Imagine going back 2000 years in time and space while standing on the stone floor inside a colossal amphitheatre, amidst thousands of Roman spectators. Drumbeats reverberate as the ceremonial parade enters the stadium. After saying ‘Ave imperator; morituri te salutant’ (those who are about to die salute you) to the emperor, the gladiatorial combat begins. The crowd shouts, jeers and throws their hands up in excitement.
Sixty thousand spectators? It evokes the unmistakable roar of the crowd at Eden Gardens in Calcutta while watching a thrilling cricket match. The gestures, the excitement, and the uproar may differ from our present-day Mexican waves. But how does that matter? After all, a stadium is a venue for entertainment—be it the bloodiest sport in mankind's history. And how the Romans loved watching violence and killings. Historians remain befuddled as to how Romans, who are regarded as the precursors of human civilisation, could have indulged in and enjoyed such brutal practices.
The Engineering of the Flavian Amphitheatre
Records show that these sports continued for 400 years in this grand amphitheatre, the construction of which was started by Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD and completed by his heirs, Titus and Domitian of the Flavian Dynasty. It was known as the Flavian Amphitheatre for almost a thousand years. It is said that the name Colosseum (Colosseo) was coined because a colossal bronze statue of Nero stood nearby.
A true marvel of engineering, the Colosseum was built with travertine (a form of limestone) quarried from Tivoli in those days. Even the concept and design make one sit back and think. The arena, elevator, and pulleys for lifting caged animals to the surface (operated with a hydraulic system), hypogeum (a series of underground tunnels for housing animals and slaves), and galleries and seating arrangements all speak of the immense engineering capabilities of the Romans two millennia ago.
Another piece of engineering marvel was the building of the road network, which included highways and local roads. These roads were presumably built during the entire lifespan of the Roman Empire, ie., from the early 300 BC to the first century AD. The available database says that the road system covered over three lakh kilometres. Most of it is now lost or covered under modern roads. We were lucky to walk on one such surviving path close to the Colosseum
For almost four centuries since its inception, the Colosseum witnessed bloodbaths of unsurpassable magnitude, be it gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions of criminals and Christians, or dramas based on classical mythology. It is said that on the inauguration sometime in 80 AD, about 9000 exotic animals were slain—so vast was the arena, the floor of which no longer exists. The events used to start in the morning and continue till evening.
In Imperial Rome, Emperors encouraged people to watch these horrific events, as otherwise setting of boredom in the general masses may trigger criticism and revolts against the rulers. Today, many governments also use a similar ploy- the difference being that with modernity, many other avenues are open to keep people constructively engaged instead of idling away.
The Colosseum was indeed colossal. Historians and archaeologists believe that it was four-storied with awnings to protect the crowd from direct sun, and columns of classical architectural styles, colourful statues, and marble decorations adorned the stadium extensively. Gladiators (from 'gladus,' meaning sword) were trained in a school beside the Colosseum. A defeated gladiator was left to the mercy of the spectators—' thumbs down' meant 'kill’ and 'thumbs up’ meant 'spare.' Many gladiators became famous and were swooned over by the spectators like heroes of our modern-day Tinseltown. I have seen life-sized movies on two famous gladiators. Maximus, portrayed by Russell Crowe in the film Gladiator, and Spartacus, portrayed by Kirk Douglas in the film Spartacus.
Beyond the Colosseum: Circus Maximus & the Roman Forum
Gladiatorial fights were held during the time of Julius Caesar, when Rome was a Republic. But the fights used to be held on large open spaces with temporary seating arrangements. Before the Colosseum came up there was only one huge ‘U’-shaped stadium in Rome, which used to host Chariot racing- a favourite sport for the Romans. The Hippodrome in Rome was the largest and had a seating capacity for up to 250,000 people. It was also used to host gladiator fights, processions, and major events until the Colosseum came up. Built in the 6th century BC, the stadium was a wooden structure that got burnt down during the Great Fire of Rome and was rebuilt in marble in 103 AD.
