Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

938 PONS. PO1S.
- / II1- I!I _ __
V. PONS JANICULENSIS, which led direct to the classical authority; the inference, however, is not
Janiculum. The name of its founder and the improbable, because it led directly from the Camperiod of its construction are unknown; but it pus to the Clivus Cinnae (now Monte Mario), from
occupied the site of the present " ponte Sisto," which the triumphal processions descended.
which was built by Sixtus IV. upon the ruins of VII. PONs AELIUS, built by Hadrian, which
the old bridge. led from the city to the Mausoleum [MAusoLEUM]
VI. PoNS VATICANus, socalled because itformed of that emperor, now the bridge and castle of St.
the communication between the Campus Martils Angelo. (Spart. HNade. c. 19; Dion Cass. lxix.
and Campus Vaticanus. When the waters of the p. 797, E.) Arepresentation of this bridge is given
Tiber are very low, vestiges of the piers are still in the following woodcut, taken from a medal still
discernible at the back of the Hospital of San extant. It affords a specimen of the style employed
Spirito. By modern topographists this bridge is at the period when the fine arts are considered to
often called "Poens Triumphalis," but without any have been at their greatest perfection at Rome.
JII
PN Msnvsus, on the
VIII. PONS MILVIUS, on the Via Fiaminia, now The Roman bridges without the city were far
ponte Molle, was built by Aemiliuts Scaurus the too many to be enumerated here. They formed
censor (Aur. Vict. De Viris I1lustr. c. 27. ~ 8), one of the chief embellishments in all the public
and is mentioned by Cicero about forty-five years roads and their numerous and stupendous reafter its formation. Upon this bridge the amnbassa- mains, still existing in Italy, Portugal, and Spain,
dors of the Allobroges were arrested by Cicero's attest, even to the present day, the scale of grandeur
retainers during the conspiracy of Catiline. (Cic. with which their works of national utility were
in Cat. iii. i2.) Catulus and Pompey encamped always carried on. Subjoined is a representation
here against Lepidus when he attempted to annul of the bridge at Ariminum (Rimini), which remains
the acts of Sulla. (Florus, iii. 23.) Its vicinity entire: it was commenced by Augustus and terwas a favourite place of resort for pleasure and de- misnated by Tiberius, as we learn from the inscripbauchery in the licentious reign of Nero. (Tacit. tion, which is still extant. It is introduced in
Ann. xiii. 47.) And finally, it was at this spot that order to (rive the reader an idea of the style of art
the battle between Maxentius and Constantine, during the age of Vitruvius, that peculiar period of
which decided the fate of the Roman empire, took transition between the austere simplicity of the replace. (A. n. 312.) public and the profuse magnificence of the empire.
The bridge thrown across the bay of Baiac bhi the useless undertaking of a profligate prince, does
Caligula (Dion Cass. lix. p. 652, E;'Suet. al. 19, ot require any frtler notice; ut the bridge