Seven hills of Rome
The seven hills of Rome (Latin: Septem colles/montes Romae, Italian: Sette colli di Roma [ˈsɛtte ˈkɔlli di ˈroːma]) east of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome, within the walls of the city.
For the film starring Mario Lanza, see Seven Hills of Rome (film).
The seven hills are:[1]
The Vatican Hill (Latin Collis Vaticanus) lying northwest of the Tiber, the Pincian Hill (Mons Pincius), lying to the north, the Janiculan Hill (Latin Janiculum), lying to the west, and the Sacred Mount (Latin Mons Sacer), lying to the northeast, are not counted among the traditional Seven Hills, being outside the boundaries of the most ancient part of Rome.
Separate also are the seven hills associated with the Septimontium, a proto-urban festival celebrated by the residents of the seven communities associated with the hills or peaks of Rome. These were the Oppius, Palatium, Velia, Fagutal, Cermalus, Caelius, and Cispius.[2] These are sometimes confused with the traditional seven hills.
In the New Testament[edit]
In the Book of Revelation, the Whore of Babylon sits on "seven mountains",[8][9] often understood by Christians as the seven hills of Rome and a reference to the pagan Roman Empire. Protestants later associated them with the Catholic Church (as the Pope is patriarch of Rome).[10][11][12][13][14]
In modern literature[edit]
In a 2019 interview Lindsey Davis revealed her plan to set a series of books on the seven hills of Rome, now accomplished with the publication of A Capitol Death, seventh in the Flavia Albia series which began with The Ides of April, set on the Aventine Hill.[15]