Download WHO AM I - European Shared Treasure

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EUROPEAN PROJECT
SOCRATES COMENIUS ACTION 1
“LET’S CELEBRATE WITH OUR EUROPEAN FRIENDS”
SCHOOL YEAR 2005-2006
Thanks to
The European Community and The National Agencies
Thanks to
The Directors
Mr. Francesco Cataldi (Formato School)
Mrs. Teresa Del Rio Polo (Hernan Cortes School)
Mr. Steve Bangs (Blaydon West School)
Suor Gianpaola Pederzoli, Mr. Giuseppe Dalle Fabbriche, Mrs. Laura Venturelli
(Santa Umiltà School)
Thanks to
The Project Contact Persons
 Mrs. E. Lidia Bonilla Munoz, Jefa de Estudios and Coordinator of the
Comenius Project in “Hernan Cortes” School Talavera de la Reina – Spain.
 Mr. Stephen Bangs, Director in “Blaydon West Primary School” Blaydon –
United Kingdom
 Mrs. Geltrude Solaroli, Suor Cristina, General Secretary in “Santa Umiltà”
School – Faenza – Italy
 Mrs. R. Paola Perrella, Teacher of English and Coordinator of the
Comenius Project in The “P. R. Formato” School – Rome - Italy
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Thanks to
All the Pupils of the Partner Schools
Thanks to
The Administrative Director Mrs. Maria Grazia Masullo & Staff
Municipality Community (Roma XII) and particularly to Mr.Paolo
Pollack, Mr. Pasquale Calzetta.
Families and particularly to Mr. Mauro Masci, Mr. Gonzalo
Castrocedeno, Mrs. Gabriella Bianchini, Mrs. Emanuela Pastore, Mr.
Palummierim Mr. Cacciotti and Primary School’s Parents.
WHO
Cooperated with us for the realization of the Project.
A Special Thanks To
Comenius 1 Project General Coordinators
Mrs. E. Lidia Bonilla Munoz (School Years: 2003/2004 and
200472005)
AND
Mrs. R. Paola Perrella (School Year 2005/2006)
WHO
Deeply believed in a united Europe of values and worked hard in
benefits of Schools, Young People and community Growth, it was
possible to live a great experience of European Citizenship.
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WHO AM I?
My dear European friend ,
My name is Luca Di Michele, I’m Italian and I’m 12 years old. I was born in Rome and I still
live there. I have got no brothers. During the week, I usually get up at 7 o’clock, I have breakfast
at 7.30, then I go to school by bus.
The name of my school is “Padre Romualdo Formato”. My school starts at 8.15 a.m. and
finishes at 2.00 p.m. I do my homework in the afternoon in my bedroom. My hobby is football,
but I also like rock music and my favourite group is “Green Day”.
Well that’s all for now
Love
Luca
Dear European friends,
My name is Daniele Guarnaschelli, I’m 12 years old and I live in the outskirts of Rome. As you
already know, Rome is the capital city of Italy and according to me it is a wonderful city, full
of important monuments.
We are a family of four: my father Anthony, my mother Loredana, my sister Linda and I. We
also have a dog called Elvis, he is a Labrador Retriever.
I’m in 8th Grade at the “P.R. Formato” school. I have to admit going to school is not my favourite
hobby, but I have to go and after all it is not that bad!
I go to school from Monday to Friday, I start at 8:20 am and finish at 2:00 pm.
On Wednesday I stay at school till 4:30 pm. I never eat at school (luckily) except on
Wednesdays. Food at our school is not good at all.
At school we study various subjects: Maths, Geography, History, Italian, French, English, Art,
Music, Science, Physical Education, Computer.
I go to school by bus. As soon as I arrive home I eat and then I start doing my homework because
at 5:00 pm I have basketball training. I train 3 times a week and on weekends I play in the
championship. I also have guitar lessons on Wednesdays. My favourite group is the Red Hot
Chilly Peppers. I like listening to music especially rock, hiphop and rap.
When I have time I like to go skateboarding on a miniramp my dad built for me or go jumping
with my Bmx bycicle with my friend. I also like reading. My favourite book is Harry Potter, I
read them all (in English) and now I’m reading number six. I like them a lot.
I forgot to tell you why I know English. My father grew up in the States and I went to an
English school for six years. At home we all speak English, even our dog!
I really enjoyed writing to you.
That’s all for now. All the best
Daniele
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Hi my dear European friends!
My full name is Alessia Filannino, I’m 12 years old and I live in Rome. I’m in 8th Grade at
“P.R. Formato” school. I like swimming and my favourite song is “Wake up”.
Love
Alessia
Our Dear European friends,
Our names are Daniele Fellini and Federico Colella, we are 12 years old, we attend the same
class, 8th Grate at “P.R. Formato” school in Rome. We thought to talk you about The Vatican
City State.
GEOGRAPHY: The Vatican City State is situated on the Vatican Hill, on the right bank of the
Tiber River, within the city of Rome.
GOVERNMENT: The Pope has full legal, executive, and judicial powers. Executive power
over the area is in the hands of a Commission of Cardinals, appointed by the Pope. The
College of Cardinals is the Pope’s Chief Advisory Body.
HISTORY: The Vatican City State, sovereign and independent, is the survivor of the papal
states that in 1859 comprised an area of some 17,000 sq mi (44,030 sq km). During the
struggle for Italian unification, from 1860 to 1870, most of this area became part of Italy. By
an Italian law of May 13, 1871, the temporal power of the Pope was abrogated, and the territory
of the papacy was confined to the Vatican and lateran palaces and the Villa of Castel Gandolfo.
The Popes consistently refused to recognize this arrangement. The Lateran Treaty of February
11, 1929, between the Vatican City and the Kingdom of Italy, established the autonomy of the
Holy See.
On October 16, 1978, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, 58, was chosen Pope and took the name John Paul
II. He became the first Polish Pope and the first non-Italian Pope since the 16th century.
On May 13, 1981, A Turkish terrorist shot the Pope in St. Peter’s Square, the first
assassination attempt against the pontiff in modern times. The Pope later met and forgave him.
On June 3, 1985, the Vatican and Italy ratified a new church-state traty, known as a concordat,
replacing the Lateran Treay od 1929. The new accord affirmed the independence of Vatican City
but ended a number of privileges that the Catholic Church had in Italy, including its status as
the state religion.
On April 2, 2005, John Paul died. He was the third-longest reigning Pope (26 yeara). A
champion of the poor, he is credited by many with hastening the fall of communism in Poland
and other eastern bloc countries. His vitality and charisma energized the world’s one billion
Catholics. His rule was characterized by conservatism regarding church doctrine, particularly
on issues such as birth control, women’s roles in the church, and homosexuality. He was the
Vatican’s greatest ambassador, travelling to 129 countries.
On April 19, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was named the new Pope. Pope Benedict XVI is
known as an accomplished scholar of theology and is considered an archconservative in his
religious views. He served as Pope John Paul II’ s closest associate and is expected to continue the
policy of a “strong Rome”. The church’s power will not become more decentralized but remain
firmly in the hands of Rome.
Love
Federico
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LA MIA SCUOLA
Padre Romualdo Formato
La nostra identità: il passato
MY SCHOOL
I.C.“P. R. FORMATO”
Our identity: the past.
Nel nostro passato c’è un patrimonio di
esperienze, di cultura, ma anche di
considerazione sociale e di “immagine”, con
le sue luci e le sue ombre, o almeno quelle che
sembrano tali.
Our past consists mainly of a lot of
experiences, culture, social consideration and
of an “image”, sometimes with its lights and
shadows.
La nostra scuola, pertanto, è:
Our school is:

una scuola che ha offerto numerose e
concrete possibilità di lavoro;

a school which has always offered many
solid working possibilities;

una scuola “aperta”, che non ha solo
insegnato, ma ha offerto e praticato
esperienze di vita sociale (teatro, presepe,
visita presso altre scuole, ospitato altri
docenti);

an “open” school which has not only
taught, but has offered experiences of
social life (theatre, Nativity play, visits to
other schools, relations with teachers
coming from other schools etc.)

una scuola educativa e promozionale che
ha accompagnato e sostenuto la
maturazione dei suoi alunni;

an educational and promotional school
which has supported the maturity of its
pupils;

una scuola che ha coltivato il rispetto
consapevole e critico per i “diversi”
(disabili, anziani).

a school which has taught to respect
handicapped and old people.
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La nostra identità: presente e futuro
Our identity: present and future.
L’ Istituto “Padre Romualdo Formato” è:
The Istituto “Padre Romualdo Formato” is:

una scuola radicata nel territorio, del
quale percepisce le esigenze culturali,
sociali ed economiche;

a school deeply rooted in the territory from
which it perceives cultural, social and
economic needs;

una scuola che è anche in grado di
stabilire rapporti con le famiglie, gli enti
locali, le associazioni e gli istituti
culturali presenti sul territorio per
costituire un “sistema
formativo
integrato”;

a school which is also able to establish
relationships with the families, the local
councils, associations and cultural
organizations on the territory to set up
an “integrated educational system”;

a democratic school which considers the
pupil as a “person” and satisfies his/her
need to be helped in the process of human
and cultural growth.

una scuola democratica, che accoglie lo
studente come “persona” e ne ascolta e
soddisfa l’esigenza di essere sostenuto
nel suo processo di crescita umana e
culturale.
Alcuni dei criteri che ci guidano sono:
Some of the principles leading us are:

assiologico: il soggetto del processo
educativo è l’alunno/a; egli/ella è
“persona”, per cui le discipline sono
strumentali alla sua crescita ed al suo
pieno sviluppo;

axiological: the main character is the
pupil ; he/she is a person, so the school
subjects are very important for his/her
growth and full development;

psicologico: se il soggetto del processo
educativo è l’alunno/a, ogni ipotesi
didattica va impostata tenendo conto del
ruolo attivo dell’alunno/a, dei suoi ritmi
peculiari, del suo stile cognitivo, del
metodo di studio che egli/ella deve
progressivamente maturare e rendere
sempre più efficace;

psychological: if the pupil is the
“main character” of the educational
process, each teaching hypothesis must
consider his/her active role, his/her
peculiar rhythms, his/her cognitive style
and the method of study which he/she has
to acquire progressively and make it more
and more effective;

sociologico-culturale: questa scuola
vuole “collocare nel mondo”, pertanto le
sue proposte culturali tengono nel debito
conto il valore delle discipline, così come
esse si configurano al tempo presente, ai
fini di una effettiva crescita umana.

