The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-26
Mr. Ward Builds
 Home 'Vest0Uia'
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tContinued From Preceding Page) .s temple in Rome.. He brought back with @ him from this journey a temple in mil si mature and it's architectural plans, < knowing that it would apply to his grounds. While it is still in its em- z bryo state it has so far advanced as Sto be understood by the thousands who drive there to see it. While his per- 4 sonal plans have changed-so rumor z, says-snd the house will therefore be |, to a degree changed, he expects to fol Y low the original drawings of the Tenn ? pie of Vesta. There is no doubt that s at it's completion. which will include ... the planting of shrubbery, trees and flowers and the building of fountains and swimming pools, it will be the pride of this, one of Americas most "a beautiful cities.
 = Original Temple Of Vesta 2 The original Temple of Vesta, which MT. Ward has duplicated in both lsgrpunds and architecture, was built by 'Numa, who was successor to Romulus and lived about TOO B. c.
 History says that it was perhaps the most sacred spot in Rome. Although not a consecrated temple, it was round in shape and contained the sacred fire, the Palladium and other sacra, which . were kept in a secret recess called the Penates Vestae.
 sa The temple was. buEned in S90 and Nin@2 241 B. G.. again in the fire July, GA, A. D.. during the reign of Nero, after which it was restored by the Fla : vians, among whom were Vespasian, : Titus and Domitius. Finally in 191 A. D. it was further restored by Julia < Donna, the wife of Septimius Severus. The existing remains of the temple are the pedium or base and many ar chitectural fragments. The pedium con 2 sists of four strata of concrete, with facings of opus incertum and brick. The lowest stratum is circular foundation set in the soil, 49 feet AZ inches in di- ameter and feet IF inches thick. 4 On this rest the three others, be- tween the second and third of which 2 there is a very thin layer of bits of marble. On the east side, and here and / there on the other sides, of these layers I are some soft stone blocks. which were the foundation of the marble steps.
 In the center of the podium is a cav ity of trapezoidal or many sided shape, extended to the bottom of the founda- tion, a depth of 16 feet AZ inches. The t1 SlueS mCdSurc UclNccA lCCL OT1 AANhSo | and feet 215 inches in length. This cavity. or favissa, was entered from the floor of the celia, and may have been the receptacle for the storcus, OF ashes :. of the sacred fire, which was removed once a year and emptied out of the <. porta Stercoraria.
 The two lowest strata.'o or layers, and probably the third, belong to the time of ko Iou tho mnnnrmOSt fn that of Julia Donna. Tt is to her restora- tior also that the remaining architec- {. tural fragments belong. These frag- ments, with coins of the period, and relief in Florence enable us to recon struct the temple with considerable ac- curacy.
 It is not probable that the structure of Domitian's time varied greatly from that of the time of Severus, except in the height of the podium
 The temple was round, peripteral, and built of white marble, with 20 col umns connected by metal gratings. The rcof was dome shaped with an. opening in the center for the exit of the smoke { of the sacred fire. This opening must have been protected by metal work of some kind, which would also allow the entrance of light.
 Fragments that have been found seem to indicate the existence of at least one window in the celia or exterior wall. The shafts of the columns were fluted, 1 foot 8 inches in diameter and about I IT feet 10h inches high, with Corin- thian capitals. Near the temple were statues of an OK and ram.
 A coin of Augustus represents the temple of his time as Ionic in style. |. On the north and southwest sides of the temple were found many sacrificial , remains, bands, ashes, potsherds, stat uettes.
 Other Structures AdjOin
 The temenos or precinct of Vesta contained originally the Temple. of Yes ta. the dwelling of the Vestals, the sacred grove Oucus), the so-called : domus Publica, or official residence of the pontifex maximus, which has often been confused with the Regia, and the : Regia itself.
 Only the first three belonged to the vestals during the republic. but in F B. t., Augustus who was then pontifex . maximus removed to his new house on the Palatine, and presented the dOmus publica to the Vestals. All these build inEs had the same Orientation, north and south, east and west, correspond ing with that or the repuoHcah CoHl- tium at the other end of the forum, and formed parts of single group.
 The remains of a fine house of the republic. which are visible all along the north side of the court and below its level, are doubtless to be identified with the domus publica, which may have been used by the Nestals in it's original shape for few years after it was given to them.
 The temple was probably always on the same site. The lucus or sacred grove, which originally extended along