II
If.
' t ' H iii
III I
fci'l
P t e l
I i ' k w I
n r
95
This infcription not only confers great honour on the prasfes, wlio had ccrtainly deferved
marks of refpeft from a people whom he had aflilled in two fuch effentiaJ articles 23
com and water, but to the inhabitants themfelves, who feem to have feit a proper fenfe of
gratitude for thofe bleffings which time itfclf appears to have refpeited.
At Count de Gubcmati's, near the Temple of Apollo, is a fmall altar-piece, a Ikctch
of which I have given in drawing, No. 15; likewife fepulchral lamps, infcriptions, and
many other veiUgcs of antiquity.
I ihall only add, that I confidcr Cemenelion as elaffic ground, containing a rich mine
of valuable curiofitics: it is therefore to be wiihcd Uiat it may be properly worked, as it
would doubtlefs produce fuch fpccimens of ancient grandeur, as would be conducive to the
advancement of the arts.
This city was in its higheft degree of fplendoiur in the reign of Auguftus; but its
decline foon followed that of the Roman empire. The Catholic religion was propagated
there at an early period, for about the third century it was even then a Biihop's fee; vide
« JofFredi's Defcription of the County of Nice." In 381, Amantius, the then exifling prelate,
afliftcd at the council held atConftantinople; and from that time they had a fucceffion
of Biihops, who were in great meafure fovereigns of this branch oftlie Alps till the eighth
century, when it was entirely facked by the Lombards. The remaining few, who were
fortunate enough to efcape, retired with their Bilhop to the rock of Nice, where, for their
own defence, they began to lay the original foundation of the caitle which was accounted
impregnable before the invention of artillery.
This increafe of inhabitants having confiderably added to thofe of Nica, this place
became continually more opulent and flourifhing.
In proccfs of time the Biihops conftruited a wall by way of inclofure, and ereiled tlie
town into a city, the fovereiguty of which their fucceflbrs preferved for about a century,
including likewife a part of the county.
In 90S, the then reigning Prelate was forced to feek prole£Uon of Bofon, King of
Provencc, who invaded that countiy, and confiderably increafcd the works which defended
the town and caille. Raymond, Count of Provcnce, being compelled in 1174 to have
recourfe to the Genocfe for affiftance in a war he had to fuflain againii France, ceded the
whole coxuity of Nice, Montfcrrat, the principality of Mafla, Monaco, &c. as well as the
pons fituatcd between Turbia and Narbonne, with the exclufive privilege of die trade of
Pi-ovcncc. See "Burgus de Dominio Genuenfis Reipublicie inMari Liguftico, lib. ii. c. 13."
i l
• .. li 1