rse of instruction included the elementary branches mentioned
above, and a careful study of the best _Greek_ and Latin writers,
besides a course in philosophy and rhetoric, under some well known
professor abroad, usually at Athens or Rhodes.

BOOKS.--LETTER WRITING.

The most common material on which books were written was the thin rind
of the Egyptian papyrus tree. Besides the papyrus, parchment was often
used. The paper or parchment was joined together so as to form
one sheet, and was rolled on a staff, whence the name volume (from
_volvere_, to roll).

Letter writing was very common among the educated. Letters were usually
written with the _stylus_, an iron instrument like a pencil in size
and shape, on thin slips of wood or ivory covered with wax, and folded
together with the writing on the inside. The slips were tied together
by a string, and the knot was sealed with wax and stamped with a
signet ring. Letters were also written on parchment with ink. Special
messengers were employed to carry letters, as there was no regular mail
service. Roman letters differed from ours chiefly in the opening and
close. The writer always began by sending "greeting" to the person
addressed, and closed with a simple "farewell," without any signature.
Thus "Cicero S. D. Pompeio" (S. D. = sends greeting) would be the usual
opening of a letter from Cicero to Pompey.

CHAPTER XLVII. PUBLIC BUILDINGS, SQUARES, ETC.

_Rome_ was built on seven hills,--the Palatine, the Aventine, the
Capitoline, the Esquiline (the largest), the Quirinal, the Viminal, and
the Coelian.

There were various public squares (_forum_ = square or park). Some
were places of resort for public business, and most were adorned with
porticos. The most celebrated square was the _Forum Romanum_, or simply
_The Forum_. There were also the _Forum Caesaris_ and _Forum Trajani_.
Some served as markets; as _Forum Boarium_, the cattle market; _Forum
Suarium_, the hog market, etc.

Temples were numerous. The _Pantheon_ (temple of all the gods), built
by Agrippa and restored by Hadrian, was dedicated to Jupiter. It was
situated outside of the city, in the Campus Martius, and is now used as
a Christian church. The Temple of Apollo Palatinus, built by Augustus,
was on the Palatine Hill. It contained a library, which was founded by
Augustus. The Temple of Aesculapius was on an island in the Tiber; that
of Concordia, on the slope of the Capitoline Hill, was dedicated