THE RUINS O F POESTUM or POSIDONIA, a CITY of' MAGNA GRjECIA I N T H E KINGDOM of NAPLES. CONTAINING A Description and Views of the remaining Antiquities, WITH THE Ancient and Modern History, Inscriptions, &c. t AND - SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANCIENT DORICK ORDER. V._____ LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR; And Sold by B. White, in Fleet-Street; S. Hooper, in the Strand; and W. Griffin, in Catharine-Street. MDCCLXVII. PREFACE J N the year 1755, an apprentice to a painter at Naples, who was on a vifit to his friends at Capaccio, by accident took a walk to the mountains which furround the territory of Poeftum. The only habitation he perceived, was the cottage of a farmer, who cultivated the bell part of the ground, and referved the reft forpafture. The ruins of the ancient city made a part of this view, and particularly ftruck the eyes of the young painter j who, approaching nearer, faw with aftonifhment, walls, towers, gates, and temples. Upon his return to Capaccio, he confulted the neighbouring people about the origin of thefe monuments of antiquity. He could only learn, that this part of the country had been uncultivated, and abandoned during their memory 5 that about ten years before, the farmer, whofe habitation he had noticed, eftablilhed himfelf there; and that having dug in many places, and fearched amongft the ruins which lay round him, he had found treafures fufficient to enable him to purchafe the whole. At the painter’s return to Naples, he informed his mafter of thofe particulars, whofe curiofity was fo greatly excited by the defcription, that he took a journey to the place, and made drawings of the principal views. Thefe were fhewn to the king of Naples, who ordered the ruins to be " ■ " ■ ■ 1 1 >m 9 cleared, and Poeftum arofe from the obfcurity in which it had remained for upwards of feven hundred years, as little known to the neighbouring inhabitants, as to travellers. The hiftory of this city, together with an accurate defcription and views of the ruins, as taken w on the fpot, particularly of the three temples, which from the ftyle of architecture, may be eafily proved to be of the higheft antiquity 5 and fome obfervations on the ancient Dorick order together with a few conjectures concerning the curious infcription in the frontilpiece, make the fubject of .the following pages. % . * ■ . • As this work is rather intended for the Connoifleur and Antiquarian, than for the Architect, to avoid fwelling it to a greater fize, we have purpofely omitted the admeafurements, which will ftiortly be publfthed by Count Gazzola, principal Engineer to the king of Naples. And, perhaps, R A E. perhaps, it may not be amifs to obferve, that the great degree of accuracy which has been ufed in meafuring the remains of ancient Greece and Rome, has contributed much lefs to the improvement of architecture, than may at firft be imagined. It prevents the mind from taking in the whole together, and from attaining to that fublimity and grandeur of ftile which the ancients polfeffed in fo eminent a degree. Nor were the ancients themfelves fo exact 5 we hardly find any two columns, or intercolumniations, precifely the fame in any of their buildings. Befides, thofe who have pretended to the greateft accuracy, have often been extremely inaccurate.5 Defgodetz, for inftance, who was fo careful in meafuring the different diameters of the Pantheon, has committed a number of miftakes in the meafurements of the Temple of Vefta at Tivoli, the columns of the Campo Vaccino, and many others. What is propofed in this work, is to give a general idea of the Dorick order in its moft ancient ftate. A N ■ CONJECTURES CONCERNING THE INSCRIPTION in the TITLE-PAGE. THE Sarcophagus is of a rough ftone, about eight foot long, and two foot and an half wide. There are no marks of any kind, except on the front of it, on which this infcripticn is cut. The opinions of the learned concerning this infcription differ exceedingly. Monfignore Alfemani, Patriarch of Antioch, and one of the librarians of the Vatican, who has been feveral times in Egypt, is of opinion that it is Egyptian, and