 In
Rome do as the Roman does, all the paths leads to Rome, Rome wasn’t
build in a day etc are not just proverbs profoundly used in literature
but definitely the silent authentication of the fact that once the
most famous city of the world is still sprinkling the golden dust
of its glorious past in the present world and that time cannot erase
the name once the mark of society, civilization, art, culture and
humanity. We may have short of words and probably a life to study
and discuss Rome as the vastness of it is so immense that the following
paragraphs are not even a drop in the ocean.
Rome or in Italian Roma is the capital of Italy situated in the
Latium region on Tiber and Aniene river near the Mediterranean Sea.
This ancient city was founded in the year 21 April 753 BC and spread
in an approximate area of 1290 square kilometers. Nevertheless to
mention, the Vatican City a sovereign enclave within Rome is the
seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the residence of pope.
 Known
with several names like L ‘ Urbe or the city, Caput Mundi
or head of the world, Citta Eterna or eternal city or Limen Apostolorum
meaning the threshold of apostles the city definitely generates
enough curiosity to a visitor to look into the galleries of the
magnificent history of events and places of this wonderful city.
The marks of the history is still present in the city in the form
of its various architectural assets signed by the great emperors
of Rome who once changed the history of the globe and created maps
of their reign defying all rules and confronts.
To start the tour of this eternal and spiritual city the best option
would be to concentrate on its architecture. The magnificent city
is well represented in the form of monuments that still reflects
the artistry of the era. To start with there should be any other
than the Ara Pacis. A 9 BC altar representing the scenes Augustus,
Agrippa, Julius and Tiberius.  The
St.Mary Major Basilica legendarily build in the year 352 BC is the
only roman basilica which has retained its original shape. One may
find fun in the Bocca Della Verita or the mouth of truth which drags
the story that anyone swearing falsely putting his or her hand inside
the mouth of the mask shall not be freed. Time could not swipe the
outlines of the once famous and really big race track with a capacity
of 200000 spectators, Circo Massimo still to be felt and appreciated.
The artistry of Bernini’s school can be well depicted in the
famous fountain Fontana di Trevi. Others to mention where one finds
the end of the search for ultimate in arts are the Palazzo della
Cancelleria build by Raffaele riario, the Palazzo di Giustizia,
the Piazza di Spagna, the Piramide Cestia, the Stazione Termini,
the Via Veneto, the Arco di Costantino, the Basilica di S.Paolo,
the Campidoglio, the Colonna Traiana, the Fori Imperiali, the pantheon,
the Piazza Navona, the Teatro di Marcello, the Villa Torlonia, the
Basilica di S.Giovanni, the Basilica di S.Pietro, the Colosseo,
the Foro Romano, the Palatino, the Piazza del Popolo, the Piazza
Venezia, the Terme di Caracalla and the Vittoriano.
 The
signatures of the past are well preserved also in the museums of
Rome in its true forms with the aura of the glory it is attached
with. Few to mention which carries recognition globally are the
Egyptian Museum, the Chiaramonti museum, the museum of popes, the
Gregorian museum of Etruscan art, the Antiquarium Romanum, the Vase
collection, the Biga room, the gallery of Candelabra, the gallery
of the Tapestries, the gallery of the Maps, the apartment of St.Pius,
the Sobieski room, the room of the Immaculate conception, the collection
of modern religious arts, the Sistine chapel, the  Apostolic
library, the Vatican picture gallery, Gregorian museum of Profane
art, the Christian museum, the missionary museum of Ethnology, the
carriage Pavilion, the Barracco museum, the Villa Giulia, the Spada
gallery and the museum of Palazzo Venezia. Interesting point to
note in between is that Rome is the house of some 900 churches some
of which are globally recognized for their holy being and sacred
identity. If one is interested to have a religious tour of Rome
some basilicas not to miss are the San Giovanni in Laterano, San
Pietro in Vatican, San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Santa Maria Maggiore,
Santi Apostoli, San Clemente, San Lorenzo in Lucina, San Marco,
Santi Apostoli, Santa Maria, Santa Prassede, San Saba, Santa Sabina,
San Sebastiano fuori le Mura, Madonna dei Monti, San Giorgio al
Velabro, Santa Maria della Pace and Santo Stefano Rotondo.
 For
nearly all throughout the history of Rome it has influenced the
equally the history of world. Rome was a center of learning, trade
and commerce for ages and has contributed significantly in the development
in these areas. The impact is so much and seen so profoundly that
one life is probably less to study Rome in its true sense. The discussion
of Rome would be unfinished without the description of so the much
talked Roman Coliseum. Although a section of critic argues on the
brutality aspect of the events organized in the Coliseum and thereby
the reflection of the social mentality of the era but the architecture
and the concept is definitely a matter of appreciation and pride.
The Coliseum or Flavian Amphitheatre was opened by Emperor Titus
in the year AD 80 with 100 days of games which roughly have taken
the lives of some nine thousand animals.  The
origination of the word Coliseum probably roots its origination
from colossal statue of Nero which once stood near the stadium.
