Ancient Roman City Gates – Hubs in a Network
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Cornelis van Tilburg
Abstract
This article explores the function of city gates and the role of the local government who were responsible for the gates. The study focuses on two ancient Roman cities, Pompeii and Xanten, and how their structure impacted the safety and quality of life of the inhabitants. The city gates were hubs which had a role in the city’s defence, drinking water, local economy, coping with traffic flow, and refuse removal. In order for city life to operate properly, the government had to ensure the aforementioned functions were managed by gate-keepers. The article also discusses considerations in urban planning of a city such as Xanten and building an infrastructure according to government demands, as well as learning from the errors of previous architects and city planners. The older pre-Roman city of Pompeii was extended although the street system and narrow gates were maintained. However, nowadays the functionality of the city gates has diminished, and they are usually tourist attractions.
Abstract
This article explores the function of city gates and the role of the local government who were responsible for the gates. The study focuses on two ancient Roman cities, Pompeii and Xanten, and how their structure impacted the safety and quality of life of the inhabitants. The city gates were hubs which had a role in the city’s defence, drinking water, local economy, coping with traffic flow, and refuse removal. In order for city life to operate properly, the government had to ensure the aforementioned functions were managed by gate-keepers. The article also discusses considerations in urban planning of a city such as Xanten and building an infrastructure according to government demands, as well as learning from the errors of previous architects and city planners. The older pre-Roman city of Pompeii was extended although the street system and narrow gates were maintained. However, nowadays the functionality of the city gates has diminished, and they are usually tourist attractions.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- List of Tables and Figures VII
- Declaring Places, Placing Declaratives – An Introduction 1
- ‘Her Seedy Elegance’ – An Intermedial Investigation of Crowds as a Central Part of Dublin’s Soundscape in James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922) and Liam O’Flaherty’s The Informer (1925) 15
- “Small Town” or “Small City”? – ‘Inter-Textual Place-Making’ in Queenstown, New Zealand 33
- Chaos and Conflict or Complexity and Pluralism? – Multimodality and Perspectives on Potential Attributions of Meaning in the Egyptian Capital of Cairo 55
- “Das Haus Deutschland unter einem Europäischen Dach” – Helmut Kohl’s Political Implementation of the Symbolic Value of Dresden’s Frauenkirche 75
- The Linguistic Landscape of Chicago’s La Villita 93
- Talk about Talk – From an Urban Space to a Dialect Place – How a Collective Body of Knowledge Influences Communicative Dynamics in Naples 119
- Linguistic Landscape and Beyond – The Swiss People’s Party’s (SVP) Campaign Posters in Urban Areas, in the Media, and as Temporary Public Places of Urban Communication 143
- English as a Written Representation of the Visual Mode – A Study of Public Advertising in Klagenfurt, Austria 167
- Ancient Roman City Gates – Hubs in a Network 185
- List of Contributors 205
- Index 207
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- List of Tables and Figures VII
- Declaring Places, Placing Declaratives – An Introduction 1
- ‘Her Seedy Elegance’ – An Intermedial Investigation of Crowds as a Central Part of Dublin’s Soundscape in James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922) and Liam O’Flaherty’s The Informer (1925) 15
- “Small Town” or “Small City”? – ‘Inter-Textual Place-Making’ in Queenstown, New Zealand 33
- Chaos and Conflict or Complexity and Pluralism? – Multimodality and Perspectives on Potential Attributions of Meaning in the Egyptian Capital of Cairo 55
- “Das Haus Deutschland unter einem Europäischen Dach” – Helmut Kohl’s Political Implementation of the Symbolic Value of Dresden’s Frauenkirche 75
- The Linguistic Landscape of Chicago’s La Villita 93
- Talk about Talk – From an Urban Space to a Dialect Place – How a Collective Body of Knowledge Influences Communicative Dynamics in Naples 119
- Linguistic Landscape and Beyond – The Swiss People’s Party’s (SVP) Campaign Posters in Urban Areas, in the Media, and as Temporary Public Places of Urban Communication 143
- English as a Written Representation of the Visual Mode – A Study of Public Advertising in Klagenfurt, Austria 167
- Ancient Roman City Gates – Hubs in a Network 185
- List of Contributors 205
- Index 207