that the characters are hieroglyphics; but there are none like them, either on the obelifks at Rome, on many mummies, or on the Tabula Ifiaca at Turin. The celebrated antiquarian Gori, thought they were either certain marks ufed by the Gnoftics, or Bafilidians, which are to be found in Kircher’s Arithmologia 3 or elfe that they are fome of thofe characters or ciphers, invented by Tiro, the freedman of Cicero, and Seneca, which are 4 to be found at the end of Gruter’s Corpus infcriptionum. \ Some are of opinion, that the characters are Cuphicj to which, it muft be confeffed, they have fome refemblancej and that this was the tomb of a Saracen. Others, that they are Runick, and that this was the tomb of a Goth. To fo many conjectures another may be added. This is, that they are Phoenician, or Pelafgian. The Pelafgians, were the moft ancient inhabitants of Lucania, and, according to Pliny (#), were the firft who brought letters into Italy. Thefe they had received from Cadmus, who got them from the Phoenicians, by whom they were firft invented. They retained their original characters till they were united to the Greeks, which was after the war of Troy 5 and if the Pelafgians were Dorians, as Herodotus affirms (<£), they perhaps were the founders ,of Pofidonia. (a) Hift, Nat, I. 7, c. 56. (b) L. u A N HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE CITY OF POE STUM. IPOSIDONI A, nOZEIAHNlA, or POESTUM, lies at the bottom of a fmall bay, which Siluation- makes part of the gulf of Salerno (#), at about a mile from the fea, one league eaft from the mouth of the river Siler, or Silarus (J?), and twenty-two leagues fouth eaft of Naples. It was called Pofidonia, from being dedicated to Neptune (c). That it was fo, appears from Name, many medals, and from the figures in relievo, on the key-ftone of the north gate of the city (d). It long retained its ancient name; but upon what occafion, or at what time, this was changed to that of Poeftum, is uncertain (e). When it was made a Roman colony, that is, about the year of Rome 480, it was called Pofidonia; and probably the change happened foon after. (tf) O KoA7tos TIqguS'uvix.tvs* Sinus Pceftanus. •. . 7toAjs w TloseiS'covtex, TlccK^GSi ev petrco tw kqAttw sw . . . urbi Pofidonia Pceftum nomen eft, in medio iinu titx. Strabo, 1. 5. (1b) Now called Selo. This river was the ancient boundary of Lucania on the weft, and divided that country from the Picentini. MgTct H to ropa. tou 2/Aagi$os, Aeuxccvict, neu to tvs Hpxs iepov tvs Agyovicts, Icicrovos ifyupccy kcci 'srAvsiov iv 7revTwiovTct c^cl^iois v TlocreiS'Mvtx. Poft Silari oftia, Lucania iubfe-quitur, fanumque Junonis Argiva? ab Jafone conditum, indeque ftadiis L diftat Pceftum. Strabo, 1. 6. & . . Sivkovcti J'g 01 JlixevTes y^X?L T* ^AxpiS'OS TTOTCLJAOJ, Ttf Opl^GVTOS CL7T0 TCCUTVS TVS %Ct)pX$ TVV CtgX;AiiS* Antequam in Italiam Gneci veniflent, nulli erant Lucani, fed Chones, Sc Oenotrii lot a ea poftidebant. Cum autem Samnites viribus ad-modum atnfti Chonas Sc Oenotros ejecificnt. Sc Lucanorum coloniam in earn regionem deduxiffent; fimul etiam Graxi utrumque lit us ufque ad fretum tenerent; diu inter fe barbari ac Graxi bello cer-taverunt. Strabo. 1. 6. (/) The Oenotrians left Arcadia under the conduct of their captain Oenotrus, 567 years before the war of Troy, landed in Italy, and (w) Oi St Atuxxvoi TO jxtv ytvos ti<7i 2amT«J. ETcicrtiSoJvixTcov St y.cu TOW GVy.jXX^OW XgXT>]GXt'TtS TToAty.O) XXTt%OV TXS TToAtlS CCVTOW. LuCani a Samnitibus genus trahunt; Sc fuperatis bello Pofidoniatis atque eorum fociis, urbes illorum obtinucrunt. Strabo. 1. 6. (n) TluS-ccyopcts St jj.tTX tw 7revTijy,o<^ny cAvuTiaSa, SitTpi\tv tv ItclAlx. Pythagoras poft quinquagefimam demum Olympiadem docuit in Italia. Dion. Plalic. 1. 2. (0) Audtorem doiftrina? ejus, (Numa?) quia non extat alius, falfo Samium Pythagorum edunt: quem, Servio Tull© regnante Rom« centum amplius poft annos, in ultima Italia? oracirc a Metapontuin Heracleamquc, 6c Crotonem juvenum xmulantium ftudia c«tus ha-buifle conftat. L. 1. c. i3. {p) Superbo regnante. Qu«ft. Tufcul. 