Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-28

New light is constantly being thrown
on the history, manners, and customs OF
the ancient Romans by the discoveries OF
the psychologists, SO that we have data
now almost as minute IS OF contemp0ra-
neous States. Professor Lauclanl, IN a
recently-published volume, groups a mass
OF the most important OF the discoverIes
made during the past twenty years, ana
showing the relation Of the objects
TO the extinct civilization OF winch
they are monuments. since 1877
Innumerablc objects of interest have
been uncovered. oil Of which helped
to piece out the history Of the PEG
pie, and enable us to form a correct
idea OF their everyday life and achieve
ments. Many of the works unearthed
are prehistoric aud of the greatest value
20 the student. Professor Lanclanl says:
awe have exhumed the remains OF num-
berless houses aud palaces, temples and
shrlncs, roads and drains, parks and
gardens, fora and porticOes, fountains
and a~queducts. tombs and mausolea
to such an extent that whereas before
1872 science possessed only approximate
attempts at an Archaeological map OF
Rome, we have put at the dis
posal Of students magnificent ones,
covering an area Of 1861, 300 square
metres Of the ancient city Some Of
the discoveries tend to establish az q
fact, what had become TO be considered
by historians as q myth, that I,Omulus
really was the founder Of Home. lie
was a shepherd driven with his follow
crs from the Alban Hills 10y the activity
OF the volcano which then occupied the
site Of the present Lake OF AlOanO. IL
is claimed that when this volcano was IN
active operation the heaithfulness oil the
city was greater than it has been since 1t
ceased to exist. The excavations disclose
the fact that while the ancient Romans
had some remarkably Rooi ideas on
the subject of sanitation, they at
the same time permitted many practices
wholly at variance with all laws Of
health. They had woste places where
rubbish OF all kinds were dumped, and
even human corpses were thrown with
ont burning or burial. IN epidemics
they we're accustomed 10 place thousands
Of bodies into shallow trenches. One Of
those which the archGologists dug INTO
ia estimated 10 have contained Zf,OOO
bodies, and the workmen were driven
out by the intolerablc door yet ema-
Mating from holes whore masses OF
de,omposed, viscid animal matter have
been found. While they showed
remarkable knowledge Of sanitary
engineering in their drain system. 1t IS
considered that they exposed themselves
to plague and pestilence by burning
their dead with recklessness inside and
outside Of the walls. No city was ever
so magnihcently supplied 10y aqueducts
az rome, and yet the Tiber was used as
q sewer. The bed Of this historic river
is an inviting field. which the arch@o-
loeists hope to fully explore at no
distant day. A small section has
been already dredged experiment.
ally, and the proceeds we're suii-
Gent to encourage the prosecution
Of the work on a large scale. IL
Is mentioned that among the the trea-
sures the Ilber has yielded IS a fine
statue Of Bacchus. the God Of Wine,
who had been in the water on his head,
stuck III the mud, Tor u llOiiballu years.
Professor Lanciani asserts repeatedly IN
the course Of his narrative that for
many centuries the Romano them
selves pillaged their WI city. and
chat none of her barbarian enemies
did her the 1.-THE Of the injury she
has suffered from her own people.
All the classic monuments were de-
faced or pulled down TO furnish material
for other structures {; tho Colosseum WIS
converted into q quarry priceless
statues were thrown into kilns and burn
ed into lime, and city after city has been
built on the ruins, out Of the material u
the old. so that to trace the objects now
brought forth TO their original uses Is
ike burrowing in an underground laby-