The Coliseum today........and something else!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

We went on a very interesting walk around and in the Coliseum today...

Thought you might enjoy the following pictures!

From the outside:



The ancient seats were made of travertine:



A view down into what was the understory; wild animals were stored here prior to being brought up for the fights.



The Arch of Constantine:




And yours truly pretending along with some modern-day Roman soldiers!

[Callalily]

1. Very nice photos!

It looks like you are enjoying your trip, especially the Roman soldiers!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Thank you, my dear Callalily!

I most definitely am enjoying the trip...yup, even the Roman soldiers!

[Lionel Mandrake]

2. I read the top line of the inscription on this arch.

IMP CAES FL CONSTANTINO

This is an abbreviation for

IMPERATORI CAESARI FLAVIO CONSTANTINO

which means approximately

"To the Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine ... ".

Constantine is the guy who founded the city now known as Istanbul, but he called it Constantinople. Thus began the Byzantine Empire. He said something like "in this sign, conquer" just before the Battle at the Milvian Bridge (312). The soldiers may have written a symbol on their shields. The symbol may have been the chi-rho (a Christian symbol), or maybe it was the sign of Sol Invictus (the unconquered Sun). Constantine was deliberately vague in order to gain support from both pagans and Christians. He is usually called the first Christian emperor, but his Christianity was very superficial.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Thanks for the historical note, my dear Lionel Mandrake!

I studied Latin too long ago to be able to read it, so I appreciate your interpreting it.

He was a clever man, a true politician. Even our politicians today know how to be deliberately vague when it suits their purposes.

[Lionel Mandrake]

5. Yep, nothing much has changed

in the last two millennia, as far as political behavior is concerned.

[LeftofObama]

6. WOW!

Love Love Love those pics, CP! I'm loving these photos! It's the next best thing to being there. Please keep them coming.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Thank you, my dear LeftofObama!

I'm really pleased that you're enjoying my pics...

I'm doing my darndest to capture the spirit of the place.

And yes...there will be more!

[Earth_First]

7. EXCELLENT photographs!

I hope you're having a GREAT time!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. Thank you, my dear Earth_First!

I really appreciate your kind remarks...

And yes, I am having a GREAT time!

[Scuba]

8. Wow, that LA Coliseum is looking run down. Maybe Moonbeam can use some of the surplus for rehab.

Great pics Peggy, thanks. Hope you're enjoying your trip!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. My dear Scuba!

Um, this is the original Coliseum, silly, though I know full well you already know that!

Glad you like my pics...

I am enjoying my trip very much!

[JustAnotherGen]

12. Enjoy!

Was in Rome to 'tour' for the first time last August - we tacked it on to a trip at the last minute. I thoroughly enjoyed the city's historic sites.

Make sure you get over to the Trevastere section for dinner!

[femmocrat]

13. Wonderful pictures, Peggy!

You look like you are having a great time!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. Thank you, my dear femmocrat!

I am...........but how can you tell???

[n2doc]

15. I'm jealous!

I hope to go to Rome someday. Enjoy!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. Aw, don't be jealous, my dear n2doc!

I hope you get here too!

[Ron Obvious]

16. Great stuff!

Did you visit the museum in the upper storey? They had a brand-new looking gladiator helmet which I assumed to be a modern replica, but which turned out to be genuine and rescued from the ashes of Pompeii. It made a big impression on me for some reason.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. Alas, my dear Ron Obvious, we didn't get there...

The helmet sounds wonderful...

But there's never enough time to see everything...

[Aristus]

17. Looking good, CalPeg!

Just you; not the "legionaries".

Those uniforms are so historically inaccurate as to be laughable...

I have a question for you. I was under the impression that the city of Rome had marked out the location where the colossal statue of Nero (for which the Colosseum was nicknamed) once stood near the arena. Is it visible? I really want to visit Rome someday. I'm a nut on the history of Ancient Rome.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. Thank you so much, my dear Aristus!

We knew full well that this was a joke! It was great campy fun!

Our guide told us about the colossal statue of Nero, but I don't recall his telling us just where it stood. I know we didn't see the location ourselves.

Anyone who has read Stephen Saylor's books is most def a nut on the history of Ancient Rome...

We've read them too.

[Lionel Mandrake]

23. About the Colossus Neronis

"The foundations were excavated in 1986, and can be viewed by the public."

Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_of_Nero

[MiddleFingerMom]

18. GASP!!!!! You GO, girl!!!

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Hubba.
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Hubba.
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Psst. Did you tell them that the Roman gladiators were best-known for their co-ed wrestling matches?
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[CaliforniaPeggy]

22. My dear MiddleFingerMom!

Why, thank you!

And NO, I didn't tell them any such thing!

[KamaAina]

24. Where are the cats?

Supposedly 10,000 or so gatti live inside it.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. My dear KamaAina...

There were so many people, I suspect the cats were in hiding!

And there were many places we didn't go...

[sinkingfeeling]

26. Having been in Rome, how much did you have to pay out for

the last picture? We were warned to stay away from the 'Roman soldiers'.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. My dear sinkingfeeling!

I had not been warned, and so I most likely overpaid them. They did take 6 pictures........I gave them 20 euros.

My husband (who wasn't there when I negotiated this) was horrified!

They agreed to the price without any discussion. Oh well. It WAS fun!

[LeftofObama]

28. I would have gladly paid 20 euros for a pic with the guy on your right.