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SPES VETUS

an ancient shrine on the Esquiline which is mentioned twice in connection with the legendary victory of Horatius over the Etruscans in 477 B.C. (Liv. ii. 51. 2; Dionys. ix. 24). Nothing further is known of the temple (HJ 365 ; Rosch. iv. 1296; Becker, Top. 551), but it gave its name 'ad Spem veterem' to its immediate vicinity, the district just inside the later Porta Praenestina, where several aqueducts met (cf. Hist. Aug. Elag. 13: hortos Spei veteris; see HORTI VARIANI). It was the highest point on the east side of the city, and was therefore selected for the entry of almost all the aqueducts (LA passim; HJ 364, 365; LS iii. 157; PBS i. 150).

Ad Spem veterem is described by Frontinus (de aquis i. 5) as being in confinio HORTORUM TORQUATIANORUM ET [EPAPHRODITIA]NORUM (q.v.) (see AQUA APPIA); here branches of the aqua Iulia and the aqua Claudia diverged to the Caelian (ib. 19, 20; cf. 21; ii. 65, 76, 87). For a 'sutor a spem (sic) vetere' cf. CIL xv. 5929.

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477 BC (1)
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