It’s worth getting to know ancient Rome

 

Two thousand years ago, Rome reached to the ends of the known world, amalgamating its conquered peoples, cultures and traditions into the greatest empire history has even seen. Even under dictatorial rule, they laid the foundation for modern democracy, art, food and an Academy Award for Russell Crowe. 

And then it all crumbled. Through a combination of disease, religious turmoil, political infighting and constant barrage attacks from those nasty barbarians, the Empire disintegrated. Power in Europe shifted to other shores, leaving Rome abandoned to its own squalor and forgotten for years.

 

Modern day Rome has bounced back, of course, built around the stunning remains of its once great empire. You can’t spend a few days exploring this magnificent city without literally bumping into or stepping over its historical treasures.

 

But to fully experience Rome, you need to look a little closer, listen to your audio guide just a little more attentively. The stories behind the ruins bring them to life and make them so much more than just piles of rocks. If you listen and read in addition to look, some of the fascinating intricacies of this ancient city and its people materialize.

 

One of my favorite sites in Rome is the sprawling Forum. It is a history lesson you don’t want to fall asleep during. Every visitor truly gets a sense of how the Empire revolved around these few acres, and their religion and government flowed from each doorstep. You literally get to walk the streets once walked by the titans of early civilization. Columns, arches, temples and pulpits still stand, beckoning you to touch and feel. Interesting snippets of information hide among every fallen pillar and worn statue.

 

Take, for example, the story of the Vestal Virgins. In ancient Rome, young women called were recruited at an early age to tend an everlasting flame. They were revered by all, lounged in their own luxury box at the Coliseum and given a nice severance package after 30 years of celibacy and service to the Empire. But a vow of celibacy was not the easiest thing to adhere to. The punishment for breaking the vow? The impure Vestal Virgin was led out of town, given some food and lamp oil and buried alive. Permanently.

 

Nearby the Forum, the Coliseum beckons with the promise of action, intrigue and maybe a decapitation or two. Although worn and broken, this iconic arena remains one of the world’s most enigmatic sites.

 

For a traveler, it is an invaluable and efficient stop because it provides a multitude of enticing details about ancient Roman society, from the games and battles that took place to the architecture and technology used to bring it all to life.

 

For example, my Coliseum audio guide revealed some insight into the Roman calendar - not the months and days, but their work week, or lack thereof. Romans had around 170 holidays or festival days throughout the year, leaving plenty of opportunities to attend events at the Coliseum.

 

Then there is the Coliseum itself. Walking from level to level, the grandeur – although dulled and worn by time – is explicitly evident. The structure rises all around you, engulfing you in ancient aura. The decorations and people dance to life in your imagination, and you can almost hear oohs and ahhs raining down from the nosebleeds seats.

 

The Forum and Coliseum are just two of a seemingly endless array of worthwhile sites scattered across Rome. I recommend climbing to the top of Palatine Hill for a splendid view or to the summit of the Victor Emmanuel Monument, where there is a cozy café. From each vantage point, Rome’s once golden majesty shimmers into vision. This city changed the world and then went away, but in the process leaving an indelible mark on history.

 

There are stories and lessons around every corner, on every plaque and in every ear bud attached to an audio tour. Some are well-known and others less so. But woven together they tell an epic tale of rise, rule and ruin. Armed with just a modicum of this eclectic information instantly elevates any Roman vacation.

 

But of course it is impossible to consume the entire civilization in one trip. That is why a stop at the Trevi Fountain is a must. Toss in a coin over your shoulder and legend says you’ll be destined to return to Rome in the future.

 

 

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Get lost in a lost city: Pompeii

 

I stood atop the hill at the far end of Via del Vesuvio, overlooking the ruined city of Pompeii, Italy.

Crumbling brick walls sprawled in every direction forming a red-gray rock labyrinth that seemed to run from the foot of the infamous volcano all the way into the sea. Row after row of ancient buildings crisscrossed the landscape, with sunken roads marked by deep cart grooves and lined by an unending array of historic artifacts – some well known, and some unknown.

As I watched the tourists crawl along the timeworn walkways, I began to think about how easy it was to get lost here.

