Ecco alcune scene di Roma.

Scene di Roma:

Here you can see some recent shots of Rome and the Trastevere neighborhood so you can get a feel for what life is like in this ancient and modern capital - a view that is a little different than in the usual guide books.

Arch of Titus

In the western section of the Roman Forum.

"The Arch of Titus, Rome, was erected after the emperor's death, to commemorate chiefly the capture of Jerusalem. It has a single opening flanked on each outer face by attached columns with early examples of the Composite capital. On the coffered soffit of the arch and the wall faces below it are reliefs of the emperor and spoils from the Temple in Jerusalem. The outside faces of the piers are exemplary nineteenth-century restorations undertaken as far back as 1821 after demolition of the fortification in which the arch had been incorporated in the Middle Ages. They make good what had been destroyed, without any attempt at deceit."

— Sir Banister Fletcher. A History of Architecture. p243, 246.

Vestal Virgins. (Domus Vestalium in the Forum)

Obligations and rewards of the thirty year commitment the Vestal Virgins made. "Even today we believe that our vestal Virgins can root runaway slaves to the spot by a spell, provided the slaves have not left Rome." (Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book XXVIII, 13.) The Vestal Virgins were venerated priestesses of Vesta (the Roman goddess of the hearth fire) and guardians of the luck of Rome who could intervene on behalf of those in trouble. Originally, there were two, then four (in Plutarch's time), and then six Vestal Virgins.

L. Cassius fuit, sicut iam saepe diximus, summae vir severitatis. Is quotiens quaesitor iudicii alicuius esset in quo quaerebatur de homine occiso suadebat atque etiam praeibat iudicibus hoc quod Cicero nunc admonet, ut quaereretur cui bono fuisset perire eum de cuius morte quaeritur. Ob quam severitatem, quo tempore Sex. Peducaeus tribunus plebis criminatus est L. Metellum pontificem max. totumque collegium pontificum male iudicasse de incesto virginum Vestalium, quod unam modo Aemiliam damnaverat, absolverat autem duas Marciam et Liciniam, populus hunc Cassium creavit qui de eisdem virginibus quaereret. Isque et ultrasque eas et praeterea complures alias nimia etiam, ut existimatio est, asperitate usus damnavit.

Church of Santa Cecilia.

Right around the corner from the Asinocotto. This church is one of the rare churches that have elements of religiosity going back to pre-Christian times. The deeper you go the older is the cult. If you go deep into the crypt you will find an extraordinary altar from the first century, with scenes depicting a baccanalia or drinking festival, certainly not what one would expect in a Christian church. However, to get to the crypt you have to pass by a guard of very severe nuns who, beside extracting a fee, will most certainly glare at you in (mock?) contempt. After a visit to Santa Cecilia you would most likely benefit from a good meal at the Asinocotto.

Fori Imperiali.

This road runs along the ancient forum and was built by Mussolini as a place to have large parades and propaganda gatherings. As a result of the reconstruction a large number of archaeological discoveries were made. Nowadays it is closed to traffic on Sundays and is one of the most pleasurable promenades in the city. The forum area is just accross the Tiber river from the Restaurant. From the Fori Imperiali you can walk up Via Cavour and through the Monti neighborhood, a newer (relatively!) area that has been recently rediscovered and houses lively watering holes evening times.