1. (?) That in which Eov^iSxs 0 XxAxiSt'JS q*xSiov tviy.wtv. Eryxidas Chalcidenhs ftadium vicit. (r) AETKANOT. Oy.tAos,xxiOxuAos xStAya, Opto‘xvSpo;,KepxfY.ßos, AxpSxvtvsi MxAixs• Ocellus, Sc Ocilus fratres, Orefandrus, Cerambus, Dardaneus, Maliates. IambJich. de Vita Pythag. philofopher. THE RUINS OF P OE S T U M. 3 philofopher (j). It follows then, that this nation was famous at that time, and not a young colony; and that it was many years before the one hundred and feventieth year of Rome, that the Lucanians were divided from the Samnites, and came into this country. When the Lucanians had palfed the Silarus, their firft attempt was againft Pofidonia; of which, after many engagements with the inhabitants, and their allies, they got poffeffion (/). Many of the original inhabitants remained in the city, by permiffion of the Lucanians, and inftituted a folemn meeting to be obferved annually, to lament the lofs of their liberty (v). Upon the taking of Pofidonia, all the Greek cities in Italy entered into a general confederacy to oppofe the Lucanians; by which the ambitious defigns of thofe invaders were a long time retarded. But in the ninety-feventh Olympiad, that is, in the three hundred and fixty-fecond \ . ' • * • * year of Rome, the Lucanians, having called to their affiftance, Dionyfius of Syracufe, attacked the city of Thurium, the ancient Sybaris. The Greeks, having joined their forces, according to the league, marched to the defence of the city, but were entirely routed by the Lucanians, and ten thoufand flain (V) . Encouraged by this fuccefs, the Lucanians attacked, and took, many other Greek cities in Italy; and, in a few years, their dominion extended as far as Crimilfa in Calabria, and Metapontum in. the bay of Tarentum. In the year of Rome 423, or 24 (ay), the city was belieged by Alexander, king of the Moloffi; but it was fo ftrongly fortified by the Lucanians, that though he had the advantage in two battles, he was obliged to raife the liege. Pofidonia remained in the hands of the Lucanians until the four hundred and eightieth year of Rome, when they were deprived of it by the Romans, in revenge for their having called Pyrrhus to their affiftänce (x). At the fame time it was made a Roman colony. (s) ... . ruv Aoyov my.cc Tposnecrctv, xca Aevxctvoi, kcu YlevxeTioi> MefTctTTioi. Ilium adibant fludiorum caufa Lucanii, Peucetii, Mef- fapii, 6cc. % (/) UoaBiS'covictto)V £e Y-cti tuv Y.pctTV? 'ttoiovjj.bv IJocrei^coviccTaiSy tqis bv tw Tugawnto jtoA9ra> xaToix.QVMV) ois cnfvB^n to, /xbv EAAvtiv ovcriv ey.ße£ct{)Gcc()V(73-ca Tjggwois v Pw/xatots. y&yovosi, ycci rw tb (powv peTaßeGAwemi, tcc tb AoiTcc tmv Birm^Buy-ccTM. ctyeiv 're fj.ictv tivcc ccvtois tcov bootcov tm P,AAvviy%CLIC0V BYBlVCfiV OVOfJ.CCTiOV tb Y.cci voptfjLWY. ct7roAo(pv()a,y.Bvoi &B 7rpos aAA?jAous> v.cti ct7roS'ctYpu(Tctvles cctbo^ovtcci. Nos id facimus, inquit, quod Pofidoniata?, ad Tyrrhe-nicum fmum pofiti, qui antea Graci, in Tyrrhenorum aut Roma-norum barbariem lapfi, mutatis voce, 6c inflitutis, feflo quodam uno die, ex iis qui funt in Gracia celebres, coeunt, memoriamque re-fricant, 6c prifcorum nominum & confuetudinum antiquarum 6c le- gitimarum patria, lachrymatique 6c fortem fuam ad invicem con* 'quefti, difcedunt. Ariftoxenus apud Athenäum. (u) Ai yctg xcclcc Ti)v ItccAiccu EAAvviS'BS 7TOÄB15 Bv tb tclis auv$rvY.ctis Bi%ov atws, iv 7)Tis ctv cc'jro tcov Abvycu'cov Ag»Aa%0/j irpo5 tccvltiv ctwcLvles TrctoccGonQcoaiv, i\5 S''ctv 7roAgw$ fJ.v xa)a$eictv9 TgOrarai t*s BTtBivvs tvs ttoAbcos rgctlvyvs. Grxcx enim per Italiam civitates ita inter fe padta fuerunt, tit fi Jiucani unius ex ipfis agrum hoftili pradatione vexarent, omnes ad defenfionem ejus accurrerent : fin urbs aliqua paratas ad fubfidium copias non haberet, ejus duces capite ple&erentur. Diod. Sicul. 1. 14. (w) Livii Hill. 1. 