The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1907-07-04

Imperial Rome, the city or the Gaze
sars, ms II appeared at the height OF
Its magnlficence, has been restored
on paper-througb the ingenuity OF G..
Gattnecht. German artist, who has
based his plausible reconstructlons
upon the results OF slgnor Bonl's exca-
yatlons In the nelghborhood OF the For
um. In these pictures OF Herr Gait
necht satisfying vision OF ancient
Rome may be obtained.
1t Is the topography OF the great cap.
ttal, however, that Is presented, being
an architects rendering from plans
fragments and measurements. The life
OF the Imperial City is, OF course lack
ing Yet, while the restored Stadium
OF the Palatlne pictures that great
track ms deserted, II Is conceivable that
such place was. even In the palmlest
days Of Rome solitary. peaceful and
devoid OF life.
Ia the reconstructed Forum and on
Palatine Hill evidence OF living Rome
IL marked. Artlneally, perhaps, but
stu In keeping with the accepted Idea
OF Roman life. In the picture showing
the Forum In Its heyday. the great
building In the background is the Basil
lea Aemllla, and TO the right Of II Is
the Temple OF the Delhed Julius, which
was built by Augustus. Below II Is the
Rostrum Julia. on which were placed
the beaks OF the ships taken Mt Actum
On the left Is the Rostrum proper
where orators addressed the Curles
A city Not Finished.
AS the artist includes the column OF
Phocas. which Is the first one toward
the spectator, the view OF the Forum
must represent II at a comparatively
date day. AT that tlme--A. ID. 60s-the
glory OF Imperial Rome really had de-
parted, The city had been sacked 90
years before, but the barbarlans had
carried away only portable loot. The
ruin Of the magnificent buildings some
of which have been found under 30
feet OF rubbish and earth, occurred
later.
Not only Is II trulsm to say that
~Romc was not built In day." but il
might be added that IL Is a city which
never was finished. Recent excavations
by Signor Bonl have carried the archaic
ologlsts spade and pick deeper than
ever they were employed before. and as
a result II has been brought to light |
that before the time OF Romulus, its |
reputed founder. the city was old. In
fact, there have been uncovered traces |
OF Celtic occupancy, probably while
that people were In transit to their
final home In the west of Europe.
Rome's architectural glores. how
ever, We're at their height In the time
OF the empire, when the world. as the
bordering on the Medterra-
mean collectively were known In Eu-
rope, was ruled from "the seven hills"
on the Tiber Even I'm the days OF Its
trlumphs the real city was confined TO
the valleys between these hills The
streets and alleys were narrow those
which led over the hills appear to have
been intended only for foot passengers,
and to have consisted OF immense
flights OF stairs, The one street, which
wound an irregular course between the
palatine and the Capitollne. which ex-
cayatlOns have uncovered. was so near
" like a modern thoroughfare that It
became known as Via Triumphalis and
Via Sacra. IL was fairly broad. com
straight and was COM +;
mon avenue for men. horses and We {
licles. The gorgeous professions, the I
-rlumphal entries OF the Caesars had I
Ibis street for their scene. At the Col I
)sseum, Via ApplE led out from the /
lily. road stlll familiar to the tour {
st as the Appian way. a
Majesty II the Forum. In
Each emperor strove to leave last
ng memorial OF his reign by erecting a g
a column or an arch. At I
lines the ambitious ruler did not care /
y Import costly marbles for master a
,leces. and proceeded TO tear down an [
'ther structure for Its material /
Excepting for certain costly palaces G
which were reared on the Palatlne and I
Japitolne, much OF this memorial I
building was carried on In the Forum, 1
which, indeed, Is the center OF Interest :
u ancient Rome. The Forum was an /
'pen space, about 500 feet wide by 100 O
'eet long. During the early republic, .
md even In the times OF the emperors, {
t was appropriated to the civic busl- I
less OF the Roman people. II was early /
decorated with statues of lllustrlous cit g
zens. some OF wood and some OF stone. 8
rhe Comltlun, shown to the left of I
he Basilica and In front of tia Curia, Z