Blogging from Rome, Italy, September 11, 2019

Bloggers: Mack and Kylie

Steps Taken: 15,000

Our day began with a well-intentioned tram ride that quickly turned into a ten-minute delay. After learning the hard way that trams have more than one line, we finally met Professor Stewart at precisely 8:41 a.m.

We went into today expecting to learn primarily about tombs in the Roman Forum, but because of unexpected closures we focused mostly on the Aedes Vestae, the temple where the Vestal Virgins tended a flame sacred to Rome. We saw how the Roman Forum reinforced a Roman’s status through both the placement of buildings on the natural landscape and the individual architecture of those buildings. In the Atrium Vestae, we saw statues of the virgins sponsored by men who wished to strengthen their own holiness, while preserving the virgins legacies. Many of these statues had Latin inscriptions on them, which the Romanists of the group thoroughly enjoyed translating with Professor Stewart.

Next we explored the Palatine Museum, with the intent to view a replica of early Roman huts, pictured below, like the ones which once occupied the Palatine Hill. These huts represent the mythological founder of Rome, Romulus, who would have made a similar hut on the Palatine when he founded the city.

Shortly after the Palatine Museum, our group split in two, with half of our group giving in to lunch, and the more fortuitous visiting the house of Augustus and the house of Livia. Rest assured, those who retreated to lunch successfully took the tram to the correct destination.

Our evening dependably began with Italian class, where the beginners learned how to order food. Finally, we returned to our apartments and cooked a wonderful dinner and prepared for the next day.

Group Selfie of the Day:

Grazie e ciao!