Early this morning we sailed into the Straits of Messinna on the eastern side of the Aegean Sea. We docked in the harbor of Sklara, a little fishing village the size of Manhattan with a population of 3000 on the island of Patmos, Greece. Patmos is one of the many Dodecanese (12) islands that hug the coast of Asia Minor far away from Greece, but they are of Greek heritage. Patmos became part of Greece in 1948. This is a small, rocky volcanic island with only 1 other town, Hora. The white houses are perched on the cliffs. In the past all of the houses were built out of natural stone to keep the rats away. Now they are painted white to reflect the sun. The roofs are flat in order to collect the rain water.Today it is not sunny, but hot. According to Greek mythology Leto (a Titan lady) and Zeus had an affair. Their issue were Apollo and Artremis. Celine, the moon goddess, swayed Artremis to raise Patmos out of the sea; therefore Patmos is named after Artremis. The island to the north of Patmos is an all rock island called Ichyrus, after Greek mythology. the pine trees growing here are native, but the eucalyptus trees were brought by Australian soldiers during WWII.
At the top of this rocky island in the medieval capital town of Hora is a monastery to ST. John the Theologan founded 1000 years after ST John was here. It is a 1600 year old Byzantine structure with great frescoes where 6 monks reside. They are Greek-Orthodox and it is considered the Jerusalem of the Aegean. It was founded in the 11th century, but the courtyard was built in the 17th century. In their bakery they use a horse trough as a kneading table for their bread In the museum was a huge 1300 year old handwritten book of Job! This is the oldest painted manuscript in the Mediterranean. It consists of 400 pages and was written on codex, a parchment which took the skins of 30 goats to make. This is the most important possession of the monastery. The library was founded in the 11th century also. Books were actually printed in 1494 in Germany, so this was many years before. The man that built this monastery was granted this island by Constantine in 1088. This monastery of St John was built out of the stones from the Temple of Diana. Halfway between Hora and Sklara is the Cave of the Apopcalypse where ST. John wrote the book of Revelations. ST.John is referred to as the son of Zebedee, brother of James, John the Evangelist, John the Apostle. He was a fisherman born in Galilee and was a disciple of John the Baptist before he was an apostle of Jesus. He was with Mary at the cross when Jesus entrusted Mary into John's care After the Assumption John took Mary on foot through Asia to Ephaseus to live. The Apostles, Peter, James, John and Paul were traveling all over the world spreading Jesus' word. In 51AD they met at the first Apostalic Council to decide how to better spread God's word. John was declared a pillar of the church because of his work in Europe and Asia. Paul, being a rabble rouser, was denounced by Demetrius, a silversmith outside the Temple, and put into prison. The Emperor deported John to Rome to be boiled to death in oil, but instead he was banished to the island of Patmos for 18 months. While on Patmos John had a vision in a cave on Hora and dictated the book of Revelations to his pupil. St. John saw 7 golden candlesticks (which stood for the 7 churches), centered over Jesus were double edged swords (heaven and hell), and 7 stars for 7 angels. As soon as the vision was completed, the roof of the cave split into 3 pieces from the Voice of God, the Trinity! He wrote the 22 chapters of Revelations in Greek because that was the easiest way to spread the Word. There are mosaics just above the entrance to the cave. The cave is small, enough room for an altar, bed and stove; but they say he didn't live in the cave. He could see the coast of Asia Minor from inside the cave. There was a rock like a desk that he used as the altar. Then the cave was forgotten until it was found in the 11th century. It was reconstructed during the 18th century. During the 19th century people started living at the port of Sklara.
ST. John returned to Ephesus and lived 40 more years until 100 AD when he died a natural death. He was buried at the Basilica of St. john in Ephaseus , Turkey under plain stone slab with 4 columns.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, 5/9/11
Today we slept in because it is a sea day. The only thing we have to do today is eat and play pinochle with Ray and Carol. It's the girls versus the guys. This tournament will continue for the whole trip.
Daddy and I ate meat balls and veal for dinner. On the isle of Capri Carol and Ray bought a handmade end table from the same carpenter their other one was from. The last one they lost in their house fire. I couldn't find a thimble that I liked in Pompeii. But, Carol bought one from Capri for me that I really like. It was very sweet of her!
Daddy and I ate meat balls and veal for dinner. On the isle of Capri Carol and Ray bought a handmade end table from the same carpenter their other one was from. The last one they lost in their house fire. I couldn't find a thimble that I liked in Pompeii. But, Carol bought one from Capri for me that I really like. It was very sweet of her!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, 5/8/11, Mother's Day
Today is Mother's day and we could have ordered a champagne breakfast. We didn't, but we did order breakfast to be brought to the room. That way we can try to stay on our diets, somewhat. At least we'll stay away from the pancakes, waffles, and sticky buns. Room service provides a really good oatmeal and fruits.
Our port of call today is Sorrento, Italy. The Ancient Greeks and Romans called it "Surrentum". The name Sorrento' means "sirening mermaids" which are spoken of in their folk tales. The land mass is sheer rock cliffs full of scented lemon groves dropping down into the sparkling water. The whitewashed villas cling to the sides of the cliffs. Part of the Amalfi Coast, this is a top tourist destination for the jet setters. The Amalfi coast includes Sorrento, Isle of Capri, Ischia (rock and volcanoes), Positano (expensive), Amalfi Ravello (a town high on a hill), and Salerno( a lovely old medieval town). Amalfi was the first maritime village in Italy.
Pompeii is an hour and a half drive from Sorrento where the rich lived 2000 years ago when Mt. Vesuvius erupted. It is a little hazy outside now, so Vesuvius is not quite visible. Sorrento has lemon trees, oleander, cactus, aloe, bird of paradise, cypress and pine trees growing on the sides of the cliffs. In 1544 poet Tasso was born here and now the Piazzo is named for him. The streets are very narrow and winding with walls of stone. Regular sized buses will not fit onto these streets, so we were transported in large mini vans up to the top then transferred to regular buses for the drive to Pompeii. In 1752 a palace was built of the stones from Pompeii called molte la terra which means milk of the earth or limestone. A very delicious liquor called lemon cello is made here from the rind of huge lemons that look surprisingly like my Pondersosa lemons on my tree that Daddy killed. If I had known we could make this from those lemons, maybe it would still be living! Originally, this was only made on the island of Capri. The soil around Mt. Vesuvius produces sweet wine. They also grow artichokes, oranges, peaches, limes, figs, olives, apricots and prunes. They are known for their lemon and cream cake and the coral they harvest from the sea. The lime trees have thick trunks but their tops are trimmed off to sprout again and trained onto arbors like grape vines. On the terraced slopes are growing olive trees, fig trees and veggies. They use row covers over their crops to protect them from the birds and the intense sun. The flowers visible are roses, palms, sago palms, succulents, yucca, acanthus, poppies and morning glories. They can grow so many things because their soil is volcanic. In the 17th century the first pasta was dried here by the sun and wind. The first Napoli pizza came from here with tomato, garlic and olive oil. A popular Xmas treat here is a dried fig filled with nuts and covered with chocolate. In the town of Sorrento you can see the flat roofs and people on top hanging clothes to dry.
The word Pompeii means 5, but they don't know 5 what! It is Greek in it's heritage, not Etruscan like the rest of Italy.
Mount Vesuvius was 10,000 feet tall when it erupted on August 24, 79AD. Now it is only 3000 feet high. They estimate that 12,000 - 15,000 people died in Pompeii from the gases that escaped during the eruption and the 30 foot of ash that covered them. The area was left alone for 1600 years. The eruption lasted for 3 days and 2 nights. The people were preserved with their hands trying to cover their eyes and noses from the gases. Mount Vesuvius erupted again in 1962. The oldest amphitheater in Italy is here and could hold 20,000 people who could see Mt. Vesuvius. It is built into a natural hill and has perfect acoustics. The limestone colonnade was pre Roman. The town was built on a layer of lava that is from 6BC.
