Ancient Rome

Capturing time in the Eternal City

By Mark Smith

August 20^th, 2024

Our first glimpse

Nancy and I took the train from Tuscany to Rome, dropped our bags and walked back outside.

I could barely believe it: Straight down our street, a quarter mile away, was the Roman Colosseum.

Of course, we knew that already; it's one reason we booked the apartment at 86 Via dei Serpenti. But now, to see it in person was thrilling.

We made our way down the busy street with this iconic spectacle pulling us towards it. As we got closer, the Colosseum lit up in the late-afternoon sun.

It was surreal to see this ancient arena surrounded by the chaotic modern Rome - people, cars, noise, scooters…and oh yes: on that day, the final crazy laps of the Giro d’Italia pro bike race circling its walls, with helicopter and motorcycle crews filming the event.

Timing is everything

From a young age, I've been fascinated with stories of the city and the empire. So, I was curious to see the Rome of today - but it was ancient Rome I wanted to explore, and somehow capture.

We were most excited to visit the Colosseum and two other magnificent sites: The Vatican and the Pantheon.

Inside the arena

The next morning we walked back to the Colosseum, and once inside made our way to the arena floor, where in ancient times the famous "games" were staged.

In recent years the floor was rebuilt and now serves as a viewing platform - to look up at a venue that could hold more than 50,000 spectators, and to look down into the small, dark compartments where gladiators, wild animals, and entertainers waited to be brought up onto the sand.

Since Rome's "official" fall in 476 AD, the Colosseum has been relatively quiet - used as a church, a fortress (by two rich Roman families), a cemetery, a rock quarry...its shiny marble stripped away by looters or by the city itself for use in other buildings and monuments.

Today's Colosseum is no longer beautiful, but it is has a powerful presence - especially if your left brain and right brain can somehow capture and connect these two fleeting visuals: the very spot where you're standing, and what may have happened there 2,000 years ago.

S P Q R

Just next to the Colosseum is the Roman Forum - the ancient city center, public meeting place, and site of the empire's greatest ceremonies. This was ground zero for Rome at its peak and for the initials SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus ("The Senate and the People of Rome").

Today, you can stroll through what remains of the Forum's temples, open-air market stalls, and law courts - just as emperors and citizens did back in the day.

The Vatican Museum

Due to a scheduling snafu, we couldn't tour the inside of St. Peter's Basilica. But what we saw nearby at the Vatican Museum was incredible.

It's truly amazing what this museum has to offer - its Egyptian section, the paintings, the lavishly / excessively decorated ceilings, and of course the Sistine Chapel.

The Pantheon

Literally a place for all religions, the Pantheon was originally built around 26 BC and then underwent a major reconstruction around 120 AD. That's the Pantheon you see today, apparently the only major building from ancient Rome that has remained almost completely intact through the ages. One reason: it's been in nearly constant use and therefore properly maintained.

Looking up

We briefly waited in a ticket line that was actually underneath the pillared front end of the Pantheon, near its entrance. I was amazed to look up and see details of how it was constructed and decorated so long ago.

This is the great entryway to the Pantheon, with a glimpse inside.

The ceiling is open in the middle, allowing a beam of sunlight - and also rain - to enter. Of course, the architects included tiny, decorative drain-holes in the floor's center to allow rainwater to run off.

The Pantheon's interior construction and contents are both heavy-duty and incredibly artful. Accentuated by the sunlight streaming in, the colors are vivid, the marble shines. The artist Raphael is buried here.

Visitors quietly shuffle around, respectful and awestruck at spending a brief moment in time in this remarkable, ancient space.

Of course, Rome is far more than these iconic sites. Here are some of the other images that caught my eye.

Populusque Romanus

Prior to the trip, I’d been looking forward to interacting with Italians on their own turf.

Some impressions: They are friendly and open. Comfortable in their own skins. Youthful. Busy. They talk and move quickly (the espresso helps...) and are fast and impatient drivers - even more so than Americans.