A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

ROMA;

Rome; tho' the Founding of this City be attributed to Romulus, because he en∣larged it, and founded a Monarchy there; yet it may be proved by divers Authorities, that there was a City in Italy called Roma, before Romulus was born. Solinus will have this City to have been founded near Mount Esquiline by Roma the Daughter of Kittim, to which she gave her Name; but other Authors there are who attri∣bute the Foundation thereof to Roma, the Daugh∣ter of Ascanius: Sabellicus confirms this Proposi∣tion of Plutarch by a Quotation out of one Cephon Gergetius, who attributed the Founding of Rome to Romus, the Son of Aeneas.

Plutarch speaks of another Foundress of Rome, named Roma; and says, that after Aeneas had landed at Laurentum, a Trojan Lady, whose Name was Roma, took the Opportunity in the Absence of Aeneas, and the other Trojans to perswade the Women to burn the Ships, that so they might be no longer exposed to the Dangers of the Sea; and this necessitated them to build a City at the Foot of Mount Palatine, which from the Name of the said Lady they called Roma. Caius Sem∣pronius in his Division of Italy, proves that Romu∣lus was not the Founder of Rome, but that it was the Daughter of Italus; for he says, that he was called Rumulus, and his Brother Rumus, and not Romulus and Remus, as is commonly thought. Rome when built or enlarged by Romulus, was di∣vided into Four Parts; one called Roma, the se∣cond Germalia, the third Velia, and the fourth comprehended Romulus his House. It is plain that Roma was that little City built by Italus his Daughter; Velia was that Part of Mount Pala∣tine, that looked towards that Place called Locus Romanus, and was so named from Vellus, a Fleece, because the Shepherds were wont to shear their Sheep there; Germalia was a low Place that looked towards the Capitol, where the Twins Cradle was found under a Fig-Tree called Ru∣minal, from the Word Rumo, to give suck, be∣cause it was under this Tree the She-Wolf gave suck to Romulus and Remus: From the House of Romulus, who was first King of Rome, built upon Mount Palatine, they call Princes Houses Pa∣latia.

Romulus made Three Gates to his New City, viz. Carmentalis, Romana and Pandana; to which some have added Janualis. The Gate Carmen∣talis took its Name from Carmenta, Evander's Wife, who was buried there; the same was since called Porta Scelerata, because the Fabii went out at it, when they were defeated at Cremera: Porta Romana took its Name from Romulus, says Livy, but I rather believe it came from the Vil∣lage Roma; it was also named Mugonia, because of the Lowing of the Cattle sold at this Gate, and Trigonia, for being fortified with Three Angles: Pandana came from the Verb Pando, because it lay open to let in the Provisions that were continually brought into the City; the same was also called Libera and Romulida; and this confirms the Opinion which I have advan∣ced, that Porta Romana did not take its Name

from Romulus; for 'tis not very likely that of but Four Gates, Romulus would have called Two according to his own Name: Porta Janualis was so named from the Temple of Janus that stood near it.

Rome was founded in the 3961. Year of the Julian Period, Anno Mund. 3301. 753. Years before our Saviour's Nativity; in the third Year of the sixth Olympiad, on the 11th and 12th of May, the Day after the Feast of Pales, be∣tween the second and third Hour of the Day, the Sun being in Taurus, the Moon in Libra, Saturn, Mars, Venus and Mercury in Scorpio, and Jupiter in Pisces, according to the Testimony of Solinus, Pliny, and Eutropius. Titus Terentius Firmianus, a learned Astrologer, rejects the foresaid Time and according to his Computation makes it to be on the 21st of April, at full Moon, and when the Sun, Mercury and Venus were in Taurus, Jupiter in Pisces, Saturn and Mars in Cancer, about the third Hour, and Plutarch ob∣serves, that the Moon on the said Day suffered a great Ecclipse.

Romulus divided the Inhabitants of his City into Three Tribes or Classes, under Tribunes or Collonels, and each Tribe into Ten Curiae or Parishes, and each Curia into Ten Decuriae; the first being under the Command of an Officer named Curio, as the other was under one called Decurio; he picked out of all the Tribes such Persons, whose Birth, Age and Vertue made them remarkable, and called them Patricii or Patres, and the rest of the People Plebeians.

This City was governed by Seven Kings for the Space of 243 Years, and became afterwards a Republick, which was sometimes governed by Consuls, and other whiles by Decemviri, Tri∣bunes, Dictators, and lastly, by Emperors: The Ancients represented Rome in the Form of a Goddess clad like Pallas, with a youthful Air, to intimate that Rome was always in the Vigour of her Youth, and did not grow old: They put an Helmet on her Head and a Pike in her Hand, with a long Robe, to denote that she was alike prepared for War and Peace, since she was drest like Pallas, whom they represented with a Hel∣met and Pike, and like Minerva who was ha∣bited with a long Robe: This Head of Rome is very often found on the Consulary Medals, and even on some Greek ones; the Inscriptions that are on the Greek Medals for Rome and the Senate, are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Goddess Rome, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: The God of the Senate, or the Sacred Senate: They also erected Temples throughout the Empire to the Honour of the Goddess Rome, and at last the meanest flattering Titles they used were Roma Victrix, Victorious Rome; Roma invicta, Invincible Rome; Roma Aeterna, Eternal Rome, and Roma Sacra, Sacred Rome. The Me∣dals of Maxentius represent Eternal Rome fitting upon Military Ensigns, armed with an Helmet and holding a Scepter in one Hand, and a Globe in the other, which she presents the Emperor, who is crowned with Lawrel, to let him know that he was the Master and Preserver of the whole World, with this Inscription; Conserva∣tori Ʋrbis aeternae. The Medals of Vespatian re∣present her with an Helmet on her Head, and lying upon the Seven Hills of Rome, with a Scep∣ter in her Hand, and the Tiber in the Form of an old Man at her Feet; but upon the Medals of Adrian she holds a Lawrel-branch in her Left-hand, and Victory upon a Globe in the Right, as being victorious over all the World. The People of Smyrna were the first who erected a Temple to the City of Rome under the Consul∣ship of Cato Major, when she was not yet come to that Pitch of Grandeur (she afterwards at∣tained to) before the Destruction of Carthage and the Conquest of Asia. See Regio.