Day 24: A Quick Tour of Rome

Today, it seemed like we were everywhere in the city: the Forum of Augustus, the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, Trajan’s Forum, and the Wedding Cake. Just listing it here is making me tired! Teacher-scholar Henry Bender is our tour guide and historical expert for the next two days. He makes the history of these ancient places come alive.

This fountain is built into a complete side of a building. In the center of the fountain stands Lord Poseidon, god of the sea. Beside him harnessing his horses are his sons. The roar of the fountain can be hear about one block away. It is a popular place to sit, lounge, and talk with friends. But, don’t think about swimming in the fountain or even putting a toe in the water. The police will give you a ticket!

In a dominant place in the Forum of Augustus stands this Temple to Mars, the god of war. While it doesn’t look like much now, check out what it would have looked like in the days of Augustus (early 1st century B.C.)

Right before a huge battle with the conspirators who assassinated his adopted dad (Julius Caesar), Augustus prayed to Mars and asked for victory over his enemies. After a two year struggle, he avenged his father and began the long journey to becoming Emperor of the Roman Empire. Once he arrived back in Rome (proper), he began plans for erect a huge Temple of Mars. He did not forget the god who helped him in his fight against Brutus and Cassius. This temple is said to have inspired another contemporary spiritual structure: Saint Peter’s Basilica, the home church of the Pope! Check out the similarities below:

Of course, our tour of Ancient Rome wouldn’t be complete without a little interference by the Fascist Italian dictator of the 1930s, Benito Mussolini. Mussolini was fascinated with Augustus and his amazing reign as first Emperor of the Imperial Rome. He hoped to be the 20th century’s Italian Augustus. In the hopes of being compared to Augustus, he also erected his own large structure, Victor Emmanuel Monument.

Locals call it the Wedding Cake because they think it is a bit of an eye-sore

in the middle of all of this ancient history.

Another interesting tidbit: The last place the Ark of the Covenant was seen was near the Roman Forum ruins. When the Roman Empire invaded Jerusalem and sacked the temple, the soldiers carried all of the Jewish treasures and mystical objects back to the city. There, in a specific garden in the Forum, the booty from the siege was displayed. This restaurant, above, sits on the last known location of the Ark. It has not been seen since 70 A.D.

Tomorrow, the monument dedicated to Peace. . .