sociological-cultural:
this school
wants “to integrate in the world”, so its
cultural proposals take the importance of
the school subjects into consideration as
they are at present for an actual human
growth.
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Pertanto la scuola chiede ai docenti un
costante aggiornamento sia sotto il profilo
culturale/disciplinare che metodologicodidattico.
Such a school asks the teachers a continuous
updating, both cultural/disciplinary and
methodological/didactic.
TITLE: “Let’s celebrate with our European friends”
ABSTRACT
In this paper I present the core of a School Comenius project called “Let’s celebrate with our
European friends”, carried out in four European schools. This project mainly uses ICT
(Information and Communication Technologies). It is content-based and student-centred as it
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aims at improving the students’ communicative skills in English by writing articles about
their home towns.
1. INTRODUCTION
I would like to share my experience after having participated in the European Comenius project:
”Let’s celebrate with my European friends”. I will present its objectives and content, and I would
like to encourage
school teachers to get involved in similar Comenius projects, as students
benefit a great deal from contacting other European school students on the Internet,
communicating in English.
The participating countries in this project are Spain, Great Britain, Italy (Rome) and Italy
(Faenza). Four schools have been involved: “Colegio Publico “HERNAN CORTES” in Talavera de
la Reina (Spain); “BLAYDON WEST PRIMARY SCHOOL in Blaydon-Gateshead-Newcastle
in Great Britain; Istituto Comprensivo “PADRE ROMUALDO FORMATO” in Rome (Italy); and
Istituto Paritario “SANTA UMILTA’” in Faenza (Italy). The project was approved by the
National Agency Socrates and by the European Commission in 2003. It finished in 2006.
2. OBJECTIVES
The Comenius project “Let’s celebrate with our European friends” aimed to integrate various
educational aspects: the English language, Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT), and cultural awareness. The main objective is to create a web site about the students’ town
(Talavera de la Reina in Spain, Blaydon-Gateshead-Newcastle in The United Kingdom, Rome
and Faenza in Italy), including different multimedia guides aimed at young European
students. Therefore, this project is based on the idea of learning by thinking global and acting
local.
Its general goals are the following:
1. To upgrade the students’ communicative skills in learning English as a foreign language.
2. The adoption of multimedia technologies in the teaching-learning process.
3. To broaden the students’ cultural landscape by learning about other countries and their
culture.
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3. FIRST PART OF THE PROJECT
The project consisted of two different parts: the first is to celebrate festivals with our European
friends ,to exchange students’ attitudes towards their peers on various thematic areas such as
leisure time, family, school, love, religion, politics, as well as social issues concerning their age.
The second part is the creation of itineraries in English about the students’ own town.
For the first part of the project, questions were selected out, then assembled and subsequently
sent in the form of a final questionnaire to all the participating schools. The questionnaire was
administered in a classroom situation to one third of the total school population between 11 and
14 years of age.
A data bank to collect the answers was created and an analysis of the results was carried out.
The results were displayed in thematic sections concerning tastes, interests, family, and social
relationships, and some diagrams were organized with a particular emphasis on the crosscultural similarities and differences among the participating countries. It was interesting to see
that often, in spite of the different languages and cultures, the main issues, such as love,
family and school, recurred almost identically.
The questionnaires were a descriptive tool, as they showed each country’s attitudes among
young people, and a comparative tool, as the data collected was useful to reveal some common
factors among different European school students (Spanish, Italian and English). Online
support from and consultation with all the members of the project was a constant feature.
4. SECOND PART OF THE PROJECT
The schools then moved on to carry out the second part of the project, the most interesting one for
the students, because, each country was free to organize its own visual output.
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The students had to make up, plan and design selected itineraries of the cities they lived in.
These itineraries or tours had to be written in English, as they were aimed at a public of
European school students. They had to highlight interesting places from their towns such as:
museums, monuments, sights, restaurants, pubs, shops, meeting places, gyms, discos, etc.
In order to create these itineraries, the students planned a visit to the city of Rome. In total there
were fifty. They visited the local museums, the Cathedral, the main walks, etc. As this one visit
was not enough to gather all the information required to complete the itineraries, the students
had to visit many of the museums, shops, and monuments again after school in order to finish
their descriptions. After these visits, the students decided what monuments and places would be
of interest to young European teenagers and wrote a text in English on the selected places
including general and detailed information. The written texts were included in three different
itineraries that the students created about the city of Rome. They were the following:

Itinerary A: Old town

Itinerary B: Modern Rome

Itinerary C: Night tour in Rome
In order to create these texts, the students wrote the descriptions in English. First, they had to
extract the key sentences out of the English brochures of the places they had visited, and then
paraphrase the main ideas including all the relevant information. Students wrote about present
and past situations, describing and comparing various famous monuments and places. All
these activities were done in the English language classroom as they provided opportunities for
language use and the English teacher could supervise them. But these activities also required the
use of computers, because once the descriptions were written these had to be saved on a floppy
disk and labelled in order to be launched on a web page. The students at I.C. PADRE
ROMUALDO FORMATO in ROME
worked in the computer room, where they were also
constantly helped by their English teacher.
The students involved were divided into small teams of five or six. These groups worked together
in all the different phases of the project: putting together the questionnaires, gathering the
results, and creating the itineraries and their description. A steady process of interaction and
collaboration made the teaching and learning of totally new skills a way to exchange
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experiences. Constant turnover of groups and materials allowed students to develop different
skills and abilities.
These are some examples of the three itineraries created by the students at Formato School in
Rome:
ROME
REGION: LAZIO
COUNTRY: ITALY
SCHOOL: ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO “PADRE ROMUALDO FORMATO”
MY TOWN
The founding of Rome goes back to the very early days of civilization. It is so old, it is today
known as 'the eternal city'. The Romans believed that their city was founded in the year 753
BC. Modern historians though believe it was the year 625 BC.
Early Rome was governed by kings, but after only seven of them had ruled, the Romans took
power over their own city and ruled themselves.
They then instead had a council known as the 'senate' which ruled over them. From this point on
one speaks of the 'Roman Republic'.
The word 'Republic' itself comes from the Latin (the language of the Romans) words 'res publica'
which mean 'public matters' or 'matters of state'.
The senate under the kings had only been there to advise the king. Now the senate appointed a
consul, who ruled Rome like a king, but only for one year. - This was a wise idea, as like that,
the consul ruled carefully and not as a tyrant, for he knew that otherwise he could be punished
by the next consul, once his year was up.
Rome knew four classes of people. This division was very important to the Romans.
The lowest class were the slaves. They were owned by other people. They had no rights at all.
The next class were the plebeians. They were free people. But they had little say at all.
The second highest class were the equestrians (sometimes they are called the 'knights').
Their name means the 'riders', as they were given a horse to ride if they were called to fight
for Rome. To be an equestrian you had to be rich.
The highest class were the nobles of Rome. They were called 'patricians'. All the real power in
Rome lay with them.
The Roman Republic was a very successful government. It lasted from 510 BC until 23 BC almost 500 years.
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The greatest challenge the Roman Republic faced was that of the Carthaginians. Carthage was a
very powerful city in North Africa which, much like Rome, controlled its own empire. The fight
between the two sides was a long one and took place on land and on sea.
The most famous incident came when the great Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the
mountain chain of the Alps to the north of Italy with all his troops, including his war-elephants
!, and invaded Italy. Though Rome in the end won and Carthage was completely destroyed in
the year 146 BC.
Hannibal, the great
Carthaginian general
Rome's most famous citizen was no doubt Julius Caesar. He was a Roman politician and
general who, without having any orders to do so, conquered the vast territory of the Gauls to the
north of his province in France.
In the year 49 BC Caesar crossed the small river between his province and Italy, called the river
Rubicon, and conquered Rome itself which he then ruled as a dictator.
His military campaigns also took him to Egypt where he met the famous Cleopatra.
Julius Caesar Museo della Civiltà Rome
His life though was ended as he was infamously murdered in the senate in Rome.
So famous and respected was Caesar that a month of the year is still named after him and his
heirs today, July (after Julius Caesar). Also the great English poet Shakespeare wrote a famous
play called Julius Caesar about his famous murder.
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After Caesar followed the many emperors of Rome - and there were truly very many of them.
So, here are some of the most famous ones.
Augustus
Claudius
Nero
Titus
Trajan
Hadrian
Diocletian
Constantine
Romulus Augustus
Justinian
Constantine XI
Rome's first emperor. He also added many
territories to the empire.
He conquered Britain.
He was insane. He murdered his mother and
his wife and threw thousands of Christians to
the lions.
Before he was emperor he destroyed the great
Jewish temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.
He was a great conqueror. Under his rule the
empire reached its greatest extent.
He built 'Hadrian's Wall' in the north of
Britain to shield the province from the northern
barbarians.
He split the empire into two pieces - a western
and an eastern empire.
He was the first Christian emperor. He united
the empire again chose his capital to be the
small town Byzantium, which he renamed
Constantinople.
He was the last emperor of Rome, nicknamed
Augustulus which means 'little Augustus'.
He was the last 'great' emperor. He conquered
many territories, created the 'Justinian Code'
and built the fantastic church Santa Sophia.
The last emperor of Constantinople. He died
defending his great city against the Turks.
The Roman empire in the end was overrun by millions of barbarians from the north and east of
Europe. It is believed to have happened two or three times in history that huge migrations took
place across Europe, where peoples moved to settle in new territories. The great migration proved
too much for the Romans to stem. Their armies were designed to defeat other armies, not entire
folks and peoples flooding toward them. The collapse was completed when Rome itself was
conquered by the Visigoth Odoacer and his men in the year AD 476.
But what is generally referred to as 'the Fall of Rome' doesn't include the eastern empire. This,
with its centre in Constantinople, managed to cling on for almost another thousand years until
it was eventually conquered by the Turks under their leader Mohammed II in the year AD 1453.
The great Builders
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Perhaps more than any other civilization the Romans are famed for their incredible
constructions There appeared almost no limit to what they could do with stones, bricks, mortar
and wood.
Bridges over the Danube and Rhine
The rivers Rhine and Danube are huge streams, which for most of the time formed the northern
border of the empire. Though at times the Romans did set across to conquer some of the lands
beyond these great rivers. In order to easily resupply their troops they built enormous bridges
across. Hence the barbarians soon learnt to see the bridges themselves as further Roman
weapons. Julius Caesar famously constructed a bridge across the Rhine in only 10 days. Trajan
built a huge bridge across the Danube into Dacia. These were fetes of incredible engineering
skill, performed with only the most basic tools. No other civilization but the Romans could have
achieved this at the time.
Julius Caesar's bridge over the river Rhine
Colosseum
Under the emperor Titus the Colosseum, which his father Vespasian had begun, was completed. It
was indeed the most magnificent amphitheatre in the world. Often it is confused with the Circus
Maximus (which was used for the chariot races). The Colosseum was the venue for gladiatorial
and animal fights, rather than races. One thinks, the arena could even be flooded for purposebuilt ships to enact naval battles.
Museo della Civiltà Rome
Roads
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Roman roads ran to every corner of the Roman empire. Well built, stone-covered roads laid on
proper foundations. The Romans learnt early on that to control their territories they needed easy
