Travelling with the pack today! It has just been our little group of six so far, but now we are teamed up with Laurence, 3 teachers, 2 hangers-on, and fifty two 14-15 year old Shropshire school kids. Makes even walking down the narrow Roman footpaths a bit of a challenge!
We planned to visit the Colosseum first thing, but the workers there were having an unannounced strike, without telling anyone what was going on, so the place was full of annoyed milling people waiting to see what would happen. We ducked into the Roman forum instead, which is right next door. This is where the seat of government was, where the Senate was held, where the ambassadors from around the empire would be summoned to. The Italians are not as good at recreating the scenes as the Greeks are, in terms of restoring ancient buildings, but this place is just full of ghosts. We walked through the triumphal arches, traced the outline of the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, with its lovely flowered courtyards, and paid a visit to the shrine where Julius Ceasar was assassinated (try looking at that without muttering ‘Et tu, Brute’ under your breath).
After lunch we tried the Colosseum again, and thank goodness it was open this time. We got inside and gazed in awe. Yesterday we imagined the gladiators walking down to here, today we imagined them actually walking out into the arena. Laurence gave us a great scene setting speech, telling us about the crowds and the programme of entertainment unfolding throughout the afternoon. They would begin with wild animals, being raised from under the arena on trapdoors, and then being slaughtered and dragged away. Imagine seeing a real elephant for the very first time. The suspense must have been amazing. Later in the day, when the crowd’s bloodlust was at its height, and they were well tanked on cheap wine, the gladiators would come on. The horse teams waited at the outskirts to drag away the dead bodes, fresh sand was sprinkled over the bloodstains, and the combat went on. Really chilling to stand in that place, among the stands and imagine it all.
Next we did a brisk march across town to visit the Piazza Navona (a chariot racing arena with three lovely fountains); the Pantheon (a massive circular temple to the ancient gods, now appropriated by christianity, reputed to be the oldest building still in use in Rome); and the magnificent Trevi Fountain. It is said that is you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain you will have good luck - if you throw a second one in you ensure your return to Rome in the future. As a result, they clean about 3000 euros ($4500) out at the end of each day. We had dinner in a nearby restaurant, and then Laurence marched his lot home, and we ducked back round the block for another look at the Trevi’s all lit up with floodlights. Just beautiful.
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| Laurence addressing the group |
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| Roman Forum, on Palatine Hill - the beating heart of the Roman Empire |
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| Shrine to Julius Caesar, where he was assassinated |
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| Temple of the Vestals |
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| Colosseum |
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| Colosseum from the outside |
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| Colosseum from the inside - the place is HUGE. I am guessing that there were around 5-10 thousand people wandering around when we were there, so just imagine ten times that number, all hyped to the max and full of bloodlust. The noise must have been incredible. The floor to right shows where the original arena floor would have been - the ruins now at ground level were all the tunnels and cages under the floor. |
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| We cast one of our stones here - a piece of the Knobbies lies at the heart of the Colosseum. |
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| The Vittoriano from the front - a massively overblown piece of self-puffery. |
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| Street performer in Piazza Navona. |
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| Us at the Trevi fountain |
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| Detail of Trevi fountain |
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| Trevi fountain floodlit as the night draws down |
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