005a.

Mura dell'antico Castro Pretorio

Castro Pretorio, the rectangular protrusion of the Aurelian walls, illustrates the area of the permanent camp of the Praetorian Guards, whose task was to protect the ancient Roman Emperors, and who often chose the Emperor over their rivals during the late Empire. Vasi takes advantage of this uncharacteristic aerial view to locate two of the gates he depicts elsewhere in this volume: Porta Chiusa (1), Plate 5, on the left, and Porta Pia (3), Plate 4, on the right. Issuing from Porta Pia is Via Nomentana (4) with Villa Patrizi (6), Plate 191, bordering it on the left. Vasi wrongly identifies the road emerging from Porta Chiusa as Via Tiburtina (2), which actually leaves from Porta S. Lorenzo, Plate 6. The term, vigne diverse (5) or various farms, refers to the cultivated lands both inside and outside the city walls.