Rivers and Arches and Ruins; oh my! It was our first day in Rome, but we hit the ground running. The day started off with the Tiber River. It was huge, and the walls constructed on either side of it were just as massive, protecting the city from the dangerous floods that can take place during heavy rain. I saw some people walking next to the river but they just looked like little ants compared to the flowing beast next to them and the giant guardians on either side. It’s funny, this is how I felt the entire time; like a little ant walking through a giant city. So small compared to the history before us.
Next came the Arch of Constantine. History came alive as sculptures and carvings of battles and triumphs covered every inch of the arch. Everyone’s cameras were out and flashing, enjoying the beautiful architecture. However the arch and the river were soon forgotten in the magnificence of the Colosseum.
I looked up in awe of the huge construction before me. It was beautiful, yet terrifying in the dark secrets and memories it held. As interesting as the construction and architecture was, I couldn’t help but thinks about those who had entered these exact walls thousands of years before us. Those people who were excited and thrilled to be entertained. And the others who were terrified. The Christians prepared to die for God, the gladiators prepared to fight to the death, and thousands of others who had the misfortune to be in the arena of a bloodthirsty crowd. Those were my thoughts as I walked through the Colosseum, as I saw the Hypogeum (the underground of the coliseum where the lifts and elevators were), as I walked the steps up to higher levels, as I saw the seats that people would sit in cheering for death and blood.
But don’t get me wrong. It was amazing! I still couldn’t believe that I was standing there! The Romans were such great architects and engineers. They had built a truly elaborate structure and they were quite ahead of their time. The history there was so thick and to actually see all the things that we had learned about was so amazing and such a great opportunity, as we saw the history come alive. As we walked about the ruins next to the coliseum, the ruins of the kings of past, we had the opportunity to recite part of a Latin speech that we had memorized several years ago. “Quo usque tandem, abutere Catalina…” Being able to just bask in the history was so amazing and yet oh so humbling. And that was just the beginning!
Next came the Arch of Constantine. History came alive as sculptures and carvings of battles and triumphs covered every inch of the arch. Everyone’s cameras were out and flashing, enjoying the beautiful architecture. However the arch and the river were soon forgotten in the magnificence of the Colosseum.
I looked up in awe of the huge construction before me. It was beautiful, yet terrifying in the dark secrets and memories it held. As interesting as the construction and architecture was, I couldn’t help but thinks about those who had entered these exact walls thousands of years before us. Those people who were excited and thrilled to be entertained. And the others who were terrified. The Christians prepared to die for God, the gladiators prepared to fight to the death, and thousands of others who had the misfortune to be in the arena of a bloodthirsty crowd. Those were my thoughts as I walked through the Colosseum, as I saw the Hypogeum (the underground of the coliseum where the lifts and elevators were), as I walked the steps up to higher levels, as I saw the seats that people would sit in cheering for death and blood.
But don’t get me wrong. It was amazing! I still couldn’t believe that I was standing there! The Romans were such great architects and engineers. They had built a truly elaborate structure and they were quite ahead of their time. The history there was so thick and to actually see all the things that we had learned about was so amazing and such a great opportunity, as we saw the history come alive. As we walked about the ruins next to the coliseum, the ruins of the kings of past, we had the opportunity to recite part of a Latin speech that we had memorized several years ago. “Quo usque tandem, abutere Catalina…” Being able to just bask in the history was so amazing and yet oh so humbling. And that was just the beginning!