We were amazed by the size and magnificence of the Colosseum. It was spectacular. We couldn't wait to go inside the next day.
I wondered how those prisoners must have felt as they approached this huge structure and prepared to meet their fate, nearly 2000 years ago.
The pits at the bottom were where the lions were kept prior to being lifted into the stadium, ready for lunch. I was interested to read that when two prisoners fought each other, the person who was losing had the option of calling a halt to the fight and putting his life in the hands of the audience. They could vote for either him or his opponent. This might have been a good option for charismatic individuals who were hopeless at fighting. The Colosseum could hold up to 70,000 people.
The Trevi fountain was an large and impressive fountain, which interestingly has been replicated in our neighbouring town of Cheltenham.
A barber whose shop overlooked the Trevi fountain was constantly criticising the project. The architect, Salvi got his revenge by sculpting a large barber's soap pot to the right of the fountain, thereby obstructing the barber's view of the fountain.
We were going to throw 3 coins into the fountain, until we realised that throwing one would ensure you returned to Rome, but throwing 2 and 3 would mean that you would fall in love with and marry an Italian. We skipped the second and third, preferring to return to Rome without the complication of additional spouses.
Steve was keen to go the Pantheon. I was less so, feeling sure that it wasn't going to be of any interest. It was, however, like most Roman buildings quite awe-inspiring. To this day architects are not completely sure how this structure could have been built and still be standing. The dome is a perfect hemisphere, with it's height being exactly equal to it's diameter. It is generally accepted that if this structure was built today, using modern materials, it would collapse under it's own weight. The Pantheon has been standing for around 2000 years.