8, c. 17. Sigonii Fafti Confulares. (at) Popcaoi S'b ABüxctvovs ct particularly at Acropolis, from whence they made excurfions, and infefted the neighbouring countries. In the year 866, Docibilis, Duke of Gaeta, being continually harraffed by Pandenolfus, and on the banks V of the Garigliano. Lord of Capua, and finding himfelf unable to oppofe him, defired the affiftance of the Saracens of Acropolis. Accordingly they embarked in great numbers at St. Anaftafia, near Fundi, and encamped on the hills of Formite (h), and from thence removed to the banks of the Garigliano (/), where they remained for fifty years, and committed horrible devaluations (J). The neighbourhood of thofe barbarians became at length fo intolerable, that Atenulfus, Count The^racens dc. of Capua, requefted Conftantine the Eighth, Emperor of the Eaft, to lend his affiftance to drive (), C. Terentius Lucanus, the Senator, mafter to Terence, the comic Poet, and brother to Terentia, wife to Cicero, was of this city. Pliny mentions that he was the firft who expofed in publick, pictures reprefenting the games of the Gladiators (y). (/) Funditus de partibus iftis eliminati funt,. anno Incarnationis Dominies nuncentefimo quinto decimo, Indidtione tertia, menfe Augufto. Ibid. Grscis igitur, Latinifque quotidie conflidtantibus, Deo miferante, Pcenorum ne unus quidem fuperfuit. Luitpraud. c. 14. (m) nnXEIAflNI AT A I. A9a/*as, Upofyvos, Kgccvios, Mvw, BccZrvÄccoh $cu£uv. De Vita Pythag. p. 22o> («) T OV CCVTOV TQOTTCV 3iCU Qe^O^CC T OV YloGei^OJVlCCT^V CCXOnfAQVQV iropouvTct, on OupLxptS'es ew Ilccgios tcov TluS'ccyopeicov, flvi‘/CGc c^uve7reaei> eis CCTOpiCCV CCVTOV Y.CCTCC) Publius Tere/rtius Afer, Carthagine natus, fervivit Roms C. Terentio Lucano, Senatori; a quo ob ingenium & formam non inftitutus modo liberaliter, fed & mature manumiffus eft. (y) Pingi autem gladiatoria munera atque in publico exponi.cspta a C. Terentio Lucano. Is avo fuo, a quo adoptatus fuerat, triginta paria in foro per triduum dedit, tabulam que pidtam in nemore Dians pofuit. Hift. Nat. L. 35. c. 7, This the ruins of poestum. 7 i his city was famous in antiquity for its rofes, which have been much celebrated by the poets for their blowing twice a year. Thus Virgil, Forlitan 8c pinguis hortos quae cura colendi Ornaret, canerem, biferique rofaria Poefti. Georg. 1. 4, v. 118. /And Ovid, Leucofiamque petit, tepidique rofaria Poefti. Metamorph. 1. 15, v. 708. Nec Babylon seftum, nec frigora Pontus habebit, Calthaque Poeftanas vincet odore rofas : Quam tibi noftrarum veniat oblivio rerum. De Ponto. 1. 2. Eleg. 4. And Martial, in many places, Frons brevis, atque modus breviter fit naribus uncisj Poeftanis rubeant semula labra rofis. Epigram. 1. 4, 42. Audet facundo qui carmina mittere Nervas, Pallida donabit glaucia, Cofme, tibi: Poeftano violas 8c cana liguftra colono, Hyblasis apibus Corfica mella dabit. Seu tu Poeftanis genita es, feu Tiburis arvis, Seu rubuit tellus Tufcula flore tuo. 8cc. 1. 9, 60. And Propertius, Vidi ego odorati vi&ura rofaria Poefti Sub matutino codta jacere Noto. And Claudian, Adfurgit feu forte minor fub matre virenti Laurus, 8c ingentes ramos, olimque futuras Promittit jam parva comas : vel flore fub uno Ceu geminse Poeftana rofae per jugera regnant. And Aufonius, Vidi Poeftano gaudere rofaria cultu Exoriente novo rofcida Lucifero. Idyl. 14. INSCRIPTIONS * 1 De Nuptiis Honorii. v. 244. Eleg. 1. 4, 5. % 1. 9, 26. 8 THE RUINS OF POESTUM. INSCRIPTIONS found at POESTUM. I. N a fragment of marble which feems to have been part of a freeze, lying in the middle of the church. The letters are very large. TAE. CONST. II. On a fragment of marble before the gate- GN. CORN •.•••. M The two following infcriptions were found in digging near the church, nr. P. CLAUDIUS. C. F. C. SEX TI LI US. L. F. D V O VIREI DEST V v IV. C. PETRONIVS. OPTATVS MAG. MEN. BOMB. STATVAM. BASIM PLVTEV S ACR. V. On a hearth-ftone of white marble in a little houfe near the church. DIV. ILL I. OB. PLVRIMA. E T. A I CIA. EI VS. ERGA. PAT R I AM DD. PP. POPVLO. POSTVLANTE. This infcription is very incorre&ly copied in Muratori, P. 239, N° 1* VI. In a corn-field near Poeftum, on a very large piece of ftone. D. M. C. AVGVRINO. PRIVEENATI. CLASS D. PINARIVS. AVERRIO. CONT IN. FR. P. XI THE RUINS OF POESTUM. The two following are in the wall of a field between Poeftum and the Silarus. VII. C. PEDVLIO. VERRVCANO FRVMENTO. P. P. COACTO ANNONA. ITERVM. REPARATA ORDO. ET. POP. POEST. VIII. ATTI CVS. VECTINV HORTOS. ET PROXIMAS. CASAS ETE. IN HABIT A RET. A Q_ •. * DEDVC •••••.