Porta
A gate, typically forming the shape of an archway
Porta (plural portae) is a Latin term referring to a gate in the Roman world - typically used to describe the gate to a city or a larger enclosure, but any gate entering into an open-air space enclosed by walls could be considered a porta. This is not to be confused with foris, which is most frequently used to refer to a door entering into a fully enclosed space - like a house or building. Porta is overwhelmingly used to refer to city gates, as ancient cities were typically surrounded by walls (murus) of various sizes and levels of fortification. Some ancient cities would have numerous portae entering at different points along a city’s walls, and ancient Rome may at one time have had more than 20 (Murray, 1875). Portae throughout the Roman world varied in size, construction, and complexity depending on a variety of factors specific to the abilities and needs of the cities constructing them. Some portae had side-by-side entrances that directed the flow of traffic in and out of the city, while others only had one large entrance. Others still had larger entrances for carts and larger traffic, and smaller entrances nearby for foot traffic. Most portae had some sort of smaller entrance for a person to pass through, whether it be connected to the main gate itself or separate from it. In addition, portae often had small rooms attached to them in which one or multiple guards could stand watch, as well as control the flow of traffic and the opening and closing of the porta (Murray, 1875). Most Roman portae were constructed with an arched opening that was connected to the rest of the wall, and some of these portae may have served as both entrances into the city, as well as monumentalized arches (Curtis, 1908).
Bibliography
Latin Dictionary Entry
Porta - Perseus Digital Library
Jay Brodzeller, 2022