Our first day in Rome was a busy one to say the least. We were up and on the road early with our first taste of Italian public transportation, going on both a railroad and a subway train. After our transit we headed to the Palatine Hill, where we viewed some of the ruins of Augustus’s house, while learning a little bit about his persona. We stopped along the way to read and translate the ancient Latin story of Romulus and Remus. Next we headed to the Roman forum to look at more ruins, and a few of us, including Ms. Durham, got to catch up with BC alumni Hannah Berman who happened to be in Rome on vacation. We also read part of Antony’s Funeral Oration written by Shakespeare.
The afternoon was also filled with exploration. We visited the Colosseum and talked about what occurred in it and how Roman entertainment compares to modern entertainment. Before dinner we had some free time, where most of us went to grab some delicious gelato and explored the city of Rome in its modern state. After another great dinner we had another experience with Roman trains, this one being more of a rough one. An unexpected rainstorm occurred, causing our journey home to take a long route. After a couple transfers and a couple of umbrellas being completely destroyed, we finally made it back to our hotel, where we got a good night’s sleep for another day around the fabulous town that is Rome.
Buona notte!
Ben and Seta
Today was another beautiful day in Rome! To start, we went on a long, arduous, taxing, thirty-minute journey from the train station all the way to the massive Baths of Caracalla! Even though it was incredibly windy, the sun was out and as we wandered around the ruins we could really get a sense of just how many people it had once served. We even read a letter from the famous philosopher Seneca, describing his utter distaste for the constant noise from the bathers, merchants, and people of every class, including “the man who sings in the tub”. Then, it was on to the Circus Maximus, where the Ancient Romans had all their chariot races! Next, we walked to a famous synagogue that was erected in honor of all the Jewish peoples who had suffered for thousands of years in the ghetto that was once there (and on a happier note, we then ran free for lunch!).
But even before that, we had a chance to stop at many points along the way — learning all about cows, fish markets, and how people from the Middle Ages did not understand how to (properly reconstruct buildings. Fun fact; there’s a verb in Latin that means “to moo”, as well as one that means “too moo back.” ) After our various hearty lunches, we went to the Capitoline Hill. We discussed more about the mythical founding of Rome, and visited the grand museum up on the hill. We saw many beautiful works of art, tried to decipher various tombstones, and visited the infamous Baby-Faced Hercules statue.
Following that, we saw a Roman apartment building, or insula, and visited the Largo Argentina, the site of Roman temples from the Republic...but now a cat sanctuary. We read a dramatic translation of Julius Caesar’s assassination (as he had been killed there) and then went and explored the city before dinner. After a wonderful dinner, we headed back to the hotel and hit the sack.
Another beautiful day in Rome indeed.
Buona notte!
Abby and Leah
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