Rome!!!
We are in ROME!!!
It started out wet and rainy- no worries, I planned for that. We had jackets and umbrellas.
We decided not to drive into the center of town, and I'm so glad we made that decision. It was insane! Instead we took the bus. We were told to watch our stuff very carefully, since Rome is known for it's pick-pocketing. We stayed close together, didn't let the kids carry anything, and Pete and I were on guard.
Here it is. The Colosseum in Rome. Amazing.
This building was built at the peak of the Roman Empire, around A.D. 80. It was an arena for gladiators and contests. If you have ever seen the movie "Gladiator" you know what I mean. It could hold 50,000 spectators.
Only about a third of the original building is still standing. Some has been destroyed by earthquakes, but a lot of the pre-cut pieces were hauled off for other buildings during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Across the street, part of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
Walking inside the Colosseum.
The arena.
The bottom half of this picture is the underground passage. It was once covered with a floor, which you can see they have partially rebuilt. This is where they kept prisoners and fighters. They also kept animals here, and starved them for days so that they would be ready to hunt when it came time for the fight.
Fallen pieces of the Colosseum.
It's so amazing to me to see these old relics and writings.
This is the best view I could get with the lens I brought for my camera. Next time, I'll bring a different lens.
This is the Arch of Constantine. It honors the emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity.
The night before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in A.D. 312, Constantine had a vision of a cross in the sky. He had all of his soldiers paint crosses on their shields, and vowed that if they won the battle he would convert, and legalize Christianity. Imagine what they world would be like had this not happened.
Details on the Arch of Constantine.
The arch and the Colosseum together.
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