Tuesday, March 26, 2019

The Coliseum and Roman Forum—by Jimmy (photos by Kelli)

Today was indubitably the best of the days that have happened so far in the trip. We left at rush hour and proceeded to head to the Coliseum. After waiting for so long outside of the vast arena, we got a look in. 

The monstrosity that was this amphitheater was absolutely magnificent. My eyes covered every inch of it in the time we had there. Everyone in the group enjoyed it with a strict passion, especially the view from the second level. 




Something I specifically learned was the different types of columns on different floor levels. On the first floor is Doric columns, the second Ionic, and the third Corinthian. The wondrous Corinthian columns painted a picture of the beauty of Ancient Rome in my mind. The so aptly decorated columns represented not only a stylistic revelation, but also an impressive engineering feat. 



We then proceeded onto the Forum with Jupiter casting his wrath upon us in the form of a thunderstorm. We waited in line for several minutes, and were anxiously eying the academic obstacle of the Forum. The Forum itself is always in pictures of Rome, but seeing it in person was unbelievable. The Arch of Titus was painstaking to witness, as it depicted the plundering of Jerusalem under the Romans overpowering military might.


 No one walked under it, despite the showering rain. Instead, we gathered under the Basilica of Constantine in a futile attempt to dry. 


Then, Sarah got extremely giddy as the Temple of Romulus was open for the first time in her lifetime. We embraced the opportunity, went inside, and saw beautiful remains of statues from the Baths of Elegabalus. The design on the tunics of the states was eerily lifelike. 




We then explored the rest of the forum. The rest of the monuments of the Forum towered over us, such as the Temple of Saturn. Perhaps the most abnormal part is seeing where Julius Caesar, one of the most influential figures in history, was buried. Romans and Italians alike were showering flowers and coins on the deposits of his bones. I partook in the fun and threw a coin on there, albeit a euro, not a denarii. 














We proceeded through the rest of the forum and then walked to the Campo de Fiori to free the young adults to eat and nurture themselves. 
-Jimmy Duff

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