Monday, April 27, 2015

4-27-15

Circus Maximus

  • The first permanent starting gates were created in 329 BC
  • In 174 BC the gates were rebuilt and seven wooden eggs were placed on top of the spina, the central wall in the arena
  • Was occasionally used for events such as processions or gladiator combats
  • The last race in the Circus Maximus was held in 549 AD, almost a millennium after the first races were held at this location
Coliseum
  • After nearly a decade of construction–a relatively quick time period for a project of such a grand scale
  • Titus officially dedicated the Colosseum in A.D. 80 with a festival including 100 days of games
  • Titus had earned his people’s devotion with his handling of recovery efforts after the infamous eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79
  • The final stages of construction of the Colosseum were completed under the reign of Titus’ brother and successor, Domitian
  Aqueducts
  • The Roman aqueducts stand today, more than two thousand years later, as a testament to the engineering genius of the ancient Romans
  • These massive structures not only boggle the human mind as to how they were constructed but their function and reliability are still a modern marvel
  • Some aqueducts remain operational to this day
  • Walking through the modern city of Rome one will come across these monumental arched structures that often cross streets and avenues
Roman Forum
  • The Roman Forum (Forum Romanum) was the central area of the city around which Ancient Rome developed
  •  Here was where commerce, business, prostitution, cult and the administration of justice took place
  • The main sight of the Forum include the Arch of Titus (Arco di Tito), the Temple of Saturn, Temple of Vesta, and the church of San Luca e Martina
  • The Roman Forum became the spectacular showcase of the Roman Empire filled with beautiful statues and architecture

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