The Gory of Rome and other Italy Things to Do Tips

Was there a more horrific place in the ancient world? Today, we talk about the killing fields and holocausts. Then, the Romans revelled in slaughter, they paid to see it, they cheered as the blood ran, they built a stadium without parallel to house it. It was called the Flavian Amphitheatre; today we know it as the Colosseum.
Begun by Vespasian in 72 A.D. it was inaugurated by Emperor Titus in the year 80 with 100 days of festivities, during which time 2,000 gladiators and 9,000 wild beasts were slain.
Entire areas of the Roman Empire and other countries were denuded of their wildlife to sate the spectators’ bloodlust. The Middle East became a different world as a result.
It’s hard to imagine over 700,000 people dying in a single spot. It is without parallel.
There were 80 passageways to enter on each of the three levels, and of those on the first level, only four were not numbered and they corresponded to the structure’s major and minor axes. The first two of these were the main entrances and through the latter two, usually accompanied by a fanfare of trumpets and Vestal Virgins placing flowers, came the emperor and his cronies.
The senators had their names on their seats.
The majority of the structure is made of travertine stone and it is reliably estimated 200 wagons would have been used daily to shift the stone over a four year period, the base blocks weighing 5 tons and held together by pins of iron, usually set in lead filled holes drilled into the centre of the blocks.
Most amazing of all was the velarium, a moveable canopy to shelter the spectators from the sun. Erecting this enormous shade was put in the hands of members of the Imperial Fleet of Misenum, 100 in all, and they were aided by an estimated 1,000 other personnel to get the 160 winches turning in unison that raised the ring and then they had to add the material that covered the ring. It is writ that when the wind through the canopy was added to the roar of the spectators and the screams of the wild beasts, an indescribable din was created.

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Directions: Via Appia, if you miss it, you're blind

Through the 48 trap doors the show arrived, the order decided by a stage manager whose job it was to co-ordinate them all. On one occasion, Antonius Pius had 100 lions brought up in a single day. So much for preservation of species! The animals, and you can name just about any African one you care to think of, were normally brought on for the morning display. 300 ostriches, for instance, may have been paraded and, to jazz it up a bit, their wings may have been painted purple.
Whole species were wiped out in the name of entertainment.
Trajan, for instance, staged combats that involved 11,000 wild beasts and 10,000 gladiators. For sheer barbarity though, Comedus should get some sort of award. Some of the joyful things he arranged were for a woman to be chased, and duly killed, by six midgets; the staging of an Icarus scene where slaves with wings would jump off a high platform, to their death naturally; another time he “bravely” fought 200 people single-handedly and won! The fact that they all had their feet tied together and only had sponges (simulating rocks) as their defense, whilst he had a sword and armour, is purely incidental.
Another time when he was on stage and he sensed it was boring, Comedus leapt the railings and starting killing people randomly in the crowd to spark up the entertainment.
The gladiators who fronted up in full armour for their first fight would have to revert to just having a short sword for their next bout with no protection.
To allay the pungent odour of drying blood and human remains going off in the sun, 300 people were employed going around spraying perfume.
This was a culture that worshipped the physical brutality but almost shunned the theatre.
A packed stadium was ensured as 30% of the population was on welfare and free meals were handed out at the Colosseum.

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Despite much conjecture about staged naval battles no more than two were ever held here and then before the final layout was completed. In fact the wooden floor used to have sand placed over it. The Roman word for sand was “arena”, hence the name we use today.
Christians were not killed here either, unlike urban myths to the contrary.
By 434AD there were no more gladiators, the Roman Empire suffering malaria, lead poisoning, bad management and just plain slaughter of their assets led to their demise. The last show at the Colosseum was in 523AD, in the ensuing years to the present time it was a fortress from the 11th to the 13th century, people lived here till the 16th century and it was used as a textile manufacturing plant at one stage.
Another interesting sidelight is that 420 species of plant or seeds have been found in the area, the majority from Africa.

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Following is my internet version of my coach trip to the Vatican Museum: - "Sitting behind a skinhead with attitude while the constant bleating of the multi lingual commentary kept us alert waiting for the English version.
One thing was noticeable about the commentary. Not once, ever, did they mention the queue. I mean THE QUEUE. The world's longest never ending (just when you think you've seen it, it extends beyond the horizon as more busloads are disgorged till it disappears around the next block). Even the word "queue" is ill designed to describe the sea (sorry, ocean) of humanity that descends every morning (except Sundays) on this country within a country. Except for the last Sunday of the month when it is free and, how many come on these days beggars the imagination.
We were indeed fortunate to be here in the OFF season but I should add that 10 million people visit here annually and frankly, I wished we had been there on one of the days when the other 9 million were in attendance.
To be honest, it coloured our viewing of the Sistine Chapel and other parts to the point where it wasn't an enjoyable experience.
Standing elbow-to-elbow with a shuffling mass and, at least once a minute having the overseer shout "Sshhhhh" while you vainly hope to grab one of those seats so eagerly sought after is not an ideal way to appreciate Michaelangelo's masterpiece."

