Discover Rome's ancient ruins

 Trip date: 2023.05.10 - 12 

 As we knew, Rome is built on seven hills, it's best known is Palatine Hill. Even in its present state, the city contains many ancient ruins.

            "Rome, the eternal city"

The was not given this name by chance, as the capital evokes the past, even with a short walk we can travel through centirues and feel the harmony of eternity.

Behind the monstrous name lies the Roman self-awareness of millennia-old traditions.

The term comes from a pen of Albius Tibullus, a roman poet who called Rome the "eternal city".

In his book, his hymn to the sun god Apollo, he described the characteristics of Rome and predicted the prosperity of the empire.

He said that if Rome falls, the whole world will fall.

The poet lived during the reign of Emperor Augustus, during which time the Roman Empire developed a lot.

At that time, the old buildings of Rome were reconstructed, new institutions were built, and trade also developed with the construction of new roads.

            Full of ruins

The city is full of unknown ruins, which were probably discovered by the Roman Archaelogical Center during the excavation of the city.
However it is difficult to determine from which era of Roman history the particular ruin originates.
The buildings were neglected for more than a century and renovated - they were also used in the Middle Ages.
For example, the subway in most parts of the city normally runs on ground levels, unlike most cities - this is due to the extensive ruins discovered during the excavation.

 

            Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine, the triumphial arch in Rome dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great. This was commissioned by the Roman senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312. Situated between the Colosseum and Palatine Hill.
The great arch is visible in many different locations - at the top of the Palatine Hill (where the Forum Romanum lies) and from the heights of the Colosseum.

 

            The unique species

The unique vegetation of Rome is made up a large amount of stone pines.
Many people do not know how valuable they are, since they are not marked - they are protected trees.
It is interesting the tree is mainly characteristic of the Mediterranean region (mainly on the Spanish Peninsula), but it can also be found here.

            River Tiber (latin: Tiberis)

According to legend, Rome's founders, the twin brothers Romolus and Remus were abandoned on its waters, where they were rescued by the she-wolf, Lupa.

The river marked the boundary between the lands of the Etruscans tot he west, the Sabins to the east and the Latins to the south.
Tiber was critically important to Roman trade and commerce, as ships could reach as fas as 100km upriver, some evidence indicates that it was used to ship grain from the Val Teverina in the fifth centiry BC.
Later it became the port base mostly of olive oil, wine and wheat, where Rome's colonies could trade with the Mediterranean peoples.
In Ancient Rome executed criminals were thrown into this river.
At the point of my visit (10th of May) it's water level was under avarage - instead of 450m it was around 110cm.

            The Pantheon

The Dome was the largest building until the Modern Era, the building has begun in 27 BC by the statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa - originally a temple for the collective honor of all the gods in the contemporary Rome.
After several fires and reconstructions, it gained its final shape, which still visible today - during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, who rebuilt it almost from the ground up around AD 126.
Its architect was probably Apollodorus of Damascus, according to several records.
The entry is a bit difficult, as you have to stand in a quite long queue line.

                The Colosseum

Undoubtedly the most spectacular ancient ruin is the Colosseum.
The elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of Rome is the world's most largest ancient structure of its kind ever built.
The building started in AD 72 by Emperor Vespasian and completed in AD 80 by his heir, Titus.
Despite its age and environmental events, it's in quite good condition - built of travertine limestone, tuff (volcanic rock) and brick-faced concrete.
The Colosseum is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
(During my Travel Log, it will contain a whole article)

          The Roman Forum

The Roman Forum is not in a fully a visible position, but it can be visited for an entrance fee.
It's a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of city Rome.
Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace.
For centuries the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue of public speeches, criminal trials and gladiatoral matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs.
It tooks nearly 2 hours to explore.
(During my Travel Log, it will contain a whole article)