What the archeologists have learned about Pompeii is just amazing. They have been excavating for 250 years now and will continue. I remember being in elementary school, reading an article about Pompeii in My Weekly Reader and being in awe how well preserved those bodies were! It was a rich community with so many advancements: hot and cold running water piped into their homes, one-way and two-way marked streets, cement that doesn't deteriorate as fast as modern day cement, fountains throughout their city, spas, marble toilets, and wooden sliding doors. When they unearthed a marble plaque with Latin inscriptions, they assumed their language was Latin.
Pompeii had 37 public fountains with a face shape drawn around the water pipe (as if the pipe was the nose) with running water. Each fountain had an additional drawing to signify what street it was. At the public baths they had a vestibule, changing rooms, massage rooms with pottery to hold oils, a hot rock massage room and hot and cold running water all with marble floors. The Roman aqueduct supplied the water when the rain didn't. The lead pipes leading into the houses you see every once in a while on the edge of the sidewalk are plumbed into the houses. the public baths were popular because it was the place to hear the news.
The town of Pompeii's streets always sloped up to Mount Vesuvius. The streets were marked by the fountains and had stones placed in the street to signify if they were one- way or two-way. Three and four stones meant it was two-way because the chariot wheels straddled the stones with the center stone separating like a center line. One stone meant it was one-way. I 0 0 0 I or I 0 I. You can see some of the ruts carved into the limestone from the chariot wheels!
At the top of Pompeii is the Main Square with the town halls, the Basilica of Judgment, the first courthouse, a supermarket of fruit, veggies and fish. The top is open on the gallery. Part is covered with a canopy to protect the people from the sun and rain.There are columns, arches, open porticoes and marble floors. The frescoes drawn on the walls tells what was sold in that spot of the market. The markets have many pottery vessels that seem too heavy for 1 person to carry up from the bottom of the town. it is assumed they were carried by 2 slaves with a stick passing through the top of the vessel to enable the slaves to handle it. There are several temples here: the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Augustus with Corinthian capitals. The Temple of Apollo and Diana has 48 columns, a lava altar to sacrifice animals in the center. The Temple of Venus protected the merchants of the sea. It was covered in gold. The sundial was a white column that cast a shadow on the huge marble floor to tell the time. From the toppled columns you can see the red brick with the 2000 year old cement and then where the Romans came and added marble to the outside of the columns with a sort of cement that doesn't deteriorate like present day cement does.
They have excavated 25 private homes called Domuses. Each Domus has 3 steps up into it. All of the Domuses had slaves that slept on the bottom floor for protection of the owners. The largest Domus in Pompeii had a vestibule in front with an open roof to collect the rain water. They had a bathroom with a toilet that drained to the outside and away from the house. In their dining room was a mosaic floor and the walls had no windows; but there were frescoes painted there of fake windows with pretty scenes.They sat around a stone table with benches on 3 sides only that would hold 3 people each. Across the street from one Domus was a bakery with a huge oven. The houses have stoves with carbonite present. You can see where the people started to build with bricks to reinforce their framing after an earthquake. We saw an old factory because it was 3 stories and had windows on just the 2nd and 3rd floors. Pompeii had a red light district. the rooms were very narrow and the stone walls had frescoes of sexual positions drawn so foreigners could point to their preferences!!!! The price of a girl was the price of a bottle of wine. more comfort means more bottles of wine! Obviously, prostitution was legal! If a street had a phallic symbol drawn on it, that meant only men were allowed in that area. There was a hotel with a stable and small rooms with stone beds. The sign outside said "hospilivm". The serpent symbol for drugs was even used here too.
Our port of call today is Sorrento, Italy. The Ancient Greeks and Romans called it "Surrentum". The name Sorrento' means "sirening mermaids" which are spoken of in their folk tales. The land mass is sheer rock cliffs full of scented lemon groves dropping down into the sparkling water. The whitewashed villas cling to the sides of the cliffs. Part of the Amalfi Coast, this is a top tourist destination for the jet setters. The Amalfi coast includes Sorrento, Isle of Capri, Ischia (rock and volcanoes), Positano (expensive), Amalfi Ravello (a town high on a hill), and Salerno( a lovely old medieval town). Amalfi was the first maritime village in Italy.
Pompeii is an hour and a half drive from Sorrento where the rich lived 2000 years ago when Mt. Vesuvius erupted. It is a little hazy outside now, so Vesuvius is not quite visible. Sorrento has lemon trees, oleander, cactus, aloe, bird of paradise, cypress and pine trees growing on the sides of the cliffs. In 1544 poet Tasso was born here and now the Piazzo is named for him. The streets are very narrow and winding with walls of stone. Regular sized buses will not fit onto these streets, so we were transported in large mini vans up to the top then transferred to regular buses for the drive to Pompeii. In 1752 a palace was built of the stones from Pompeii called molte la terra which means milk of the earth or limestone. A very delicious liquor called lemon cello is made here from the rind of huge lemons that look surprisingly like my Pondersosa lemons on my tree that Daddy killed. If I had known we could make this from those lemons, maybe it would still be living! Originally, this was only made on the island of Capri. The soil around Mt. Vesuvius produces sweet wine. They also grow artichokes, oranges, peaches, limes, figs, olives, apricots and prunes. They are known for their lemon and cream cake and the coral they harvest from the sea. The lime trees have thick trunks but their tops are trimmed off to sprout again and trained onto arbors like grape vines. On the terraced slopes are growing olive trees, fig trees and veggies. They use row covers over their crops to protect them from the birds and the intense sun. The flowers visible are roses, palms, sago palms, succulents, yucca, acanthus, poppies and morning glories. They can grow so many things because their soil is volcanic. In the 17th century the first pasta was dried here by the sun and wind. The first Napoli pizza came from here with tomato, garlic and olive oil. A popular Xmas treat here is a dried fig filled with nuts and covered with chocolate. In the town of Sorrento you can see the flat roofs and people on top hanging clothes to dry.
The word Pompeii means 5, but they don't know 5 what! It is Greek in it's heritage, not Etruscan like the rest of Italy.
Mount Vesuvius was 10,000 feet tall when it erupted on August 24, 79AD. Now it is only 3000 feet high. They estimate that 12,000 - 15,000 people died in Pompeii from the gases that escaped during the eruption and the 30 foot of ash that covered them. The area was left alone for 1600 years. The eruption lasted for 3 days and 2 nights. The people were preserved with their hands trying to cover their eyes and noses from the gases. Mount Vesuvius erupted again in 1962. The oldest amphitheater in Italy is here and could hold 20,000 people who could see Mt. Vesuvius. It is built into a natural hill and has perfect acoustics. The limestone colonnade was pre Roman. The town was built on a layer of lava that is from 6BC.
What the archeologists have learned about Pompeii is just amazing. They have been excavating for 250 years now and will continue. I remember being in elementary school, reading an article about Pompeii in My Weekly Reader and being in awe how well preserved those bodies were! It was a rich community with so many advancements: hot and cold running water piped into their homes, one-way and two-way marked streets, cement that doesn't deteriorate as fast as modern day cement, fountains throughout their city, spas, marble toilets, and wooden sliding doors. When they unearthed a marble plaque with Latin inscriptions, they assumed their language was Latin.
