SEVEN HILLS OF ROME

The 'Seven Hills of Rome' east of the Tiber form the heart of Rome. The Seven Hills of early Rome – the Cermalus, Cispius, Fagutal, Oppius, Palatium, Sucusa and Velia – figured prominently in Roman mythology, religion, and politics. The original city was held by tradition to have been founded by Romulus on the Palatine Hill (''Collis Palatinus''). The other six are now the Aventine (''Collis Aventinus''), the Capitoline (''Capitolinus''), the Quirinal (''Quirinalis''), the Viminal (''Viminalis''), the Esquiline (''Esquilinus'') and the Caelian (''Caelius'').
A mnemonic device used to memorize their names gives them in clockwise order, starting with the Quirinal. It is: 'Q'ueen 'V'ictoria 'E'yes 'C'aesar's 'A'wfully 'P'ainful 'C'orns for the 'Q'uirinal, 'V'iminal, 'E'squiline, 'C'aelian, 'A'ventine, 'P'alatine and 'C'apitoline Hills.
Initially and traditionally, the seven hills were occupied by small settlements and not grouped or recognized as a city called "Rome". The denizens of the seven hills began to participate in a series of religious games which started to bond the groups together. The city of Rome thus came into being as these separate settlements acted as a group, draining the marshy valleys between them and turning them into markets and fora.
The now-famous Vatican Hill (Latin ''Collis Vaticanus'') is northwest of the Tiber and is not one of the Seven Hills of Rome. Likewise, the Pincian Hill (Latin ''Mons Pincius''), to the north, and the Janiculum Hill (Latin ''Ianiculum''), to the west, are not counted among the traditional Seven Hills.
Of the Seven Hills of current Rome, five (Aventine, Caelian, Esquiline, Quirinal and Viminal hills) are populated with monuments, buildings, and parks. The Capitoline now hosts the Municipality of Rome, and the Palatine Hill is an archaeological area.
The city of Constatinople (now Istanbul) was built on seven hills, after the city of Rome.

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Biblical reference

External links

Biblical reference

One possible reference to the Seven Hills of Rome is in the prophetic imagery of the Book of Revelation. Revelation 17 makes reference to the "great harlot" seated on "a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names, with seven heads and ten horns," and the angel, speaking to St. John, says:
: And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
: And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. ()
The angel adds:
: And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. ()
At the time that Revelation was written, the early Christians were persecuted by the Roman Empire, which itself was historically known as the "City of Seven Hills". It is widely believed that the "seven mountains" mentioned refer to the seven hills of Rome.
It is well known about the countless Christians that lost their lives in Rome for their faith. the Apostle Peter not the first nor the last. Many lost there lives in the Coliseum in Rome for sport.
It should also be noted that Vatican Hill, where the Catholic Church's Vatican City is, was not one of the 7 hills of Rome. However, some have argued, according to Biblical prophecy a woman represents a church and a beast represents a political power. Since the Vatican is a geographical location this does not divorce the Roman Catholic Church, a church, from identity with the Woman. After all, she is the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope is known as the Bishop of Rome. There are at least nine other references to the woman's identification in the Bible all of which fit the Roman Catholic Church. (see external reference)

External links

★ Musesrealm.net Map of the seven hills

★ [1] 9 references to Rome