14 regions of the Augustan Rome

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Augustus in 7 B.C. administratively divided Rome into 14 regions (Latin, regiones).

At the beginning these regions were referred to only by number; later they received names as well. Regions were split into smaller areas known as vici, "neighborhoods."

[edit] List of the 14 regiones

I Porta Capena (Latin, "Gate to Capua")

It took its name from the gate through the Servian walls which the Appian way takes to get into the city. Beginning from thise to the south of the Caelian Hill, it runs to the future track of the Aurelian walls.

II Caelimontium

This encompassed the Caelian hill.

III Isis et Serapis

It took its name from the sanctuary of Isis, in the area of the modern Labicana street, containing the valley which was to be the future site of the Colosseum, and parts of the Oppian and Esquiline hills.

IV Templum Pacis (Latin, "Temple of Peace")

It took its name from the temple built in the region by Vespasian. It includes the valley between the Esquiline and the Viminal hills, the popular area of the Subura (the Roman suburbs) and the Velian Hill (the hill between the Palatine and the Oppian, removed in the early 20th century to make way for the via dei Fori Iperiali, the street passing between the Forum Romanum and the Forum of Augustus).

V Esquiliae

The name derives from the Esquiline hill. It contains parts of the Oppian and Cispian (two minor hills close to the city center) and of the Esquiline, plus the plain just outside the Servian walls.

VI Alta Semita (Latin, "High Path")

The name derives from the street passing over the Quirinal Hill. The regio contains parts of the Quirinal and Viminal hills.

VII Via Lata (Latin, "Wide Road")

The name was derived from the via Flaminia which runs between the Servian walls and the future Aurelian walls. This was an urban street, corresponding to the modern via del Corso. The regio contained part of the Campus Martius on the east of the street plus the Collis Hortulorum, the Pincian Hill (modern Pincio).

VIII Forum Romanum

This is the central region, containing the Capitoline Hill, the valley between the Palatine and the Capitoline hills (where the Forum Romanum is located), and the area between Velia and the Palatine up to the Arch of Titus and the Temple of Venus.

IX Circus Flaminius

The name derives from the racecourse located in the southern end of the Campus Martius, close to Tiber Island. The region contains part of the Campus Martius, on the west side of via Lata.

X Palatium

The Palatine Hill.

XI Circus Maximus

It took its name from the Circus Maximus, located in the valley between the Palatine and the Aventine. It contained the Circus Maximus, the Velabrum (the valley between the Palatine and Capitoline), as well as the areas next to the Forum Boarium and the Forum Holitorium.

XII Piscina Publica

It took its name from a monument that disappeared during the Empire. It had the high ground where nowadays is the church of San Saba, plus its ramifications towards the Appian way, where Caracalla's baths were.