The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-09-14
Tho old Roman FORUM.

ithns irequeutly been stated that
tho existing pavement OF the central
area OF the Forum is higher than it
was in III first century, and that It's
present Lowell only dates from tho
third or fourth century, A. ID. This,
however, ia not the case; tho marble
plinth Of the existing Rostra, part Of
which ia still ia stu, shows clearly
thGt tho existing paving OF great
blocks OF travertne Ia exactly at the
same level that IL wGs In lno time ot|
JuIius Caesar, ami probably very
muGh oarlNr. The removal OF the
road which crossed tho Western end oil
tho Forum by tho Arch of Severuy
has at last fully exposed 10 view tho
Rostra Of Julius Caesar. Its remains
snow ~ % 10 very much larger and
quite different IN form from what had
always b90u anticipated. In tho fret
place 1t IL & rectangular structure, NOT
curved On plan, aa earlier Gntiuuaries
had boon lod 70 eXpset from a rjouhtiui
reverse Of u dsnariui OF tho gems
iIouiS with tho legend Pa,ikanys
IL Is, however, almost certain that tnt,
coin does not show tho Rostra o. tho
Roman Forum, but has a conventional
representation Of some harnor with \
row OF ships at anchor, only the bsals
OF which appear. The existing re-
mama show d stinctly that tho Rostra
wn1 largo platform with no curve in
us front wall, about 10 feet long and
III feet hlgh above tho level ot tho
Forum paving. lts oud and side walls
are butt Of carefully worked blocks of
| tuiN Two Roman feet thick, two Wide,
and ni various longth9; cash block was
neniv olempeu 10 the next hy dove
tell Yondon dnwols. Th,s [ Ia wall
s'HndS on "A Foundation 'urmc of mas.
sNJ blocks Of travortlrs. A yreat
| part o. hts vail haS bepu rom oyel Tor
hri Ing n,aterisl. out A. tae south
Hnk'r u ~ nearly perfect, aud grea,
| ur,t oft rsm5ins along the whole O,
the lrort, Ono OF the chief points of
inierest about this trout wall Is tho
oxisionce at the hole by which the
bronco bonka OF the Latin ship (rostrn)
were liked. Each hoax was socursu
by two metal bolts two and a h,lf
inches In diameter passing through
tho whole thickness OF the wall, and
h-yWoFtsatrangod IN tow tioraat in.
tervals q! about four Roman feet from
center 10 center; there were 10 Rostra
Ia tho lower tier, and - In tho nnnor
one. Those were the original beRks
taken from tho older R,stra bv Iuiius
Cnssr aud retlxed 20 ,ho now tribunal.
| the Rostra OF tho uppOr tier wero sei
in tho center OF the spaces botyyeon
those ot the lower tier, The disooyerv
| OF thos0 holas agrees with what Is
Shown on tho aculptutci plutni which
were discovered q Few yc.rs apn on tho
north edo "a tho Forum. A relief ON
on ono OF these, reproaontipg tine
Emboior Treisn standmg on tho
nostrs ana addressing crowd ia The
FORUM shows distinctly tho bcaka
arranged IN two tiers exactly ms
indicated by tho existing holes,
The whole OF the tuie wall which
formed the trout aud sides of thn
k1stfa was lined with slabs of wbito
Athoniau marble, with slrichly.molded
cornioo and plinth at tho ton and
bottom, Part of tho moldod pljnth
still exists IN stu nj tho end c,oso NV
lhe Arch OF Sevefus, though Mt that
point the tuia wall, which The m srbln
covered, has been removed. Each
lcngth OF tho marble plinth was caro-.
July liked 10 tho adjacent blocks of
marble and also 10 tho tufa wall bo-
nlno " by strong clamps, somo OF
iron anu Honie OF bronze, with their
ehua turned down and run with
melted lead, aud the whole marble
casirg OF the wall was fixed 10 a
slmhsr way. Mono Of the marble
co,n,ce remains Ia It's place, bus a
nnmnsr 81 pieces OF u have been found
s'.,.srtd around the Rpstra, 80
\. II very .well-desIgnea and care.
luIlv worked cornice, and along ia
top oed = deep lrooveis cut, Into Which
wss lifted : low marble screen or
csncelin a. only one fragment Of which
nSssss ssss En-, q Keep people on tho
~ e N.Y. !S!lin9 o. T. IN one Of
~ Wy SsS2x2 esQes ahorl,
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