remission of taxes by Trajan;155 and we may infer CHAP. II. from this monument, that it was accompanied by a similar external demonstration in another public place. The precedent of Trajan and Hadrian was followed at a later period by the Emperor Gratianus, whose remission of tribute was accompanied by the burning of the evidences in the Fora of all the cities benefited by his indulgence. ground, the Forum. When we turn to the backgrounds of the two Backbas-reliefs, we find that they both represent the scene that was in reality before the spectator, the Forum Romanum; and in this lies the important topographical interest of the sculptures. ground Burning of the Registers. The locality of the Burning of the Registers Backis most easily recognised, and may be con- of the veniently taken first. In the foreground, to the left of the spectator, is a fig-tree, and next it a statue on a pedestal. In the background, behind the figures, were five arches of a building divided by piers with half-columns or pilasters of the Tuscan order. At a short distance from the end of this building is a hexastyle Ionic portico with 155 Vel illud unum cuiusmodi est de condonatis residuis tributorum? Fecerat et Traianus olim, sed, partibus retentis, non habebat tantam oblectationem concessi debiti portio quanta suberat amaritudo servati. Et Antoninus indulserat, sed imperii non beneficii successor invidit, qui ex documentis tabulisque populi condonata repetivit. Tu argumenta omnia flagitandi publicitus ardere iussisti. Videre in suis quaeque foris omnes civitates conflagrationem salubris incendii. Ausonii Gratiarum actio ad Gratianum, 21. 6 Ausonius, 1. c. F of the Forum. CHAP. II. a pediment. Then, after a short interval, through which an arch is seen in the further distance, is another hexastyle portico and pediment with Corinthian columns. A part of the bas-relief to the right is lost; but in the foreground is a portion of the Rostra, upon which the emperor was West view seated. In order to identify the scene it is only necessary for the spectator to turn from the sculpture to the ruined buildings before him. In the Corinthian columns of the temple of Vespasian he will recognise the remains of the Corinthian portico, in the portico of Saturn the Ionic portico of the bas-relief. The arch seen in the distance between the two porticoes would probably be a part of the loggia of the Tabularium. The long line of arches, with piers between them, will be found in the Basilica Julia with its ornaments of Tuscan architecture. The whole of the background may thus be explained by the aid of the ruins which remain. Of the objects represented in the foreground no distinct traces are now to be seen. They consist, as has been mentioned, of the Rostra to the right and a fig-tree and statue to the left. Rostra, Background of Trajan and Italy. On the other bas-relief, which is more perfect than the first, the same statue and fig-tree are seen in the foreground on the right, and next to them, behind the figures, are seven arches with intermediate piers, similar to those of the first sculpture. Then, after an interval of some width, is a Corinthian portico, which is represented as CHAP. II. having five columns; and finally, to the left, an arch, which appears nearer to the spectator than the portico. In the foreground are the Rostra, from which the emperor is speaking. Relative position of objects in the fore ground. It will be observed that in the foreground of each sculpture we have the Rostra on one side and the statue and fig-tree on the other, but in one representation the Rostra are on the right, in the other on the left. In the two scenes the spectator is supposed to be placed on different sides of the Rostra; but in both cases the statue and fig-tree are seen in the same relative position, or nearly so, the tree to the left of the statue. In order that these two objects should be so seen from the right and left of the Rostra, we must suppose both of them to have been before the Rostra, at about equal distances from it. Thus, though the spectator has changed his position from one side. of the Rostra to the other, his situation with reference to the statue and fig-tree remains nearly as before; and, as the one sculpture ends with those objects on the left, and the other begins with them on the right, the background of buildings behind these two objects in the second sculpture may be expected to begin at about the same point where it terminated in the first. With this South-east clue we find in the piers and arches of the second Forum. bas-relief a continuation of the long colonnade of the Basilica Julia. In the wide interval to the view of the CHAP. II. left of the basilica the portico of the temple of Castor might be expected to be seen; but the Julius. artist has not thought fit to introduce this monu ment, possibly because hidden from the Rostra Temple of by some nearer objects. In the portico with the Corinthian columns we may recognise the Temple of Divus Julius, the podium of which has been recently excavated, and which is represented in medals of Augustus and of Hadrian with a tetrastyle Corinthian portico. The five columns may be assumed to be a mistake, as this form of portico is unknown. The arch behind the Rostra was probably that of Augustus, of which we have Arch of some obscure mention as standing near the CHAP. II Temple of Julius.157 The explanation here given of the first background (in which the Temples of Vespasian and Saturn appear) agrees with that of Signor Brizio, to whose paper I have referred. In the other background that learned antiquary thought we might find the Basilica Aemilia and some other buildings of the north-eastern side of the Forum. This opinion was founded on the supposition that 157 Haec Augustus. Huius facti notae repraesentantur in arcu qui est iuxta aedem Divi Iulii. Mai. Interpret. Virgil. Aen. vii. 6; viii. 666 cited by Canina, Foro Rom. 134, 139. In the representation in relief of the triumph of Marcus Aurelius now preserved in the Capitol, the buildings of the background appear to me to be the |