• IX. M. TVLLI. OLERII. POESTANI Q^V I. VIX. A. LX XXXV. D. XI. FF. XXVIII. NN. LXXXIII. C. L. PP. This remarkable infcription ITiews how much the ancients efteemed thofe who had many children. This Tullius had twenty-eight, and eighty-three grand-children. The marble is at the Villa Altimari all' Arenella, near Naples. X. Pirrho Ligorio has given the figure of the ftatue of Fortuna Barbata, which ftood in the city of Poeftum, with this infcription. ♦ FORTVNAE. BARBATAE. SACR. And under it. L. AVRELIVS. MARCIANVS. AVG. LI BERTVS. EXCEPTOR. S. S. L. M. XI. From Murator?s Infcriptions, P. n, N° 6. nymphis. nymp. serm. SACRVM. L. ANTI VS. L. FIL. PA LATINA TECTVS ARCHI DD. From THE RUINS OF POESTUM. XII. From the fame, P. 86, N° 7. L. CANINIO. L. F. II. V. AVG. ••••• • DEDICATIONE. AED NEPTVN EPVL ’.••• TRID POP. DED COL. POEST. L. D. D. D. DESCRIPTION THE RUINS OF POESTUM. ir DESCRIPTION of the CITY. THE city of Poeftum is of an oblong figure, about two miles and a half in circumference. It has four gates, which are oppofite to each other. On the key-ft one of the arch of the north gate, on the outfide, is the figure of Neptune in baflo relievo, and within a hippocampus. The walls, which ftill remain, are compofed of very large cubical ftones, and are extremely thick, in fome parts eighteen feet. That the walls have remained unto this time, is owing to the very exact manner in which the ftones are fitted to one another, a circumftance obferved universally in the mafonry of the ancients ; and, perhaps, in fome meafure, to a ftaL&ical concretion which has grown over them. Defcription of the city. On the walls here and there, are placed towers of different heights, thofe near the gates being much higher and greater than the others j and are evidently of modern workmanlhip. This city, from its fituation, muff: have been unwholfome: having the marlh called Palus Thefit»«,-«, un- J . 7 Ö wholfome. Lucania (/-) at one fide, and on the other, a number of bituminous fprings, which rife under the walls, and form a rivulet; befides a confiderable ftream of fulphureous, and ill-tafted water, which walhes the walls on the eaft fide. The unwholfomnefs of the city was known to the antients, and is mentioned by Strabo, who attributes it to the ftagnating waters (5); and, at prefent, outfide the walls, towards Libeccio, there grow only reeds and aquatick plants (t). J The water near the city was fo bad, that they were under the neceflity of conveying fome Aquedua*. thither from other places, by the means cf aquedu&s, of which many veftiges remain particularly on the road from Capaccio nuovo to Prentenara, which place is called at prefent Capo dJ Ac qua^ whence undoubtedly is derived the name of the town, Capaccio, corruptly from Caput Aqua. Before the Cafa Spinazzo, at a little diftance from Poeftum, are the remains of others j and outfide of the northern gate, a confiderable part of the greateft of them is ftill to be feen. The ftones, of which thefe aquedu&s and the walls of the city are built, were dug in the (r) The ancients imagined, that the water of this marfh changed its tafte according to the changes of the weather. Eova yivof^y^v yÄuycetay, v.ai auhs aAj^av y.ai aivoTov. Hie timuit Craflus ne impetus Spartacum Romam raperet: verum confirmatus eft, quod multi ex diflenfione defeiviflent ab illo, & caftra feorfum fuper ftagno Lucano pofuiflent. Hoc certis temporibus modo dulce, modo falfum nec potabile fieri. Plutarch, in Craflo. The truth is, that there are feveral fprings, both of frefh and falt-water, which run into it, (j)............. S'e auTW (tiv ttoXiv) eTivosov TroTajAos ttXwiov us eA>j avaxeo[j.ms ... morbofam earn facit fluvius in paludes diffufus. L. 5. (r) It is remarkable, that all the circumftances which Vitruvius mentions fliould be avoided in chufing a fttuation for a city, are to be found here. Primum ele&io fit loci faluberrimi. Is autem erit excelfus, & non nebulofus, non pruinofus, regionefque cadi fpedtans, neque asftuofas, neque frigidas, fed temperatas. Deinde ft evita-bitur paluftris vicinitas. Cum enim auras matutin« cum foie Oriente ad oppidum pervenient, & iis ortas nebulas