Scalae
Stairs in a public or private setting
Scalae (singular scala - though singular form is not commonly used) is a Latin term that refers to stairs, staircases, or ladders in the ancient Roman world. Early examples of stairs in the ancient world in places like Greece were often steps carved into the side of a hill or mountain, sometimes used to aid military movement, but as architectural techniques developed Greek cities began using straight stone staircases to lead up to temples, buildings, and theaters. The Romans used similar staircases in the construction of their own temples (aedes), theaters, and public buildings (Southern Staircase, 2017). Roman insulae (apartment buildings) also used staircases, likely made of wood, to provide access to the high-rise apartments of the ancient world. Some of these insulae could have been as tall as eight stories (Gill, 2018), and could have had between 100-150 steps that a tenant would have to climb to reach the top floor (Williams, 2002). While Roman scalae were typically built at a straight, even slope, spiral scalae began to appear during the Imperial period, notably with the Column of Trajan (Columna Traiani), built in 113 CE. Though the spiral scalae in the Column of Trajan are not the first example of such stair design in the ancient world, they seem to have sparked a rise in popularity of the style (Southern Staircase, 2017). Scalae can also be used to refer to ladders in the Roman world, as can be seen frequently in ancient texts referring to warfare and sieges. Roman authors like Livy, writing in the first century BCE, use the term when referring to siege ladders that were used to scale the walls of a city or citadel (Foster, 1926, trans. Livy).
Bibliography
Livy, Foster translation, 1926.
Latin Dictionary Entry
Scalae - Perseus Digital Library
Jay Brodzeller, 2022