Rome 3: Ancient Rome

The afternoon we took our ancient ruins tour my bronchitis reached new heights, but I was able to wobble around with the rest of the tour group for four hours (sorry, once again, to those I spread my germies to). It was nice to be with a guide; the information she provided was useful and, more importantly, we got to skip the lines at the Coliseum!

It was late afternoon and the high walls blocked the sinking sun. Also, we happened to plan our visit during the rainy season. Thus, instead of the sun-baked, barren Coliseum skeleton I had always seen in photos, we were faced with a cool and solemn stadium, the dilapidated, once-hidden compartments beneath long-destroyed trap-doors alive with lush grass and thriving moss.


We learned a lot about the monstrosity before us. For example, the martyrdom of thousands of Christians taking place within the Coliseum walls…is believed by historians to have occurred elsewhere. Specifically, in Circus Maximus, where the chariot races were held. That’s not to say that there was not Christian martyring within the Coliseum; it was simply on a smaller scale than most people have been taught.

Later on in the trip we were able to visit the Pantheon, the Temple of All the Gods. The Pantheon is the longest-standing building in Rome; the current version was built in 126 AD. The architecture is quite impressive. Firstly, the Pantheon’s structure includes the world’s largest free-standing dome. Secondly, and amazingly, the source of sunlight and fresh air is a large, neat hole in the culmination of the dome; this is, incidentally, a convenient entrance for the occasional deluges of rain. To accommodate for the weather, the floor is bowed, allowing the rain water to flow to the edges of the interior in every direction and into the precisely placed drains. When the sun shines into the opening in the ceiling, it creates a twin circle of the hole onto the wall, and the position of this spot on the wall reflects the true journey of the sun. And finally, the height of the highest point of the dome is exactly the same as the width of the base.

Afterward, we spent the afternoon wandering through the remainder of the Roman ruins, traversing the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. This area is home to many important temples and basilicas, including the Temple of Saturn ,
the Temple of Ceasar, and the Temple of Venus. I enjoyed learning about the Temple of Vesta, where the Vestal Virgins dedicated their lives to tending the Sacred Fire of Vesta, which burned without exception. It was believed that if the fire was ever extinguished, the Roman Empire would collapse.


Exploring Ancient Rome was very exciting! It is an amazing world.