HOW LARGE WAS ANCIENT ROME?
By The American
AFTER carefully examining, says a late writer, all the data we have, all the statements of the various ancient writers who allude to it, and all the facts which seem to bare on the question, I am convinced that in estimating the population at 4,000,000 I am rather understating than overstating it. It is much more probable that it was larger than that it was smaller. De Quincy also estimates the inhabitants of Rome at 4,000,000. I will only cite one fact, and then leave this question. The circus Maximus was constructed to hold 250,000, or according to Victor, at a later period probably 385,000 spectators. Taking the smaller number, then it would be one in sixteen of all the inhabitants if there were 4,000,000. But as one-half of the population was composed of slaves, who must be struck out of the spectators when the circus was built, there would be accommodation then for one in eight of the total population, excluding slaves. Reducing again the one-half by striking out the women, there would be room for one in four. Again, striking out the young children and the old men and the sick and impotent, you would have accommodation for the whole population. Is it possible to believe that the Romans constructed a circus to hold the entire population of Rome capable of going to it?—for such must have been the case where there were only 4,000,000 of inhabitants.—The American.