Rome, The ancient areas, Blogpost 2

Room with a view; From the hotel Pantheon Inn

Rome´s history spans nearly 3000 years although according to Roman mythology the founding of Rome is around 753 BC. There is archaeological evidence of human occupation of the Rome area from approximately 14.000 years ago.

Walking around the old areas between the most known hills like the eldest Palatine Hill and Capitol Hill you may see ruins of houses and temples with great importance in western history.

We started our walk at Largo di Torre Argentina with remains from temples build 4th and 3rd centurys BC.
The one in the front on the photo is the Temple of Juturna (the goddes of fountains, wells and springs) built by Gaius Lutatius Catulus after his Battle of the Aegates Islands against the Carthaginians.
Behind that we see a circular temple with six columns remaining. It was built by Quintus Lutatius Catulus in 101 BC in fulfillment of his vow at the Battle of Vercellae.
The most ancient of the three, dating back to 4th or 3rd century BC, and was probably devoted to Feronia the ancient Italic goddess of fertility.

On our way to the Pallatine Hill we walked along the river Tiber, the third larges river in Italy

and could see the Pons Aemilius now called Ponte Rotto (the broken bridge). It is the oldest Stone Bridge in Italy from 2nd century BC.

Talking to some of the many security personnel around the city, we were recommended to walk over the Capitol Hill instead of going around or up the Palatine Hill. At Capitol we could see the Palatine to the right, and the Arch of Septimus Severus from 203 AD in front.

The temple of Saturn seen from the road below Palatine up against the Capitol
The Palatine Hill standing 40 metre above Roman Forum has the oldest houses in ancient Rome covering:

Circus Maximus is located along the main road from/to the airport, and with nice and English-speaking taxi-drivers we got a lot of information "for free".

On the other side of Forum Romanum the area we have Foro di Triano, the last of the Imperial Fora to be constructured. Here we can see the wall of Augustus behind Tullen.

The plan of Foro di Triano.

Before we continue to Colloseum just some images fron the Capitol Hill

The statue of Augustus at Piazza del Campidoglio, and the sculpture of Romulus and Remus suckling the she-wolf around 750 BC.

 Visiting  Colosseum is on the bucket list for everyone visiting Rome. We last visited Rome for 19 years ago and went inside this huge amphitheater built between 70 - 80 AD under Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. They are emperors of the Flavian Dynesty and Colosseum is also called Flavian Amphitheater.

 We walked aroun the oval building which couls hold between 50000 to 80000 spectarors.

 At the westernside of Colosseum we see into Forum Romanum and the Palatine Hill to the left and the Arch of Titus in the background. This arch was built in 82 AD to commemorate Titus victories including his Siege of Jerusalem during the first Roman Jewish War in 70 AD.

The triumphial Arch of Constantin is on the left of previous image.
The arch, which was constructured between 312 and 315 AD, was dedicated by the Senate to commemorate 10 years of Constantine´s reign and his victory over emperor Maxentius (306-312)

 On the way back (with sore feet) to the more modern Rome we passed the collumn of Trajan, the Basilica Ulpia  and the huge national monument over Victor Emmanuel II, the first king over a unified Italy.

The building at the groun of Capitol Hill and Piazza Venezia is also callen Altare della Patria. Inagurated in 1911 and completed under Mussolini in 1935.

From here you can start walking up Via del Corso, go shopping, having a drink og a meal at the thousands of nice places together with visiting the rest of the tourist places. That will be covered in blogpost 3.