CHAP. XX. The baines of Diocletianus: the Librarie Vlpia: the plaine Viminalis: the gate Interaggeres: and the vale Quirinalis.
THe baines of Diocletian are to be seene all ruinate on the side of the hill Viminalis: and by their ruines, a man may easily gather how stately and magnificent they were somtime. These were begun by Diocletian and Maximian Herculanus: in the building whereof 40000 Christians were held to worke many yeeres togither in most slavish manner.
These were afterwards finished and dedicated by Constantine and Maximian, new emperours. Of the vaine and superfluous expences which the Romanes laid out upon Baines, read Seneca, who de∣painteth out their wastfulnesse most excellently.
In the same baines was the Librarie Vlpia, which by Hadrian, or (as some thinke) by Traiane, was thither translated; wherein were the linnen records, and those huge volumes called the Elephan∣tine bookes: in which the acts of the Emperours, and all the sanctions and ordinances of Senate, were, as Pollio witnesseth.
Behind these baines, from above the rampier or bulwarke of Tarquinius Superbus, was the plaine field Viminalis, which spreadeth out as farre as to the citie wall. There is seene as yet the gate In∣teraggeres shut; albeit it seemeth more probable and like to a truth, that it stood in the plaine Es∣quilinus.
In that verie place there was a pit or well of spring running water, which the neighbours dwel∣ling thereby, called the pit of the Vivarium, or the parke pit, within which parke they kept enclo∣sed divers and sundrie kinds of wild beasts. The harbours and dennes of these wild beasts are yet to be seene: whereupon it commeth, that those places or parkes which are set out and appointed for feeding of Deere, we use to call Vivaria.
The space betweene Diocletians bathes and Constantines arch, is named the vale Quirinalis: in which they say, that Romulus met with Proculus.
In the same was the sacred chappell of Fortuna Publica.