After our food tour, we wandered back toward the Centro Storico, passed the “Circo Massimo” where chariot races were held once upon a time. This looks like a place I could actually live:
We arrived at our destination, the Colosseum, only to find it was completely destroyed with people. There were people milling about everywhere, and there was a line for tickets which we heard was over two hours long. I felt a little bad because I know it was the one thing that was really at the top of Severin’s list to see, but we guessed that if we waited until almost closing time, the large tour buses and groups would have left and we’d have a much more sane situation.
In the meantime, we decided to visit the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. I thought I had been to the Roman Forum before but didn’t really remember that much, so it’s possible we only looked over the fence when I was here before.
The Palatine Hill is where all the Roman elites and the emperor lived, so the structures and the views are quite marvelous. Best of all, the physical space is absolutely gigantic so it was not crowded, even though there were quite a few tourists around. If you consider that most of the ruins we have seen lately are in a highly degraded state, with just a few pillars remaining and maybe an amphitheater, you can appreciate how excited we were to see roofs and other solid structures from antiquity! A little easier to visualize.
It’s hard to tell from this picture but this hallway was at least 2 stories tall:
Sweet view of the Colosseum:
And of Rome:
We relied on Rick Steves again for an audio tour of the Roman Forum, and unlike with the Pantheon, it was definitely worth it this time. This is the basilica of the forum, which was a meeting place, town council, and administrative center of the city. It is hard to appreciate how truly huge these arches are, but you can see two people in the photo for perspective, as well as the ceiling vaults sticking out of the top. The whole area would have been covered back in they day but only this one side of the building remains.
We went directly from Palatine Hill to the Forum. But otherwise if you entered the Forum you would pass by the Arch of Titus. Underneath the arch is this relief, which is supposed to be Titus riding an eagle or some sort of other large bird. Look at the detail! Carved into stone to last nearly two thousand years.
The sides of the relief depict Titus sacking Jerusalem; the menorah is being carried off as spoils of war. Not really a happy story, but I guess to the victor, the spoils, as the old saying goes:
This is the original bronze door of the Temple of Romulus; it is 1700+ years old. I loved it and the remnants of all of the opulent trim around the door. This was probably one of the most intact buildings in the Forum, apparently it has become part of a neighboring church.
This is the Temple of Vesta. Inside the temple, six Vestal Virgins kept an eternal flame alive. The Vestal Virgins had to serve 30 year terms and remain chaste throughout. Once they finished their service, they were free to marry. If they broke their vows, they were buried alive (pretty harsh!) There wasn’t much left of the place, and according to the internet what is here was rebuilt in 1930. The virgins did have a pretty sweet garden with a nice pool.
Adoring forum fans looking over the Forum from Capitoline Hill:
This is Severin’s arch! The Arch of Septimius Severus:
