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14 regions of Augustan Rome
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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).
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.
Evidence of regions in Rome before Augustus is limited. 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.
Varro also provides evidence for vici in Republican Rome, deriving the word vicus from via and which are analogous to our modern ‘neighbourhoods’. By the middle Republic each vicus had a local official known as a vicomagister.
By the time of Augustus, local shrines in the vici had become neglected 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. At this time, the city was reorganised into the fourteen Augustan 'regiones' overseen by senatorial magistrates.
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.
Regio II encompassed the Caelian Hill.
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.
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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).
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.
Evidence of regions in Rome before Augustus is limited. 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.
Varro also provides evidence for vici in Republican Rome, deriving the word vicus from via and which are analogous to our modern ‘neighbourhoods’. By the middle Republic each vicus had a local official known as a vicomagister.
By the time of Augustus, local shrines in the vici had become neglected 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. At this time, the city was reorganised into the fourteen Augustan 'regiones' overseen by senatorial magistrates.
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.
Regio II encompassed the Caelian Hill.
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.
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