Pompeii had 37 public fountains with a face shape drawn around the water pipe (as if the pipe was the nose) with running water. Each fountain had an additional drawing to signify what street it was. At the public baths they had a vestibule, changing rooms, massage rooms with pottery to hold oils, a hot rock massage room and hot and cold running water all with marble floors. The Roman aqueduct supplied the water when the rain didn't. The lead pipes leading into the houses you see every once in a while on the edge of the sidewalk are plumbed into the houses. the public baths were popular because it was the place to hear the news.
The town of Pompeii's streets always sloped up to Mount Vesuvius. The streets were marked by the fountains and had stones placed in the street to signify if they were one- way or two-way. Three and four stones meant it was two-way because the chariot wheels straddled the stones with the center stone separating like a center line. One stone meant it was one-way. I 0 0 0 I or I 0 I. You can see some of the ruts carved into the limestone from the chariot wheels!
At the top of Pompeii is the Main Square with the town halls, the Basilica of Judgment, the first courthouse, a supermarket of fruit, veggies and fish. The top is open on the gallery. Part is covered with a canopy to protect the people from the sun and rain.There are columns, arches, open porticoes and marble floors. The frescoes drawn on the walls tells what was sold in that spot of the market. The markets have many pottery vessels that seem too heavy for 1 person to carry up from the bottom of the town. it is assumed they were carried by 2 slaves with a stick passing through the top of the vessel to enable the slaves to handle it. There are several temples here: the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Augustus with Corinthian capitals. The Temple of Apollo and Diana has 48 columns, a lava altar to sacrifice animals in the center. The Temple of Venus protected the merchants of the sea. It was covered in gold. The sundial was a white column that cast a shadow on the huge marble floor to tell the time. From the toppled columns you can see the red brick with the 2000 year old cement and then where the Romans came and added marble to the outside of the columns with a sort of cement that doesn't deteriorate like present day cement does.
They have excavated 25 private homes called Domuses. Each Domus has 3 steps up into it. All of the Domuses had slaves that slept on the bottom floor for protection of the owners. The largest Domus in Pompeii had a vestibule in front with an open roof to collect the rain water. They had a bathroom with a toilet that drained to the outside and away from the house. In their dining room was a mosaic floor and the walls had no windows; but there were frescoes painted there of fake windows with pretty scenes.They sat around a stone table with benches on 3 sides only that would hold 3 people each. Across the street from one Domus was a bakery with a huge oven. The houses have stoves with carbonite present. You can see where the people started to build with bricks to reinforce their framing after an earthquake. We saw an old factory because it was 3 stories and had windows on just the 2nd and 3rd floors. Pompeii had a red light district. the rooms were very narrow and the stone walls had frescoes of sexual positions drawn so foreigners could point to their preferences!!!! The price of a girl was the price of a bottle of wine. more comfort means more bottles of wine! Obviously, prostitution was legal! If a street had a phallic symbol drawn on it, that meant only men were allowed in that area. There was a hotel with a stable and small rooms with stone beds. The sign outside said "hospilivm". The serpent symbol for drugs was even used here too.
Saturday, 5/7/11
Today is Embarkation Day . We are on the 9th floor in 9080. Ray and Carol are on the same floor, same side, just up in the front of the ship.Tthis is the refurbished "Love Boat". This ship is smaller than the other cruise ships we've been on, but our stateroom is really big. We have a full bathroom with a full size tub!!!!! Yea!!!!! There are so many drawers and closets I told Daddy I need mire clothes to fill them up! we have a big sofa and stuffed chairs and a balcony with a tiny dinette set with 2 chairs and 2 ottomans. A very comfortable cabin indeed!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday, 5/6/11
In 1929 Pope Pius and the Italian government formed a sovereign independent state with only 100 citizens and its own military called the Vatican City provided for under the Treaty of Lateran. The Pope originally was the bishop over all of Rome. Now the Pope's influence extends around the world and the popes have lived here for 6 centuries. The Vatican Museums were built where the papal palaces were in 1200AD and contain an enormous amount of treasures from antiquity and the Renaissance and the world's greatest art collection. before it was the papal palaces it was the mausoleum for the first century emperors, then it was turned into a fortressThere is a statue here of a warrior scraping olive oil and sand off his body. This is the first example of the Romans imitating the Greeks. There are many statues of Greek gods: Troy, Homer, Apollo, Athena, Hercules, and the Trojan Horse. The ancient Greek and Roman statues of animals represent fertility. Also there is a statue of Moses and the statue that Michelangelo used as his prototype for Jesus. The Vatican Library is richly decorated and only open to qualified researchers. The Vatican Gardens separate the Vatican from the outside world on two sides and covers 58 acres. It is filled with lush gardens, brilliantly colored flowers, massive oaks, many fountains and pools. It still has the medieval fortifications from the 9th century. The wall surrounding the Vatican was built by Pope Leo IV in the 9th century AD for protection. It is 10 feet thick and has a secret protected passageway the Pope escaped into the Castel Sant' Angelo, which is Hadrian's tomb, in 1537 when Rome was attacked. Piazza San Pietro, St. Peter's Square, gateway to the world's largest church, St. Peter's Basilica, is a 384 Doric pillared colonnade with 140 gesticulating saint statues on top. The statue of St. Peter shows him carrying the "keys of the kingdom", a story which the Popes invented. Nothing is written in the Bible to support it. An Egyptian obelisk from Heliopolis on the Nile River Delta is in the center of the square and is flanked by two 17th century fountains. Bernini needed to take down the old bell tower of the first St. Peter's in the 1620s to stabilize the Vatican since the land below it is marshy. The catacombs below are very moist and the priests buried there are now gone. The wall surrounding the Vatican was built from the 9th - 10th centuries by Pope Leo IV for protection. In the 12th - 13th centuries the King of France forced the papacy to move to Avignon, France. Surprisingly, the Lovre is patterned after the Vatican City. Pope Scion IV realized they needed a chapel to hold religious things so in 1475 he started the Sistine Chapel with a secret conclave to protect their treasures from thieves.. It was completed in 1481 and Pope Scion died in 1502 The Pope felt all the frescoes should represent righteous ethics: 1-the law of Moses, 2- the law after Moses, and 3- the law after Jesus Christ. Artists of the early Renaissance were the teachers of Michelangelo and Raphael who were the artists of the SIstine Chapel. The frescoes were painted in fresh plaster that dried in 10 minutes. Michelangelo hated to paint, but he was commissioned by Pope Julius II to paint ceiling frescoes from Genesis from 1508-1512. He was on a scaffold 24-7! Michelangelo was paid when he had completed the whole chapel. He painted fake wooden beams to separate the panels, but you have to look really hard and still cannot tell the difference. If he hated to paint, can you imagine what he could do with a sculpture???? After he had completed the first 3 panels, Pope Julius pulled him down to floor level to show him how small he had made the figures. The other 6 panels he painted larger. In the first panel with the Garden of Eden Michelangelo painted a fig tree instead of an apple tree. The Bible never actually said an apple tree. Around the center panels are saints from the Old Testament predicting the coming of Jesus. One panel has Jonah and the whale, this signifies an afterlife. The marble gate at floor level originally marked where the 1st original sin was painted on the ceiling, and separated the priests from the people. Michelangelo went to Florence for 20 years and came back to paint the Last Judgment. Michelangelo was criticized by Monsignor Biagio because 1-Jesus looked too barbaric with a beard and 2- the people were naked and floating all around with no demarcation line between heaven and hell. So Michelangelo painted one of the nudes to look like Biagio and placed jackass ears on him in hell. When Biagio complained, the Pope said he had no jurisdiction in hell. Pope Clements II aligned with the French emperor and when they attacked the Last Judgment was destroyed. The Last Supper painted by Michelangelo shows Judas Iscariot on the other side.of the table from Jesus and the other disciples. We've never seen it presented that way.