The velarium or the canvas roof on top of the coliseum used to cover
some fifty thousand spectators including peoples from all the sects
of society like dignitaries, slaves, commoners and foreigners. The
one common word in English usage, arena has a Latin origination
meaning sand which used to be spread in the amphitheatre to soak
up blood. Deceased gladiators and animals were taken through a separate
gate known as Libitinarian gate, the name originating from the goddess
of funerals. Another important structure to mention would be the
Circus Maximus, a six hundred meter long and two hundred meter wide
structure to hold 250000 people for observing the chariot racing.
It was building the time of Etuscan king and rebuild by Augustus
and Trajan and enlarged by the famous king Caracalla and restored
by Constantine.
 Lets
talk about the relation of art and the city of Rome as otherwise
it would be an incomplete discussion. Rome has given legends in
artistry in almost all the fields of arts, from painting to carving.
Roman art began to bloom with the end of Etruscan king and beginning
of the republic in 509 BC. The end of course is with the conversion
of Constantine to Christianity and the transfer of the capital of
the empire from Rome to Constantinople in AD 330 off course with
the birth of medieval art. Therefore Rome bears the signature of
both Roman and Etruscan arts. An interesting part of all these arts
is that it brings the representation of almost all sect of the society
right from senators, to emperors, businessman, soldiers and even
soldiers. Among the great legends Leonardo da Vinci’s name
is perhaps unique.  Born
in 1452 the artist has given us piece of art works like Mona Lisa
and Last Supper. This artist and scientist can be truly termed as
ultimate Renaissance man. Painting is also fortified by Michelangelo
who was born in the year 1475. His works like the frescoes in the
Sistine chapel and statues like David and emotional Pieta could
not be appreciated in words. Sandro Botticelli’s work of painting
was however of different styles with series of mythological topics
including the Birth of Venus and Mars and Venus. 1483 saw Raphael
and the coming years saw wonders in the painting in various forms
including cartoons that one can see in the tapestries of the Sistine
chapel. Few others to mention would be Titian with his works like
Bacchus and Ariadne. the famous sculptor Donatello, the great architect
Brunelleschi, the bronze sculptor Ghiberti with his work like Gates
of Paradise and the great artist Giotto di Bondone.
 The
subject of Rome is quite often known to be pronounced with King
Julius Caesar. It would not be then prudent to finish the discussion
without mentioning Julius Caesar. Born on July 13th 100 BC in Rome
the king always remained a subject of discussion in both his praise
and his brutalities. He conquered Gaul- the modern day Belgium and
France and won a victory in the civil war of 49-46 BC. He was a
true statesman and general turning Roman republic into monarchy.
An interesting point to note down at this junction is that the roman
month Quintilis in which he was born was changed to July in his
honor. Caesar was a multidimensional persona with his immense capability
of good oratory and statesmanship. His rising in the senate to the
state of dictator is not merely his destiny but could be much credited
to his own capabilities. The so called dictator was murdered on
the day of March 15th 44 BC with again a dialogue for the ages to
remember “et to brute”. The history of Rome thus is
very complicated in its own way with lots of political turmoil and
turns which ultimately groomed Rome for its better future prospects.
However nobody can deny the fact that Rome was perhaps the oldest
and the earliest form of democracy to be observed in this globe.
Few good kings to be named of Rome who added feathers to its caps
are Domitian, Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian and Antoninus Pius.
Rome is thus not only a place in the map of the world but rather
a workshop which at some point of time in its history changed and
molded this world into its prosperity. A place where culture, art,
philosophy, religion and science have taken shapes towards the betterment
of the entire human race. The legends born and worked there has
given the best of there outcomes changing perhaps the entire world
in the future. The thinking which started in the city was so big
and versatile that people still talks about it and will be talking
for the next coming generations.
Well as already mentioned words cannot be sufficient to describe
the place as to get an idea of the place one may need to spend may
be half of one’s life but nevertheless the place always welcomes
its visitor to be the part of this wonderful gift of history. With
modernity giving shapes to the ancient systems and the place Rome
at present is a wonderful place to visit with almost all the modern
facilities present to make the stay and the tour pleasant, comfortable
and safe. Airports like Leonardo da Vinci international airport
and the Giovan Battista Pastine cannot be compared less than any
luxury modern day air terminus with almost all piece of art comfort
and facilities provided. The bus system, the railways and the domestic
Rome metro are certainly adding to the convenience of the people
on move across the city. One piece of advice to those who are now
the prospective visitors of the city is that to divide and specify
the intention of tourism before planning the tour of the city as
to whether to concentrate on the religion, the architectural, historical,
art, scenic or general tourism for Rome has space for all of these.
The proverb “when in Rome do as the Roman do” may not
be constrain or barrier for the visitors as at present it stands
as a modern city with a cosmopolitan structure with almost all the
modern forms of accessories available throughout the city. The combination
of ancient culture and modern outlook is how Rome can be described
and can be appreciated for the efforts taken by the people to preserve
this wonderful paradise for the world.
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