Blood & Sand. ⚔️
Inaugurated in 80 AD with 100 days of games. It could hold 50,000 spectators screaming for the death of gladiators and wild beasts.
The Hypogeum
Book the "Underground" tour. You descend into the dark tunnels where gladiators waited before being hoisted up by elevators into the bright sun of the arena.
The View
Go to the upper tier (Belvedere) for a view of the Forum. You realize the Colosseum was just one part of a massive complex.
Roman Forum. 📜
This was the downtown of the ancient world. Temples, law courts, and the Senate House. It is a confusing ruin today, but with imagination, it is the center of the universe.
Caesar's Pyre
Look for the Temple of Divus Julius. People still leave fresh flowers on the mound of dirt where Julius Caesar was cremated in 44 BC.
The Curia
The Senate House. It is incredibly intact because it was converted into a church. Walk inside and stand on the original marble floor.
Via Sacra
The "Sacred Way." The main street where victorious generals marched in Triumphs, displaying their loot and prisoners.
The Oculus
Open Sky
The Pantheon. 📐
Built by Hadrian nearly 2,000 years ago. It remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. It is perfection.
When it Rains:
The hole in the roof (oculus) is open. When it rains, water falls inside and drains through 2,000-year-old holes in the marble floor.
Palatine Hill. 🌲
The word "Palace" comes from "Palatine." This is where the Emperors lived, looking down on their subjects in the Forum below.
The Stadium
The private stadium of Emperor Domitian. It looks like a sunken garden today, but it was once a private running track for the ruler of the world.
The Pines
The hill is covered in Umbrella Pines. The smell of hot pine needles and dry earth is the signature scent of a Roman summer.