The Vatican Museum, built of yellow stone which is now extinct, has many works of art from all over the world: Greek, Roman, statues of Homer, Apollo, the Trojan Horse, Moses, Athena, Troy and Hercules. The Romans loved Egyptian sculptures and Greek gods, therefore included chariots on a lot of their friezes. There are 2 Roman copies of the Egyptian sphinxs here. There is a statue of a warrior scraping olive oil and sand off his body. This is the first time the Romans imitated the Greeks. The Pope wanted the arm raised on the statue of David. Michelangelo, being a master of the torso, didn't agree because it would place the body out of proportion. But he had to do what the Pope wanted, so he knocked the arm off and recreated it. When the statue was excavated in the the 1960s, sculptor Pollack found the original arm and placed it on there not raised. The ancient Greek and Roman animal statues represent fertility. The Romans believed Romulus was from Euripedes and came here during the Trojan Wars. Therefore the Romans adopted the Greek statues and gods as their own (Apollo, Athena and Ajax). The Rotunda is a huge room similar to the Pantheon with mosaics. Here is a bronze Hercules with a club made from an olive tree and holding a lion's skin. This survived the Middle Ages even when everything else was melted down. Someone buried it under a marble slab and marked it with a symbol representing lightening. Margaret Usinof has written a book describing this. There is a huge tapestry room with works of art that are so detailed you cannot imagine how they could have been made by hand with threads. It is amazing that threads can show all the shades and shadows, almost as if it were painted! It takes needlepoint to a whole different dimension. In the Map room are ancient maps created by saints, one for each area of Italy. They were drawn by the two Dentis brothers sitting on top of donkeys. Surprisingly, they are 86% accurate! After they drew the maps, artists painted them.
There are 4 Basilicas in Rome: ST. Peter, ST.Paul, ST. John of Lateran, and ST. Mary Maggiore. To be considered a Basilica it must have a relic. The Basilica of ST. Peter is the largest church in the world. When you enter you just gasp at it's size and magnificence. in ancient Rome ST. Peter was crucified just to the left where the Circus of Nero was located. He was buried here in 64AD and in 324 AD Constantine had a basilica built over his tomb. It was rebuilt in the 1500 - 1600s in the baroque style. this was the time of MRtin Luther's Reformation and it was the way the popes needed to answer Luther. Baroque is what's old is polished up with a new dress. In the church is the famous Pieta that the French ambassador had Michelangelo sculpt when he was 23. He portrayed Mary as a young woman to convey her purity even though she was middle age at the time of Jesus' crucifixtion. Many people were in line to kiss the feet of the 13th century bronze of ST. Peter. The altar designed by Bernini has the largest, heavy stones at the bottom, halfway up it becomes bronze and at the top it is gold, pure light. This represents the passage from the human body and life with sins into heaven with all sins forgiven. The original wooden throne from the first ST. Peters is inside the bronze throne. The round red stone where Charlemagne was coronated is the only piece of the first ST. Peter's Basilica in the newer one. When a priest is embalmed the practice is to place the visceral into bottles which are stored in the church.
ST. Paul's Basilica is the second largest church in Rome and was built on top of Paul's grave outside of the city walls. It was expanded on in 510AD, but in 1823 a fire destroyed it all. It has been rebuilt exactly as it was in the 1300s. Outside it was a very pastoral setting with umbrella and Mediterranean pines that supply edible pine nuts and was the wood from which pinocchio was made.The palm trees planted represent Palm Sunday. There are additional holy days celebrated here: January 25th for Paul's conversion and June 29th for Paul's death.
On the Basilica's pediment are the Lamb of God and 12 smaller lambs to represent the 12 disciples.The Holy Door on the right is opened for one year every 25 years. This Byzantine Holy Door has 54 panels of the life of Jesus. It is 1000 years old and survived the fire. The windows are alabaster stone to allow in the most light but have the look of stained glass. A triumphant arch divides the nave from the altar. Jesus is in the center with Paul on the right and Peter on the left. At the altar in a box are the chains that held Paul in prison. Paul's sarcophagus and the one oil lamp that survived the fire are there also. These are the relics. The original wall from the first Basilica is in the back. Outside are placed pieces of the original marble and columns incorporated into the newer brick wall.
ST. John's Basilica of Lateran was the first Christian Basilica built in 314 AD. It was the original church of the popes and was built on top of the stables of the imperial guards defeated by Constantine. This is where the Pope celebrates Mass on certain Holy Days and it has been rebuilt many times. At the top are statues of Jesus and the apostles which are characteristic of the 18th century. Inside is the altar of the first 33 Popes when they prayed in secret. Borromini redecorated for Pope Innocent X: the ceiling is completely gold covered, the columns are doubled, are inside and the Popes are buried inside them. Traditionally, a Priest must sit on this throne before he can become the Pope. The relic here is a piece of wood from the Last Supper table placed above the altar.
The 28 Holy Steps brought to Rome by Helen, Constantine's mother, are the steps Jesus climbed when he was tried by Pontius Pilate. On the second step is the permanent stain of Jesus' blood. These steps used to be inside ST John of Lateran, but were moved across the street to the Palace of the Holy Steps in ST. John's Square. In order to be considered worthy you must climb the steps on your knees because you aren't holy enough to walk them. Also you must pray 3 prayers on each step which takes a minimum of one and a half hours. This is one of the holiest places in all of Christendom.
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (ST. Mary Major) is one of Rome's 4 major basilicas and was built by Pope Liberius in 358AD and rebuilt by Pope Sixtus III from 423 to 440AD. It was built on Equiline Hill because they had a snow storm in August and it laid on the ground in the shape of a basilica. It resembles an 18th century palace more than a church with the tallest campanile (bell tower) in Rome and 2 domes and 2 chapels. It is called Major because it is the largest of 26 churches in Rome dedicated to Mary. In the 1600s Rome had a bad plague. When Pope Gregory prayed to Mary and saw Archangel Michael in the heavens, the plague was lifted. Rome erected a column to Mary with an eagle and a dragon, the symbol of the Borghese family. Pope Paul V along with the Borghese family built the chapel and surrounded it with bronze angels.
The Holy Door is on the left because that is closest to the heart in a human body. The church's facade isn't fancy and elaborate as are the other 3 basilicas; so it's a surprise when you enter and view its treasures: the 5th century Roman mosaics in the nave, its coffered ceiling gilded with gold brought over by Columbus from the New World, its own "Sistine Chapel", and in the 17th century the Pauline Borghese Chapel. It has 36 original columns, of which 4 are granite. The stained glass is from the 20th century. The altar is from the 18th century, but the mosaics are from the 5th century. It is definitely a quilt of a church pieced together from different centuries. There is a painting of Jesus crowning Mary with both seated on a double throne. There are several scenes of Mary's life, including a scene with Mary crying for Jesus at his side after he was crucified and above it one with Mary holding a baby in white robes. The white means His soul is young in heaven. The relic is a piece of wood from Jesus' crib set in silver. Pope Pius 9th in 1854 is responsible for defining Mary as the "Immaculate Conception". In 1918 Pope Benedict hailed Mary the Queen of Peace to end World War I. The painting shows the dove of peace waiting to fly. Also is a painting of Mary holding up her hand to stop all war and Jesus holding up an olive branch.
Bernini's tomb is inside near the altar. if you don't know where to look, you will miss it. It is so simple when he did so many elaborate fountains and helped with the Sistine chapel. Bernini is the man who changes the look of Rome with his magnificent fountains. A bit of trivia: Bernini had 11 children and one son became a priest at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
In conclusion, after viewing Rome you must understand that religion played a dominant role in shaping the world then as it still does today. Religion basically sets the moral rules that we live by. That is important to remember.
