Large section of the Servian Wall visible next to the railway station of Termini.

The arch of Gallienus, the ancient Porta Esquilina, was an opening in the Servian Wall. It was the starting point of the via Labicana and via Tiburtina.

The Servian Wall (in Latin: Murus Servii Tullii) was a defensive barrier constructed around the city of Rome in the early 4th century BC. The wall was 3.6 m thick, 11 km long, and had more than a dozen gates. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1524x2032, 1238 KB) Servian Wall - Near Termini Station, Rome Photo taken by Salvatore Falco, June 2005 File links The following pages link to this file: History of Rome Servian Wall ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1524x2032, 1238 KB) Servian Wall - Near Termini Station, Rome Photo taken by Salvatore Falco, June 2005 File links The following pages link to this file: History of Rome Servian Wall ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1524x2032, 627 KB) Summary Arch of Gallienus, Rome. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1524x2032, 627 KB) Summary Arch of Gallienus, Rome. ... Head of Gallienus, in the Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels Gallienus depicted on a lead seal Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (218-268) ruled the Roman Empire as co-emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and then as the sole Roman Emperor from 260 to 268. ... Via Labicana, an ancient highroad of Italy, leading east southeast from Rome. ... Via Tiburtina, an ancient road of Italy, leading east northeast from Rome to Tibur, a distance of about 18 miles. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1290 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,823,807 almost 4,000,000 1... (5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) // Events Invasion of the Celts into Ireland Battle of the Allia and subsequent Gaulish sack of Rome 383 BCE Second Buddhist Councel at Vesali. ...

The Servian Wall is named after the sixth Roman King, Servius Tullius. Although its outline may go back to the 6th century BC, the currently extant walls were probably built during the later Roman Republic, as a defensive reaction against the Sack of Rome by the Gauls of Brennus. Due to the ease with which the Gauls entered the city, it is conjectured that at some time previous to this, Rome had been forced by its Etruscan rulers to dismantle any significant prior defenses. King of Rome redirects here. ... Servius Tullius was the sixth legendary king of ancient Rome, and the second king of the Etruscan dynasty. ... (7th century BC - 6th century BCE - 5th century BCE - other centuries) (600s BCE - 590s BCE - 580s BCE - 570s BCE - 560s BCE - 550s BCE - 540s BCE - 530s BCE - 520s BCE - 510s BCE - 500s BCE - other decades) (2nd millennium BCE - 1st millennium BCE - 1st millennium) The 5th and 6th centuries BCE were... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... The Battle of the Allia was a battle of the first Gallic invasion of Italy. ... Gallia (in English Gaul) is the Latin name for the region of western Europe occupied by present-day France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... A sculpture depicting the Brennus who led the attack on Rome that adorned an 18th or 19th century French naval vessel Brennus is the name of two Celtic chieftains famous in ancient history: 1. ... Map showing the extent of the Etruscan civilization and the twelve Etruscan League cities. ...

The wall was built from large blocks of tufa quarried from the Grotta Oscura. In addition to the blocks, some sections of the structure incorporated a deep fossa, or ditch in front of it, as a means to effectively heighten the wall during attack from invaders. Along part of its topographically weaker northern perimeter was an agger, a defensive ramp of earth heaped up to the wall along the inside. This thickened the wall, and also gave defenders a base to stand while repelling any attack. The wall was also outfitted with defensive war engines, including catapults. Tufa is the name for an unusual geological formation. ... Replica catapult at Château des Baux, France Catapults are siege engines using an arm to hurl a projectile a great distance. ...

The Servian Wall was formidable enough to repel Hannibal during the Second Punic War. Hannibal famously invaded Italy across the Alps with elephants, and had crushed several Roman armies in the early stages of the war. However, when Hannibal brought his Carthaginian army in 211 BC to Rome itself, he was discouraged from attacking the city when he surveyed the strength of the walls, and had to turn away. Hannibals feat in crossing the Alps with war elephants passed into European legend: a fresco detail, 1510, Capitoline Museums, Rome Hannibal (from Punic, literally Baal is merciful to me, 247 BC – 183 BC) was a politician, statesman and considered one of the greatest military commanders in history. ... The Second Punic War was fought between Carthage and Rome from 218 to 202 BC. It was the second of three major wars fought between the former Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Roman Republic, then still confined to the Italian Peninsula. ... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC - 210s BC - 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC Years: 216 BC 215 BC 214 BC 213 BC 212 BC - 211 BC - 210 BC 209 BC...

The wall was still maintained in the end of the Republic and the early Empire. By this time, Rome had already begun to grow outside the original Servian walls. The organization of Rome into regions under Augustus placed regions II, III, IV, VI, VIII, X, XI within the Servian Wall, with the other sections outside of it. For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation) The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Ancient Roman polity in the centuries following its reorganization under the leadership of Octavian (better known as Augustus), until its radical reformation in what was later to be known as the Byzantine... The famous statue of Octavian at the Prima Porta Caesar Augustus (Latin:IMP·CAESAR·DIVI·F·AVGVSTVS) ¹ (23 September 63 BC–19 August AD 14), known to modern historians as Octavian for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, is considered the first and one of the most...

The walls became unnecessary as Rome became well protected by the ever expanding military strength of the Republic and of the later Empire. As the city continued to grow and prosper, it was essentially unwalled for the first three centuries of the Empire. However, when the city came under attack from barbarian tribes in the 3rd century, Emperor Aurelian was forced to build the larger Aurelian Walls to protect Rome. // Overview Events The Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east, 230 - 232 Crisis of the Third Century shakes Roman Empire Emperor Valerian I is taken captive by the Persian King of Kings Shapur I, 260 End of Yayoi era and beginning of... Contemporary coin of Aurelian. ... The Aurelian Walls were built between 270 and 273, by Roman Emperor Aurelian. ...

Sections of the Servian Wall are still visible in various locations around Rome. The largest section is preserved just outside Termini Station, the main railway station in Rome (including a small piece in a McDonald's dining area at the station). Another notable section on the Aventine incorporates an arch for a defensive catapult from the late Republic. McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants. ... The Aventine Hill is one of the seven hills that ancient Rome was built on. ...

Gates in the Servian Wall

The following lists the gates that are believed to have been built, clockwise from the westernmost. (Many of these are inferred only from writings, with no other known remains.)

• Porta Flumentana – this gate was where the via Aurelia entered Rome after crossing the Tiber River.
• Porta Carmentalis – the western end of the Capitoline.
• Porta Fontinalis – led from the northern end of the Capitoline into the Campus Martius along the via Lata.
• Porta Sanqualis – on the Quirinal.
• Porta Salutaris – on the Quirinal.
• Porta Quirinalis – on the Quirinal.
• Porta Collina – the northernmost gate, on the Quirinal, leading to the via Salaria. Hannibal camped his army within site of this gate when he considered besieging Rome in 211 BC. This section was fortified additionally with the agger.
• Porta Viminalis – on the Viminal. This is near the large section still visible outside Termini Station.
• Porta Esquilina – this gate on the Esquiline is still visible, and incorporates the later arch of the emperor Gallienus. It led to the via Labicana, via Praenestina and via Tiburtina.
• Porta Querquetulana – this led to the via Tusculana.
• Porta Caelimontana – this gate is preserved in the arch of Dolabella and Silanus, reconstructed by the consuls of 10 BC.
• Porta Capena – this was the gate through which the via Appia left Rome to southern Italy after separating from the via Latina.
• Porta Naevia – this gate on the Aventine led to the via Ardeatina.
• Porta Raudusculana – headed south along the Tiber River along the via Ostiensis. Near here, on the modern viale Aventino, may be found a section of the wall incorporating an arch for a catapult.
• Porta Lavernalis – also joined up with the via Ostiensis.
• Porta Trigemina – this triple gate near the Forum Boarium also led to the the via Ostiensis.