access to them. Also trade prospered (and brought in taxes) wherever there was reliable roads.
Sooner or later all towns and cities of the empire were connected by an elaborate road system,
which meant that from any place within the empire you could travel to Rome by road - leading
to the famous phrase; 'All roads lead to Rome'
Aquaeducts
When the Romans required more water for a large town or city, but couldn't find it where it was
needed, they simply built a channel to carry water from elsewhere to where it was required.
Emperor Claudius even had a tunnel built through the hills to carry water from a lake into
Rome. Sometimes though a valley could lie in between the place from where the water came and
where it needed to go. Here the Romans simply constructed bridges for the channel to cross the
valley. Mostly we refer to these as aquaeducts. Though really, the whole channel, be it such a
spectacular bridge or just a pipe in the ground, is an aquaeduct
The Pont du Gard aquaeduct near Avignon, France, is 50 metres high.
Hagia Sophia
Under the emperor Justinian the greatest church of its day, the Santa Sophia, was built in
Constantinople. It was by far the largest and most lavish church of its time. Huge domes form
its roof, and intricate carvings adorn the walls. Wherever you look, there is sheer beauty. So
fantastic was and is the Santa Sophia that when the Turks conquered Constantinople in AD
1453, they didn't destroy, nor damage it at all, - despite it being a temple of their Christian
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enemy. Far more, they converted it into a mosque for themselves. The church still stands today
in Istanbul (Constantinople's modern day name) and it is called Aya Sophia by the Turks.
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall is a landmark in northern England known all over the world. Emperor Hadrian
is famous for having stated that the empire should expand no further (although emperor
Augustus said it before him!), and his wall is a powerful symbol of his intention to defend the
empire from its enemies, rather than to further attack them. It is eighty Roman miles long, with
turrets, small castles and forts at regular intervals. Though most of its remains are not
actually built under Hadrian's reign at all. For his wall was mainly built of earth and wood.
But under Septimius Severus it was reconstructed in stone. But it was Hadrian who first built
defences there, and hence it has always kept his name.
Roman Achievements
The Empire
Naturally the most obvious achievement of the Romans was their vast empire, which spread over
three continents. It lasted for a long, long time.
From 625 BC to AD 476 = 1101 years ! - And if one includes the eastern Roman empire which
lasted until AD 1453 it would even be 2078 years !
The Roman Army
The Romans achieved world fame with their incredible army. It defeated pretty much everybody.
The Roman Legion was perhaps the most powerful army ever. Sure, they didn't have airplanes,
tanks and battleships like today. But they were capable of defeating armies far larger than
themselves, despite being equipped with the same basic weapons: shields, spears and swords.
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Founding Fathers of many Cities
Europe would not be the same without the Romans.
All over the continent they founded cities which still stand today. The great city of London for
example, the capital of the United Kingdom, was founded by the Romans under the name
Londinium. Also the great German city of Cologne is Roman (Colonia Agrippina). In fact, the
list of towns and cities founded by the Romans seems endless.
Museo della Civilta, Rome
The great Builders of Old
No civilization is so identified with constructing and building things, than the Romans.
Aquaeducts, roads, baths, walls, theatres, temples, arches, cities, palaces... They built a world
from which later peoples still benefitted for a long time to come.
Some of their old roads are even still in use today. So too, some of their great amphitheatres.
Latin, the eternal Language
As the Romans conquered their empire so did they bring with them their language. The
language of their army was Latin, so too was it the language of the governors and office
workers in the provinces of the empire. Lasting witness to this language which was once spoken
all over the ancient empire, are the many languages which in time developed from it. French,
Italian, Portuguese, Rhaeto-Romantsch (spoken in the Canton Grison in Switzerland),
Rumanian, Spanish... All these languages have developed out of Latin.
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The Catholic church still speaks and prays in Latin today. Its head, the Pope, is still today
called the Pontifex Maximus (the greatest high-priest).
Alphabet
The Roman alphabet is what most of us still use today in the western world. We have added a
few letters to it, like W, but it is much still the same alphabet used by the Romans.
Their numerals are not any longer in every day use. It is Arabic numbers we use today. But for
inscriptions on public buildings and some other things Roman numerals are still sometimes
used.
The Twelve Tables and the Justinian Code
Roman law was indeed a great institution. They developed many of the ideas of justice which we
today take for granted.
Already in 451 BC they created basic laws which governed them all, laying down what one
could and could not do. They wrote them down on twelve plates made of bronze, which became
known as the Twelve Tables. These were the first examples of written law.
Much later a great Roman emperor of Constantinople, Justinian, refined many of the laws of the
day and collected them all into one work. This is known as the Justinian Code and it was
completed in AD 529. These laws form the basis of all today's justice systems in the western
world.
THE STORY OF THE ROMANS
From the first settlers of Italy through the end of the Empire of the West in
AD 476, The Story of the Romans retells as an engaging narrative the history of Ancient
Rome and the stories of its famous leaders and citizens. In many lessons, we learn of the
legend of Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, the seven kings of Rome, the rise of the Roman
Republic, the Punic Wars, Caesar’s conquests, the Roman Empire, the Christianization of the
Empire, and much more. We meet the good and the just; the wicked and proud: Tarquinius
Superbus, Horatius, Coriolanus, Cincinnatus, Tiberius and Caius Gracchus, Archimedes,
Cicero, Nero, and Constantine, to name just a few. Miss Guerber relates in her preface her
intention for The Story of the Romans. She writes, “The aim is not only to instruct, but to
interest, school children, and to enable them, as it were in play, to gain a fair idea of the people
and city of which they will hear so much. Her book is also planned to serve as a general
introduction to the study of Latin, which most pupils begin before they have had time to study
history. With little, if any, knowledge of the people who spoke the language they are learning,
children cannot be expected to take so lively an interest in the study as they would if they knew
more.”
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Important People
Famous Romans
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC. He was a great soldier. He helped to take over new
land for the Roman Empire. He made many changes like the new calendar and the
starting of a daily newspaper. He also totally changed the law. He became the most
powerful man and sole leader in Rome and some people thought he was too powerful
and that he wanted to be king. A group of senators (led by Brutus and Cassius) decided to kill
him and take his power back. They surrounded him and stabbed him with their daggers on 15th
March 44 BC.
Emperor Augustus
Augustus' proper name was Octavian. He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar.
After Caesar's death he took over with two other men. One of them was Mark
Antony. Later on, these two fell out and Augustus beat Antony in battle. Octavian
ruled on his own and was given the special name Augustus. He was a clever and
fair ruler and when he died in AD14, the people did not want to go back to a
republic.
Emperor Claudius
Claudius was a wise ruler. During his reign Britain became part of the empire. He came to
Britain to accept the surrender of the leaders of the tribes of south-eastern Britain at Colchester
in Essex.
Emperor Constantine
After AD305, the Roman Empire was split into an eastern and a western empire. Constantine
the Great managed to join the two sides together for a while. He was the first emperor to be a
