Arx
(
ἄκρα). A height within the walls of a city. The same city
could have several
arces, as was the case with Rome; but, as there was
generally one principal
arx, the word came to be equivalent to
Acropolis (q.v.). At Rome one of the summits of the
Capitoline Hill was especially known as the Arx, the German school of topography placing it on
the northeast summit (
Arx Caeli) and the
Capitolium (q.v.) on the southwest (Palazzo Caffarelli). At Rome the Arx was the
regular place for taking the auspices (
Livy, i. 18;
x. 7); outside the wall the haruspex turned towards it if it was in
sight (
Livy, iv. 18). See
Haruspex.