My Musing and Mumbling: Ancient Rome

On Tuesday, the first thing we saw as we left the subway was the Colosseum. Visions of Christians being fed to the lions and battles of the gladiators came to mind. What a history, and what famous people during the glorious day of the Roman Empire sat and were entertained in this famous building. A place I never thought I would ever see. Seeing such places sparks my interest in learning more about that period of time.

I didn't realize there was such a large and elaborate underground world here. Someone said it was always dark there. Even the torches were insufficient to light it.

Most of the building of this period appears to be of a narrow brick and then covered with beautiful marble, granite or travertine(?). You can see some of the cover stone that Joey is standing on.

There is not much to tell what the great forum looked like. There are ruins absolutely everywhere in Rome. After the LDS Church purchased land here, the property was searched to see if there were any ruins on it. If there were even the smallest amount, they could not build. Although there were no ruins found, just over the property line some was discovered. So the temple was approved to be built.

Some Roman temples that were part of the Forum.

The detail of the stone work including the sculpturing is amazing.

This is a monument to Victor Emanuel, who must have been a hero during WWI. When it was built in the 1900s some time after the war, it became controversial because it is right next to the forum where there are so many important ruins of ancient Rome that were as important as a monument to a modern hero.

At the base of the monument is the tomb of the unknown soldier. The remains that were chosen for burial in the tomb was chosen by a mother of a soldier who was killed and never recovered in the war, and was one of several that she had to choose from.

One thing for sure, is that it includes some impressive sculpturing.

These are of Victor himself.

I love the narrow streets in most of the cities of Europe.

This is a side street.

Unfortunately the Pantheon was under construction for renovations.

Tera, Joey and TJ in front of a shop on one of the narrow streets with a big nutcracker.

This is the side of the Parliament building

The changing of the guard at the Parliament building.

Back of the Parliament building.

Front of the Parliament building.

Trevi Fountain was the terminus of the water system of water that was brought from a source by viaduct eight miles away as the crow flies or thirteen miles in length.

I think nowhere in Rome is there more beautiful impressive sculpturing than here at Trevi Fountain.

View from the front.

Tera in front of the Trevi Fountain. They average about 3500 coins per day being thrown into the fountain. If you throw three coins over your left shoulder with your right hand into the fountain behind you, it will bring you good luck. We didn't try it.