BCers Visit Italy, Switzerland & France; Pt 4: Time Traveling In Rome

MY WORLD CONSISTS OF SORTING through vacation memories. It was awe-inspiring to visit such sights as the 12th century home to the Popes (Castel Sant'Angelo pictured above), the eventual literal link and passageway to the Vatican. And seeing the incredible Flavian Amphitheatre (known as the Colosseum) in Rome was like unlocking a door through time.

It is a strange sensation stepping into ancient hallways surrounded by deep walls seeped in history. We could easily imagine the roar of crowds, the laughter, heartbreak and brutality echoing inside the huge Colosseum below.

This old-world amusement center presented TRUE reality entertainment pre-television for participants who lost their lives, won freedom or survived extreme challenges to become heroes and knaves.

We were told that people with deformities entertained the crowd at times. There was also a circus atmosphere when animals took center stage.

Historians say some 9000 wild animals were killed in 100 days to celebrate the opening of the amphitheatre.

The Colosseum bowl was sometimes filled with water to stage naval battles.

Surprisingly, the architects of this monumental marvel that once seated some 80,000 spectators are not known.

Completed in 80 AD, the Colosseum is badly broken and has sunk from the ravages of time and earth tremors.

It survives with continual reconstruction efforts. Not everything seen is as original as the sculpture (pictured above).

Near the Colosseum is the Triumphal Arch of Constantine, commemorating Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. It is said that with Constantine's conversion, Christian persecution ended.

Although Christians were certainly among those killed in the Colosseum, I was surprised to learn there is no historical data to confirm that the Christian massacres often seen in movies ever took place in the arena.

Constantine and his successors tried to end the cruel competitions but the people resisted until the 5th Century when a monk literally stood between the fighting gladiators.

Although the monk was pelted with stones and killed, his brave selfless act did eventually put an end to the "games".

After the earthquake of 1349, the Colosseum took a practical turn becoming a quarry for building materials.

During the Renaissance period the marble that once covered most of the structure was taken and reused for construction purposes throughout the city.

Every country has its brutal past. Societies mellow yet some basic instincts remain. I remember standing on a sidewalk in Rome waiting to cross a narrow side street with no traffic lights. People darted across despite the constant flow of vehicles. Noticing my hesitancy, a local said, “You must show courage and step out onto the street or the cars will never stop for you.”

Although I don't recommend leaping into traffic, I suspect it is not the combat but rather the love of courage exhibited by gladiators of the past that is at the heart of the fascinating Roman culture today.

There is also a new kind of gladiator haunting modern Rome. For a fee tourists can get their picture taken with a costumed pretender of days gone by.

Explorers can discover more sites from around the globe at My World.