adjungentur, fpiritufque beftiarum paluftrium venenatos cum nebula mixtos in habitatorum corpora flatus fpargent, efficient locum peftilentem. Item ft fecun-dum mare erunt masnia, fpedtabuntque ad meridiem, aut ad occi-dentem non erunt falubria, quia per asftatem ccclum meridianum foie exoriente ealefeit, meridie ardet. Item quod fpetftat ad occidentem foie exorto tepefeit, meridie calet, vefpere fervet. Igitur muta-tionibus caloris & refrigerationis, corpora, quas in iis locis funt, refrigerantur. L. 1. c. 4. neighbourhood. V 12 THE RUINS OF POESTUM. neighbourhood. But the columns of the temples are of a different kind, and were taken from fome quarries in the mountain (v) above Capaccio vecchio. 5“ The principal remains of antiquity at Pooftum, are a Theatre, and Amphitheatre, and three- temples. The Theatre and Amphitheatre are much ruined. The longeft diameter of the Amphitheatre is about 130 feet, the Ihorteft about 90. There were ten rows of feats. Thefirfttemple. The temple Js hexaftylos, or has fix columns in front, and fourteen in flank. It is alfo amphiprofiylos, or has two porticos, one in each front. Within are traces of the wall which inclofed the cella. At one end, the pilafters, and two columns, which divided the cella from the pronaos ft.ill remain. Within the cella are two rows of fmaller columns, with an architrave, which fupports a fecond order. This temple leems to be of that kind called by Vitruvius • • Hypathros (u). The fecond tem- The fecond is alfo amphiproflylos. It has nine columns in front, and eighteen in flank, and feems to be ofthat kind called by Vitruvius, Pfeudodipter.os [yd). Within are traces of the wall and pilafters that formed the cella. In the middle of the cella, from one end to the other, there were a range of columns, of which only three remain. The ufe of the columns fituated in this uncommon manner, feems to have been to fupport the roof. According to Vitruvius [x), columen, a column, is derived from culmen, which was a beam that was placed under the ridge of the roof. The firft defign of columns was probably to fupport this beam, and was placed in the middle of the building for that purpofe, as we find in the moft ancient temples now exifting. In a temple at Komombu, in upper Egypt, defcribed by Norden [y), there is a range of columns through the middle 5 and in another, which he calls the Temple of the Serpent Knuphis (z), the ftone which ferves as a lintel, or architrave, at the entrance is fupported by a Angle column, placed under compendia fecit. Is in medio ambulationi laxamentum egregie circa cellam fecit, de afpe&uque nihil imminuit, fed fine defiderio fuper-vacuorum confervavit authoritatem totius operis diftributione. Pte-romatos enim ratio, 6c columnarum circum andern difpofitio idco eft inventa, ut afpedtus propter afperitatcm intercolumniorum haberet authoritatem. Pra?terea ft 6c imbrium aquas vis occupaverit, 6c intercluferit hominum multitudinem, ut habeat in cede circaque cellam cum laxamento liberam moram. Hicc autem explicantur in pfeudodipteris asdium difpofitionibus, quare videtur acuta magnaque folertia effeiftus operum ITermogenes feciffe, reliquifteque fontes unde pofteri pollent haurire difciplinarum rationes. Vitruv. 1. 3, c. 2.. (x) . . . columen in fummo faftigio culminis, unde et columnar dicuntur. L. 4, c. 2. (7) Voyage d* Egyptc, 6c de Nubie. P. 187, pi. 127. (z) Ibid.. P. 195, pi. 132. the (v) This mountain was called Calamarcus, or Calmatius, and is memorable for the battle fought near it betweeen Craffus and Spartacus. Craflus fugitivorum bcllo apud Calamarcum edudturus militem adverfus Caftum 5c Canimocum, duces Gallorum, XII cohortes cum C. Promptino, 6c cum Qu. Marcio Ruffo legatis poft montem circummifit, quas, quum commilfo jam prxlio, a tergo clamore fub-lato, decurriflent, ita fuderunt hoftes, ut ubique fugam pro pugna capeflerent. Frontini Stratag. 1. 