The Vatican Museum, built of yellow stone which is now extinct, has many works of art from all over the world: Greek, Roman, statues of Homer, Apollo, the Trojan Horse, Moses, Athena, Troy and Hercules. The Romans loved Egyptian sculptures and Greek gods, therefore included chariots on a lot of their friezes. There are 2 Roman copies of the Egyptian sphinxs here. There is a statue of a warrior scraping olive oil and sand off his body. This is the first time the Romans imitated the Greeks. The Pope wanted the arm raised on the statue of David. Michelangelo, being a master of the torso, didn't agree because it would place the body out of proportion. But he had to do what the Pope wanted, so he knocked the arm off and recreated it. When the statue was excavated in the the 1960s, sculptor Pollack found the original arm and placed it on there not raised. The ancient Greek and Roman animal statues represent fertility. The Romans believed Romulus was from Euripedes and came here during the Trojan Wars. Therefore the Romans adopted the Greek statues and gods as their own (Apollo, Athena and Ajax). The Rotunda is a huge room similar to the Pantheon with mosaics. Here is a bronze Hercules with a club made from an olive tree and holding a lion's skin. This survived the Middle Ages even when everything else was melted down. Someone buried it under a marble slab and marked it with a symbol representing lightening. Margaret Usinof has written a book describing this. There is a huge tapestry room with works of art that are so detailed you cannot imagine how they could have been made by hand with threads. It is amazing that threads can show all the shades and shadows, almost as if it were painted! It takes needlepoint to a whole different dimension. In the Map room are ancient maps created by saints, one for each area of Italy. They were drawn by the two Dentis brothers sitting on top of donkeys. Surprisingly, they are 86% accurate! After they drew the maps, artists painted them.
There are 4 Basilicas in Rome: ST. Peter, ST.Paul, ST. John of Lateran, and ST. Mary Maggiore. To be considered a Basilica it must have a relic. The Basilica of ST. Peter is the largest church in the world. When you enter you just gasp at it's size and magnificence. in ancient Rome ST. Peter was crucified just to the left where the Circus of Nero was located. He was buried here in 64AD and in 324 AD Constantine had a basilica built over his tomb. It was rebuilt in the 1500 - 1600s in the baroque style. this was the time of MRtin Luther's Reformation and it was the way the popes needed to answer Luther. Baroque is what's old is polished up with a new dress. In the church is the famous Pieta that the French ambassador had Michelangelo sculpt when he was 23. He portrayed Mary as a young woman to convey her purity even though she was middle age at the time of Jesus' crucifixtion. Many people were in line to kiss the feet of the 13th century bronze of ST. Peter. The altar designed by Bernini has the largest, heavy stones at the bottom, halfway up it becomes bronze and at the top it is gold, pure light. This represents the passage from the human body and life with sins into heaven with all sins forgiven. The original wooden throne from the first ST. Peters is inside the bronze throne. The round red stone where Charlemagne was coronated is the only piece of the first ST. Peter's Basilica in the newer one. When a priest is embalmed the practice is to place the visceral into bottles which are stored in the church.
ST. Paul's Basilica is the second largest church in Rome and was built on top of Paul's grave outside of the city walls. It was expanded on in 510AD, but in 1823 a fire destroyed it all. It has been rebuilt exactly as it was in the 1300s. Outside it was a very pastoral setting with umbrella and Mediterranean pines that supply edible pine nuts and was the wood from which pinocchio was made.The palm trees planted represent Palm Sunday. There are additional holy days celebrated here: January 25th for Paul's conversion and June 29th for Paul's death.
On the Basilica's pediment are the Lamb of God and 12 smaller lambs to represent the 12 disciples.The Holy Door on the right is opened for one year every 25 years. This Byzantine Holy Door has 54 panels of the life of Jesus. It is 1000 years old and survived the fire. The windows are alabaster stone to allow in the most light but have the look of stained glass. A triumphant arch divides the nave from the altar. Jesus is in the center with Paul on the right and Peter on the left. At the altar in a box are the chains that held Paul in prison. Paul's sarcophagus and the one oil lamp that survived the fire are there also. These are the relics. The original wall from the first Basilica is in the back. Outside are placed pieces of the original marble and columns incorporated into the newer brick wall.
ST. John's Basilica of Lateran was the first Christian Basilica built in 314 AD. It was the original church of the popes and was built on top of the stables of the imperial guards defeated by Constantine. This is where the Pope celebrates Mass on certain Holy Days and it has been rebuilt many times. At the top are statues of Jesus and the apostles which are characteristic of the 18th century. Inside is the altar of the first 33 Popes when they prayed in secret. Borromini redecorated for Pope Innocent X: the ceiling is completely gold covered, the columns are doubled, are inside and the Popes are buried inside them. Traditionally, a Priest must sit on this throne before he can become the Pope. The relic here is a piece of wood from the Last Supper table placed above the altar.
The 28 Holy Steps brought to Rome by Helen, Constantine's mother, are the steps Jesus climbed when he was tried by Pontius Pilate. On the second step is the permanent stain of Jesus' blood. These steps used to be inside ST John of Lateran, but were moved across the street to the Palace of the Holy Steps in ST. John's Square. In order to be considered worthy you must climb the steps on your knees because you aren't holy enough to walk them. Also you must pray 3 prayers on each step which takes a minimum of one and a half hours. This is one of the holiest places in all of Christendom.
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (ST. Mary Major) is one of Rome's 4 major basilicas and was built by Pope Liberius in 358AD and rebuilt by Pope Sixtus III from 423 to 440AD. It was built on Equiline Hill because they had a snow storm in August and it laid on the ground in the shape of a basilica. It resembles an 18th century palace more than a church with the tallest campanile (bell tower) in Rome and 2 domes and 2 chapels. It is called Major because it is the largest of 26 churches in Rome dedicated to Mary. In the 1600s Rome had a bad plague. When Pope Gregory prayed to Mary and saw Archangel Michael in the heavens, the plague was lifted. Rome erected a column to Mary with an eagle and a dragon, the symbol of the Borghese family. Pope Paul V along with the Borghese family built the chapel and surrounded it with bronze angels.
The Holy Door is on the left because that is closest to the heart in a human body. The church's facade isn't fancy and elaborate as are the other 3 basilicas; so it's a surprise when you enter and view its treasures: the 5th century Roman mosaics in the nave, its coffered ceiling gilded with gold brought over by Columbus from the New World, its own "Sistine Chapel", and in the 17th century the Pauline Borghese Chapel. It has 36 original columns, of which 4 are granite. The stained glass is from the 20th century. The altar is from the 18th century, but the mosaics are from the 5th century. It is definitely a quilt of a church pieced together from different centuries. There is a painting of Jesus crowning Mary with both seated on a double throne. There are several scenes of Mary's life, including a scene with Mary crying for Jesus at his side after he was crucified and above it one with Mary holding a baby in white robes. The white means His soul is young in heaven. The relic is a piece of wood from Jesus' crib set in silver. Pope Pius 9th in 1854 is responsible for defining Mary as the "Immaculate Conception". In 1918 Pope Benedict hailed Mary the Queen of Peace to end World War I. The painting shows the dove of peace waiting to fly. Also is a painting of Mary holding up her hand to stop all war and Jesus holding up an olive branch.
