The cobblestone streets meander through the city like the veins in our bodies.
Interconnected, Emperor, noble, and peasant alike walked the same roads, some of which still stand today. These snaking paths have an inception. Many believed that in the ancient time of man, the threads of Europe started in, and all led to, the Roman Forum – The Heart of Rome.
I was born with an innate interest in ancient history. From the first civilizations in China, South America, and Egypt, to the towering legends of Scandinavia, India, and Italy, my curiosity has no limits. I use history to expand my perspective, to understand more deeply our human evolution, and to study the actions that have significantly orchestrated our lives today.
Excavating ruins with my eyes has become a common practice of mine and it was only with great pleasure that I received my mother’s announcement of our Roman adventure.
As soon as my feet touched the Italian soil, I knew something magical was going to take place, to revitalize my soul and fan the flames of my historical passion. Trekking the paths of old unearths a sense of wonder within me – all that exists now existed then, just in different forms, with different frequencies of energy.
Even if the past is no more, it’s still here, all around us. Ruins and artefacts echo throughout time, providing us with pieces of their fragile, archaic reality.
Between mouthfuls of delectable Italian cuisine, viewing the most atoned artwork, and rummaging vigorously through the city’s many adorned landmarks, we decided to venture to the supposed start of it all.
The Roman Forum was considered the centre of the ancient civilization. What started as a humble market place where cloth, pottery, and food was traded, soon became a religious, political, economic, and social hub. The first public meeting took place in the Forum in 500 BC, highlighting the natural perfection of the location for gatherings and sparking a renewed purpose for the place itself.
As Rome progressed, so too did the Forum. Soon, the entire square was expanded and later punctuated with finely detailed statues and mammoth monuments. Then, in 54 BC, Julius Caesar took over control of the lands arrangements and began constructing the northern wing. Wide reaching buildings and centres of significance rose with the Emperor’s power.
We begin our tour from the renowned grand arena, the colosseum. Looming above us with silent wonder it stands, sunlight reaching us through its colossal crevices. But instead of turning right to peer closer into the giant dome, we veer left towards the Arch of Constantine.
This triumphal arch was erected, and still acts, as a celebration and remembrance of Constantine the first’s victory over Maxentius (both were fighting for title as sole ruler of Rome.) Blanketed in exquisite detail, the sculpted designs resemble scenes of the battle, the triumph of the emperor, and the marvel of Rome. Guards stand watching the path below, which is never not shrouded with tourists, as senates discuss the new ruling of their beloved country. Within the confines of this arch, my mind is transported straight back to the exact period from which the span was made.
Wandering further along, we reach the gates that lead into the Forum. I find myself sprinting up the stairs, stopping short to gape at the sight before me. It was nothing special, just some crumbled rocks that once housed a Roman citizen. But the way time allowed the moss to creep gently over every stone brought magic to my eyes. Verdant foliage bloomed all around the rugged ruins, reminding me that when our civilization disappears with time, nature will remain.
Ever-growing and ever-flowing.
The Arch of Titus comes into view. We move towards it, drawn to its grandeur. This structure was built in 81 AD under the rule of Emperor Domitian and acts as an honouring to his older brother’s death, supposedly sending him to the divine level. The arch’s exterior is relatively plain, presenting a smooth, pale skin, while its interior dazzles with protruding miniature statues representative of senates and horse drawn chariots.
Exquisite details wind along the inner wall, twisting into blooming flowers with intricate carved boarders. A gift to their gods, as well as a shining reminder of someone who once was, this vault is a display of master craftsmanship and devotion.
Today, we build monuments of modernity. Impressive as they might be, I can’t help but feel as though we’ve lost the profoundness the ancient civilizations once gave when constructing their own. While theirs is enveloped in astonishment and amazement, a patriotic praise and salute to their existence, ours is shrouded in greed and a need to boast.
A gaze to the right introduces us to the mammoth Temple of Venus and Rome. When it was in its prime, this giant half-dome was said to be the largest structure in the ancient empires boarders. Named after and designed for the goddess of beauty and the glory of Roma, this building certainly inhabits both its namesake’s attributes.
It was created by Emperor Hadrian in 121 AD and took two decades to complete. But, unfortunately, its prestige was not to last. After a devastating fire in 307 AD, followed by a rattling earthquake, the building split. Its materials were later harvested in the Middle Ages, leaving only the carcass. However, despite all of its setbacks, this monument never ceases to pry awe from all that look upon it, even thousands of years later.
As we continue, our minds already rushing with the excitement we’ve seen and are yet to come across, we find ourselves standing in front of a gigantic set of connected domes. Birds nestle in the warm, high corners of the roof, singing sweet melodies that echo across the chamber. The Basilica of Maxentius, the Emperor who ordered its construction did so in his name, was the very last civic building assembled in pre-Christian Rome.
The circular structure’s inner walls are punctured with varying size cupolas and embedded with octagons. A geometric sight to behold. I felt oh so tiny standing in the midst of these mighty walls.