2, c. 4. • (a) Hypasthros .... reliqua omnia eadem habet, qua? dipteros; fed in interiore parte columnas in altitudine duplices, remotas a parietibus ad circuitionem, ut porticus periftyliorum. Medium autem fubdivo eft fine tev '. * In the pediment there are no mutules under the corona, and according to Vitruvius the Greeks never put either mutules or dentils in the pediment, becaufe they reprefented certain parts of a roof, rafters and principals, which-could not appear in that view (*). antiqui evitare vifi fünf in *dibus facris Doric* fymmetri* ra-tionem. . . . Item in extremis angulis femimetopia lint imprcila dimidia moduli latitudine. Ita enim erit, ut omnia yitia, & metoparum, & intercolumniorum, & lacunariorum, quod *quales diviffones fadt* erunt, emendentur. Vitruv. 1. 4, c. 3. (“) Poftea alii in aIiis °Peribus ad perpendiculum triglyphorum cantherios prominentes projecerunt; eorumque projedturas finuave-runt. Ex eo uti e tignorum difpofitionibus triglyphi, ita e canthe_ riorum projedturis mutulorum Tub coronis ratio eft inventa. Ita fere in openbus lapideis & marmoreis mutuli inclinati fcalpturis defor-mantur, quod imitatio eft cantheriorum. Etenim neceffario propter ftillicidia praclinati collocantur. Ergo & triglyphorum & mutulorum in Doncis operibus, ratio ex ea imitatione inventa eft. L. 4, c. 2. («) Etiamque Antiqui non probaverunt, neque inftituerunt in faf- tigiis mutulos aut dentieulos fieri fed puras coronas,- ideo quod nee cantherii nee alferes contra faftigiorum frontes diftribuuntur, necpof- funt prominere, led ad ftillicidia proelinati collocantur. Ita quod non poteft in veritate fieri, id non putaverunt in imaginibus fadtum poffe certain rationem habere. Omnia enim eerta proprietate & a veris natur* dedudtis moribus traduxerunt in operum perfedtiones; et ea probaverunt, quorum explicationes in difputationibusrationempoflunt haiere veritatis. Ibid. (/:) Ruines de plus beaux monuments de Grece par Le Roy. (1) Item epiftylii latitudo ima refpondeat hypotrachelio fumm* column*. L. 4, c. 3. (^) Le Roy. (/) Non nulli antiqui Architedli negaverunt Dorico genere *des facras oportere fieri, quod mendof* & inconvenientes in his fymmetri* conficiebantur. Itaque negavit Tarchefms, item Pytheus, non minus Elermogenes. Nam is cum paratam habuiffet marmoris copiam, in Doric* *dis perfedtionem commutavit, & ex eadem copia eamlonicam Libero patri fecit. Sed tarnen non quod invenufta eft fpecies, aut genus, aut form* dignitas; fed quod impedita eft diftributio, & in-commoda in opere triglyphorum, & lacunariorum diftributione. Namque necefie eft triglyphos conftitui contra medio tetrantes co-lumnarum, metopafque, qu* inter triglyphos fiunt,.*que longas effe quam altas, contraque in angulares columnas triglyphi in extremis partibus conftituuntur, & non contra medios tetrantes. Itametop*, qu* proximo ad angulares triglyphos fiunt, non exeunt quadrat*, fed oblqngiores triglyphis dimidia lagtitudine. Atqui metopas *quales volunt facere, intercolumnia extrema contrahunt triglyphi dimidia altitudine. Hoc autem five in metoparum longitudimbus, five intercolumniorum contradtipnibus efficiatur, eftmendofum. Quapropter The THE RUINS OF P OE STUM. *5 About the time in which the temples at Posftum were built, Archite&ure feems to have received that degree of improvement, which the elegant tafte of the Greeks had ftruck out from the rude mafles of the Egyptians, the firft inventors of this, as of many other arts. Some late authors have aflerted, that the Greeks were not indebted to any other nation for the rudiments of this art, in proof of which the form and conftru£lion of their cottages are adduced, which exa&ly refemble thofe of temples. This may be allowed with regard to the fliape of temples, which was adapted to their particular mode of worlhip, but has no force in relpeft to the other parts of Archite&ure. It would perhaps be a matter of no great difficulty to prove, almoft to a demonftration, that the capital of the Corinthian, the moft elegant of the orders, owes its origin to the Architecture of the Egyptians. The fable of Callimachus, who is faid by Vitruvius to have been the inventor of it (V), will hardly be admitted as a proof. A feries of Egyptian capitals might be-colledled from Pocock and Norden, which properly arranged would Ihew the gradual progrefs of this capital from its moft fimple form, the calathusov baiket, without any leaves, to its firft