Located close to the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo) lies in the valley between the Palatine Hills and the Aventine Hills. Unlike the Colosseum, the structure decayed over the years, and as a result, only the remains of the ruins and the outline of the structure can be viewed within a public park. A classic Hollywood movie where Charlton Heston plays the role of ‘Ben-Hur ' shows chariot racing in detail. The film went on to receive 11 Academy Awards. What we see of the Colosseum today is only a small fraction of the mammoth structure. Most of the Colosseum survived even some massive earthquakes that shook Rome over the centuries. Stones from the major portions that survived nature’s brunt were stolen for building palaces and St. Peter’s Basilica.
The structure that still stands firm like the Colosseum’s exterior wall is the Arch of Constantine. It is still regarded as the largest Roman triumphal arch, with the inscription still prominent on the arch. Lying between the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, this was built to commemorate Emperor Constantine I's victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. And from then on, the vestiges of glory are scattered over the sprawling Palatine Hill, known as the Roman Forum, which was the urban centre of ancient Rome. The ruins of the marketplace, palaces of Imperial Rome, villas, and the senate hall where Julius Caesar was assassinated by the nobles are so scattered and sprawling; the tall remains dominating the skyline made us feel for a while that we belonged to the first century. The ruins, excavated by archaeologists over centuries, blend beautifully with the modern metropolis and express the essence of a city that has witnessed civilisation for over 2000 years. As if Nero (portrayed wonderfully by Peter Ustinov in the film Quo Vadis) were playing the fiddle and shedding tears when Rome burned.
The city grew up on both sides of the ‘mythical’ River Tiber. On the other side of the river is Vatican City (the papal Rome). Over thirty bridges connect both sides, out of which only seventeen bridges were constructed during the 19th and the 20th centuries. The rest, long ago. Like Ponte Rotto (Broken Bridge), which was the first stone bridge constructed in 179 BC, remains an enchanting landmark along the water.
Italy: Fashion Centre of the World
Before coming to Italy, I had learned that fashion is synonymous with Italy. Italians brought fashion to the forefront right from the fifteenth-century Renaissance period. Italian males, in particular, love to be dressed up smartly. Maybe that is one reason for Rome earning the name of ‘fashion centre' of the world. Knowing this, I secretly cherished a desire to dress up like an Italian. So I bought a shirt, a pair of trousers, and a pair of Italian leather shoes to fulfil my desire.
Ice Cream & Three Coins in a Fountain
Whether in the Vatican or Rome, or any other place in Italy, we made it a point to refresh ourselves with Italian homemade ice cream or gelato. I have tried ice cream at many places in the world, but nothing beats gelato. Simply heavenly and yummy! A great number of flavours are available in gelato shops, but the ones that we enjoyed were triple scoops of one’s choice in cones. And the one that excited my taste buds was scooped with a layer of hot vanilla cream over it. While on Gelato, it's worth mentioning a Gelato shop in Florence. This fifty-year-old family-owned shop was very close to our hotel. When we used to return to our hotel at night after a day’s outing, we skipped dinner and instead indulged in ice cream and pastries at the warm gelato shop run by a lovely Italian lady, who became extremely friendly with us.
In the limited time we tried to see as much as possible. We tried to taste as many flavours of Gelato as possible in Italy and Rome. We tried to do a great deal of shopping. But we still felt we had missed something. Also, the Tiber and its bridges have a lot to offer to tourists, for which one day is not enough. And for that, we need to come back again to Rome and Italy.
We, therefore, made up our minds to go to the eighteenth-century Trevi Fountain located in the Trevi district of Rome. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the world and connects to one of the aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome. This fountain has been made famous by the song and the film of the same name, “Three Coins in the Fountain." To fulfil one’s wish, coins have to be purportedly thrown with the right hand over the right shoulder. An average of 3000 Euros is thrown every day in the fountain. We went there to wish for another visit to Rome so that we could complete all the places we missed this time.
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| The iconic Colosseum standing at the heart of Ancient Rome. |
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Map of Ancient Rome (as it was in the first century AD)
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| The iconic Colosseum, standing at the heart of Ancient Rome |
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The Guide Map outside Colosseum and ruins of Roman Forum dug out by the archaeologists
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| Triumphal Arch dedicated to Emperor Titus |
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| Arch of Titus |
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| Ruins excavated at Roman Forum |
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Ruins of Domitian's palace complex. Emperor Domitian belonged to the Flavian Dynasty and is said to have completed the construction of the Colosseum.
