On the opposite side of St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, cross a bridge over the Tiber River and walk six kilometers to the Colosseum, a reminder of the distant past. The most impressive monument in Italy’s capital city. The Roman Colosseum is a marvel that takes us back two thousand years. It takes at least an hour to walk from St. Peter’s Square to the Colosseum. If you have time, you can take a stroll through the heart of Rome. When we travel through Rome, we feel like we are traveling through ancient history.
Alfredo, our driver, is happy to be back in his home country. It is as if the seriousness is gone. There is always a smile on his face. Alfredo has been with us since Paris. The friend drives slowly and very carefully. Unlike other European cities, Venice, Rome and Florence are densely populated. Tourists are celebrating the summer in Italy where the sunny days bring warmth.
In many places in the city squares, delicate sculptures and pillars can be seen. On this journey, here, we will not forget William Shakespeare and Julius Caesar. Archeological monuments line the route, including the Aria Sacra in Largo Argentina Square, where Julius Caesar is believed to have been brutally murdered in 44 BC. As recently as June 2023, the place was opened for tourists.
“Et tu, Brute? “—And you, Brutus? ‑Saying that Caesar was caught in the senate hall that was here. Caesar Swapnepi did not think that Brutus, whom he had brought as second in line to the hierarchy, would be one of them when some senators who suspected that the emperor had begun to show overbearing tendencies attacked him with a knife.
In the 1920s, the remains of Pompeii’s Curia, a rectangular building believed to have been the temporary meeting place of the ancient Roman Senate during some construction process, were discovered. Back then, it was home to cats. The area, which can claim more than two thousand years of history, has been developed without evicting cats. The love and care Europeans show towards animals is exemplary. It is also noteworthy that the Italian fashion house Bulgari provided the necessary funds to excavate and restore the site. Alfredo parked in the parking area in front of the Colosseum on the east bank of the Tiber River. The eyes can’t take in the shape of the Colosseum. He took the camera in his hand to take pictures from a short distance.
The Colosseum was built by draining Nero’s private lake during his reign as Roman emperor in AD 54–68. Nero was a Roman emperor infamous for his opulence, subjectivity, and persecution of Christians. In the year sixty-four, Rome was destroyed by a great fire. Ancient historians blamed Nero for the fire and that ‘Emperor Nero was playing the lute while Rome was burning’. They alleged that the fire had been planned by the king himself to build a new palace in Rome and to wipe out the new Christians who had entered the scene as belligerents. But modern historical researchers reject this. They conclude that first-century Rome had narrow streets and ill-conceived slums that were therefore more prone to fire. The Colosseum was built during the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire between 69 and 96 AD.
Sixty thousand Jewish slaves took nine years to build the Colosseum. The outer walls are constructed of 100,000 cubic meters of travertine stones, similar to granite, laid together without mortar. Work began during the reign of Emperor Vespasian in AD 72 and was completed in AD 80 when his son Titus came to power. As part of the inauguration, a hundred days of sports were held. It is estimated that more than two thousand wrestlers were killed in the meantime! The Colosseum is known as the Flavian Amphitheater; The largest ever built in the world. 188 meters long, 156 meters wide and 57 meters high, the Roman Colosseum, which was an amphitheater, arena and porch, stands on four floors including underground chambers. About half a million people were admitted to that arena of exhibitions, that too for free. Food was also served. 84 entrances were provided for quick entry of people. A venue for entertainment, entertainment and artistic performances. ‘Bread and feast for the Romans’ was the precept of the then rulers of the empire. Animal games, duels and execution of prisoners were all there. For many years the Romans celebrated here. Four lakh people lost their lives here during five centuries. More than one million animals were killed. The duels ended in 435 AD. In 535 AD the Mrigalas also came to an end.
For almost five hundred years until the 6th century, the Colosseum was the venue for exciting sporting events. Then came the downfall. Looting, looting, earthquakes, and world wars accelerated that decline. Earthquakes in 847 AD, 1231 AD and 1349 AD caused major damage. But passed through the path of survival. Over the years, the Colosseum served as a school, a Christian church, a cemetery, a palace for the nobility, and a fortress. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, the Colosseum was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in 2007. Six million people visit the Colosseum each year to marvel at the history and ways of life of the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. It is doubtful that there is any other historical relic that attracts so many tourists to Rome. After the Great Fire of AD 64, a statue of Nero of extraordinary size was erected in front of the Golden Palace, commissioned by Emperor Nero. The name Colosseum is derived from ‘Colossus of Nero’. On Good Fridays, the Way of the Cross, led by the Pope, takes place in the Colosseum. It is also the day when the memory of the Christians who were killed here in the early days is renewed.
#Colosseum #Rome
2023-08-19 22:29:00
