Wednesday, January 4, 2012

ROME--PART 2

THE COLOSSEUM--OPENING DAY AD 80!

No visit to Rome would be complete without spending time at the Colosseum. This was one of those places that sent shivers up my spine when I realized that I was actually standing in the place where chariot races were held and gladiators fought to the death, all watched by Julius Cesaer et al.  WoW.

Yes, you've seen this image a million times, but it was just not possible not to take this picture.

The underground ruins

What the arena would have looked like in the time of Julius Cesaer. All of those alcoves contained hundreds of statues for decoration.

THE FORUM
Located between the Capitoline and Palatine hills, the Forum was the civic core of Republican Rome. It was the political, commercial and religious center of Roman life. What you see  here today are the ruins of not one period, but of amlost 900 years, from circa 500 BC to AD 400.

Like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum was a place of pure magic. George and I walked along the same streets, trod on the same stones as Cesear and company. So much history was made within the confine of these ruins, it boggles the mind that so much is still here to bring that history to life. We spent a better part of an entire day here. I don't think we wanted to leave.

Excavation continues
Tempo di Vespasiano and the Arco Di S.Severo

 Detail: Arco Di S. Severo. The detais that remain are amazing.
Tempo di Vesta
It was a dark and stormy [day]...Really!
Overview

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