Rome

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

"The Eternal City," is by no means wholly of the past. It is again the capital of an independent and united Italy. It is the residence of the pope. The Italian system of railroads centers here. The modern city possesses no small amount of wealth. It is a manufacturing and commercial center of increasing importance. Rome is still surrounded by walls of brick and stone about fifty-five feet in height. They are pierced by a dozen gates and have been opened in several places to permit the entrance of railways. Well paved streets and brilliantly lighted squares are adorned with statuary. There are notable blocks rivaling those of Paris. The Corso, lined with elegant modern palaces, is one of the finest streets in Europe. St Peter's Cathedral and the Vatican are situated on the right bank, that is to say, in the section north of the Tiber. The population of the city in 1901 was 462,783. It contains the most interesting museums and art galleries in Europe. Rome is the art center of the world and the ecclesiastical center of the Catholic church. The thread of Roman history may be unraveled from separate articles on ETRURIA; ROMULUS; CARTHAGE; HANNIBAL; GRACCHI; MARIUS; CATILINE; CAESAR; POMPEY; AUGUSTUS; NERO; TRAJAN; RAVENNA; HUNS; ATTILA; ALARIC; RIENZI; ITALY; GARIBALDI; MAZZINI; VICTOR EMMANUEL ; CAVOUR; VATICAN; PIUS, etc. The chief antiquities are treated under COLISEUM; CLOACA MAXIMA ; CATACOMBS; PANTHEON; CIRCUS; TIBER; BATHS; AQUEDUCTS; ROAD; etc. Modern topics are the VATICAN; LATERAN; ST. PETER'S, etc. EMPERORS OF ROME FROM AUGUSTUS TO ROMULUS AUGUSTUS. Augustus reigns 31 B. C. to A. D. 14 A. D. Tiberius 14-37 Caligula 37-41 Claudius 41-54 Nero 54-68 Galba 68-69 Otho 69 Vitellius 69 Vespasian 69-79 Titus 79-81 Domitian 81-96 Nerva 96-98 Trajan 98-117 Hadrian 117-138 Antoninus Pius 138-161 {Marcus Aurelius 161-180 {Verus associated with Aurelius 161-169 Commodus 180-192 Pertinax 193 Didius Julianus 193 Septimius Severus 193-211 {Caracalla 211-217 {Geta 211-212 Macrinus 217-218 Elagabalus 218-222 Alexander Severus 222-235 Maximin 235-238 Gordian III 238-244 Philip 244-249 Decius 249-251 Period of the Thirty Tyrants 251-268 Claudius 268-270 Aurelian 270-275 Tacitus 275-276 Probus 276-282 Carus 282-283 {Carinus 283-284 {Numerian 283-284 {Diocletian 284-305 {Maximian 286-305 {Constantius I 305-306 {Galerius 305-311 Constantine the Great 306-337 Reigns as sole ruler 323-337 Constantine II 337-340 Constans I 337-350 Constantius II 337-361 Reigns as sole ruler 350-361 Julian the Apostate 361-363 Jovian 363-364 {Valentinian I 364-375 {Valens (in the East) 364-378 Gratian 375-383 Maximus 383-388 Valentinian II 375-392 Eugenius 392-394 Theodosius the Great 379-395 Reigns as sole emperor 394-395 EMPERORS IN THE WEST. Honorius 395-423 Valentinian III 425-455 Maximus 455 A. D. Avitus 455-456 Count Ricimer creates and deposes emperors 456-472 Romulus Augustus 475-476 EMPERORS IN THE EAST. (From A. D. 395 to Fall of Rome.) Arcadius 395-408 Theodosius II 408-450 Marcian 450-457 Leo I 457-474 Zeno 474-491 2026 Editor's Note: By way of comparison, Rome today has about 2.75 million residents, up from the 462,783 this article reports for 1901. (Ed: BR 2026-07-16)