And from the grand to the elegant, we come across the Temple of Vesta and the House of the Vestal Virgins, a structure that once stood proudly representing the Goddess of household and hearth. This formation was also missing its other half, leaving most in rumble as the rest still seemingly reaches for the heavens. In ancient times, this building contained within its walls legal wills of senates and a model of Athene, the Greek goddess of wisdom of whom Rome adopted as one of their own.
The dome was also home to the sacred fire of Roma, a flame which symbolized the ever-existing fervour of the society itself. Ironically, it sparked the demolishment of the building, burning almost all of its skeleton to the ground. The original design was meant to imitate the primitive round hut, the first houses man ever made, further symbolizing the every glorious state of Rome lasting indefinitely. Almost true to its word, the crumbling temple still stands over thousands of years later.
Swerving right, we witness a structure still intact. This circular monument, adorned with pillars and glazed with greenery sprouting from its rocky cracks, is the Temple of Romulus. Thought to be an honouring towards the founder of Rome, this building was actually constructed by Emperor Maxentius who dedicated it to his son Valerius Romulus after his premature death in 309 AD. He was four years old. But its purpose is dual, also considered the mighty Temple of Jupiter, the God of the Sky. The emerald doors still stand guard, keeping the secrets of old locked inside.
Meandering through a courtyard peppered with blocks of ruins, we’re shadowed by the Temple of Antonius and Faustina. It’s ornamented with semi-surrounding pillars and capped with a winged crown that resembles Rome’s emblem – the Eagle. This structure’s interior was furnished with delicate griffin statues and embezzled candelabra, while also acting as a home for government documents and scrolls of knowledge. While Rome’s buildings are the most tangible objects that were left behind, the wisdom that passed down from generation to generation, civilization to civilization, have caused the greatest impact on the modern society in which we find ourselves today.
After a prolonged observation, we trek towards the Central Plaza that places us between two glorified buildings, the Basilica Julia and the Basilica Emilia. The former was named after the renowned Julius Caesar, who emerged a champion after the 46 BC Gallic War, a kingdom now known as France. This garnished establishment was constructed for civil law courts, government offices, and banking facilities – many of the things we consider only to have evolved in more modern times.
Unfortunately, shortly after its reign, the building burnt down. It was later re-vamped, but was unable to make it through the years. However, its symbol of power is palpable, even without its illustrious structure. The latter, the Basilica Aemilia, now lies in ruins punctuated by the remaining crumbling pillars and centre arch. But in the time of the Roman Empire, this building was known to be one of the most stunning constructs in the country. Used as a business space, what’s left of the marble floors still shine with the light stains of forgotten bronze coins.
And just as we thought we couldn’t possibly process any more fantastical ruins, we were corrected by the presence of the Arch of Septimus Severus – whose name might ring a bell to Harry Potter enthusiasts. Erected in 203 AD, this rectangular dome signified the 10th anniversary of Emperor Severus’s leadership and his conquer over the Parthians, an ancient Iranian empire. The arch’s roof was originally adorned with a statue of the emperor and his sons riding a chariot drawn by six horses. However, when Severus murdered one of his family members, he felt unworthy of the monument and removed his name from the engraved inscription. Although the building may be a reminder of haunting actions performed thousands of years ago, its craftsmanship and unusually jagged pillars pull excitement from most that peer over its artistry.
After all we witnessed, the next row of high-reaching connected pillars seemed insignificant. But, alas, we were mistaken. They were, in fact, the foundational support for the most sacred place in Rome – the Temple of Saturn. Named after the god of wealth and agriculture, this was Rome’s original source of riches. It’s believed to have had a staircase bracketed by flames, worthy of the god himself. It contained a large, bronze tablet on which all Roman laws were inscribed, one of the most adored aspects the civilization had of itself.
And, finally, we end our journey through old at the Tabularium, the assumed first jail of Rome. Throughout its history, the building was warped and transformed to suit contrasting purposes. Its original design evolved into a torture and execution chamber with additional dungeons. The stairs, known as the ‘Stairs of Mourning,’ used to gleam with blood and rank with broken bodies, striking fear into the hearts of beholders and threatening those who disobey the strict rules of the Emperor. Many acclaimed names saw the end of their lives within these weeping walls. However, the location of this feared building was actually flooded with the very source that starts life itself– water. Here, a natural spring wells from a basin embedded in the floor that flows under the entire civilization of Rome. It still glides beneath the city this very day.
Relishing in the splendour of histories finest set me on a dedicated path of prevalence. We can achieve whatever we put our minds to, and live the way we choose if it so pleases us.
There are no rules, there are no truths. There is only the now, the present, and how we spend our valuable time in this world is up to us.
We may be forgotten, or our names could pass down through the decades, but that’s out of our control.
So, cherish the world we live in today, and try make it a memorable and enchanting place where future travellers can look back and think, ‘Thank you for allowing me to experience this wonder.’
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