The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-07
ANCIENT ROME IN 1911.


been for some time planned by the ltEAaI
Government and IN. municipality Of Rom
to celebrate in 1911 the hftisth anniNersarl
Of the unihcation Of Italy. Preparation
are being made almost regardless OF cost
and millions have yeen appropriated by tn
chaTf6er-. II a - be a hymn Of glorifca
tion for modern Italy There gill bo eN
hibtlons to sh-sw the progress In arts In
/ dustrles and science ON a scale never hsfor'
undertake also hist oTical exhibitions, show
ing every phase Of ItAly's development.
What il most interesting Is the part which
concerns Rome itself. The Improvement,
I In the modern city that have been carried
| on In 80 haphaZard a fashion for many years
| according to a scheme called piano regola
tore are nov being fsverishly pushed. On,
| proposed change has excited wide opposi-
ton IL s,he plan 10 Join by means Of two
bridges or Niaducts the three buildings that
crown the CapitoIine Hil. IL II known that
MichelanRelo had a scheme for these build.
lnss that was never entirely carried out
The building that faces the colossal stair
case which - a remodellinz OF the ancient
Roman TahulaTium and the two nankinS
buildings used sculpture galleries. now
stand Isolated ~ quite a distance from each
other. and II l. generally felt by persons Of
taste thai to Join them by these galleries
would ruin one Of the historic beauties OF
Rome. but u seems to bs an idea that has
80 taken possession of the Mayor OF Rome.
Nathan. barkod by the city fathers. that he
Insists on carrying II out regardless OF the
general outcry. He has been appealing
to the Italian hatred Of foreign criticism
now 50 rampant To obscure the issue and
To make matter OF pat riotism.
one OF the most exciting elements In the
present situation at Rome IL the clash Of
Interests between the ancient and the mod
ern city. The modernIzts are triumphinR
IN the colossal monument OF Victor En-
manuel GROWING the Capitol HIN, symbolic
Of Italy taking possession Of Rome The
tearing down Of all the buildings that have
concealed IL and surrounded its base will
soon give II an overpowering effect: In fact
lt u on entirely too large a scale for the city
lhey are nov planning 20 turn into a mod
ern boulevard the projected archaeological
promenade which u to extend from the
Circus MaNimus at the foot Of the Palatina
llill as far a. the Baths Of CArAcalla and
the SAn Seba-tiano Gate on the Via Appia
" was supposed that this boulevard was TO
10 exclusively planned for the discovery
and exhibition OF the ruins and remains Of
antiquity. and this part Of the scheme was
placed In charge OF CONNIE ndatore Boni.
the talented and popular archroIosist who
rules the ROmAn Forum ON account Of
uls-en-ions IN the COMMITTEES BonI has re-
Gently resigned because he could not con
sent 10 the plan proposed by the modernt.,
majority. which would have made OF the ex
caNations along this line a mere farce but
the struggle IL by no means over and right
scientific methods are likely TO regain con
troll
An outline Of the present schem. IN re-
cover and to harmonIze a Iars. mart q,
ancient Rome - necessary to understand
NhAt has been Recently done The long
stretch which extends from :hs now in
yslhle ruins of the Circus Maximu- to the
Maths Of taracallA h familiar to IN. thou
SANDS ho have taken tho drive out the Ma
Npp'a a. wei ~ 10 those " no have visited
me colossal Jagged ruins OF the baths them
selves. which are I'erhaI- the most i'm nre..
-lNe proofs Of the luNuriou-ne-s Of kouab
NE NTH nnN nothing could exceed tie
tn"no'onN Of stretch. u passes through
the lATge-t tract Of unocCupIad land in.,d.
the walls OF the ancient city Their. arr. o,,I,
ant orchards and villa ground.
on either side Of the road. eXcept for an
p'NA''o'a' church or chap-I. such a. san
sIsto San '"sAreo and saints Nereo and
Achilleo ms freedom from building. nd.
u easy and ineNIeuSiVe tn expropriatea large
tract Parliament voted six millions Tor
purchasing and eACavatinR the land and
treating ihe promenade. the pas.sgciata
archsolosica. which was 10 end at The FAN.
oi araca!la. along a stretch Of bou, A mile
and q nall univ
The area - - be called the nonuuept,I
zone. IONA nchumentale and viii include
= large part ~ The t'"lian and Aventine hiIl-.
even a. FAR back a. the arch ofConstantin.
lhs means that be- ldeA tn. straight lin.
from the Septiznnium az the Zoo, Of m.
! aiatine 10 the baths along the olt Vi.
NpplA the area viii extend in two other
Injections westward To the 1tbsr and /
norih"ard across TO the Forum, The H.. !
'isiinE Gas " Ork- on the size OF the Ctrcu.
NlANimus are 10 ba removed. the founda.
'lon- "t the Septironium. The famous p,IaC.
d Sep'lmlu- >eNeru~. will De- examined. 81 |
NH thore Of the arch OF Ne-paSian and Tim.
~ the east end Of the Circus IN, ,reav,iII !
wen include the church Of Santa MARI IN I
o-niedIn. where the old Gram ENchang.
food. and the poprlarly ,alIed Iemple ~ |
e>'H In this section there may los very |
interesting nnd-. and further eastward m.
foundations of the pottG arena. tho arch
u "ermanIcnS and Drusu-. the temples of /
tonor and virtue and Of Venus NerticordiA.
III along tho AppiN And not fer from the
'oint where It vas crossed by two lines Of !
luueducts
~ this point began the series Of tomb.
N either side OF the ighWay. and IL vas
.lonE this tract. on either side of the Ran.
" 'Arh'Alia. before We reach the Porta San
'ehastiano. that the earliest and his,o,i-
ally tho most Interesting tomh- wer. hui,
" time ven on in the republican ave m.
omh- extended further ou, along the hiyb-
sAy. as We now see them along IN. pIIe-
'eyond the gate A. present the mo-, in
ererttng 81 these early tomb. within ,b.
me OF the proposed promenade il IN. lo,nb
u the scipicS. one Of the most .trIktng
landmarks among the remains of the re-
'ubllc There - no reason to doubt thar
excavations are carried out thoroughIv
many tombs will come to light earlier than
hat Of the ScipiO-. and others contenipornrv
nd later. - that Ne could obtain n com
'Ie'e serie- illustrating roman life and
history under tho republic
What would make these excavation. d,,-
erent from any in Rome except tho.e OF the
Drum. II Bonis ideas are carried on, h.
hat II would be po-sibl. TO de.c.nd IN m.
ncient level over the whole area and %
eep that level uncovered instead o, r.i.ins,
again. ss Is Necessary In all parts OF m.
nodern city. We could walk on the zane
round trod by the Gracchi. hy Ausu.,u.
nd IraJan. and by the millions " no focked
lier tn the free baths In the Therm- a,
aracaIlA. The differences In the plan. IN,
AIRY ing out the-e excavations Sem 10 I've