Rome MAMERTINE PRISON of HOLY APOSTLES PETER PAUL ~ Old 1835 Art Print Engraving

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ROME - The Mamertime Prison in which Saint Peter was confinedArtist: W. LINTON ________ Engraver: E. FINDENNote: the title in the table above is printed below the engravingAN ANTIQUE STEEL ENGRAVING FROM 1834 !! ITEM OVER 160 YEARS OLD!VERY OLD WORLD! FRAME FOR YOU DEN, OFFICE LIBRARY!.Rome, however, still continues to attract numberless visitors, by the magnificent ruins of its former greatness which yet remain. Among these antient structures, the MAMERTINE PRISON claims particular notice, it being considered the oldest building in the city. This prison derives its name from Ancus Martins*, the fourth king of Rome : Servius Tullius, the sixth king of Rome, added a lower cell, which was called the Tullianum. Sir William Gell, however, is at issue with the modern antiquaries of Rome, and is of opinion that it was not constructed by Tullius. This unquestionable monument of antient Rome is situated behind the arch of Septimius Severus, and on the declivity of the Capitoline Hill, not far from the church of S. Nicola in Carcere. By the aid of torches, the visitor descends under the little church of S. Giuseppe de Falegnami (built in 1539), by some modern steps, to the upper compartment, which is now formed into an oratory. It is constructed of large masses of peperine stone, probably so called from the town of Piperno, the antient Privernum, where it is found in great abundance, or from the black spots on it resembling pepper. These stones are put together without cement. The upper cell is about twenty-seven feet by nineteen feet and a half, and nearly fourteen feet in height, and has evidently been hewn out of the solid rock. Descending by a few steps more, we arrive at the lower cell, delineated in our engraving, which is only about six feet and a half in height, and nineteen feet by nine. Sir William Gell considers it to be the more antient, because it supports the superstructure. It is formed (he states) by three courses of approaching stones laid horizontally, and not on the principle of an arch. "They are strangely united by cramps of iron, so that they are together as one flat stone, lightened by a slight curvature below, and perhaps in a great measure depending for support on the weight of the walls of the upper structure." Through the circular aperture communicating with the upper chamber, it appears that prisoners, who were condemned to be strangled or to die of hunger, were thrust down into this lower cell. Here, to omit the names of other prisoners of note, Jugurtha was suffered to die of hunger.Numbers of devotees are continually kneeling before the lower prison, where tradition states that the apostles Peter and Paul were confined by order of Nero; and where the fountain or well of water (which is seen on the ground in our engraving) miraculously appeared for Peter, to baptise his gaoler, Processus and Martinianus, and forty-seven companions. Nay, the very pillar to which the apostle Peter is said to have been bound is now shown to the credulous multitude, and is also seen in our engraving. Saint Paul's first confinement at Rome is alluded to in Acts, xxviii. 16: his second epistle to Timothy has several references to his second imprisonment in that city, where ecclesiastical history attests that both these apostles suffered martyrdom, A. D. 65. Numerous excavations have of late years been made throughout Rome, which are still in progress; the results have been the bringing to light of many important remains of antient art. The population of the modern city has varied considerably at different times: in 1832 it contained 151,000 persons. "The population is kept up by the influx of strangers: for the deaths exceed the births in the proportion of 5100 to 4725 per annum. The paupers vary in number from 15,000 to 30,000."SIZE : Image size in inches is 4" x 6", overall page size is 6" x 9".CONDITION: Condition is good. Nothing on reverse. Quality rag stock paper.SHIPPING: Buyers to pay shipping/handling, domestic orders receives priority mail, internationa... read more

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