Collis

A hill; Rome traditionally had seven. Hills have been used for prestige, protection, and to meet the city's infrastructural needs

Collis (plural colles) is a Latin term referring to a hill or hills in the landscape. While not quite as important today for the same reasons, colles often played a part in the planning of ancient civilizations for many reasons - primarily because they served as natural defenses against invaders. Cities built on top of or around hills had the natural advantage of being able to see attackers approaching from the lower ground, and they could control access to various parts of the city by using the cliffs and valleys to their advantage. Rome itself was traditionally built around seven colles, two of the most famous being the Palatine and the Aventine around which legend says Romulus and Remus established their templa (sanctuaries for augury) before founding the city (Livy, Foster trans. 1919). The city would later expand to encompass other surrounding colles as well, and these colles would serve as some of Rome’s most defining features in the ancient and modern world (Macquarie University, n.d.).

Bibliography

Livy, Foster translation, 1919. 

Latin Dictionary Entry

Collis - Perseus Digital Library

Jay Brodzeller, 2022