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Travel tips, Food, Lifestyle, Street Art, Events and Exhibitions in Rome and all around Italy.

tiber island rome

The Tiber Island in ancient times was used for quarantines

The Tiber Island in ancient times was used for quarantines. It’s hard to be more isolated than that. The Tiber Island, a splendid and unique islet of the Tiber located right in the center of Rome, has always been a place linked to medicine to the sick and, in this case, to quarantines. Let’s find out why. In reality there are numerous curiosities concerning this place. The Tiber Island is the only urban island on the Tiber. About 300 meters long and 90 meters wide, it houses a real village with churches, hospitals, bars, restaurants and several houses, right in the center of Rome and in the middle of the river. Legend has it that the island was formed in 510 BC. from the sheaves of wheat harvested in Campo Marzio, owned by King Tarquinio the Superb at the time of the revolt: studies however prove that the island has origins much earlier than the event. He hosted the temple of Aesculapius, god of medicine, whose cult was introduced in 292 BC. following a plague. In the first half of

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December 24, 2021 9:22 am
women gladiators

In the Roman amphitheaters also female gladiators fought

In the Roman amphitheaters also female gladiators fought. Gladiators weren’t just men. There is evidence that testifies to the existence of female gladiators. But unlike men, most female gladiators weren’t formed by slaves, foreigners or poor townspeople forced to take up arms for money or coercion. But out of passion. In fact, some women developed such a passion for fighting that they voluntarily decided to go down to the arena. The female counterpart of the gladiator – an armed fighter who engaged in violent duels, against other fighters in the munera, or against animals in the venationes, for the entertainment of the spectators in the arenas of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire – were therefore the gladiators. They were rare, however they are attested in archeology and literature. One of the testimonies: in 19 A.D. a senatorial decree was issued under Tiberius which forbade men and women, related by kinship to senators or equites, to appear on the scene or to show themselves in gladiatorial garb. A previous decree of 11 AD prohibited girls under twenty from performing

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December 21, 2021 7:39 pm
Colosseum Rome - Gold Walking Tour

What happened to the marbles that decorated the Colosseum?

Did you know? What happened to the marbles that decorated the Colosseum? The Colosseum is one of the symbolic monuments of Rome in the world: gigantic, majestic, of great impact and with an “important” history. But what we see today is an amphitheater… …very different from what could be admired until the imperial period, when it was covered with marble, statues and beautiful decorations. Let’s find out what happened to all these ornaments and what are the monuments where you can admire the old marble of the Colosseum. The grandeur has remained the same, the marbles are very rare in the magnificent Flavian Amphitheater, an imposing structure built in the Flavian era on an area at the eastern edge of the Roman Forum. Its construction was started by Vespasian in 70 AD. and inaugurated by Tito in 80, with further changes made during Domitian’s empire in 90. It is the largest amphitheater in the world, capable of holding an estimated number of spectators between 50,000 and 87,000. In imperial times it was covered with statues and decorations of Mark, even

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December 20, 2021 2:52 pm
colosseum rome

The Colosseum was covered by a giant awning that weighed 24 tons and was operated by 1000 expert sailors

The velarium was a masterful work of engineering. Its positioning, extremely complicated, was carried out by very experienced sailors, a detachment of the Classis Misenensis (military fleet of Miseno), the Roman fleet stationed at the head of Miseno. Modern estimates speak of a total weight of about 24 tons and everything was handled by 1000 sailors. The velarium was a movable fabric cover made up of several hemp sheets (or veils), which was used in Roman theaters and amphitheaters to ensure spectators adequate protection in bad weather or on hot days. The Colosseum had its own velarium, a gigantic curtain that was fixed to 240 protruding support poles, inserted in as many quadrangular holes, corresponding to 240 protruding stone shelves. From their top a complex system of ropes began, along which huge “sails” were opened and stretched, a sort of structure suspended over the arena that allowed the cavea and part of the arena to be covered. A ring in the center favored the ventilation of the amphitheater; to reduce unpleasant odors, jets of scented water and perfumed essences were

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December 19, 2021 4:36 pm
seven hills of rome

What are the names of the famous seven hills of Rome?

At school, since elementary school we have heard about the seven hills of Rome. They were fundamental since the birth of the first nucleus of the city. According to tradition, in fact, the birth of Rome took place on seven hills, small hills that today are perfectly integrated into the residential fabric of the historic center of the Eternal City. Why are there really seven famous ones (actually there are more)? And what is the hill where the first portion of the city was built? Let’s find out all the curiosities about the hills of Rome together. The official list of hills is reported by the authors Plutarch and Cicero who, in their works, speak of seven hills (actually, in the historic center of the city there are also three others). The seven official hills of Rome are: Aventine, Campidoglio, Celio, Esquilino, Palatino, Quirinale, and Viminale. The other three hills, on the other hand, are: Gianicolo, Pincio and Vatican. In some eras the Gianicolo and Vatican hills were part of the official list, but in this the Quirinale and the