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Directions: Vatican City, heart of Rome

Here is a copy of the statue of Artemis, from one of the Seven Wonders of the World over in Ephesus in Turkey. I was interested as to what this represents, having already been to Ephesus.
This fabled piece of sculpture is not all it seems either. What appear to most to be an excess of breasts is not the case. In fact, they represent fruit and thus fertility which may be disappointing to some people!
Artemis, daughter of Zeus and Leto and brother of Apollo, was venerated in ancient Ephesus where she was worshipped as Kourotrophus because she was believed to watch over the upbringing of children.
While on the subject of sex, my partner and I couldn't help but notice that, almost without exception, all the penises have been broken off (vandalised some might say) from the classical male sculptures, no doubt in a burst of religious fervour by some misguided pope.
For a better version (I think the original but could stand correction) go to Naples.

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Address: The Vatican

Well, he doesn't actually cometh, he's arrived already. From his frozen grave of 5,300 years "Otzi" has now achieved a kind of fame beyond anything his imagination could have dreamed of.
Shot in the shoulder by an arrow he succumbed with all his worldly goods (what there is of them) set in the ice nearby. An artery was cut and the wound never healed.
When found about 200 metres inside the Italian border, which necessitated several trips to define exactly where it was and is a story in itself, he was initially dealt with by the Austrians and Germans though his location, when eventuallly decided, meant that he ended up in Bolzano and the museum that now houses him got a real shot in the arm, though not from behind this time like poor old Otzi!
In his stomach they found Ibex meat which backs up the way his arrows were fletched, i.e. for long travel which is what you would need when stalking mountain goats. They also found blood from four different sources which has led researchers to believe he and a friend were involved in a conflict and he carried his friend away over his shoulder.
He had 59 tattoos on him. Amazingly, someone has identified them as acupuncture points. He may have been carrying a mobile map on where to stick the pins in!
He's stored (is that the best word?) in a cell, which is duplicated twice. The first duplication is a back-up in case the original, constantly monitored for temperature and weight variations, has a failure. The second is in case scientists want to work on him and the third is so they can clean themselves in a sterile environment.
The four storey museum has many other items of interest and is designed to go through the ages with the oldest on the 1st floor and latest on the upper floor.
One of the exhibits has a dummy dressed with all the clothing they found on him which I found fascinating, though, frankly, I think he should have invested in a ski parka!
I'll conclude by mentioning that the staff at this museum are the friendliest I have come across anywhere, period.

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Address: Bolzano, northern Italy

When it comes to classical fountains, Rome just about has the market cornered with 283 at last count and the world famous Trevi justifies its publicity screes. Set in a small square its huge size, which this photo fails to do justice to, dominates all around it. The only thing as large are the crowds that throng its boundaries. Nicola Salvi's theatrical design with Neptune flanked by two Tritons was completed in 1762.
The site originally marked the terminal of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct, built by Agrippa in 19 AD.
One of the reliefs on the first storey shows a young girl, Trivia, who is said to have first shown the spring, 23kms away, to thirsty Roman soldiers. The fountain may have been named after her.

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Address: Piazza di Trevi

This arch, dating from 316 AD, is in the proximity of the Colosseum and celebrates his "decennalia" (10 years in power) and his victory over his co-emperor Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.
Much of the decoration is borrowed from older pagan structures despite his later conversion to Christianity and his shifting of his power base to Constantinople, the centre of the Byzantine Empire.
During the Mussolini era a fountain was placed in front of it denying passage through the arch but much of it has since been removed.

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Erected by Domitian in 81 AD in recognition of the sacking of Jerusalem by his father Vespasian and his brother, Titus, thirteen years earlier.
This arch stands on the high point of the Via Sacra or Sacred Way in the Roman Forum.
Emperor Vespasian had a unique claim to fame inasmuch as stained clothing used to be soaked in urine and a smart entrepreneur cornered the market in its collection so Vespasian put a tax on it! Surely the only time in history?

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The thing I love about history is the stories. This arch's panels show the military triumphs of the emperor in Parthia (modern day Iraq and Iran) and dates from 203 AD and celebrates the first ten years of his rule.
It was, however, dedicated to his sons, Geta and Caracalla. Showing gratitude later on, Caracalla had his brother killed and embarked on a "damnatio memoriae", whereby all trace of his late brother's name was obliterated. You can clearly see the indentation on the upper portion where this occured.

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Address: The Forum