My favorite part about The Eternal City is that it is eternal. I love the ancient ruins and the history-laden streets. It is cool to think that the water coming from a fountain on a street corner was likely once water from an acqueduct.
Teryn, Courtney and I don't have any classes on Thursday, so last Thursday we set out to explore ancient Rome. We covered Trajan's and the other emporers' forums leading up to the Colosseum, the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Several hours and 12 euro later we were exhausted and hungry, but it was well worth it.
Our first stop was Trajan's forum. Not much remains in this forum except for Trajan's column, but that is pretty remarkable.
Next was the Colosseum, built in 72 BCE. The name of the amphitheater comes from a colossal statue of Nero. Since the amphitheater compared in size to Nero's statue, it garnered the name "The Colosseum". During ancient times, the Colosseum was used for gladiator fights, mock sea battles, executions and other public spectacles. It was a place of entertainment for the Romans. In its prime it held 50,000 spectators and seating was indication of class, with the poor being all the way at the top. A portion of the top layers is missing due to earthquakes and stone-pillage. Today the most well-preserved features are the alleys along the hypogeum, where gladiators and animals were snuck in and out of the arena. (Nota Bene: The hypogeum was the wood that covered the alleys. It was covered with sand, for which the Latin word is 'arena'.) At some point the Colosseum became a religious place, and a cross can be seen inside. Now the structure serves as a tourist attraction, piece of history and very cool backdrop for concerts.
We then made our way to the Palatine Hill, which Caesar Augustus called home. Here you can find his lavish private paths, a prime view of the Circus Maximus, and the Palatine Hill Museum. I visited Augustus' palace the last time I was in Rome and expected to be the tour guide for my roommates. However, we visited parts of the palace I had never seen that resulted in amazing arial views of the Roman Forum.
Our last stop and my favorite place in Rome was the Roman Forum. A forum is a center for cultural life, often including religious and political buildings, as well as shops and markets. Many emperors had their own forums, but the Roman Forum was the biggest and the best. Most of it is just ruins today, but some crucial buildings are still partially standing like the Atrium Vestae (House of the Vestels), the Temple of Romulus, the Temple of Antonius and Faustina (it later became the Roman Catholic church of San Lorenzo in Miranda), the Temple of the Vestel Virgins, the Temple of Saturn and the Arch of Septimius Severus.
I don't remember the historical significance of all the ruins that remain, but below each picture you can read what I do remember.
There may not be a lot left in ancient Rome, but there is still a lot to be seen.
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