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December 16, 2021 5:10 pm
Piazza navona

The terrible story of the marble head in Piazza Navona

In a Roman palace in Piazza Navona, precisely at number 34, it is possible to see a marble head protruding solitary from the facade. Why is there this isolated face and what does it represent? A popular tradition that has been handed down over the centuries tells that in the second half of the sixteenth century Pope Sixtus V loved to mix with the crowd, disguised as a commoner, to measure his level of popularity among the Romans. The Pope took off his papal clothes, dressed in other less elegant clothes and, mixing with plebeians and common people, listened, trying not to be recognized, that people really thought of him. One day, while entertaining himself in an osteria in Piazza Navona, he listened and heard the speeches of an innkeeper, who made very critical judgments towards the papal power. In fact, the innkeeper complained, repeatedly insulting the Pope, because of a new tax on wine. The next day the innkeeper found a gallows mounted in front of his tavern and this made him happy, because he was looking forward to

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December 13, 2021 3:25 pm
gladiator fights

What happened in gladiator fights?

Who really were the gladiators and what really happened in the Colosseum in Rome and in the other amphitheaters of the Roman Empire? The name “gladiators” derives from gladius, the sword of the past Roman legionary that they also use by wrestlers. The practice of duels between gladiators comes from the Etruscans and like many other aspects of Etruscan culture, this too was adopted by the Romans. The first gladiator show probably took place in 264 BC. In 105 BC the games became public. The gladiators were on average between 20 and 35 years old (in the majority, however, 30), in line with the life expectancy of the time. And the height was also in line with the time: 168 cm. The fighters could be real professionals, new inexperienced gladiators, convicts, criminals, slaves, convicts, prisoners of war, Christians, or free men, without distinction of race or sex (the fights of gladiators, extremely rare, were however always the most requested). Gladiators were trained in special schools. The most prestigious was the Ludus Magnus.The gladiators stayed in cells arranged according to an

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December 9, 2021 11:28 am
Rome

Rome two thousand years ago had two million inhabitants

Rome in the imperial age, in its moment of maximum splendor, was the largest metropolis in the world. Cosmopolitan, just like New York now. It was the first great gigantic city of humanity, so much so that the number of inhabitants of Augustan Rome was reached only at the beginning of the nineteenth century by London, but above all it welcomed the most important ancient civilization, which influenced society, culture, language, literature, art, architecture, philosophy of the whole Western world, up to the present day. Everything worked despite not being able to count on the benefits of today’s science. If you think about it, it looks almost like a miracle. In the imperial age, Rome had 1,200,000 inhabitants, excluding slaves and immigrants (therefore almost two million). It was already then a cosmopolitan city with monumental buildings, gigantic squares, fountains and statues, and it was also very noisy and chaotic. The first true, great metropolis in history, with gigantic aqueducts, cisterns, containers and markets for food, gigantic neighborhoods and magnificent buildings. Rome was equipped with thermal baths, running water, public baths.

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December 7, 2021 4:59 pm
spanish steps

Roman monuments: the marvelous Trinità dei Monti stairway in Piazza di Spagna or Spanish Steps

Roman monuments: the wonderful steps of Trinità dei Monti in Piazza di Spagna. The staircase of Trinità dei Monti, a masterpiece of the eighteenth century, was built between 1723 and 1726 by the architect Francesco De Sanctis who managed to get the better of the project presented by Alessandro Specchi after long and heated discussions on how the steep slope on the side of the Pincio should be connected to the church. The staircase, in travertine, is composed of a series of ramps, 11, each made up of 12 steps, which divide and come together, constantly changing direction. From any position you can enjoy a magnificent view of the square, made famous by the cinema but above all by the love of tourists who, before the Coronavirus emergency, used to crowd it (and not only them) at any time of day. A series of balustrades accompanies the ramps: they interrupt the difference in height and serve as a stopping point and to admire the landscape. The structure served as a link between the slopes of the Pincio dominated by the

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January 15, 2021 8:12 pm
best-coffee-bar-in-rome

The perfect espresso in Rome. Andiamo!

It’s no secret that Italians are proud of their coffee. Dark, and strong, you can’t walk far in any town in the country without finding a place to get a great espresso. A sign of hospitality – especially in the South – when you visit someone, a quick jolt of energy when the morning starts or in a break from work, there’s a whole etiquette to it and you better stick to it if you want to blend in. When in Rome, do as the Romans do – and boy, do they like their espresso. That is why you can’t leave the Eternal City without a good sip of it at least a couple of times. But as with everything else here, there’s always more to the experience than just drinking a good cup of java. That is why we chose a few that will be not only a treat to your taste buds, but also a true taste of Rome. Books and coffee at Giufà in San Lorenzo The San Lorenzo neighbourhood is the traditional quartiere for college students,

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August 6, 2017 11:02 am