Bernini's tomb is inside near the altar. if you don't know where to look, you will miss it. It is so simple when he did so many elaborate fountains and helped with the Sistine chapel. Bernini is the man who changes the look of Rome with his magnificent fountains. A bit of trivia: Bernini had 11 children and one son became a priest at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
In conclusion, after viewing Rome you must understand that religion played a dominant role in shaping the world then as it still does today. Religion basically sets the moral rules that we live by. That is important to remember.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday, 5/5/11
Rome's Colosseum was originally called the Ampitheatre Flavium built by Vespasian between 72 and 80AD where Spartacus had soldiers squashed to death. When it was inaugurated during Titus' reign with a bloody fight between gladiators and wild beasts that lasted several long weeks. It was composed of 5 floors and was built on top of a swamp, becoming a marvelous feat of architecture because its enormous weight was on artificial supports. It was covered in marble and could hold 80,000 spectators. At its prime, 5000 animals a day were slaughtered, nearly making some animal species extinct. The emperors and patricians had special boxes reserved for them and there were marble seats on all floors. The Roman housewives were restricted to the 5th floor only. The Vestal Virgins were seated with the Emperor.
The Colosseum was composed of Doric, Ionian and Corinthian columns to add a variety of styles. At the bottom were 14 narrow and dark corridors for the animals which were led in the dark by an oil lamp to the arena. Murderers were fed to the lions here. Petty crime offenders were offered a sword and became hunters of wild animals in the arena with the survivors being freed. In 217AD fire destroyed the Colosseum when lightening struck a pole, spread to the canvas canopies, then to the limestone, bricks and marble. You cannot put water on marble to put out fire because it'll break up; so they needed sand, which was further away. It was rebuilt 5 years later.
The night before the battles the soldiers were given a free dinner; their "last supper" before the fight. Gladiators drank wine mixed with water, honey and pepper which was said to increase their skill. The best gladiators were always left handed. At the entrance to the arena the gladiators saluted Caesar. Once the Colosseum was flooded to perform a sea battle with 19,000 gladiators and only 50 survived! There were 3 types of fights:1. to the first injury, 2. to their death with a chance of a pardon, and 3. to their death without a pardon. Some gladiators rode chariots, the German ones carried a shield called Minunomus and Secretaurus. The art of gambling and bookkeepers started here with betting on the outcomes of the fights.
The act of throwing Christians to the animals is a misconception. The Bishop of Antioch was the only Christian that was killed in the Colosseum which diminshed the power of the emperor. The second Christian was killed by the spectators because he protested the fight and the public was enraged; they enjoyed the fights.
Emperor Comodos was said to be the most brutal of all and at age 15 trained to be a gladiator. He spent 5 hours daily in the gym training. He was invincible because he was left handed, trained and he broke the arms of his opponents before the fight! In 1905 an underwater exploration under Mussolini revealed animal carcases and gold.
The first tiny village at the top of Paletine Hill in 750BC was the foundation of Rome. It grew from this sheepherding village to a community, to a monarchy, a republic, a dictatorship and then an empire. The center of Rome is the Forum and is the best archeological area around. The first Temple built to a human, not a god, was dedicated to Caesar. It was called Ara Di Cesare. He is buried there and people still place flowers on his grave. The layers of history are on top of each other. Rome is like a lasagne with another layer always below you. The Tiber River flooded every year and covered up the dwellings; thereby raising the city levells with the old ruins buried beneath the silt. Not until the late 1800s did they build a stone riverbank to halt the floods. Arches were built to honor battlefield triumphs. The Arch of Constantine is the first great surviving triumphal arch and was built in 315AD by the Senate in honor of his defeat of the pagan Maxentius in 306AD. There are intricate carvings and reliefs showing victories of earlier Antonine rulers, but nothing specific of Constantine's victories. It marks an important time of great change in history with the acceptance of Christianity. Constantine didn't ban paganism, but espoused Christianity himself. His mother, Helen, was already a Christian when he was in a battle against Maxentius and had a vision of a cross appearing in the heavens with the words "In this sign shall you conquer". He believed and added a cross to all of his soldiers' armor and defeated Maxentius. He allotted the Christians land on the outsides of the city to build their churches because he didn't want to upset the pagans. Just before his death he was baptized, but he is important for his recognition of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Arch of Titus, just outside of the Colosseum is the second great surviving triumphal arch. It is in surprisingly good repair because it was inside the private castle of the Frangipani family during the Middle Ages and was protected from the Ottoman raids. It was constructed of marble and travertine and is an important, but sad, landmark for the Jews. It celebrates Titus' victory over the Jews when he completely destroyed the Jerusalem Temple and carried off their holy treasures to Rome. This expelled the Jews from colonized Judea and started the Jewish Diaspora over Europe. The relief on the arch displays a victory parade through Rome with the Emperor in a chariot lead by 4 horses pulling the Jewish treasures, a cross and a menorah among them. Titus is crowned with Victory coming down from the heavens. The wings represent their victory. The people displayed show 2 social bases: one has a bare back which is the common man and the second is wearing a toga to represent the senators. Several other temples in various stages of ruin are nearby. The Temple of Romulus, son of an emperor from the 4th century AD; it is not Romulus, founder of Rome, is here. The Temple has the original bronze Roman door swith massive hinges et inside an ornate entryway and is one of the few original doors still in existence. This Romulus was considered to be the protector of your dwelling and today they display him in a round shape above their doorways. The Temple of Antonio and Faustius built in 175AD was dedicated to his wife. The building is surprisingly in good shape with all of its column still standing. You can see the groove in the stone where the Christians tried to be pull the Temple down with ropes. They gave up and it was transferred into a church similar to the Pantheon.
The House of the Vestal Virgins was built to house the consecrated young women who tended the flame in the Temple of Vesta and used in the arena. The virgins were 6 girls of patrician families chosen by their fathers at age 6 and served their time for 30 years. Given this honor they must remain chaste and were considered to be holy and were among Rome's most venerated citizens. If they misplaced their virginity, they were buried alive. Their amorous partner was just flogged to death. Inside their temple was a colonnade with gardens and statues of the virgins wearing robes. They were the only ones allowed to sit next to the emperor at the arena and were worshipped as half goddesses.They received a salary monthly which was unheard of in that time for a female. They were powerful; could pardon prisoners. They also asked the emperor for more brutal fights in the Colosseum.
The first temple built and dedicated to Caesar is Ara Di Cesare. He is buried here and people still bring flowers. It is within the city walls and is the center of the Forum. This is unusual because in ancient Rome all of the cemetries were outside the city walls to prevent diseases from spreading. The wall around ancient Rome was 12 miles long. The prototype of the temple was the same shape as the Roman hat.
The Colosseum was composed of Doric, Ionian and Corinthian columns to add a variety of styles. At the bottom were 14 narrow and dark corridors for the animals which were led in the dark by an oil lamp to the arena. Murderers were fed to the lions here. Petty crime offenders were offered a sword and became hunters of wild animals in the arena with the survivors being freed. In 217AD fire destroyed the Colosseum when lightening struck a pole, spread to the canvas canopies, then to the limestone, bricks and marble. You cannot put water on marble to put out fire because it'll break up; so they needed sand, which was further away. It was rebuilt 5 years later.
The night before the battles the soldiers were given a free dinner; their "last supper" before the fight. Gladiators drank wine mixed with water, honey and pepper which was said to increase their skill. The best gladiators were always left handed. At the entrance to the arena the gladiators saluted Caesar. Once the Colosseum was flooded to perform a sea battle with 19,000 gladiators and only 50 survived! There were 3 types of fights:1. to the first injury, 2. to their death with a chance of a pardon, and 3. to their death without a pardon. Some gladiators rode chariots, the German ones carried a shield called Minunomus and Secretaurus. The art of gambling and bookkeepers started here with betting on the outcomes of the fights.
The act of throwing Christians to the animals is a misconception. The Bishop of Antioch was the only Christian that was killed in the Colosseum which diminshed the power of the emperor. The second Christian was killed by the spectators because he protested the fight and the public was enraged; they enjoyed the fights.