From my vantage point, underneath a large tree with weeping branches nearby the old city walls, my eyes traced the main avenue, trying to use the site as a living map to plan my next route through this massive, ongoing archaeological dig. But my imagination kept getting in the way, as I thought of the city in its prime, buzzing with people from every social stratum going about daily, ancient life unaware of their weighty place in history – not unlike the tourists walking around the grounds at that very moment.

I was getting lost – lost in the mystique of Pompeii, which just so happens to be the best way to experience this ancient city.

A visit to Pompeii can be grueling. At peak season, tourists abound, scampering after their guides like chicks after the mother hen. Uneven stone streets, heat and the sheer size of the site make for a labor-intensive visit. Then add in the historical weight, which hits you the moment you see a body frozen in time, twisted as it gasps a final breath.

Hiring a guide to show you around Pompeii is one way to alleviate at least a portion of the burden. Guides are easily accessible and can provide a deeper knowledge of the individual highlights, such as the mansions, bath houses and statues unearthed and preserved from the 79 AD Vesuvius eruption.

But with a map and guidebook, provided at the ticket office, I explored the city without trouble, finding the big attractions and stumbling upon some spots not highlighted in the visitor’s booklet. Every once in a while I would linger at the back of a large group to grab a little extra (free) information from their guide, but for the majority of my day in Pompeii, I wandered the streets. I got lost and my experience was richer for it.

Without someone narrating, my imagination had to work a little harder and in doing so, I got an appreciation for the seemingly mundane things. Everyday items awed me.

Right along one of the main thoroughfares I came upon a large group examining an open-air plot, clearly marked by the guidebook as a bakery. The House of the Baker contained ovens and mills, easily identifiable among the stones and collapsed walls.

Walking past it, I took a few more rights and lefts and separated myself from the crowd. I came across another open-air building with similar structures inside. There were the familiar vat-like ovens and large stones for milling. This one wasn’t on the map or in the guidebook, but it was clearly another bakery. The larger bakery had prime real estate, probably meaning it drew a large crowd back in its heyday, as well as in modern day. But this smaller bakery, off-the-beaten-path, was just as well preserved and just as impressive. I began to wonder who made the better bread and who the Pompeii locals back in 79 AD preferred.

It was a similar experience when I came across what appeared to be a storefront. There was a stone counter with deep holes bored into it – it was a bar. The guidebook described how shopkeepers would fill the holes with beverages or foodstuffs. Hungry people strolling by would stop in for a snack or a drink, leaning at the counters to chat with their neighbors. I wandered past one of the heavily attended bars and zigzagged my way down side avenues. I began to notice more and more of these bars – the familiar counters easily recognized by their holes.

By getting lost in Pompeii, the city became more than just a tourist attraction with great photo ops; it was more than a few dozen highlights in a guidebook. Pompeii became a real city, full of real people living every type of life.

In one ruined mansion, a shattered mirror was embedded and melted into the rock wall. Climbing through the rooms of another destroyed home, I found a stone staircase leading nowhere, but at the top was a 360-degree view of the city.

Of course the better-known attractions at Pompeii are also well worth your time, and even a full day will not be enough to see everything. The Forum Baths are well preserved and house a variety of interesting sights. The Forum itself, the center of life in ancient Roman cities, extends for hundreds of yards, lined by columns, statues and broken buildings. At one end of the Forum the ever-present volcano Vesuvius heaves in the background – just a little too close for comfort.

The Ampitheatre and Gymnasium located in the corner of the site near the Sarno Gate give insight into the ancient city’s devotion to entertainment, as do the famous brothel houses such as the Lupanar with its erotic frescoes. You’ll know the Casa del Fauna by the easily recognizable statue of a dancing faun and beautiful grounds.

It is all part of a city that, at its heart, embraced balance. Mansions sat next to hovels and temples, government buildings were not too far from the brothels. It lived and died with the workers nearby the vacationers.

I wandered, stumbling upon top spots and hidden gems alike. My route ultimately took me to the top of the hill at the far end of Via del Vesuvio, where I spent a few minutes soaking in the extraordinary view and letting my mind do some wandering.

I say get lost in this lost city. You will be amazed at what you find.

 This article appeared in the October issue of Destinations Travel Magazine