Abstract
THE Palatine, the nucleus of the City of Rome upon the Seven Hills, had great natural advantages of position; it was an almost flat-topped hill, with two distinct summits and a slight depression between them, protected by lofty cliffs, far more formidable than they seem at present, and almost entirely surrounded by two marshy valleys traversed by winding streams. Its neighbourhood to the Tiber enabled it to command the crossing, which, no doubt, existed in some form long before the foundation of Rome, probably just below the island, where the Pons Sublicius stood later. This crossing was of great importance, for it was the only permanent one over the whole lower course of the river.
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ASHBY, T. Practical Engineering in Ancient Rome1. Nature 116, 576–580 (1925). https://doi.org/10.1038/116576a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/116576a0