...The most important even in the reign of Tullus with regard to the history of the city (A.U.C. 81-114) was the capture and destruction of Alba Longa, and the transfer of its inhabitants to Rome, which thus became the chief city of the Latin League. In order to provide dwelllings for these new colonists, Tullus Hostilius assigned to them the Caelian Hill; the previous Etruscan inhabitants of which had, as we have seen, been at least for the most part removed to the vicus Tuscus. Tullus Hostilius fixed his own residence on the Caelian, ² though he had also, and perhaps previously, a house on the Velia.³ Several noble Alban families having been thus added to the Roman patricians, Tullus found it necessary to build a convenient curia, or senate-house. This building, which, as Livy tells us,⁴ continued to bear the name of CURIA HOSTILIA down to the generation which preceded him, was situated, as I have shown in another place,⁵ at the north-west corner of the Forum, adjoining the eastern side of the Vulcanal. Its future changes will demand our attention in a subsequent part of this work; and it is only necessary to mention here, that, as I trust it has been shown in the article Roma, although the Curia Hostilia was frequently destroyed and reubilt, and its name altered, the senate down to the latest times continued to assemble on or near the same spot; namely, that now occupied by the church of SS. Luca e Martina. It may be further observed that though the Curia Hostilia was a templum, or inaugurated place, without which ceremony the public business could not have been transacted there, yet it was not a place in which divine service could be performed;^{1b for which purpose dedication and consecration by the pontiffs were further required. Thus it was precisely the reverse of the AEdes Vestae, which was no templum, though an aedes sacra; while the Curia Hostilia was a templum, but not an aedes sacra.}

Adjoining the Curia on its western side was an open space, called SENACULUM, where the senators were accustomed to meet before entering the Curia, and where, probably, they gave audience to such magistrates as were not permitted to enter that building. It must have closely adjoined the Vulcanal. Here, too, though in later times, and after Rome had extended her conquests over foreign nations, was another open space called Graecostasis, of which we shall have to speak further on.

1. Juv. Sat. iii. 10 sq.

2. Liv. i. 30; Eutrop. i. 4; Victor, Vir. Ill. 4.

3. Varro, Fragm. de Vita Pop. Rom. in Noniius Marcellus, voc. Secundum, p. 363; Solinus, i. 22.