Seven Hills
Preserved but no longer current.
The walls of Ancient Rome, built about the 6th century B.C., included the seven hills, Palatine, Capitol, Aventine, Caelian, Esquiline, Viminal and Quirmal. The heart of the modern city clings to these hills, in some cases now scarcely perceptible rises in the street level.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Seven Hills” mean?
The walls of Ancient Rome, built about the 6th century B.C., included the seven hills, Palatine, Capitol, Aventine, Caelian, Esquiline, Viminal and Quirmal. The heart of the modern city clings to these hills, in some cases now scarcely perceptible rises in the street level.
Is “Seven Hills” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.