  We have measured the stellar motions in the elliptical galaxy NGC 1700 along
four position angles, to very large radii, using absorption features in spectra
obtained with the Multiple Mirror Telescope. Our data extend the coverage of
the stellar velocity field by a factor of 5 (2.5 times further in radius and
twice as many PAs) beyond previous work. We have attained 10 km/s accuracy in
the mean velocity out to nearly 2 effective radii (r_e), and errors are < 15%
of the maximum rotation speed out to nearly 3 r_e. The lack of detectable
minor-axis rotation and the nearly identical kinematics on the +/- 45 degree
PAs suggest that NGC 1700 is nearly oblate for r < 2.5 r_e. Beyond this radius,
twisting of the morphological and kinematic axes indicate increasing
triaxiality, an intrinsic twist, or both. The velocity distribution in the
low-amplitude counterrotating core is weakly skewed in the direction of
rotation, arguing against a central stellar disk. The small skewness and the
depression of the central velocity dispersion are consistent with the accretion
of a low-mass stellar companion in a retrograde orbit. Photometric fine
structure at large radii (Schweizer \& Seitzer 1992) is also indicative of a
merger; a velocity reversal 50 arcsec northeast suggests a major event.
However, radially increasing prograde rotation in the main body of the galaxy
implies that this was not the same event responsible for the counterrotating
core. The strong rotation at large R and the nearly oblate shape are consistent
with N-body simulations of group mergers (Weil 1995); that all disturbances
inside 2.5 r_e have phase-mixed out suggests that NGC 1700 owes its present
form to a merger of 3 or more stellar systems 2 to 4 h^-1 Gyr ago.
