14 regions of Augustan Rome
In 7 BC, Augustus divided the city of Rome into 14 administrative regions (Latin regiones, sing. regio). These replaced the four regiones—or "quarters"—traditionally attributed to Servius Tullius, sixth king of Rome. They were further divided into official neighborhoods (vici).[1]
Originally designated by number, the regions acquired nicknames from major landmarks or topographical features within them. After the reign of Constantine the Great, the imperial city of Constantinople was also divided into fourteen regiones, on the Roman example: the 14 regions of Constantinople.[2]
History of Rome's regions
Evidence of regions in Rome before Augustus is limited.[3] Writing in the mid-40s BC, Marcus Terentius Varro describes four 'partes urbis', referring to them individually as a ‘regio’ with both names and numbers: I Suburana, II Esquilina, III Collina and IV Palatina.[3]
Varro also provides evidence for vici in
By the time of Augustus, local shrines in the vici had become neglected[3] and from around 12 BC he began restoring individual vicus shrines before comprehensive reform in 7 BC, including codifying the rights and duties of the vicomagistri.[3] At this time, the city was reorganised into the fourteen Augustan 'regiones' overseen by senatorial magistrates.[3]
The 14 regions
I: Regio I Porta Capena
Regio I took its name from the Porta Capena ("Gate to Capua"), a gate of the Servian Wall, through which the Appian Way enters the city. Beginning from this to the south of the Caelian Hill, it runs to the future track of the Aurelian Walls.
II: Regio II Caelimontium
Regio II encompassed the Caelian Hill.
III: Regio III Isis et Serapis
Regio III took its name from the sanctuary of Isis, in the area of the modern Labicana street, containing the valley that was to be the site of the Colosseum, and parts of the Oppian and Esquiline hills.
IV: Regio IV Templum Pacis
Regio IV took its name from the
V: Regio V Esquiliae
The name of Regio V derives from the Esquiline Hill. It contains parts of the Oppian and Cispian (two minor hills close to the city center) and of the Esquiline, plus the plain just outside the Servian Wall.
VI: Regio VI Alta Semita
The name of Regio VI derives from the street (
VII: Regio VII Via Lata
The name of Regio VII was derived from the via Flaminia, which runs between the Servian Wall and the future Aurelian Walls. This was a wide urban street (Via Lata, "Broadway"), corresponding to the modern via del Corso. The regio contained part of the Campus Martius on the east of the street plus the Collis Hortulorum (Hill of the Hortuli), the Pincian Hill (modern Pincio).
VIII: Regio VIII Forum Romanum
The central region contains the
IX: Regio IX Circus Flaminius
The name derives from the racecourse located in the southern end of the Campus Martius, close to Tiber Island. The region contains part of the Campus Martius, on the west side of via Lata.
X: Regio X Palatium
The Palatine Hill gave its name to Regio X.[5]
XI: Regio XI Circus Maximus
Regio XI took its name from the Circus Maximus, located in the valley between the Palatine and the Aventine. It contained the Circus Maximus, the Velabrum (the valley between the Palatine and Capitoline), as well as the areas next to the Forum Boarium and the Forum Holitorium.
XII: Regio XII Piscina Publica
Regio XII took its name from the Piscina Publica, a monument that disappeared during the Empire. It had the high ground where the church of San Saba is at present, plus its ramifications towards the Appian Way, where the Baths of Caracalla were.
In the 180s, a bank and exchange for Christians operated in the area.[6]
XIII: Regio XIII Aventinus
Regio XIII contained the Aventine Hill and the plain in front of it, along the Tiber.[7] Here was the emporium, the first port on the river.
XIV: Regio XIV Transtiberim
Regio XIV (the region "across the Tiber") contained Tiber Island and all the parts of Rome west beyond the Tiber.[8] This is modern Trastevere.
See also
Notes
- ISBN 978-0-521-82827-7.
- OCLC 796196995.
- ^ S2CID 212842159. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link - ^ Lawrence Richardson, A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992), p. 6.
- ISBN 9789004296244.
- ^ Peter Lampe, Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries (Continuum, 2003), p. 42 online.
- ISBN 9780472119882.
- ^ Funghi, M.; Troiano, W. (2015). "Santa Maria dell'Orto. Il complesso architettonico trasteverino.". L'area meridionale della Regio XIV Transtiberim in età romana: storia degli scavi e cenni di inquadramento topografico. Roma: Studi. Progetti. Restauri. pp. 3–14 – via Academia.edu.
References
- DISCRIPTIO XIIII REGIONVM VRBIS ROMÆ, Curiosum - Notitia. 4th-century descriptions of the regions of Rome and their main buildings. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019.