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A surviving Stairway from the Roman era
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| A passage in the Roman Forum |
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| Ruins of Shops in a marketplace at the Roman Forum |
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| Surviving structures at the Roman Forum |
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| Surviving structures at the Roman Forum |
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| Surviving structures at the Roman Forum |
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A view of hypogeum and part of the surviving arena inside Colosseum
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Inside the Colosseum. The portion fenced was the location of a lift constructed for gladiators and animals.
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| Closer view of the hypogeum (series of underground tunnels and cells) |
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| Inside the Colosseum. Some Doors can be seen intact after 2000 years |
 | Another view of the hypogeum
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| Colosseum |
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| View inside the Colosseum |
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Arco di Costantino. This is Rome's largest triumphal arch, built to commemorate Emperor Constantine's victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD
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| Palatine Hills |
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| A road surviving since the time of Republican Rome |
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The ruins of the vast palace built during the rule of the Flavian Dynasty. The palace was so tall that it dwarfed the pyramids of Egypt
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| Nymphaeum |
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| Delicious and yummy Italian Gelatos |
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| Trevi Fountain |
Rome & Vatican Guide. Follow us.........
Like most European cities, Rome also has an integrated transport system, ie. Bus, tram,bars, and Metro. Passes are available at Tabac (Tobacco) shops, Bars and at vending machines in metro stations and at Rome Termini station. It is recommended to keep cash handy, as the vendors like Tabac Shops, in particular, do not accept credit or debit cards. One can buy a pass depending on the number of days of stay and sightseeing in Rome. I always prefer public transport. It is cheap, comfortable, passenger-friendly and runs on time. And at the same time, one can see and feel the pulse of the city by travelling in this manner. Most importantly, for a tourist to see and explore the city at a leisurely pace. The two most important metro lines for tourists are Metro A (red line) for visiting the Colosseum and Ancient Rome; Metro B (blue line) for the Vatican. Both these lines meet at Termini metro station. Trams and buses are good, but at certain places we found them crowded.
For tourists from the Indian subcontinent and gourmets for Indian Curry, there is an excellent eatery (name - Indian Restaurant) near Rome Termini Station. One has to approach from Platform 25 at the end of the station. Cross the main road, take Via Filippo Turati, pass the Radisson Blu Hotel, and after a couple of buildings, towards the Vittorio Emanuele metro, the restaurant appears. A humble-looking shop, it is frequented by locals. The mutton curry rice platter I had was delicious and excellent. Frankly, I fell for it and skipped Italian cuisine for the rest of our stay in Rome.
Some important Bus routes for tourists are:
Some key, frequent routes for tourists are listed below, but there are many, many more.
40 (Limited stop express) - Termini - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - Piazza Pia
(for St Peter's/Vatican)
64 - Termini - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - Vatican
62 - Repubblica - Spanish Steps - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - Vatican
81 - Vatican Museums - Piazza Imperatore (Spanish Steps) - Piazza Colonna
(Trevi Fountain) - Piazza Venezia - Circo Massimo - Colosseo
60 - Termini - Piazza Venezia - Colosseo - Circo Massimo
H - Termini - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - Trastevere
8 (Tram) - Piazza Venezia - Argentina - Trastevere
We took bus no. 40 for travelling from the Vatican to Termini.
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| Rome Metro Map |
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Rome Tram Routes
Tram linesThe tram network in Rome has six lines:
- Line 2: Piazza Mancini – Piazzale Flaminio.
- Line 3: Piazza Thorwaldsen – Trastevere.
- Line 5: Giovanni Amendola – Piazza dei Gerani.
- Line 8: Torre Argentina – Trastevere. Most important line for tourists
- Line 14: Giovanni Amendola – Palmiro Togliatti.
- Line 19: Piazza Risorgimento – Piazza dei Gerani
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| Present Map of Rome & Vatican |
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