Campus Martius
The term
campus (
κάμπος) belongs to
the language of Sicily, in which it signified a hippodrome or race-course; but among the
Romans it was used to denote an open plain, covered with herbage, and set apart for the
purpose of exercise or amusement. Eight of these plains are enumerated by P. Victor as
appertaining to the city of Rome, among which the most celebrated was the Campus Martius, so
called because it was consecrated to the god Mars. Some difference exists between Livy and
Dionysius Halicarnassus respecting the period at which this consecration took place. The
former states that upon the expulsion of the Tarquins the people took possession of their
property (
ager Tarquiniorum), situated between the city and the Tiber, and
assigned it to the god of war, by whose name it was subsequently distinguished; whereas the
latter says that the Ager Tarquiniorum had been usurped from that divinity, to whom it
belonged of old, and appropriated by the Tarquins, so that it was only restored to its
original service upon their expulsion, a statement which gains confirmation from a law of
Numa, quoted by Festus,
secunda spolia in Martis aram in campo solitaurilia utra
voluerit caedito.
From the greater extent and importance of this plain beyond all the others, it was often
spoken of as “the plain,”
κατ̓ ἐξοχήν,
without any epithet to distinguish it; and, therefore, whenever the word is so used, it is the
Campus Martius which is to be understood as always referred to.
The general designation, Campus Martius, comprised two plains, which, though generally
spoken of collectively, are sometimes distinguished. The former of these was the so-called
Ager Tarquiniorum, to which Juvenal refers,
inde Superbi Totum regis agrum; the
other was given to the Roman people by the vestal virgin Gaia Taratia or Suffetia, and is
sometimes called Campus Tiberinus, and sometimes Campus Minor.
It is difficult to determine the precise limits of the Campus Martius, but in general terms
it may be described as situated between the Via Lata and Via Flaminia on the north, the Via
Recta on the south; as bounded by the Tiber on the west, and the Pantheon and gardens of
Agrippa towards the east; and the Campus Minor, or Tiberinus, occupied the lower portion of
the circuit towards the Via Recta, from the Pons Aelius to the Pons Ianiculensis. See
Pons.
That the Campus Martius was originally without the city is apparent—first, from
the passages of Livy and Dionysius above referred to; secondly, from the custom of holding the
Comitia Centuriata there, which could not be held within the Pomoerium; hence the word
campus is put for the comitia, which also explains the expression of Cicero,
fors domina campi, and of Lucan,
venalis campus,
which means “the corrupt voters”; thirdly, because the generals who
demanded a triumph, not being allowed to enter the city, remained with their armies in the
Campus Martius; and, finally, because it was not lawful to bury within the city, whereas the
monuments of the illustrious dead were among the most striking ornaments with which it was
embellished. (See
Sepulcrum.) But it was included
in the city by Aurelian when he enlarged the walls.
The principal edifices which adorned this famous plain are described by Strabo. It was
covered with perpetual verdure, and was a favourite resort for air, exercise, or recreation
when the labours of the day were over. Its ample area was crowded by the young, who there
initiated themselves in all warlike and athletic exercises, and in the games usual to the
palaestra; for which purpose the contiguous Tiber rendered it peculiarly appropriate in early
times, before public baths were established. Hence
campus is used as
“a field” for any exercise, mental or bodily. Wooden horses were also kept
in the Campus Martius— under porticos in winter, and in the open plain during
summer—in order to give expertness in mounting and dismounting; a necessary practice
when stirrups were not in use (Veget. i. 23). Horse-races (
equiria) also
took place here, except when the Campus was overflowed. The Campus Martius is the most densely
populated portion of modern Rome. See
Roma.
