Personal Journal Day 4 (5/21)

Entry 1

Palatine Hill and Roman Forum today.  After a presentation about the Arch of Constantine, I stood looking up at the Palatine Hill and found myself thinking that it seemed isolated.  That probably had something to do with the fence that surrounded the hill, but it also was tough to see through the trees.  After we entered, a small an constantly changing group of us began to climb the hill.  As we walked, I forgot we were in the middle of a city.  I looked to my left at the remains of a once mighty building, now just a series of brick walls and arches.  I didn't know what many of the ruins were, which I liked.  It gave the place a sense of wonder.  We continued up the path, which narrowed before opening out over a sunken courtyard, which I learned was the Stadium of Domitian, a non-functional racetrack built by the emperor.  We turned left and came to more ruins, continuing on to reach an overlook to the Circus Maximus.  Even in its somewhat pathetic state (it is now just a field), the massive size of the old track is awe inspring.  It must have been incredibly impressive in ancient times.  We then went back to the ruins, which began to feel a bit like a maze.  So much of what remains looks similar.  I wonder if it was always like that or if it was easier for the emperor to find his way around.  I had a hard time telling where one complex ended and another began.  Sarah and I found a bench to relax on and then went off to make a quick stop at the Palatine Museum, which is on the hill, but not before almost losing her phone.  There was some great sculpture on the second floor of the museum.  We then went of to get lunch.  I had a mediocre pizza, but the place was cool.  After that we went over to the Forum.  We wandered through the remains of the Basilica Fulvia and then I gave my presentation on the Curia Julia in spite of some very rude tourists.  After I finished we walked up the sacra via, following the old triumphal route before continuing on to Victoria's presentation on the vestal virgins.  It was good and we even got to go inside the house of the vestals, which was very exciting as it is usually closed.  We also saw the massive Basilica of Maxentius/Constantine which dwarfs everything else around it, even though only a fraction of it remains.  Just three massive apses.  We finished the day by going to the temple of Venus and Roma to take a group picture in front of the Colosseum.