Emperor Comodos was said to be the most brutal of all and at age 15 trained to be a gladiator. He spent 5 hours daily in the gym training. He was invincible because he was left handed, trained and he broke the arms of his opponents before the fight! In 1905 an underwater exploration under Mussolini revealed animal carcases and gold.
The first tiny village at the top of Paletine Hill in 750BC was the foundation of Rome. It grew from this sheepherding village to a community, to a monarchy, a republic, a dictatorship and then an empire. The center of Rome is the Forum and is the best archeological area around. The first Temple built to a human, not a god, was dedicated to Caesar. It was called Ara Di Cesare. He is buried there and people still place flowers on his grave. The layers of history are on top of each other. Rome is like a lasagne with another layer always below you. The Tiber River flooded every year and covered up the dwellings; thereby raising the city levells with the old ruins buried beneath the silt. Not until the late 1800s did they build a stone riverbank to halt the floods. Arches were built to honor battlefield triumphs. The Arch of Constantine is the first great surviving triumphal arch and was built in 315AD by the Senate in honor of his defeat of the pagan Maxentius in 306AD. There are intricate carvings and reliefs showing victories of earlier Antonine rulers, but nothing specific of Constantine's victories. It marks an important time of great change in history with the acceptance of Christianity. Constantine didn't ban paganism, but espoused Christianity himself. His mother, Helen, was already a Christian when he was in a battle against Maxentius and had a vision of a cross appearing in the heavens with the words "In this sign shall you conquer". He believed and added a cross to all of his soldiers' armor and defeated Maxentius. He allotted the Christians land on the outsides of the city to build their churches because he didn't want to upset the pagans. Just before his death he was baptized, but he is important for his recognition of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Arch of Titus, just outside of the Colosseum is the second great surviving triumphal arch. It is in surprisingly good repair because it was inside the private castle of the Frangipani family during the Middle Ages and was protected from the Ottoman raids. It was constructed of marble and travertine and is an important, but sad, landmark for the Jews. It celebrates Titus' victory over the Jews when he completely destroyed the Jerusalem Temple and carried off their holy treasures to Rome. This expelled the Jews from colonized Judea and started the Jewish Diaspora over Europe. The relief on the arch displays a victory parade through Rome with the Emperor in a chariot lead by 4 horses pulling the Jewish treasures, a cross and a menorah among them. Titus is crowned with Victory coming down from the heavens. The wings represent their victory. The people displayed show 2 social bases: one has a bare back which is the common man and the second is wearing a toga to represent the senators. Several other temples in various stages of ruin are nearby. The Temple of Romulus, son of an emperor from the 4th century AD; it is not Romulus, founder of Rome, is here. The Temple has the original bronze Roman door swith massive hinges et inside an ornate entryway and is one of the few original doors still in existence. This Romulus was considered to be the protector of your dwelling and today they display him in a round shape above their doorways. The Temple of Antonio and Faustius built in 175AD was dedicated to his wife. The building is surprisingly in good shape with all of its column still standing. You can see the groove in the stone where the Christians tried to be pull the Temple down with ropes. They gave up and it was transferred into a church similar to the Pantheon.
The House of the Vestal Virgins was built to house the consecrated young women who tended the flame in the Temple of Vesta and used in the arena. The virgins were 6 girls of patrician families chosen by their fathers at age 6 and served their time for 30 years. Given this honor they must remain chaste and were considered to be holy and were among Rome's most venerated citizens. If they misplaced their virginity, they were buried alive. Their amorous partner was just flogged to death. Inside their temple was a colonnade with gardens and statues of the virgins wearing robes. They were the only ones allowed to sit next to the emperor at the arena and were worshipped as half goddesses.They received a salary monthly which was unheard of in that time for a female. They were powerful; could pardon prisoners. They also asked the emperor for more brutal fights in the Colosseum.
The first temple built and dedicated to Caesar is Ara Di Cesare. He is buried here and people still bring flowers. It is within the city walls and is the center of the Forum. This is unusual because in ancient Rome all of the cemetries were outside the city walls to prevent diseases from spreading. The wall around ancient Rome was 12 miles long. The prototype of the temple was the same shape as the Roman hat.
Wednesday, 5/4/11
Rome was built on 7 hills mostly on the left bank of the Tiber River- Quirinale, where their modern government is located, Esquiline, Viminal, Caelian and Aventine and 2 other hills. They form a crescent shaped plateau of historical fame. In its center is Palatine Hill with the imperial residences of Ancient Rome and in the northwest, Capitoline Hill. All of these hills are surrounded by marshy, mosquito-infested lowlands (sounds like Florida) which contributed to their downfall. The Tiber River bends 2 times around Rome at the Ponte Cavour, and at the island of Tiberius, which is rich with history.
Due to the presence of active volcanoes Rome was settled much later than Sicily and Sardinia. Even Tuscany and Umbria were settled earlier. The Etruscans of maybe Asia Minor had contact with Mesopotamia and moved onto the coast of Umbria around 1200-1000BC. Within 2 centuries they overcame Tuscany and Campania. Rome at this time was only a sheepherding village and profited from the ancient salt way of commerce. Salt was worth more than gold then. By 600BC the Etruscans arrived and the small tribes of Rome were swept away. The best of Asia Minor and Greek culture arrived with gold tableware, jewelry, bronze urns, and terra cotta statuary. Italy was called Latium and Rome was made the government seat. Actually, Rome is an Etruscan name and the kings of Rome had Etruscan names: Numa, Ancas, Tarquinius and Romulus and Remus. Therefore, the forced peace and mixing of Latin tribes and Etruscans blended to become the Republic of Rome and the ancestors of all Italians now.
Legend has it that Romulus and Remus were 2 brothers who were cared for by a she-wolf. They created Roma on the 7 hills above the Tiber River. There is no historical eveidence of this, but the story is enjoyable.
By 510-250BC the Romans and their Campanian allies threw out the Etruscans with their language and religion, but much of their culture remained because they had assimulated it as their own over time. A lot of Etruscan bloodlines still exist in Tuscany today.
The Roman Republic believed in many gods. The Senate ruled and their armies fought victoriously. Rome had well-maintained military roads and a well-defined hierarchy of military commanders. By 49BC Italy ruled all of the Mediterranean area. Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and became a dictator and consul (which is almost like a king) for 10 years. On 3/15/44BC Brutus stabbed Julius Caesar to death; therefore, Beware the Ides of March!!! By 49BC, Marc Antony assumed control, but met and fell in love with Cleopatra while trying to annex Egypt into his Republic. He was tricked into marrying Octavious' sister, Octavia, when he really loved Cleopatra. Being unfaithful to Octavia and openly marrying Cleopatra he was defeated by Octavius at the Battle of Actium. Augustus Octavius, born in 63BC and adopted by his great uncle, Julius Caesar, became the first Roman Emperor reigning from 27BC-14AD. His reign began the "Golden Age" of Rome and led to the "Pax Romana" with two centuries of peace. The ruins of his Forum of Augustus and his Domus Augustana are still here.
During Augustus' reign Rome reached unheard of heights and he turned a city of brick into one of marble. Rome had some very good emperors: Augustus, Claudius, Trajan, Vespasian and Hadrian, but there were at least four corrupt ones: Caligula, Nero, Domitian, Caracalla.
Decay of moral values, excesses and scandal were so prevalent that by the 3rd century AD there had been 23 emperors in 73 years. This was the era when Rome's citizens spent all day at gladiator games or at the imperial baths. By the 4th century Diocletian came into power, enforced the imperial power, heavily taxed the people and divided the empire into two halves : the east and west.
