Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke.
- Thomas Dudley Fosbroke
- Date:
- 1828
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke. Source: Wellcome Collection.
422/470 page 306
![baths. At the left of the boys’ school was the anointing room for the wrestlers ; and near it a cold room, where they undressed. Afterwards they entered a luke-warm chamber ; then another, where the stove was on one side, and the warm bath on the other. At the outlet of all these apartments, were three porticoes ; that upon the side of the entry was situated towards the east or west; the two others to the right and left were turned to the north and south. That on the north was double, and as broad as the columns were high. The portico, which faced the south, was simple, but much more ample than the former. This made a walk, descending by a staircase, of two divisions of six feet each, to a covered parterre, at least twelve feet deep; where the athletse exercised in winter, the spectators beholding from the portico, properly the xystus. Between the two porticoes were some thickets, and walks of trees, paved with Mosaic. Near the xyst, in front of the double portico, were uncovered walks in lines, called peridromides, where the athletae repaired in winter. A place for the people to see the games was on the side.] The part, called Canopus, has a temple, dedicated to the Egyptian Neptune. It is in tolerable preservation, and represents an immense shell. At the back of it is a gallery ; the roof of which is still remaining. The steps, which lead to the upper part, and the concealed room, where the oracle was pronounced, are also to be seen. The temple is at the end of a valley, which from the ruins of building on each side, and the channels which appear to have been cut out for the introduction of water, evidently shows the JVaumac/iia, where Adrian used to exhibit games in honour of Canopus. It is a very interesting spot, and many of the ruins deserve particular observation. The winding steps, which different spectators could ascend and descend without incom- moding each other, are very curious, p. 230. [The channels appear to be imitations of the canals of the Nile, in the real Canopus, which was famous for feasts held in honour of Serapis, and whither all the Egyptians repaired.] Towards the west, is another valley, on the side of which is a place called Rocca Bruna. This is supposed to be the spot where the Emperor meant to represent the Infernal Regions; and introduced streams, which he called Lethe, Cocytus, and Phle- gethon, with buildings, in which were paintings, alluding to similar objects, and habi- tations for slaves. Not far from hence was the valley of Tempe, and the Elysian fields, where every- thing beautiful in art and nature were assembled to render this part of the villa inex- pressibly delightful. The Prytaneum was at the south extremity, and was built in imitation of that at Athens, which was a court of Justice, with dwelling houses for the Judges, &c. Antoninus Pius, the successor of Hadrian, took away some of the chief ornaments of this villa for his baths at Rome ; but innumerable antiquities have been, and still are, found among the ruins. Amongst the Mosaic pavements were the famous pigeons, found by Furietti in April 1737, in what he imagines was an eating-room. This pavement he, with great reason, thinks to be the same which is mentioned by Pliny, who exactly describes it, B. 3^, c. 25. as the work of Socus, a famous artist of Pergamus, p. 232. There were two famous buildings at Tibur; that of C. Aronius, who was at an im- mense expence to efface the temple of Hercules, mentioned in Statius, lib. 3. Sylv. i. 1. 3. s. 3. and the tomb of the haughty Pallas, on the road, to which Pliny refers, Ep. 29, 1. 7. Eustace (ii. 241) says, that on the road from Tivoli towards the Sabine moun- tains are the ruins of two aqueducts, which stretch their arches over the road.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22012035_0422.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