improvement, the addition of one row of the leaves of the Acanthus, or the olive 5 from thence to a fecond j in fhort, through every ftep to its greateft degree of perfe&ion. The columns of the Dorick, the moft ancient of all the orders, have the ncareft refemblance to the trunks of trees 5 and as the primitive habitations of mankind were low, the pillars that fupported them were thick and fliort. When thefe came to be imitated in ftone, the fame proportion was obferved. In almoft all the temples in Upper Egypt, the columns are from three to four diameters in height, and have very little diminution (/>). Many, which have a great refemblance to the Dorick (y), have three or four annuli, under the echinus of the capital. It is remarkable, that this member is found in the moft ancient, and feems evidently imitated from a ring of metal, which was put round the colump, either to prevent its fplitting, or to keep thofe pieces of wood together, of which many of the Egyptian columns feem to have been originally compofed. If the antiquity of temples be determined by the (hortnels of their columns, the Temple of Corinth, mentioned by LeRoy, is the oldeft in Greece (y). They have not quite four diameters (0) Ejus autem-capituli prima inventio fie memoratur efle fada. Virgo, civis Corinthia, jam matura nuptiis, implicita morbo deceflit. Poll fepulturam ejus, quibus ea viva poculis deledabatur nutrix collegia, 6e compofita in calatho pertulit ad monumentum, 6c in fummo collocavit, 6c uti ea permanerent diutius Tub divo, tegula texit. Is calathus fortuito fupra acanthi radicem fuerat collocatus. Interim pondere prefla radix acanthi media folia, 6c cauliculos circa vernum tempus profudit, cujus cauliculi fecundum calathi latera crefcentes, 6c ab angulis tegulse ponderis necefiitate exprefli flexuras in extremas partes volutarum facere funt coadi. Tunc Callimachus, qui propter elegantiam 6c fubtilitatem artis marmorese ab Athenienfibus Kachi- zotecnos fuerat nominatus, prsteriens hoc monumentum, animad-vertit eum calathum, 6c circa foliorum teneritatem, deledufque ge-nere, 6c form® novitate, ad id exemplar, columnas apud Connthios fecit, fymmetriafque conftituit, ex eoque in operum perfedionibus Corinthii generis diftribuit rationes. L. 4, c. 1. (/>) Pocock’s Travels. Vol. I. P. 216. .(^) Ibid. PI. 24, No. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 6c PI. 68# B. (r) Ruines de la Grece. in THE RUINS OF POESTUM. in height. But fome other particulars induce the author to confider a temple at a place called Thoricion, ten leagues from Athens, as much more ancient. The hypotrachelion, or neck, only is fluted $ under the echinus are three cavetti; the echinus is not rounded, but cut hoping, or as the French call it, en bifeau j and the abacus has no more projection than the diameter of the column at bottom. According to the.fame author, the next in antiquity is the Temple of have flutings at V/.. '»• * •**’.. j . > • . 4' ( » * » * • * i • + bottom the cavetti are feparated by fillets $ the echinus is rounded a little, and the abacus has ^ . » .a w ' % * « * i • | *(•" * , 4. more projection. The temples at Poeftum feem to have been built at the fame time with thefe, or very little later. At leaft they are much more ancient than any others now remaining in Greece. Apollo at Delos, as the columns are more elegant in all refpeCts. They Thus have we endeavoured to give a general idea of the Dorick order in its ancient ftate; that it differs exceedingly from that ufed by the moderns, is obvious. We fhall not pretend to determine which has the preference; but let it be confidered, that this order was intended in a peculiar manner to reprefent manly ftrength and beauty (s). It furely has nothing of that charaCter at prefent; whereas in its primitive fimplicity, it has certain graces, which it does not poffefs, when its columns are increafed in height, and the whole is loaded with the ornaments of the more delicate orders, without regard to good tafte or propriety. # • r • % * + t • (s) Dorica columna virilis corporis proportionem, & firmitatem, & venuftatem in edificiis pr$ftare cajpit. Vitruv. 1. 4, c„-1. «