Amazing Ancient Rome

Roma Centro (centre) is filled with evocative ruins, Renaissance piazza (squares), and Baroque churches with Italians strolling, shopping, and sipping cappuccini.  It is a vibrant, living city filled with old things, even ancient column fragments embedded in the palazzo walls.  Everywhere you look you will be amazed.

We lived in Rome for more than four years and our son was born there.  It is also a special place for its art, history, culture and cuisine.  Italy has 53 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, more than any other country.

And let’s not forget the warm people who just love bambini (kids). When we would go sightseeing, we would try to admire the amazing art and architecture.  Meanwhile all the Romans were admiring our very cute baby boy sitting in his baby backpack, grinning ear to ear with all the attention he was getting.  When we told them he had an Italian name because he was born in Rome, they would get very excited saying “un vero Romano“.  As a true Roman he still loves eating pizza, pasta, and gelato.

We spent a lot of time learning about the art, architecture, culture and history of Italy.  Back at home, we also gave a course at the U of A on Discovering Our Ancient Routes in the Mediterranean.  Practical advice for Rome has been placed at the end of this post.

If you have any questions about travelling in Rome, Italy or even Europe (we lived there for seven years), please send a message or comment.  

The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire existed from 27 BC to 1453 for a total of 1480 years.  What?  1453! You will have to read Itinerary 3 – Teatro Marcello Area, to get the answer.

Why does any empire last so long?  It always comes down to economics and technology.  In terms of technology, I would say it was in one word, engineering.  Living in Rome, we could not but feel the massive superiority that Ancient Rome once had.  Probably the two most important architectural forms used by the Romans were the arch and the vault ceiling.  But the Romans should not get the credit.  These constructs were invented by the Etruscans, who originally ruled most of central Italy. The province of Tuscany was named after them.  Guess who gave us Chianti wine? And the Latin character set?  And sewer systems?  The Romans conquered the Etruscan militarily but not culturally!

Itinerary 1 – Amazing Ancient Rome

If you are going on this Forum itinerary, bring lunch so you can eat on Palatine Hill with a view of the Forum below you.  The routes of all six itineraries is shown on the Roman Itineraries Map.

Piazza Campidoglio & Capitoline Hill

So why are we starting with Piazza Campidoglio (Capitol Square) built in the 16th century?  That’s not Ancient Rome!  Patienza!

After the sack of 1527, Pope Paul III wanted to beautify Rome.  The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V planned a state visit and he would make the traditional procession through the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum and up to Capitoline Hill.  The Pope wanted something special at the end.

What you see in the piazza is a unique pattern of paving stones all curving towards the centre leading your eyes to the most famous equestrian bronze of ancient times. But even more dramatic and theatrical, an emperor of modern times is greeted by a famous emperor of Ancient Rome, Marcus Aurelius. Who knew that Michelangelo also did architectural designs?  Capitoline Hill gave us the name for every capital in the world.

Temple of Saturn – Tempio di Saturno

Proceed to the end of the square and take the right path for a view of why you probably came to Rome — the Foro Romano is laid out below you.  For the best photography, come for early morning or sunset lighting.

Straight in front on the left is the most important Temple of Saturn, the treasury of the Roman Empire.  Saturn (or Cronus in Ancient Greece) was the god of agriculture and wealth ‒ food was wealth in ancient times.  One of his main symbols is the sickle of Father Time, which is not only an agricultural tool but a symbol of Cronus, whose name means time.  Delineating the seasons (time) is very important to agriculture.

Festival of Saturnalia

The Festival of Saturnalia celebrated the harvest and the end of ever shorter days, the winter solstice.  Saturnalia consisted of gift-giving, partying, drinking, and singing in the streets.  Romans even served supper to their slaves and gave them gifts. Homes were decorated with wreaths and greenery.  It was a Festival of Lights except that candles were used.  People spent weeks preparing and buying for Saturnalia.  Conspicuous consumption is not a modern invention.

This festival was so popular it grew from one day to one week, taking in the winter solstice on December 24th (after the calendar was adjusted by Ancient Rome) and ending with Sol Invictus on December 25th.   Does all this sound familiar?  Yes, Saturnalia is the origin of Christmas.  How do you convert pagan believers?  You co-opt all their traditions and make them part of Christianity.

Capitoline Museums – Musei Capitolini

The other reason to come to Capitoline Hill is the Musei Capitolini (open 0930-1930 hrs; cost € 15) – don’t ask why they have to make all Roman museums plural with an “i”.   This has a superb collection of Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures.  Even if you don’t want to spend time indoors, you should see one hall that contains the most amazing, lifelike and world-famous sculptures like the Boy with a Thorn (shown above), the Boxer, and the Discobolus.

Roman Forum – Foro Romano

Head east to the entrance of the Roman Forum on Via dei Fori Imperiali.  Go down the entrance path and turn right on the Via Sacra.

Basilica Aemilia

Aemilia was the second Basilica to have ever been built (179 BC).  The extreme height of the nave kept the commercial building cool inside.  So basilica architecture was Roman and was copied by all major churches.  If you want to see what a basilica would look like then you must visit the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mura (Saint Paul outside the Walls) to be discussed in Itinerary 2 – Trajan’s Market to Pantheon.

When Rome was sacked by the Goths in 410 AD, the Romans did not believe the world was falling.  It was business as usual.  So when the pillage began, the money changers fled dropping their coins on the floor.  The buildings were not burned – they are marble.  But the vendor stalls did catch on fire and it was so hot, it fused the copper coins into the floor!  You can see the green stains all over but in the photo above we found some actual coins.

Temple of Vesta – Tempio di Vesta

The Vestal Virgins played a major role and had very high status. They ensured that the eternal flame in the Temple of Vesta was never extinguished.  It symbolized the perpetuity of the state.  The temple was circular to represent the original huts of the early Romans as well as the original sacred hut.

The Vestal Virgins were recruited at age six to ten.  They lived austere lives but with great privilege. They dressed in long white robes with a purple fringed white hood. They had to remain virgins until age 30. The penalty was being buried alive!  They were given a dowry they could spend as they wished. Everyone except the Emperor and Empress had to give way to them.  In fact, very few left the order.

The residence of the Vestal Virgins, Atrium Vestae, was located next to the Regia, the office of the high priest or Pontifex Maximus.  But wait isn’t that the title of the Pope? That’s just another example of co-opting the more widespread pagan beliefs into the embrace of Christianity.

Around the atrium are statues of the vestal virgins.  All of the statues were decapitated except one!  Vestal Claudia converted to Christianity in 364 AD and hers is the only statue still intact.  It is a misconception that the sacks of Rome destroyed all these buildings and statues.  It was the Christians who took over who destroyed them, because they believed these artifacts were pagan.  The Forum was not just destroyed; it was a quarry.  They used the stone to build new medieval buildings!  The places that survived were the ones converted into Christian churches or monuments.

Arch of Septimius Severus
– Arco di Settimio Severo 

Walk northwest on the Via Sacra towards the Temple of Saturn and Capitoline Hill. The arch was built in AD 203 to commemorate Severus’ victories over the Parthians (Iran-Iraq) ending AD 199. The arch had two smaller arches on each side, a feature copied by modern arches.

The Column of Phocas (on left side of photo) was the last monument erected in the forum in AD 608. Phocas is the East Roman Emperor who recaptured most of central Italy from the Vandals.  He is also the Emperor who gifted the Pantheon to the Pope to ensure it was preserved.

Arch of Titus – Arco di Tito

Walk south on the Via Sacra towards the Colosseum.  The Arch of Titus was constructed by Emperor Diocletian in AD 82, to commemorate Titus’ victories in the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70.  Note the seven-branched menorah on the inside of the arch.  It is the model for the emblem of the state of Israel.

The arch was one of the most important elements of Roman engineering and architecture.  It enables tall buildings, aqueducts and bridges.  The Etruscans originated the triumphal arch and the concept of marching victorious armies through them.

The Roman triumphal arch was the inspiration for Arc de Triomphe (1836) in Paris, India Gate in Delhi and even the background design of Trevi Fountain in Rome. It was also symbolic when the Nazis marched their troops through the Arc de Triomphe when they occupied Paris.  Note the spandrels in the upper corner of the front side of the arch. The same female Winged Victories can be found in Ancient Rome, the Arc de Triomphe or this arch above in Southern France.

Palatine Hill – Collino del Palatino

If you are not templed out by now, head south from the Arch of Titus up to Palatine Hill.  This massive area where the emperors lived will overwhelm you: it is the origin of the English word palace.  Unless you hava a good guide book, all these ruins will end up in a blur.

The one place to get a flavour of this vast area is the Palazzo (palace) dei Flavi above.  It is the only part of Palatine Hill that retains any evidence of the original splendour.  The photo shows the ornate marble floors of the triclinium or dining room.  The meal began around two PM and ended at sunset. The guests reclined on couches in threes or triclinia.  Apart from exotic entrees like peacock’s brains, the meal was very similar to today’s cuisine.  The next room in the background of the photo was the peristillo, which had a fountain in the centre of an elaborate octagonal brickwork.  Song birds provided dinner music.

Head to the Renaissance gardens, Orti Farnesiani, where you can have lunch with a view of the Forum below you like the photo above.  Further to the east you can see the Colloseo .

Arch of Constantine – Arco di Costantino

Note that the arch built in AD 315 still contains pagan gods and symbolism.  Constantine did not convert to Christianity until 22 years later.

Colosseum – Colloseo

The Colosseum is built of rows and rows of arches. Invented by the Etruscans, the arch is the best form to support heavy stone blocks while the openings also reducing the weight of the walls.

Nero purposely burned a part of Rome to build his Domus Aurea (Golden House) and gardens. When the Flavian emperors took over, they decided to give some of the land back to the people. Its’ actual name in Roman times was the Flavian Amphitheatre. It was an engineering feat but there are many unbelievables:

• Built on marshy grounds where a lake was drained in the gardens of Nero’s Domus Aurea (Golden House). Draining a lake itself would be a difficult feat.
• Seated 50,000 fanaticus (Latin for mad, enthusiastic), the origin of our word fanatics − shortened to fans as we call them today. This was one of the largest amphitheatres until modern times!
• Designed to let the unruly fans exit quickly after the event. The architects used vomitoria. What is a Vomitorium?

