As This Was Very Inconvenient, Caesar
Formed The Plan Of Making An Artificial Harbour At The Mouth Of The Tiber,
At Ostia.
This plan, however, was not at this time carried into execution:
Claudius, however, in consequence of a dreadful famine which raged at Rome,
A.D. 42, resolved to accomplish it.
He accordingly dug a spacious basin in
the main land; the entrance to which was formed and protected by artificial
moles, which advanced far into the sea; there was likewise a little island
before the mouth of the harbour, on which a light-house was built, after
the model of the Pharos of Alexandria. By the formation of this harbour,
the largest vessel could securely ride at anchor, within three deep and
capacious basins, which received the northern branch of the Tiber, about
two miles from the ancient colony of Ostia.
Into this port corn arrived for the supply of Rome from various countries;
immense quantities of wheat were furnished by the island of Sicily. Egypt
was another of the granaries of the capital of the world; according to
Josephus, it supplied Rome with corn sufficient for one-third of its whole
consumption: and Augustus established regular corn voyages from Alexandria
to the capital. Great quantities were also imported from Thrace, and from
Africa Proper. The ships employed in the corn trade, especially between
Egypt and Rome, were the largest of any in the Mediterranean: this probably
arose from the encouragement given to this trade by Tiberius, and
afterwards increased by Claudius. The former emperor gave a bounty of about
fourpence on every peck of corn imported: and Claudius, during the time of
the famine, made the bounty so great as, at all events, and in every
instance, to secure the importers a certain rate of profit. He also used
all his efforts to persuade the merchants to import it even in winter,
taking upon himself all the losses, &c. which might arise from risking
their ships and cargoes, at a time of the year when it was the invariable
practice of the ancients to lay the former up. Whenever an emperor had
distinguished himself by a large importation of corn, especially, if by
this means a famine was avoided or removed, medals seem to have been struck
commemorative of the circumstance; thus, on several medals there is a
figure of a ship, and the words _Annona Aug_. or _Ceres Aug_. Many of these
were struck under Nero, and Antoninus Pius. During the time of the
republic, also, similar medals were struck, with the figure of a prow of a
ship, and an inscription shewing the object for which the fleets had been
sent.
Having been thus particular in describing the importation of corn, we shall
notice the imports of other articles in a more cursory manner. The northern
parts of Italy furnished salt pork, almost sufficient for the whole
consumption of Rome, tapestry, and woollen cloths, wool, and marble; to
convey the latter, there were ships of a peculiar form and construction;
steel, crystal, ice, and cheese.
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