Via Aurelia was the Roman road which passed out of ancient Rome through the Porta Aurelia in the Aurelian Walls and ran to the coast a little southeast of modern Palidoro and then followed a coastal route north to Vada Volaterrana. ... Tiber River in Rome The River Tiber (Italian Tevere), the third longest river in Italy (disputed — see talk page) at 406 km (252 miles) after the Po and the Adige, flows through the Campagna and Rome in its course from Mount Fumaiolo to the Tyrrhenian Sea, which it reaches in... The Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus Mons), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the famous seven hills of Rome, the site of a temple for the Capitoline Triad: the gods Jupiter, his wife Juno and their daughter Minerva. ... The Campus Martius, or Field of Mars, was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about 2 km² (600 acres) in extent. ... An etching of the Hill, crowned by the mass of the Palazzo del Quirinale, from a series I Sette Colli di Roma antica e moderna published in 1827 by Luigi Rossini (1790 - 1857): his view, from the roof of the palazzo near the Trevi Fountain that now houes the Accademia... An etching of the Hill, crowned by the mass of the Palazzo del Quirinale, from a series I Sette Colli di Roma antica e moderna published in 1827 by Luigi Rossini (1790 - 1857): his view, from the roof of the palazzo near the Trevi Fountain that now houes the Accademia... An etching of the Hill, crowned by the mass of the Palazzo del Quirinale, from a series I Sette Colli di Roma antica e moderna published in 1827 by Luigi Rossini (1790 - 1857): his view, from the roof of the palazzo near the Trevi Fountain that now houes the Accademia... An etching of the Hill, crowned by the mass of the Palazzo del Quirinale, from a series I Sette Colli di Roma antica e moderna published in 1827 by Luigi Rossini (1790 - 1857): his view, from the roof of the palazzo near the Trevi Fountain that now houes the Accademia... Via Salaria, an ancient Roman road in Italy, which eventually ran from Rome (from Porta Salaria of the Aurelian Walls) to Castrum Truentinum (Porto dAscoli) on the Adriatic coast, a distance of 242 km, via Reate (Rieti) and Asculum (Ascoli Piceno). ... The Viminal Hill (Latin Collis Viminalis, Italian Viminale) is the smallest and least important of the famous seven hills of Rome, and as such always referred to as collis rather than External link Samuel Ball Platner, A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome: Viminal Hill Categories: Italy geography stubs | Ancient Rome... The Esquiline Hill is one of the famous seven hills of Rome. ... Head of Gallienus, in the Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels Gallienus depicted on a lead seal Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (218-268) ruled the Roman Empire as co-emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and then as the sole Roman Emperor from 260 to 268. ... Via Labicana, an ancient highroad of Italy, leading east southeast from Rome. ... Palestrina (ancient Praeneste) was and is a very ancient city of Latium (modern Lazio) 23 miles (37 km) east of Rome, and was reached by the Via Praenestina (see below). ... Via Tiburtina, an ancient road of Italy, leading east northeast from Rome to Tibur, a distance of about 18 miles. ... Publius Cornelius Dolabella the Younger, son of Publius Cornelius Dolabella, consul in 10 BC. Publius Cornelius Dolabella the Younger is famous for having reconstructed the so-called Arch of Dolabella in Rome in 10 BC together with his co-consul Caius Iunius Silanus. ... For modern diplomatic consuls, see Consulate general. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC - 10s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s Years: 15 BC 14 BC 13 BC 12 BC 11 BC 10 BC 9 BC 8 BC 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC... Porta Capena is a place near Rome, formerly a sacred forest, where Numa Pompilius and Egeria met. ... Remains of the Appian Way in Rome, Italy The Appian Way (Latin: Via Appia) is a famous road built by the Romans. ... The Via Latina, or the Latin Way, was a Roman road of Italy, running southeast from Rome for about 200 km. ... The Aventine Hill is one of the seven hills that ancient Rome was built on. ... The Forum Boarium was the cattle market of ancient Rome. ...

References

• Coarelli, Filippo, Guida Archeologica di Roma, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Milano, 1989.

External links

• Servian Wall entry on the Lacus Curtius website
• Lacus Curtius page including gates in the Servian Wall