City Traffic Laws

[Nathan Ross]

there is a reconstruction of a covered carriage with four wheels at Cologne, reported on the Internet as a CARPENTVM but by my source a PILENTVM.

And another, rather more accessible, at Xanten! In both cases I doubt we know exactly what the Romans might have called the vehicle, as terms of reference seem to have changed over the centuries anyway...

The note in the Theodosian Code that I mentioned in my original posts states that vehiculis dignitatis suae would be carrucis biiugis -  a two-horse carruca. The reference from the Life of Alexander Severus also has high officials riding in the carruca or raeda, so presumably these were quite similar vehicles.

''to the modern hour add  but six -- this the Roman hour will fix''

But the Romans hours changed in length over the seasons... I generally use Carcopino's list of hours at the Winter and Summer Solstice as a guide (not sure how accurate it might be!) - so e.g. the fourth hour would be 9.46am - 10.31am at midwinter, 8.13am - 9.29am at midsummer.

The tenth hour, when (according to Caesar's law) carts were allowed into the city, would be 2.13pm - 2.58pm at midwinter, 3.36pm - 5.02pm at midsummer. A good while before sunset in either case!