Notes from Gemini:
Origins c. 600 BCE The marshy Forum valley is drained by building the Cloaca Maxima sewer, creating Rome’s first paved public marketplace.
The Republic 509 – 27 BCE The Forum becomes a political hub, built up with stone monuments like the Temple of Saturn and multi-purpose law halls (basilicas).
Early Empire 27 BCE – 68 CE Augustus rebuilds the Forum in marble. Later, Nero seizes neighboring land for his private palace lake (Domus Aurea).
Colosseum Built 70 – 80 CE Emperor Vespasian drains Nero’s lake to build the public Flavian Amphitheater. Titus opens it in 80 CE with 100 days of games.
Imperial Peak 81 – 312 CE Domitian installs the underground tunnel network (hypogeum) in the Colosseum. The Forum reaches its final size with massive concrete structures.
Decline & Quarrying 5th – 15th C. Earthquakes shatter parts of both sites. For centuries, they are used as free stone quarries to build Renaissance churches and palaces.
Old- no ancient. Ancient Rome is precise. I was trying to figure out whether this site was the place of the oldest built structure I have ever been to- it does beat the Pantheon and Pompeii. It beats Ayasofya in Istanbul. Curious…. it might just be.
The visit to the Colosseum, even with a tour guide, leaves one not as impressed as one should be. Somehow, similar to the exposed lower levels of the building, where so much engineering was at play, this space really needs more digging into. Like much with Rome- this must see is left too much to a few pictures, a few stories but I would love to return and just discuss the ingenuity expressed here- it’s a missed opportunity.
The Roman Forum (on this tour which took us to both) is massive. The Colosseum seems like it should be bigger somehow and the Roman Forum, on the other hand, defies imagination for the scale of how much culture was created here as the foundation for the western world. There are perhaps few places where you can go and just feel the saturation of energy from past interactions (India is an obvious one and now reminded, is probably the place I’ve been to that definitely has spaces older than Rome that I’ve been to). The Temple of Vesta is worth a special note in this regard- I felt almost carried off my feet.
If you’ve never been to Rome, go- you should go here. But Rome has left me with more mysteries than not and I leave these very special places on that list. It is much much more than meets the eye.
p.s. I’m writing this at the airport… um, randomly choosing this gate departing for Rome not realizing I would start this series on Rome. I’m on my way to Portland but funny enough I went to Rome before I ever went to and lived in Portland. But what is time- there’s no order to that as we know. Sometimes places call us back – thanks universe for that sign – I’m listening. 🙂
Address: P.za del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Website: Forum History , Colosseum History
Colosseum
Roman Forum