Is the Vomitorium for throwing up?  No!  The Latin word vomitorium is derived from the verb “to spew forth” from which comes the English word vomit.  The vomitorium are the oval passages situated underneath each tier of seats. All our modern stadiums are built on this design!  Note the photo above is from the Roman theatre in Miletus, Turkey.

• Was a covered stadium! OK, it was not a roof but rather sail canvas that was unfurled to protect fans from the sun. The corbels on the building held masts for the sail canvas.
• Could be flooded to hold naval battles!
• Built without mortar or cement: instead iron clamps were used between the marble blocks. The pock marks are where Romans removed clamps to reuse.
• Was named the Colosseum because of the statue that was moved to stand nearby, the 30 m (100 ft) tall Colossus of Nero (talk about narcissism).
• The citizens of Rome generally did not work. The society was based on slavery and colonies. The ruling class used the violent games to occupy and distract the people.

The Colosseum was severely damaged by earthquakes in the 13th and 14th centuries that brought down part of the outer wall.  It was then used as a quarry for Renaissance palaces and churches until the Pope declared it a monument to Christian martyrs in 1749.

Domus Aurea

The Domus Aurea or Golden House was built by Nero after he purposely burnt down part of Rome. Even if you don’t have time or stamina to see it on this very busy day, you should climb up the Park of Colle (hill) Oppio. From here you can get far enough away to get a good view of the colossal Colosseum.

Roman Advice

What to Eat and Drink

When in Rome do as the Romans do.  For breakfast, we would have coffee and cornetto (Italian croissant) at a café often called a bar. Alternatively, you can look for a latticini to buy ricotta, usually eaten warm and sold out by mid-day.  This ricotta is way better than what you can get in our supermarkets and even our Italian grocery stores.

Going out to eat is very time-consuming, especially if you are avid travellers trying to pack as much in during the day while museums and sites are open.  For lunch you could look for a latticini to buy formaggio and keep it in your backpack until lunch.  This is every bit an experience as eating out.  Mozzarella di bufala (buffalo) is way better than the version in our supermarkets — no comparison.  Look for smoky Provolone or cheeses from the Italian Alps (Dolomiti), such as Asiago, Fontina, and Taleggio.  Don’t forget to buy bread.

Campo Fiore Pizza

Roman pizza has a thin crust and is very different than ours, which originated in Naples. One of our favourite places is on the north side of Campo Fiore where you buy it by the piece.  Be sure to have the unusual types like broccoli flowers.

What to Learn

The point of travelling is to learn about the culture, cuisine, people and history of your destination.  One problem for tourists is that they get “museumed out” or “templed out“. The number of things to see is overwhelming.  One solution is to learn why the place was so significant and how each major site or artist had an influence on the next major site or artist.  We have listed some of the relevant books we used at the end of each blog

What to Read

The Companion Guide to Rome, Georgina Masson is too in-depth for tourists.  But it is great for expats and budding archaeologists and art historians living in Rome.

Rome Past and Present shows reconstructions of the ancient monuments using illustrations on transparent plastic page placed against an actual photo of the current ruins.  It also provides a lot of information.

Michelin Rome has succinct information and three-star system to rate the sights. But the information is often sparse.

Many of the Italian guide books are excellent and make the places come alive. Each major museum or archaeological site has its own guide book. Choose one that shows more than photos and provides a self-guided walk pointing out artefacts that you should see and what is significant about them.

What to Ask

Can I see everything in 2 or 3 days?

The short answer is no!  You need at least 4 to 7 days!  There is a saying “Roma, una vita non basta”, a lifetime is not enough.  See our trip planning post for advice.

We have a series of itineraries we usually gave our visitors in Rome.  The itineraries visit the points of interest in geographic order but for a certain theme.  If you only have three days, then walk Itinerary 1 Forum; 2 Pantheon; and 4 Vatican.

You will also want to allow some time to absorb the atmosphere of the city.  Don’t miss passagiata time in the late afternoon when Italians go for a walk to see and be seen. Every town follows this custom even Roma Centro.

When is the best time to visit?

Italy is the fifth largest tourist destination in the world.  There will definitely be lots of tourists, especially in the summer.  So get up early and hit the sights before everyone else does.  Most museums only open at 0930 h and will peak after 1030 h.

Should I rent a car?

No! Parking is impossible and driving is difficult for newbies. It is even difficult as a pedestrian to cross a road. The best example of this is trying to cross Piazza Venezia with the white Vittorio Emanuele monument.  The Italian drivers actually swerve around you; they aren’t trying to hit you. If you are touring Italy, schedule the rental pickup for when you depart Rome. Please drive cautiously. In Southern Italy, which starts at Rome, red lights and lanes are just suggestions, especially at night!  The autostrada (expressways) are fine but some cars drive very fast; others not so fast.

Rome is for walking. Each itinerary is about 2 km one way.  If you are staying far from Centro then take the Metro (subway) to Circo Massimo, Colloseo, Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) or Cavour station and start walking.