in ancient writers, denotes a kind of steps or ladder whereby to ascend to some eminence. In this sense we read of the anabathra of theatres, pulpits, &c. Anabathra appears to have been sometimes also applied to ranges of seats rising gradually over each other.

Anabathra is more particularly applied to a kind of stone blocks raised by the highway sides, to assist travellers in mounting or alighting, before the use of stirrups was invented. The first author of this contrivance among the Romans was C. Gracchus brother of Tiberius.