Christian. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to a new city in Turkey which he called
Constantinople. Today it is called Istanbul.
Revolutionaries
Hannibal
Carthage was a powerful city which controlled most of the Mediterranean Sea. By the middle of
the 260sBC the Romans and the Carthaginians were at war. This went on for nearly 20 years
until the Romans won a big victory.
The Carthaginians swore to crush Rome once and for all. They gathered an army and moved
westwards towards Rome. They were joined by Spanish troops and soon had an army of 40,000
men.
The leader of the troops was Hannibal a brilliant young general. He had 40 African war
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elephants, trained to charge at the enemy and trample them.
The army marched North gathering even more men. But then they reached the Alps.
The icy mountains were hard to cross and by the time he reached Italy in 218BC, a quarter of
his troops and lots of elephants were dead.
However they did win three battles and should have attacked Rome then but Hannibal decided
to gather more troops and food.
Rome rebuilt its army and sent an army to attack Carthage. Hannibal and his army had to
go back to protect their capital city and were defeated there. this meant that tha nation came
under Rome's control.
An Iceni Coin
Boudicca
Boudicca became leader of the Iceni (in Norfolk) when her husband
Prasutagus died. The Romans took his treasure and Roman soldiers
assaulted Boudicca and her two daughters. The Iceni people were very angry
and decided to revolt. Within a few weeks Boudicca was leading an army of
70,000 men. They attacked Camulodunum (Colchester) a wealthy Roman town with only a few
soldiers to protect it. The people hid in a temple to Claudius. Boudicca's army rushed through the
town stealing things. They then battered down the temple doors and hacked the men, women
and children to pieces. Then they set fire to the town and left it smoking.
The rebels moved in on Londinium (London). Suetonius (a roman leader) set-off for London
with his cavalry, leaving his infantry to follow as fast as they could. When Suetonius reached
London he realised he could not win and withdrew ordering the citizens to leave town. Boudicca
killed anyone they could find in London and threw many bodies into the river. Some were
killed in horrible ways as sacrifices. They then set of for Verulamium (St. Albans) and took
that city. She had destroyed all three of the largest towns in Roman Britain and killed 60,000
people. She decided to take on the Roman army led by Suetonius. They met half way between
St. Albans and Wroxeter. Boudicca had an army of about 100,000 including women and
children against a small roman army of 10,000.
The Romans killed 80,000 men, women and children and lost only 400 of their own men.
Boudicca escaped and took poison before the Romans could take her prisoner. The most serious
threat to the Roman conquest was over.
Important Roman events
Roman Timeline
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1. Founding of the City Of Rome
753 BC
The God of War, Mars had two baby sons called Romulus and Remus. Their wicked uncle
Amulius was jealous of them and wanted to kill them. He put the babies in a basket in the river
Tiber hoping they would drown. The basket floated down the river and stopped at a place near
seven hills. A she-wolf whose cubs had been killed came past and found Romulus and Remus.
She used her milk to feed them.
The boys were picked up by a shepherd called Faustulus and he took them home. His wife was
pleased and they decided to bring them up as part of the family.
Romulus and Remus grew up to be very, very strong and big. They decided to build a city on
one of the seven hills. Then they had a bad quarrel about who should be king of the city.
Romulus dug a big ditch around the hill. When Remus came over the ditch Romulus attacked
him and they had a vicious fight. Remus was killed. Romulus called the town Rome after
himself.
2. Romans conquer Spain
206 BC
3. Romans conquer Greece
146 BC
4. Birth of Julius Caesar
100 BC
5. Julius Caesar's first invasion of Britain 55 BC
6. Beginning of the Roman Empire
27 BC
7. Conquest of Britain begins
43 AD
The Roman army was used to conquer and control new countries. Each new country
became part of the empire, and was known as a province.
It was ruled by a governor and its people paid taxes to the Romans. They wanted the
gold, silver and bronze and also the timber and men which Britain had.
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8.
Hadrian's Wall completed
130 AD
The Emperor Hadrian visited Britannia in AD 122. He ordered a wall to be built from
Wallsend in the east to Bowness in the west to separate the Roman province from the rest
of Britain. It was 118km long, 5 m high and 2-3m thick. Forts were built for the troops
who patrolled the wall.
The wall was built by legionary soldiers who marked the part that they built by carving
in the stone.
The front of the wall was protected by a wide deep ditch. A road went behind the road so
that soldiers could move quickly.
Turrets
Turrets were used as look out towers. Signals could be sent to other buildings along the
wall. The troops could go into the turret through a door on the ground floor which was
used for storage and where a fire could be lit.
Emperor Hadrian
9. Roman troops withdrawn from Britain 407 AD
10. End of the Roman Empire
476 AD
The Capitol BIRTH OF ROME CELEBRATIONS
21 April 2005 (Every year)
On 21 April every year, the proud Romans celebrate the birth of their
city, founded by Romulus in 753BC, by covering the Aventine Hill
with long-burning candles.
There is also an epic firework display over the Tiber for which people turn
out in their thousands. So if you want to find some action, head for the
Campidoglio and the Giardino degli Aranci.
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Celebrations are also staged by local historical societies and there are parades and public speeches
galore. All archaeological sites and city-run museums are open and admission is free.
The datings conversion of the historical events, changing from a time reference to a different
one, is often source of mistakes and bad interpretations. In particular, as far as the history of
Rome, the events are dated, according with the origin source, starting from the Rome
foundation, i.e. "ab Urbe condita" [a.U.c.], or with reference to the birth of Christ, then "before
Christ" [b.C.] and "after Christ" or "Anno Domini" [A.D.].
It is just the conversion between the two references that usually generates mistakes, also in
authoritative publications; we try therefore to deal with the matter supplying at last practical
rules in order to simplify the calculation.
First of all some assumptions have to be agreed:
1) Rome has been founded on April 21st 753 b.C. (that is the 753rd year before the birth of
Christ).
2) The years referred to the birth of Christ start from hours 00.00 of January 1st and end at
midnight (hours 24.00) of December 31st.
3) In order to simplify, we postpone the birth of Christ from the midnight of December 25th to
the midnight of December 31st of the same years; such approximation of six days only will
simplify the calculations without distorting the reasoning.
The celebration of the birth of Christ on December 25th is however conventional as it was
established by the Church in the IV century in order to replace the pagan celebrations to the Sun
after the winter solstice; moreover the beginning of the Christian era is itself a convention as it
has been established as December 25th of 753 a.U.c. by Dionysius Exiguus only about in 523
A.D.
4) As a result of the above, the year 1 A.C. starts in the moment of the birth of Christ (hours
00,00 of January 1st), and the year just ended in that moment in which Christ was born is the
year 1 b.C.
In the following diagram it is shown a timeline in which the years referred to the birth of Christ
are indicated in the upper part while those referred to the Rome foundation are in the lower one;
the two scales have a 110 days offset (or 111 in leap years) elapsing between January 1st and
April 21st. All the years are considered as time periods of 365 (or 366 in leap years) days from
January 1st to December 31st, the same included, for the upper part of the diagram and from
April 21st to April 20th of the next solar year, the same included, for the lower part.
We consider the most overlapped part of the year between the different dating systems, that is
the one from April 21st and December 31st (this is the normally used convention, mainly when
the references about the day and the month of the event are missing): as shown in the diagram,