Due to the presence of active volcanoes Rome was settled much later than Sicily and Sardinia. Even Tuscany and Umbria were settled earlier. The Etruscans of maybe Asia Minor had contact with Mesopotamia and moved onto the coast of Umbria around 1200-1000BC. Within 2 centuries they overcame Tuscany and Campania. Rome at this time was only a sheepherding village and profited from the ancient salt way of commerce. Salt was worth more than gold then. By 600BC the Etruscans arrived and the small tribes of Rome were swept away. The best of Asia Minor and Greek culture arrived with gold tableware, jewelry, bronze urns, and terra cotta statuary. Italy was called Latium and Rome was made the government seat. Actually, Rome is an Etruscan name and the kings of Rome had Etruscan names: Numa, Ancas, Tarquinius and Romulus and Remus. Therefore, the forced peace and mixing of Latin tribes and Etruscans blended to become the Republic of Rome and the ancestors of all Italians now.
Legend has it that Romulus and Remus were 2 brothers who were cared for by a she-wolf. They created Roma on the 7 hills above the Tiber River. There is no historical eveidence of this, but the story is enjoyable.
By 510-250BC the Romans and their Campanian allies threw out the Etruscans with their language and religion, but much of their culture remained because they had assimulated it as their own over time. A lot of Etruscan bloodlines still exist in Tuscany today.
The Roman Republic believed in many gods. The Senate ruled and their armies fought victoriously. Rome had well-maintained military roads and a well-defined hierarchy of military commanders. By 49BC Italy ruled all of the Mediterranean area. Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and became a dictator and consul (which is almost like a king) for 10 years. On 3/15/44BC Brutus stabbed Julius Caesar to death; therefore, Beware the Ides of March!!! By 49BC, Marc Antony assumed control, but met and fell in love with Cleopatra while trying to annex Egypt into his Republic. He was tricked into marrying Octavious' sister, Octavia, when he really loved Cleopatra. Being unfaithful to Octavia and openly marrying Cleopatra he was defeated by Octavius at the Battle of Actium. Augustus Octavius, born in 63BC and adopted by his great uncle, Julius Caesar, became the first Roman Emperor reigning from 27BC-14AD. His reign began the "Golden Age" of Rome and led to the "Pax Romana" with two centuries of peace. The ruins of his Forum of Augustus and his Domus Augustana are still here.
During Augustus' reign Rome reached unheard of heights and he turned a city of brick into one of marble. Rome had some very good emperors: Augustus, Claudius, Trajan, Vespasian and Hadrian, but there were at least four corrupt ones: Caligula, Nero, Domitian, Caracalla.
Decay of moral values, excesses and scandal were so prevalent that by the 3rd century AD there had been 23 emperors in 73 years. This was the era when Rome's citizens spent all day at gladiator games or at the imperial baths. By the 4th century Diocletian came into power, enforced the imperial power, heavily taxed the people and divided the empire into two halves : the east and west.
The Holy Land and Ancient Greece; 5/3 - 5/22
5/3/2011
Today we flew to Rome, Italy on USAIR and Daddy really surprised me with an upgrade to first class!!!
We flew to Charlotte and had a long layover, but we slept on the last leg over the ocean. The seats are extremely comfortable and they lay back like lazyboys to sleep and your can choose your most comfortable position! I thought they were worth the extra money, but Daddy had trouble sleeping. But then he can sleep pretty good in a regular seat.
5/4/2011 Tuesday
Our arrival in Rome was at 3:30 AM, eastern standard time, which is 9:30 Rome time. It was sunny and in the 70s. The hotel was Leonardo da Vinci in a nice section of Rome. Our room was 335 and even had a bathtub, which is not common in Europe. After a short nap we ventured out into the subway at Lepanto to explore. Two stops later at Piazza Spagna, which means Spanish Plaza, we arrived at the Spanish steps and the Ristorante alla Rampa that Carolyn and Don recommended. We ordered Chianti, tomato capresse (with mozzarella and basil), veal scallopini, pasta with mussels, shrimp, clams and calamari. Delicious! They had a huge refrigerated cabinet filled with ice and fresh seafood!!!
Throughout the meal we had to keep asking for the olive oil and balsalmic vinegar. Somehow, they only left it at the table for 7 minutes, then gave it to somebody else. The waiter said,"Can't stay all night here!" There was a musician playing an accordian on the steps just outside the porch of the ristorante. We recognized the song,"It's Amore".I asked for cannelloni for dessert, which is always on Italian-American menus. "No do!!! Cannnellonis are Sicilian only. Don't serve in Roma!"
We walked to the Spanish Steps, built in 1723 to link the Church of Trinita dei Monti with the chic shopping district on Via dei Condotti below. It is a baroque staircase designed by Francesco de Sanctis in the 18th century. At the foot of the steps is a fountain designed by Bernini's father at the end of the 16th century and said to have the sweetest water in Rome. We saw many people actually drinking from it. It was surprising because we wouldn't do that in the states! They say there is no reason why anyone in Rome should ever be without water! This piazza is named for the Spanish Embassy which used to be housed here. It was designed by an Italian architect in 1723-1725, but totally funded by the French to have access to Trinita dei Monte at the top. It should be called the French Steps! Keats, of Keats-Shelley fame, lived and died here at the age of 25 in 1821 of Tuberculosis . Tomorrow Ray and Carol arrive at the hotel. We plan on eating at Ristorante alla Rampa tomorrow night also.
Today we flew to Rome, Italy on USAIR and Daddy really surprised me with an upgrade to first class!!!
We flew to Charlotte and had a long layover, but we slept on the last leg over the ocean. The seats are extremely comfortable and they lay back like lazyboys to sleep and your can choose your most comfortable position! I thought they were worth the extra money, but Daddy had trouble sleeping. But then he can sleep pretty good in a regular seat.
5/4/2011 Tuesday
Our arrival in Rome was at 3:30 AM, eastern standard time, which is 9:30 Rome time. It was sunny and in the 70s. The hotel was Leonardo da Vinci in a nice section of Rome. Our room was 335 and even had a bathtub, which is not common in Europe. After a short nap we ventured out into the subway at Lepanto to explore. Two stops later at Piazza Spagna, which means Spanish Plaza, we arrived at the Spanish steps and the Ristorante alla Rampa that Carolyn and Don recommended. We ordered Chianti, tomato capresse (with mozzarella and basil), veal scallopini, pasta with mussels, shrimp, clams and calamari. Delicious! They had a huge refrigerated cabinet filled with ice and fresh seafood!!!
Throughout the meal we had to keep asking for the olive oil and balsalmic vinegar. Somehow, they only left it at the table for 7 minutes, then gave it to somebody else. The waiter said,"Can't stay all night here!" There was a musician playing an accordian on the steps just outside the porch of the ristorante. We recognized the song,"It's Amore".I asked for cannelloni for dessert, which is always on Italian-American menus. "No do!!! Cannnellonis are Sicilian only. Don't serve in Roma!"
We walked to the Spanish Steps, built in 1723 to link the Church of Trinita dei Monti with the chic shopping district on Via dei Condotti below. It is a baroque staircase designed by Francesco de Sanctis in the 18th century. At the foot of the steps is a fountain designed by Bernini's father at the end of the 16th century and said to have the sweetest water in Rome. We saw many people actually drinking from it. It was surprising because we wouldn't do that in the states! They say there is no reason why anyone in Rome should ever be without water! This piazza is named for the Spanish Embassy which used to be housed here. It was designed by an Italian architect in 1723-1725, but totally funded by the French to have access to Trinita dei Monte at the top. It should be called the French Steps! Keats, of Keats-Shelley fame, lived and died here at the age of 25 in 1821 of Tuberculosis . Tomorrow Ray and Carol arrive at the hotel. We plan on eating at Ristorante alla Rampa tomorrow night also.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)