tiber, q muddy, sluggish stream,
winds through the city ia Southerly
direction, dividing it in two unequal
parts, by far the larger portion, including
tha 9a:atins, the CapitoliGe, tie Esdui-
line, the Coelian, the Aventine, and the
Quirnai hill 40 being on the Eastern side,
With the palace Of the Vatican, St.
Peters, the castle Of St Angelo and the
Janiculum hill on the Western hank.
The principal street of modern Rome is
the Corso, which extends from the Porta
del Popolo on the North, in Southerly
direction through the heart of the CITY
to the foot of the Capitoline Hill. 1t is
a we'll built street, lined with shops,
hotels, ETC., and on fine afternoons is CAV
with it's exhibition of modern Roman
life and fashion.
Inc great central point Of interest in
the city is the Roman Forum, located
between the Capitoline Hill on the North
and the Palatine Hill on the South
and nearly in the centre of the ancient
city. Its buildings were destroyed bv
Guiscard in the eleventh century aud for
four hundred years it was a waste and a
receptacle for the rubbish OF the CITY.
until the entire space was filled to the
depth of "a feet and all knowledge of the
location and names of the ancient build.
ipgs was lost. Since the fifteenth century,
however, excavations have been carried
on at intervals, until the entire Forum as
well as many of the adjoining buildings
have been uncovered. This little paral.
telegram, less than a thousand feet iD
length and about four hundred feet wide
possesses more of interest than any simi-
lar spot in Europe. At the Northwest
ern end where on the slope of tho Capt..
tollne HILL now stands the palace of the
Senator, the Tabularium or Hall of
Records was formerly located. In front
rise three white marble columns, marking
the site OF the tempt, of Vespasian. A
little farther on, to the right, eight granite
columns standing on base sixteen feet
high are all that remain of the magnifi.
cent temple of Saturn, built long before
the Christian era. On the left is the mas.
sive arch OF Septimius Severus, its fine
proportion and imposing solid;ty almost
frowDlng on the ruin around. Between
the arch and the Tabularum stood the
:-'1pie of Concnrd and Senatorial Hall.
wIc:a Cicero convened the Senate and
with his terrible eloquence denounced the
conspiracy of Cataline. Farther on the
foundations of the Bascilica Julia ,e
seen, with the column Of Phocas in front.
the "nameless column with q buried
base" mentioned by Byron. Beyond the
basilica, three marble columns of the
temple of Castor and Pollux are still
standing and directly opposite are the
ruins of the temple of Julius Cesar Del.
he'd, built upon thes pot where Antony
delivered his memorable oration and
where Cesar.s body was burned. At diff.
ferent points through the forum the pave
meDt of the Via Sacra, which descended
from the Capitoline Hill and passed ON
beneath the arch of Titus to the Southern
gaze of the city, still remain. Over the
massive blocks of lava which form this
Sacred Way" have thundered the
chariots of the Roman generals as their
legions poured forth to conGue. she world.
Returning along this route marched the
victors in triumph, leading their captives
in chains aud bearing the rich spoils of
their vanquished foes. All around are
ruined temples and palaces, the relics of
the ancient glories of this mighty city.
Standing by the side of the excavation
aod looking out over the shattered frag-
ments OF the past, 1t seems the open
grave of n buried nation.
The Palatine Hill, which adjoins the
Forum on the South, was from the earli-
est history of the city, the home of the
aristocracy. Hore the Gracchi, Mariua,
Cicero, Marc Antony and many others
had their residences and here were the
palaces of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula,
Nero, Vespasian and Septimius Severus.
In. tho later years of the empire, the
entire hill became covered with the pal.
aces of the C@sars, and the ruins, which
have been uncovered within the past
forty years. give unmistakable evidence
of the magnj6cence of the original struc.
ture. A short distance Southeast of the
Forum, the arch Of Titus spans the Via
Sacra, bearipg on its inside walls the
famous bas reisfs representing Titus in q
triumphal procession with the Jewish
captives bearing the rich spoils of the
temple at Jerusalem, among which may
be seen the golden candlesticks, the silver
trumpets and the golden table. A little
farther on rise the majestic ruins Of the
Coliseum. This wonderful structure,
bnilt BY Vespasian and Titus early In the
Christian era was the largeat building of
its kind ever erected and would accom-.
modate nearly one hundred thousand
epectators. The seats rose 10 receding
tiers, SO as TO afford all good view of the
vast arena, In which men as we'll as