1 roman foot= .296 meters
Salve, Roma!
Introduction to all things Roman
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Trajan's Column
1 roman foot= .296 meters
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Via Appia
The road was commissioned by a Roman statesmen, Appius Claudius Caecus, in 312 BC with the interest of making it easier for the Roman army to cross the Pontine Marshes (a great military obstacle). Once the potential of the road was realized, it was said to be “for soldiers, for nobles, and for the most celebrated kingdom” (insignis, nobilis, celeberrima, regina viarum). This saying became the unofficial slogan of the Via Appia through its constant use by the Roman military. The road served to expand Rome’s power through its continued expansion of thirty five miles during the third Samnite war. After nearly 100 years of expansion, the road stretched a whopping 347 miles across Italy.
The road not only helped Rome to defend Italy from external threats, but served to intimidate those who would have unrest. After the the slave rebellion led by Spartacus, 6000 rebels were crucified across a 124 mile stretch - that's one every 14 feet!
But more than anything, the road was a popular avenue for recreational transportation and migration of goods by merchants. The Appian Way was also the setting for famous Roman writers such as in Horace’s Satires. In this work, he explains the congested condition of the road and often references the “boatmen and innkeepers” to detail the job occupations that were available to many Romans because of the road’s presence.
The road remains a popular destination today and was even included in the 1960 summer Olympics marathon course. So if you find yourself in Rome you will net regret the 300+ mile trip down memory lane.
Don’t Miss!
Porta Appia (gate of the Aurelian Walls)
The gate, a brick structure with turrets, still stands and has been restored to good condition. Modern traffic flows under it. Inside and upstairs is a museum dedicated to the construction of the walls and their recent restoration.
The area contains the thermal baths of a vast property owned in the 2nd century AD by Herodes Atticus and his wife Annia Regilla. The excavations, which can be visited daily free of charge, revealed thermal baths dating back to the middle of the 2nd century.
The Circus of Mexentius
The Circus itself is the best preserved of all Roman circuses, and is second only in size to the Circus Maximus in Rome. The only games recorded at the circus were its inaugural ones and these are generally thought to have been funerary in character.
The tomb of Cecelia Metella
Located at the top of a hill on the Appian Way, the tomb dominates the surrounding landscape. Atop a quadrangular base seven meters high, it consists of a cylindrical body 11 meters in height, with a diameter of 29 meters; this is surmounted by fortifications added during the medieval period.
The Pantheon
The temple was originally approached by a flight of steps, where people would walk up to get to the front. The front of the building had Greek-style columns and the dome in back of the temple was considerably younger. There was also a pediment that was decorated with a relief sculpture, made mostly of gilded bronze. On the front of the building it says, “M agrippa L F cos tertivm fecit,” meaning “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this.” This temple was also specifically used to worship all of the gods in Rome. On the inside of the dome, there are about 140 coffers sunken into the stone. "The cupola, which is a perfect hemisphere, has the same height as the diameter of the cylindrical drum on which its sits"(Aicher). It still consists of two main parts, a traditional rectangular portico supported by massive granite Corinthian columns, and a huge round concrete structure made of brick on the outside. The entire Pantheon stands on a podium with steps leading to the portico entrance.
Since the Renaissance, the Pantheon has been specifically used as a tomb. Some famous people such as Raphael, the painter, and two kings of Italy are buried there. Now, it is used as a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs. They still celebrate Mass regularly inside the Pantheon. The base building of building of the Pantheon has about 19 foot thick walls to support the massive weight of the dome. Due to the very thick walls, the Pantheon is primarily a lot colder inside than outside. However, due to the center of the dome being open, rain typically gets in creating puddles of water inside the Pantheon. The Pantheon also has no windows, just a hole in the roof, which is circular like the dome. The pantheon walls are made of very thick brick, while the columns are made of marble. Finally, to lessen the weight of the dome, the architects carved the ceiling a certain way by using less dense stones and rocks. This limited the amount of force on the columns from the dome was pushing down on them.
All in all, the Pantheon is a must see to all those who are in Rome. If you are religious and love to go to church, this will be, by far, the best site for you to go to. You can also attend church their and receive Communion in Rome.
Works Cited
"Pantheon, Rome." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome>.
Aicher, Peter J. Rome Alive: a Source-guide to the Ancient City. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci, 2004. Print.
The Colosseum
In our opinion, not seeing the Coliseum would make your trip to Rome entirely devoid of meaning. As a symbol of ancient Roman culture and probably the most reputable monument left behind by the Romans, the Coliseum stands as a testament to the ingenuity of the Romans as well as their architectural prowess.
Works Cited
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespasian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloseum
http://www.legionxxiv.org/colosseum/
Arch of Constantine
IMP · CAES · FL · CONSTANTINO · MAXIMO · P · F · AVGUSTO · S · P · Q · R · QVOD · INSTINCTV · DIVINATATIS · MENTIS · MAGNITVDINE · CVM · EXERCITV · SVO · TAM · DE · TYRANNO · QVAM · DE · OMNI · EIVS · FACTIONE · VNO · TEMPORE · IVSTIS · REM-PUBLICAM · VLTVS · EST · ARMIS · ARCVM · TRIVMPHIS · INSIGNEM · DICAVIT · LIBERATORI · VRBIS — FVNDATORI · QVIETIS
Translated, it says, “To the emperor Flavius Constantine, The Great, the pious and fortunate, the senate and people of Rome, because by divine inspiration his own spirit with his army on both the tyrant and all his faction at once and rightful battle he avenged the State, dedicated this arch as a mark of triumph. Along with the inscription, there are several designs, many of which were made with the intent of praising Constantine. Most notable of the designs are the eight circular relifes, known as “Hadrianic Roundels”. The designs on the relief range from scenes of hunting to scenes of war. Much of the imagery contains symbolism; for instance, the chariots represent eternity of the Roman Empire. As a result of high level preservation, including a fence that prevents visitors from contacting the structure, the arch still stands today and has sustained very minimal damage. The arch was used as the setting for finish line in 1960 Summer Olympic Marathon.
Hadrian's Villa
Hadrian’s Villa was constructed and opened in the second and third decades of the second century AD by Hadrian. Hadrian, a Roman emperor during the second century AD, is known for his building of the Hadrian Wall as well as for traveling to nearly every province of the Roman Empire. Hadrian initially constructed the villa as a retreat from the fast-paced everyday life of Rome because he disliked the palace on the Palentine hill. The 250 acres of the villa later became the center of Roman government under Hadrian’s rule and a large court lived there to serve as government with Hadrian.
The Forum Romanum
The Arch of Augustus spans between the Temple of Castor and the Temple of Divus Julius; it celebrates Augustus’ war victories. Temples were built and dedicated to important Romans such as the Temple of the deified Julius Caesar. The Senate House turned the Forum square into a political and monumental precinct. Furthermore, the Forum contains many honorary statues. The Forum Romanum was the center of Roman public life. People could “…take issues to court and where people bring their merchandise to sell" (Varro).
Trials, banking, and schooling were also present. Those under the Napoleonic regime marked the beginning of the clearing of the Forum. The travel time paving in the center has been mostly robbed or removed to permit modern excavations. Today, the ruins of the Forum are major tourist attractions. In conclusion, this is a trulybreathtaking Roman monument.
Claridge, Amanda, Judith Toms, and Tony Cubberley. Rome: an Oxford Archaeological Guide to Rome. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.
"Forum Romanum, Rome (Photo Archive)." Photo Archive (Photo Archive). Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
"Roman Forum." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
Polybius. History.
Varro. Latin Language.