for all the years before the birth of Christ the sum of the numbers of the two corresponding
datings (b.C. year and a.U.c. year) is constant and equal to 754, while for all the years after
Christ the two datings differ by 753 years.
To sum up, for the events whose dating is referred to the foundation of Rome (normally they are
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events before the birth of Christ) the b.C. dating is obtained subtracting from 754 the a.U.c. one
and vice versa.
E.g.: 245 a.U.c. (expulsion of the king Tarquinio il Superbo from Rome) corresponds to 754245=509 b.C.
Conversions to a.U.c. datings are not normally performed for events after Christ's birth, other
than in particular cases when an anniversary celebration is referred to monuments or events
relevant to Rome history or, nearly as a curiosity, in websites dedicated to Rome.
In such cases you have only to add 753 to the current year (but, strictly speaking, only from
the April 21st onwards) to obtain the corresponding one. However, if an anniversary is to be
celebrated, so referred to a particular month and day, you'll have to pay attention to the exact
time location of the event, that it is a defined moment, within the year, that it is an extended
period of time.
On this subject it is enough to say that the Rome Council celebrated 2750 years from the
foundation of Rome (event that happened, of course, just at the completion of the full year 2750
a.U.c.) on April 21st 1997, that is one year in advance, as shown in the diagram below.
The Foundation of Rome
April 21st, 753 BC
The traditional date for the founding of the greatest city of the Western world was the product of
guesswork by Roman writers of the late centuries bc, working backwards from their own time.
There were reports of kings of Rome in the early days before the last of them, Tarquin the Proud,
was expelled and the Roman Republic was founded, which was believed to have happened in 510
bc. Allowing for the reigns of Tarquin's predecessors carried the calculation back some two to
three hundred years. After ranging shots by various writers, the author Varro, greatly respected
for his learning in the first century bc, settled on the year 753, which became the accepted,
official date. All subsequent dates were expressed ab urbe condita, 'from the city's founding'.
The story of the founding also went through variations. Roman tradition ascribed it to
Romulus, whose name means simply 'man of Rome', but Greek writers from at least the fifth
century bc attributed it to the Trojan exile Aeneas. By the first century bc the two versions had
coalesced. After the fall of Troy (conventionally dated to 1184 bc), Aeneas went to Central Italy
and married Lavinia, the daughter of the local ...
The Capitol
It is one of the most interesting architectural areas in Rome. The whole complex (square and
buildings) was built in the sixteenth century according to Michelangelo's designs
Placed on the Capitoline Hill, it suffered during the centuries various remaking until it
assumed the actual shape, according to Michelangelo's project .Since the ancient times it was a
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very important place for the life of the City, being first, a religious centre, and then, the seat of
Roman Senate. Today it is the Town Hall.
You can reach the Capitol by the great flight of steps built according to Michelangelo's designs.
At the top of the stairs there is a balustrade whith the statues of Dioscuri raised during the
imperial period. You can admire in the middle of the trapezoidal square Marcus Aurelius’s
statue, on its left the "Palazzo Nuovo", seat of Capitoline museum, on its right the "Palazzo dei
Conservatori" and behind the statue the "Palazzo Senatorio" with its beautiful stairs realized by
Michelangelo, and the fountain with the ancient statue of sitting Minerva. The Capitoline
Tower, erected in the 16th century, overlooks the "Palazzo Senatorio".
Capitoline Hill or Capitol,highest of the seven hills of ancient Rome, historic and religious center
of the city. The great temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, on its southern summit, was dedicated in
509 B.C.; it was foremost among the temples and altars of Rome. Destroyed three times by fire,
it was last rebuilt by the emperor Domitian. On the northern summit of the Capitol was the
citadel (arx). On the side overlooking the Forum stood the Tabularium, where the state archives
were kept. Until the 1st cent. A.D., state criminals were hurled to their death from the Tarpeian
Rock, on the steep south face of the hill. In the Middle Ages the Capitol remained the political
center of Rome. The center of municipal government in modern Rome is on the same location. In
the 16th cent. Michelangelo designed the present plan. A flight of steps leads to the square on
top of the hill; on one side of the square is the Palazzo dei Conservatori, on the other, the
Capitoline Museum. Both buildings now house collections of antiquities. In the center of the
square is the ancient equestrian bronze statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Lapis Niger
This archaic shrine is the site of the oldest Latin inscription
known. It is a rather strange monument made up of a large, very
old style of altar next to a truncated stele, or column, that has the
ancient inscription carved vertically in boustrophidon style, that
is left to right, then right to left, and alternating back and forth,
"as an ox would plow a field." These two elements, though, are
underground. Capping them is a large, black slab of marble,
ringed with up-ended slabs of light marble forming a sort of
railing. It is as if this was a sacred spot walled-off to keep
pedestrians from trespassing on it. In fact, the inscription on the column invokes dire curses on
anyone tramples this site.
Perhaps the most important feature of the Lapis Niger is that it was venerated by the Roman
people as the location of the tomb of Romulus himself, the founder and first king of Rome!
During much of Rome's history, the Lapis Niger was a part of the comitium, the meeting place
immediately in front of the senate house. In fact, the speakers platform which would later
become the rostra was built right next to the Lapis Niger, which adds even more mystery and
prominence to this ancient site.
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TOUR IN ROME
Ancient Rome – Rome of the Caesars
Passing by Piazza Barberini, with the Triton Fountain by Barberini, you can proceed to Piazza
Venezia, where you will see the imposing memorial to Victor Emanuel II, the first king of United
Italy. The tour will then proceed to the Roman Forum, the old centre of the Imperial City, where
the Senate House, the Basilicas and the Temples of the major Gods are located. After walking
down the Via Sacra and passing by the Arch of Titus, you will visit the Colosseum, surrounded
by impressive monuments such as the ruins of the Arch of Constantine the Great. The last stop
on your tour will be the 5th century Christian Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, where you will see
the world famous Statue of Moses by Michelangelo.
Monumental Rome
This tour begins by passing through the Via Veneto, made famous by Fellini's Dolce Vita film.
Before reaching Via Nazionale you cross Piazza della Republica with Najadi's Fountain. You
walk through the historical centre continues with the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona, built
on the ancient Domitian Stadium with the famous Fountain of the Four Rivers, Bernini's
masterpiece. Along the way you admire The Quirinal Square, with the Presidential Palace,
Piazza Colonna so called due to the Column of Marco Aurelio. Visit the interior of the Pantheon
which was built in the First Century B.C. with the biggest dome in the world as requested by
Emperor Hadrian. Continue by bus to St. Peter's Square passing Castel St. Angelo. You visit
the Basilica of St. Peter's to admire, among other treasures, the Pieta' by Michelangelo.
Christian Rome
The focus of this tour is Christian Rome, with visits to St Mary Major, St John in Lateran and
the Catacombs.
Passing Piazza Barberini with the Triton Fountain by Bernini, you visit St. Mary Major, the
most beautiful Basilica to Mary, Mother of Christ, with gorgeous mosaics and the relics of Jesus'
cradle. You continue to St. John in Lateran where you stop for a visit. This is the Cathedral of
Rome and was the first Papal residence. Inside there are masterpieces that range from the Middle
Ages to the Baroque period. You stop at the Holy Stair then go down the first part of the Appian
Way where you have a view of the Domine Quo Vadis Chapel before reaching the Catacombs
