Rome-
Colisseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill
The Colisseum
is one of those "must-see" sights of Rome. It was completed in 80
A.D.
for gladiatorial and other sporting games, and was the largest arena in the
Roman Empire.
Pillaged during the Middle Ages for its marble and stone, what remains is
still imposing.
Near to the Colisseum is the Triumphal Arch of Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor.
A bit further
along is the Triumphal Arch of Titus, the Roman Emperor who conquered Jerusalem
(and whose soldiers are shown carrying off a great candelabra and other valuable
items from the Jewish Temple).
These Triumphal
Arches begin the Roman Forum, the name given to ancient Rome's "downtown"
that held its
public buildings: temples, law courts, senate house, as well as many of its
businesses. All are now in ruins.
In the Senate House (reconstructed in modern times) was an interesting temporary exhibit about the Emperor Nero.
On one side
of the Roman Forum is the Palatine Hill, where the Roman Emperors had their
palaces.
(In fact, we derive our word "palace" from this name of the hill
where the emperors lived.)
On the other
side of the Roman Forum is the Imperial Forum, an extension of the "downtown"
made necessary
as Rome became the capital of its vast empire. Still standing from antiquity
is the Triumphal Column of Trajan,
built to commemorate his conquest of Dacia (modern Rumania), seen in the center
of the photo on the bottom left
and now topped with a modern statue of Saint Peter. Beyond the Imperial Forum
are more "recent" structures:
a renaissance church (bottom left) and the Roman headquarters of the medieval
Knights of Rhodes (bottom right).
Click here to see more photos from our time in Rome.