J. Morphew near Stationers-Hall; and J. King in Westminster-Hall, Bookfellers. 1712. in 8vo. Pagg. 164.

HE Hiftory of the Highways of the Roman Empire, written by Nicolas Bergier, Advocate in the Prefidial of Reims, was published at Paris in the Year 1622. That curious and learned Book is grown very fcarce: 'Tis true, a Latin Tranflation of it has been inferted in the Thefaurus Antiquitatum Ro manarum, printed in feveral Volumes in Folio; but that Collection is too dear, to be bought by every Body. The Publick wanted therefore an English Tranflation of Bergier's Work; and it will be the more acceptable, because it comes out with feveral Improvements and Additions relating to England. The Tranflator has only publifhed the firft Book, and de-. figns to go on with the reft. The following Extract, though fhort, will give the Readers a fufficient Notion of the Nature of this Work.

I. In the Time of the Commonwealth of Rome, the Care of the Highways was committed to the Cenfors, Confuls, and Tribunes of the People. As for the Streets and publick Places of that City, it was the Bufinefs of the Ediles to keep them in Repair.

The Cenfors, Confuls, and other Magiftrates of Rome, being no longer able to take Care of the HighVol. IV. ways,

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* Hiftoire des Grands Chemins de l'Empire Romain, contenant l'origine, progrés, & eftendue quafi incroyable des Chemins Militaires, pavez depuis la Ville de Rome jufques aux extremitez de fon Empire, Où fe voit la grandeur & la puiffance incomparable des Romains: Enfemble, l' efclairciffement de l'Itineraire d'Antonin, & de la Carte de Peutinger. Par Nicolas Bergier, Advocat au Siege Prefidial de Reims. A Paris, Chez C. Morel, &c. MDCXXII. 'Tis a Book in 4to. confifting of 856 Pages.

ways, fome extraordinary Commiffioners were appointed for that End, and went by the Name of Curatores viarum. Their Number was not fixed: They were more or lefs, as Occafion required..

Thofe Curatores viarum (Overfeers of the Highways) were Men of Note, and had the moft confiderable Employments bestowed upon them. We read in Plutarch, that Julius Cæfar was made Curator vie Appia. Before the Reign of Auguftus, thofe Commiffioners were only appointed, when there was a Necefity for it; but that Emperor fixed their Number,, and made them perpetual. What has been faid hitherto, ought to be understood only of the Highways in Italy. The Curatores viarum must not be confounded with the Curatores vicorum.

was

Appius Claudius was the firft, who began to pave the Highways of Italy. During his Cenforfhip in the Year of Rome 442. he caufed the publick Road from that City to Capua to be paved: That Road was cal led Via Appia. The fecond Highway, paved in Italy, as that of Caius Aurelius Cotta, in the Year of Rome 512. if one may depend upon the Conjecture of Carolus Sigonius *, who fays it was called Via Aurelia from him. The next Highways paved in Italy, are the Via Flaminia and the Via Emilia. The former reached from Rome to Ariminum, (now Rimini;) and the latter from Rimini to Bologna, and from thence to Aquileia. Some Ancient Authors fay, the Via Flaminia was made in the Year of Ronie 533, by Flaminius, who died in the War with Annibal; but Strabo afcribes it to his Son Flaminius. The two Cenfors Flaccus and Albinus undertook a Work of the fame Nature, in the Year 580. Caius Gracchus 50 Years after caused several Roads to be paved in Italy. This is what we find in the Roman Hiftory concerning. thofe, who took Care of the Highways in that Country. Several other Magiftrates, unknown to us, applied themselves to this Work fo that in Julius Cæfar's

Lib. II. de Antiq. Jure Italie, cap. ule.

Cafar's Time there were publick Roads to go from Rome to all the chief Towns of Italy. Auguftus and, his Succeffors did rather enlarge and repair them than make new ones, except fome that were made by Domitian, Trajan, and Aurelian.

.The most ancient Highway, that was made by the Romans out of Italy, reached from the Alps into Spain through Provence and Languedoc: Polybius mentions it in the third Book of his Hiftory. Andreas Refendius *, who saw some Parts of that Road, obferves, that it was paved with fmall fquare Stones, pene infana profufione. That Way was made in the Time of the Punick War. The next is the Via Domitia, which Domitius Enobarbus caufed to be made in the Year of Rome 629. Cicero † fpeaks of it. Our Author thinks it was made in the Country of the Allobroges, who were overcome by Domitius. Tacitus mentions another Via Domitia in Germany. The Via Egnatia, mentioned by Strabo, Lib. VII. reached from Apollonia in Epirus to Cypfelus and the River Hebrus in Thrace. Cicero · fays, it went as far as the Hellefpont. These are the Highways that were made out of Italy before the Reign of Auguftus. That Emperor took great. Care not only to enlarge and ftretch out thofe that were already in the Roman Provinces, but also to 4 make new ones.

The Legionary Soldiers, the common People in the feveral Provinces, and the Slaves, were employed in making the Highways of the Roman Empire. Auguftus, who had a ftanding Army of Twenty-five Legions, was the first who put the Soldiers to that Work, to keep them bufy and obedient.

Our Author gives a fhort Account of the Revenues of the Roman Empire, and fhews how Part of them were difpofed of towards making or repairing the publick Roads.

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Fulius

* Lib. III. de Antiquit. Lufitan. cap. de Viis militaribus,

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† Orat. pro M. Fonteio..

+ Lib. I. Annal.

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Julius Cæfar fpent vaft Sums in mending and lengthening the Via Appia. Auguftus was very careful to get the Ways of Italy repaired, and undertook for his Share to mend the Via Flaminia. That Prince took also a particular Care of the Highways in the Provinces of the Empire. The beft Emperors were more careful than others to keep the Roads in Repair, and to encrease their Number.

Among the Works of this Nature, that were performed by Vefpafian, none are so remarkable as the Way, which he cut through a Mountain of the Apennine to fhorten the Via Flaminia. Aurelius Victor mentions it. Those who have seen that Mountain in these latter Times, fay it makes Part of the Apennine, near a Place called Furlo; and that because of its Steepness Vefpafian caufed it to be cut out in the nature of a Vault for the Space of Two hundred Geometrical Paces. The Infcription, that is ftill extant over one of the Entrances, may be seen among the Infcriptions collected by Gruterus. Domitian paved all the Way from Sinueffa to Puteoli: That Way was a Branch of the Via Appia. The Emperor Trajan exceeded all his Predeceffors in his Care of the Highways: There is a remarkable Paffage about it in Galen *. Dion Caffius fays, that Trajan made a paved Way over the Pomptine Paludes. Our Author thinks that Way began at the Forum Appii, and ended at the Temple of the Goddess Feronia, three Miles from Terracina. Before this Way was made, Travellers used to imbark at the Forum Appii, where they left the Via Appia, being willing to take the fhortest Way to Terracina, and landing at the Temple of Feronia, they came again to the Via Appia at Terracina t. I fhall obferve, that Fabrettus mentions an Infcription importing, that Trajan caused a Way to be

made

* De Meth. medendi, Lib. IX. cap. 8.

† See the Account which Horace gives of his Journey to Brundifium Sat. V. Lib. I.

+ De Columna Trajana, cap. IX. pag. 291.

made over the Pomptine Paludes; which confirms what we find about it in Dion Caffius.

The Author proceeds to give an Account of the Works of that Nature performed by Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, as it appears by feveral Infcriptions.

He mentions, in the next Place, fome other Infcriptions, whereby we may know what Highways were made or repaired by Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Heliogabalus, and the following Emperors, till the Decay of the Western Empire.

The Highways were made or repaired, not only out of the publick Revenues, or by the Liberality of the Emperors, but also out of the Money arifing from the Spoils of the Enemies, which was called Pecunia manubialis. Befides, feveral private Perfons undertook to make or to repair the publick Roads at their own Charges: Others gave confiderable Sums, or left great Legacies towards it. The Contributions for the Highways were looked upon as very glorious and honourable. The Clergy were not exempted from them under the Chriftian Emperors. The Senate and the People ftrove to express their Love and Gratitude for thofe, who took Care to make new Roads, or to repair the old ones; which they did by erecting Statues and triumphal Arches to their Honour, and by ftamping Medals to perpetuate their Memory.

Our Author takes Notice of fome Roman Highways, to be seen still in the County of Hainault: They are commonly called les Chauffées de Brunehault (Brunehault's Causeways,) and paved with finall blackish Stones. The Inhabitants of that Country tell many ridiculous Stories about them, and fancy they were made by the Devil. The Author confures thofe Fables in two Chapters.

He obferves in the two next, That Auguftus caufed two Ways to be made through the Alps, each of which reached as far as Lyons. Agrippa, his Son-inlaw, undertook to make four Ways, which began at that City. The first went through the Cevennes into Aquitain;

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