Vitruvius Pollio, The Ten Books on Architecture
Morris Hicky Morgan, Ed.

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4. This kind of colonnade is called among the Greeks ξυστός, because athletes during the winter season exercise in covered running tracks. Next to this “xystus” and to the double colonnade

should be laid out the uncovered walks which the Greeks term παραδρομίδες and our people “xysta”, into which in fair weather during the winter, the athletes come out from the “xystus” for exercise. The “xysta” ought to be so constructed that there may be plantations between the two colonnades or groves of plane trees, with walks laid out in them among the trees and resting places there, made of “opus signinum.” Behind the “xystus” a stadium, so designed that great numbers of people may have plenty of room to look on at the contests between the athletes. I have now described all that seemed necessary for the proper arrangement of things within the city walls.