an american in belgië : Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

Origin of this phrase is attributed to English writer, John Heywood . . .

The usual English translation of a French phrase first known from the Le Proverbe au Vilain (c. 1190) and listed in John Heywood's A Dialogue Conteinying the Nomber in Effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue (c. 1538).

Foro Romano (Roman Forum)

The Roman Forum is a rectangular plaza with ruins of government buildings from ancient Rome.

It was where elections, public speeches, criminal trials, and more were held. A meeting place.

This is the Temple of Castor and Pollux. It is amazing that any of this structure still stands. It was built in 495 BC.

Castor and Pollux were the "twins" of "Gemini" - the twin sons of Zeus and Leda.

On the right is the Temple of Vesta . . .

The base indicates there were originally 20 columns. All temples to Vesta were round. Vesta was the virgin goddess of hearth, home, and family.

Here you can see the main road with many of the temples. On the left side, with several columns still intact, is the Temple of Saturn. This structure was built in 497 BC . Although it was built to honor the god Saturn, its main purpose was to store silver and gold.

The Arch of Titus, on the Via Sacra (the main street of ancient Rome), was constructed in 82 AD by Roman Emperor Domitian to commemorate his older brother Titus' victories.

On the right of this photo is another arch - the Arch of Septimius Severus. It was dedicated in 203 AD and commemorates the victories of Emperor Septimius Severus against the Parthians.

The Parthians were an Iranian political power in ancient Persia.

In the top left of the photo above is the Temple of Venus (the bringer of good fortune) and Roma (eternal Rome). It is thought to be the largest temple in Ancient Rome built in 135 AD.

Us at the Arch of Titus

Our next stop was the Colosseo (Colosseum)

This granite plate stands in the Colosseum and is an excellent history of this enormous structure. I will use it as captions for my photos because I couldn't say it better myself.

It was Vespasian who began building Rome's first permanent amphitheatre dedicated to gladiatorial combats in 72 AD using booty from the Jewish Revolt.

My how history does repeat itself. This revolt all started over Greek and Jewish religious tensions. Before you know it, the Romans got involved. Naturally this all led to war and of course, somebody had to go. In this case . . . it was the Jews.

Before building could begin, the lake belonging to Nero's luxurious palace had to be drained, which provided the emperor with a public relations opportunity; the return to the populace of what used to be public spaces with the intention of providing them with extravagant shows.

It was his son, Titus, however, who inaugurated the Colosseum with 100 days of spectacles, and it was Domitian who completed it.

Just looking at the tiny people in these pictures gives you an idea of how really big this structure is.

The amphitheatre was given the name "Flavio" from the imperial dynasty of that name, although it has since the Middle Ages been known as the Colosseum thanks to the huge bronze statue that used to stand beside it.

A number of calamities has threatened the structure over the centuries, especially the disastrous fire of 217 AD, after which the building had largely to be rebuilt in the form in which we see it today.

It continued to serve into the 5th century AD, until Rome was sacked by Alaric (410) and Valentinian III definitely abolished the bloody games (435\438), as these no longer met with the favour of the now largely Christian public and ruling classes.

Combats with the wild beasts are nevertheless documented still in 523 AD, during the reign of Theodoric, who began dismantling the structure to recycle some of the building material, a practice that was destined to continue throughout the Middle Ages, until its abandonment caused it to be progressively buried.

The Colosseum was later used as the fortress of the Frangipane (a powerful Roman) family, and houses, kitchen gardens, shops, stabling, and storerooms all appeared on or within its walls, overlooking the arena.

Systematic excavations and restoration only began in Napoleonic times, and it was later still that the Colosseum became an emblematic monument to Christian martyrs, the Pope still celebrates a Good Friday procession here every year.

A brilliant operation saved the building form imminent collapse at the start of the 19th century and froze it in time, but it was only at the start of the third millennium that a complete restoration would affect the entire structure.

There is always a line of people waiting to get in, but it moves quickly and it is so big that it never really seemed crowded.

This is a view of Arch of Constantine from the upper level of the Colosseum. It was erected to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius in 312. It differs from some of the other arches because it uses spolia.

Spolia is a term used to describe the re-use of earlier building material or decorate sculpture on new monuments. Roman examples include the Arch of Constantine and the colonnade of Saint Peter's Basilica.