A Stroll Around the Forum

On our late spring stay in Rome, two stops were at the top of my wife's list of places to visit.  One was the Vatican and the second was the Colosseum.  After a good night's sleep following a long journey from the states, we planned to make our way down to the Colosseum for our first full day in the city.  Of course, she was in for a surprise when there was much more to see than simply the Colosseum. 

Our small hotel was midway between the Vatican and Forum just off the Piazza Navona.

Piazza Navona

From the hotel we struck out in a generally SE direction bypassing the Roman ruins of Largo de Torre Argentina.  This square escaped earlier demolition due to the discovery of four Republican Roman temples and Pompey's theatre.  It seems to have been deemed as sacred ground and preserved.  Only a few blocks from the hotel and already a Roman ruin set-aside. 

Largo de Torre Argentina

Next stop was Trajan's Column and forum.  As seen from the second photo, the storm clouds were rolling in over Rome.

Trajan's Forum

Trajan's Column

As we got our first glimpse of the Colosseum, the clouds were dark and heavy.

Colosseum

We queued up in the long line and made our way into the Colosseum.

Queuing up at the Colosseum

With ticket reservations purchased beforehand, it was not long before we found ourselves inside the massive stadium.  Inside, the tours and visitors were thick.  Fortunately, most tour groups made a quick once around and off they went.  We utilized an audio podcast to assist in guiding our way around the structure.

Leaving the Colosseum, the rain clouds opened up and drenched the tourists.  The vendors, whom only moments before, were selling trinkets immediately pulled umbrellas out for a quick sale.  We had planned for rain and had our own umbrellas ready for action.

The cloud burst lasted only about ten minutes, after that, the skies cleared and our stroll continued.

Before entering the forum grounds, we walked the perimeter to scout the best plan of attack.  From the northern end, we found a spectacular overlook with the structures of the Forum sprawled below.  

Forum

 The Arch of Septimius Severus is in the foreground.  The arch is over six stories tall!  Massive! 

Arch of Septimius Severus

Detailed relief on Arch Severus

Column of Phocas

Arch of Titus

Arch of Constantine

Arch of Constantine under renovation

After a walk around the Forum, we headed up onto the Palatine Hill.  Views back down into the Forum, as we climbed up the steep hill, were quite pleasing.

View at forum from Palatine Hill

Once on top of the Hill, we wandered around poking our heads into the various ruins.  The remnants of Romulus and Remus' huts were uninspiring but the view of the Hippodrome of Domitian on the heights was impressive.  The brickwork was extensive and the architecture, even in ruin, striking. 

Hippodrome of Domitian

Hippodrome of Domitian

Hippodrome of Domitian

Descending the Palatine Hill, one more view of the Colosseum from the Basilica di Santa Francesca.

Colosseum from Santa Francesca

and then a short stop at the Julius Caesar monument before returning to the hotel.

Julius Caesar

Despite a brief rainstorm, an enjoyable day of Forum exploration.

Vatican Museum of Etruscan Artifacts

Maintaining the Etruscan theme from my Fiesole post (Ancient Ruins in Fiesole) and the continuing saga of my Italian vacation, the Vatican has its own wing of Etruscan artifacts (quite large too!).  The Etruscan wing of the museum was a pleasant surprise for me.  Unlike the rest of the Vatican Museum which held wall to wall visitors, the Etruscan Wing was virtually empty.  In fact, the only other visitors in the wing were a family that likely took a wrong turn somewhere and ended here by mistake!

For vehicles of the wheeled type, the museum has both a chariot and cart.

Also on display as a centerpiece to one room is the bronze statue of the Mars of Todi from the 5th-4th Century BC.

In another room is the work, "Dying Adonis."

A few arms and armor samples,

and a fantastic pottery display to finish out the collection.