Decumanus

In Roman urban planning, a ''decumanus'' was an east–west-oriented road in a Roman city or ''castrum'' (military camp). The main ''decumanus'' of a particular city was the ''decumanus maximus'', or most often simply "the ''decumanus''". In the rectangular street grid of the typical Roman city plan, the ''decumanus'' was crossed by the perpendicular ''cardo'', a north–south street.

In a military camp, the ''decumanus'' connected the Porta Praetoria (closest to the enemy) to the Porta Decumana (away from the enemy).

In the center – called groma – of a city or ''castrum'', the ''decumanus maximus'' crossed the perpendicular ''cardo maximus'', the primary north–south road. The forum was normally located close to this intersection.

Etymology

''Decumanus'' or ''decimanus'' was the Latin word for 'tenth'. This name is said to come from the fact that the ''via decumana'' or ''decimana'' (the "tenth") separated the Tenth Cohort from the Ninth in the legionary encampment, in the same way as the ''via quintana'' separated the Fifth Cohort from the Sixth.

Examples

Barcino, Barcelona

In the ancient Roman city of Barcino (present day Barcelona, Spain), the ''decumanus maximus'' started at the late-Roman gate (which still stands) in front of the current ''Plaça Nova'' square.

Within the city of Split, in present-day Croatia, is the UNESCO Roman monument, Diocletian's Palace. This city, built by the Emperor Diocletian, exhibits the characteristic Roman orthogonal street system with the ''decumanus maximus'' connecting the west Iron Gate to the east Silver Gate.

Gadara, Jordan

In Roman Gadara, present-day Umm Qais, in Jordan, the ''decumanus'' runs east–west for approximately one kilometre with its ancient flagstones extant.

Damascus, Syria

Another fine example is the Straight Street or Via Recta in Damascus, which is 1,500 metres long, connecting the eastern and western gates.

Beirut, Lebanon

In Beirut's central business district, Rue Weygand, which runs east–west, still follows the ancient Roman ''decumanus''.

In Florence, the ''decumanus'' is preserved as the streets Via Strozzi, Via Speziali, and Via del Corso in the city's old centre. Although these streets have different names, they form a continuous line with a split between the Via Strozzi and Via Speziali by the Palazzo Strozzi. In Roman times, these three streets formed the ''decumanus'' of Florentina, the name of the Roman '' colonia''. The Via Roma and the Via Calimala are formed from the ancient ''cardo'', and what was once the forum in ancient Florence is now the Piazza della Repubblica.In Naples, there still exist three main ''decumani'' which are, from north to south:Fondazione GB Vico
, entry on Decumani.

* Superiore: consisting of Via Sapienza, Via Pisanelli, and Via Anticaglia;
* Maggiore: Via dei Tribunali;
* Inferiore: Via Spaccanapoli, consisting of Via Benedetto Croce and Via San Biagio dei Librai.

Gallery

File:Calleva Atrebatum plan.png, Plan of Silchester, England
File:Roman Cologne, reconstruction.JPG, Plan of Roman Cologne
File:NeapolisStenopoi.jpg, Ancient Naples, ''decumani'' in red
File:Ostia antica 64.JPG, Sign indicating the ''decumanus maximus'' in Ostia Antica
File:Ostia Antica 2013-03-08-64.jpg, Ostia Antica, near Rome

References

{{Reflist

See also

Cardo Maximus

External Resources

Exhaustive list of Roman decumanus maximus

Ancient Roman city planning
Ancient city of Rome
Streets in Naples