Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Capitolium

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

CAPITO'LIUM. The Capitol; one of the seven hills of Rome, originally called Mons Saturnius, a name which was subsequently changed into Mons Tarpeius, in allusion to the virgin Tarpeia, who was said to have been killed and buried there by the Sabines; and finally, during the legendary period, referred to as the reign of Tarquinius Superbus, into Mons Capitolinus or Capitolium, because a human head (caput) was believed to have been found there in digging the foundations for the temple of Jupiter. (Varro, L. L. v. 41, 42. Liv. i. 55.) The hill was divided into two summits, with a level space between them: the northern and more elevated one of the two, on which the church of Ara Celi now stands, being made into a fortress, was termed the Arx or citadel; the lower one on the south, now Monte Caprino, being occupied by the famous Capitoline temple. Niebuhr, Hist. Rom. vol. i. p. 502. transl.

2. The Capitoline temple; constructed by the last Tarquin upon the southern summit of the Mons Capitolinus, in honour of the three principal Roman deities, Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. It comprised three distinct cells (cellae) parallel to each other, but enclosed by one roof, terminating in a single pediment; the centre one was dedicated to Jupiter, that on the right hand of his statue, i. e. on the left of the spectator when fronting the edifice, to Minerva, and the other to Juno. The ground-plan was a parallelogram, possessing only a slight difference between its width and length. A triple row of columns supported the pediment in front, and a double one formed a colonnade on each of the flanks; but the rear, which was turned from the city, had no colonnade. (Dionys. iv. 61.) The ground-plan (Capitolium/2.1) above given is designed in accordance with this description from Dionysius, in order to convey a clear notion of the internal arrangement of this remarkable edifice, which was constructed upon a plan so different from that usually adopted in their religious buildings by the Greeks and Romans. It is true that the temple described by Dionysius was the one existing in his own day, which was built by Sylla, and dedicated by Catulus; but we have it upon record, that, from a feeling of religious veneration, the original ground-plan was never altered. Tac. Hist. iv. 53.

As regards the exterior elevation of this famous temple, nothing but a few blocks of large stones, which formed the substruction, now remain to give a faint idea of all its former splendour; and the representations of it, which appear upon coins, medals, and bas-reliefs, are too minute and imperfect in respect of details to afford a fair conception of its real character and appearance. It was thrice destroyed by fire, and three times rebuilt, but always upon the former site, and with the same ground-plan. The first structure was certainly of the Etruscan order described by Vitruvius, for the architects who built it were sent for from Etruria for the purpose. (Liv. i. 56.) When rebuilt for the first time by Sylla, the only difference made consisted in changing the order into the Corinthian, for the columns were brought from the temple of Jupiter Olympus at Athens (Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 5.); which Vitruvius expressly says (Proem. vii. 17.) were Corinthian, and some of them are still remaining there to prove the fact. The same plan and architectural order were still preserved under Vespasian (Tac. Hist. iv. 53.); and also in the fourth structure raised by Domitian, as testified by the illustration here annexed (Capitolium/2.2), taken from a bas-relief belonging to the triumphal arch of Marcus Aurelius, on which that emperor is represented in the act of performing sacrifice in front of the Capitoline temple. Although the sculpture does not present a faithful representation of the real elevation, it will be observed that the principal characteristics are sufficiently indicated — the Corinthian order of the columns, and the three separate cells under one pediment, which are expressed by the unusual appearance of three entrance door. It is well known to those conversant with the works of antiquity, that the ancient artists, both Greek and Roman, adopted as a constant practice of their school, a certain conventional manner of indicating, rather than representing, the accessories and localities amongst which the action expressed took place; instead of the matter-of-fact custom now prevailing of giving a perfect delineation, or, as it were, portraiture, of the identical spot and scene.

3. Capitolium vetus. The old Capitol; a small temple on the Quirinal hill, dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, and supposed to have been built by Numa. This name, however, was not given to it until after the erection of the more famous edifice on the Capitoline hill, when it was adopted,in order to distinguish the two; which Martial distinctly does in the following verse — inde novum, veterem prospicis inde Jovem. Mart. Ep. vii. 73. Id. v. 22. Varro, L. L. v. 158. Val. Max. iv. 4. 11.

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  Capitolium/2.1
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  Capitolium/2.2