Going 2000 Years (Or So) Back in Time: Part Uno: Walking to the Colosseum

Bridge over the River Tiber

Today I finally crossed the Tiber.

I know it's not as dramatic as Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, but the Tiber is a bigger river. (Apparently the Rubicon is a shallow creek even in Caesar's day. It was notable only because it was the boundary between Rome proper and what was then Gaul.)

I left St. Peter's in my rear view mirror (figuratively) (given that I was walking and had no rear view mirror). I passed the Castel Sant'Angelo, which is nearly 2000 years too. And I crossed the Tiber.

Rome straddles the Tiber. But just about all of the historic sites from the era of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire are on the east side of the Tiber. The Vatican is the only notable tourist site on the west bank of the Tiber.

And the Tiber sits really low. They built Rome comfortably above the river because the Tiber, while it may be small in appearance, apparently floods like the Nile or Mississippi.

As an aside, when you walk along the Tiber, people are hawking river cruises. My impression is that this would be a terrible city for a river cruise, since the city sits so far above the river, I can't imagine seeing anything. It would be like floating along in the bottom of a well. But, then again, river cruises aren't my thing. Actually, no cruises are my thing.

Despite the streets of Rome being laid out somewhat haphazardly, I was able to chart a clear pathway to my first destination on my walk to the Colosseum. Piazza Navona.

Piazza Navona is known for three fountains, an obelisk, and plenty of great restaurants along its perimeter. I wasn't hungry. But I love a good obelisk. So let's enter the piazza.

At the south end is the Fontana dei Moro. Fountain of the Moor.

There is a lot more Moors in Rome than I expected. There's the restaurant I ate at last night, Quattro Mori. And there's this fountain. That's two. And that's a lot more in the way of Moors than I was expecting.

Next up, at the center of the piazza, is the Fontana dei Fiumi, which translates to "Fiumi Fountain."

This is a fountain, but the obelisk is the star of this show. Not the water.

And, speaking of water, the final fountain is the Fontana di Nettuno, which translates to the Fountain of Neptune.

I headed back of my path to the Colosseum and, much sooner than I expected, I reached the enormous Victor Emmanuel Memorial at Piazza Venezia.

Victor Emmanuel is the one who unified Italy into a single nation for the first time since, well, the Roman Empire.

The memorial is huge. Climbing it is possible. For others. Not for me.

I thought I must be getting close to Trajan's Column and, sure enough, there it was.

Colonna Traiana. He was an emperor (I believe) (I could look it up) (so could you) in the second century A.D. The column was erected in honor of his conquest of Dacia, which is modern day Romania.

We are now in the Foro Traiano. Trajan's Forum.

The Roman Forum was slowly migrating in a northwesterly direction from the original Julius Caesar-era Forum.

The forums generally are in ruins.

It was a long time ago and this is earthquake country, after all.

It's even more interesting how much is still standing.

 

From Trajan's Forum you pass into Augustus's Forum, Foro di Augusto, to Caesar's Forum, Foro di Cesare, then, finally, to the pre-Ceasar Roman Forum.

All the monumental ruinization! (That's a line from a John Oates song among the Daryl Hall and John Oates songs.)

But, soon, I looked up, and there was the Colosseum.

I have arrived at my destination.