(Domitilla, St.Callisto or St. Sebastiano) whose ancient underground tunnels were the first
burial places for Christians.
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Rome by Night with Dinner and Music
A unique opportunity to see the sights of Rome beautifully illuminated at night and enjoy an
authentic Italian dinner with live music.
The tour starts from Via Veneto, the street of La Dolce Vita fame, and continues to Piazza
Barberini with the Triton Fountain by Bernini, and on to Piazza Venezia with the Victor
Emanuel monument. You also see Via dei Fori Imperiali, the Colosseum, the Arch of
Constantine, the Palatine, the Temple of Vesta, the Theatre of Marcello, the Capitol, Tiberine
Island, the Synagogue, Castel St. Angelo, and St. Peter's Square and Basilica. During this
panoramic visit of the city you will also take you to visit the famous Trevi Fountain and
Piazza Navona. Then you continue to a specially chosen restaurant where at dinner time you
will have an Italian dinner accompanied by folklore music: Fantasie di Trastevere Show
Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy a traditional dinner and show in an ancient theatre in the
heart of Trastevere.
Enjoy an unforgettable night in the ancient Fantasie di Trastevere Theatre, in the heart of
Trastevere. Singers in typical costume will entertain you performing famous Roman and
Neapolitan songs and arias, while you feast on local specialities.
The menu provided is as follows: Vegetable and salami starter, short pasta with sweet peppers
and meat, roast leg of veal, roast potatoes and mixed salad, moulded dessert, coffee, wine and
mineral water.
Enjoy this morning tour of the treasures of the Vatican, including the Sistine Chapel .
After crossing the park of Villa Borghese you reach the Vatican City, the smallest independent
sovereign state in the world. In the Vatican Museum, you'll be shown a fine collection of
antiquities, including the Sculpture Museum, the fascinating Tapestry Gallery, the Gallery of
Maps and the world famous Sistine Chapel decorated by Michelangelo.
Tivoli - Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este
Enjoy a trip to Tivoli including visits to the Villa Adriana and the Villa d'Este, with its
beautiful fountains and gardens
Travelling through the Roman countryside you reach Tivoli, built on the slopes of the Sabine
Hills. You visit Villa Adriana, built by the Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd Century B.C. It is made
up of the imperial palace, baths, libraries and gardens and is full of masterpieces and pools
worthy of a country residence of the great Emperor Hadrian. A short drive takes you to the Villa
d'Este, one of the most enchanting examples of late Renaissance architecture. Home to Lucretia
Borgia's son, it is famous for its gardens, marvellous fountains, waterfalls and centenary
trees.
Rome
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Throughout its long history Rome has been a centre of learning, trade and commerce. The
native Italian population have shared their city throughout the ages with migrants from across
Europe and the wider world. In ancient times a large proportion of the population were foreign
merchants, slaves, officials and their descendants who came from different areas of the wide
empire which bore the city's name. Today the population is very diverse with immigrants
thought to make up as much as 20% of the population of the city,Today Rome has a dynamic
and diverse economy concentrating on innovation, technologies, communications and the
service sector. Tourism is inevitably one of Rome's chief industries. The city is also a centre for
banking, publishing, insurance, fashion, high-tech industries, housing, cinema (particularly
at the famous Cinecittà studios, dubbed the " Hollywood on the Tiber”), and the aerospace
industries.Many international headquarters, government ministries, conference centres, sports
venues and museums are located in Rome's principal business districts: the E.U.R. (Esposizione
Universale Roma).
Education
Rome's skyline
Rome continues to be the major education and research center of Italy, with many major
universities that offer degrees in all fields. Among the prestigious educational establishments
in Rome is the University of Rome La Sapienza (founded 1303), which is Europe’s biggest
university with almost 150,000 students. The city is also home to three other public universities:
Università degli studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, more commonly called Roma 2, Università di
Roma Tre and the Istituto Universitario di Scienze Motorie.
Undisputed as the greatest repository of western art of the last 3,000 years of human history,
Rome is home to many foreign academic institutions, as well, such as The American Academy,
The British School, The French Institute, The German Archaeological Institute, The Swedish
Institute, and The Finnish Institute, The Japan Foundation.
Several private universities are as well located in Rome, as:
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LUISS UNIVERSITY (Libera università internazionale degli studi sociali), probably the
most prestigious private university in Rome;
, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, a renowned university in Italy;
John Cabot University a private American University;
LUMSA University (Libera Universita Maria SS. Assunta);
University of Malta, an International University;
Libera Università di Roma "Leonardo da Vinci";
Libera Università degli Studi "S. Pio V";
UPTER University;
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I.S.S.A.S. University.
Still located in Rome are the Accademia di Santa Cecilia - the world's oldest academy of music
(founded 1584), St. John’s University’s Rome campus which is located at the Pontificio
Oratorio San Pietro, several academies of fine arts, colleges of the church, medical and Health
research instituts.
Province of Rome
Rome is the capital of a province, with an area of 5,352 sq. km, and a total population of
3,700,424 (2001) in 120 comuni.The province can be viewed as the extended metropolitan area
of the town of Rome, although in its more peripheral portions, especially to the north, it comprises
towns surrounded by firmly rural landscape, just as towns elsewhere thruout Italy.
Markets and shopping areas
Porta Portese
Street market on Sunday mornings, from very early to around 1pm, on the left bank of the
Tiber, between Porto Portese and Stazione Trastevere, centred on Via Portuense. The wares are
mainly clothes, both old and new. The second-hand clothing stalls are by far the more popular,
with the clothes sorted by type (leathers and furs, jeans, coats, children’s clothes, etc) and piled
on large tables with everything at the same (low) price. Tables start at 50c, and range up to 20
euro for high-quality leather and fur.
Campo de' Fiori
Campo de’ Fiori is one of the oldest markets in Rome, where food and flowers are most
frequently found. Though the name literally means "field of flowers," there are no fields in
sight; it's in the middle of downtown Rome, off of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. The market is
open every morning of the week except Sunday. Campo de' Fiori, surrounded by many bars and
restaurants, is also a popular destination at night for locals and foreigners alike.
Symbols and trivia
Rome is commonly identified by several proper symbols, including the Colosseum, the she-wolf
(Lupa capitolina), the imperial eagle, and the symbols of Christianity. The famous acronym
SPQR recalls the ancient age and the unity between Roman Senate and Roman people.
Rome is called "L'Urbe" (The City), "Caput mundi" (head of the world), "Città Eterna" (eternal
city), and "Limen Apostolorum" (the threshold of the apostles).
The town's colors are golden yellow and red (garnet): they stand, respectively, for christian and
imperial dignities.
Rome has two holidays of its own: April 21 (the founding of Rome), and June 29 and (the feast
of its patron saints, Peter and Paul). Other locally important dates are December 8 (the
Immaculate Conception) and January 6 (Epiphany).
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Rome was once surrounded by a belt toll-free motorway named The Grande Raccordo Anulare
(commonly shortened "Il GRA" or "Il Raccordo"), which was 68 km long. This motorway has
since been outgrown, and the city has many new districts well beyond it.
Some proverbs about the Eternal City:
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When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
All roads lead to Rome.
Rome wasn't built in a day.
During its long history, Rome has always had a scarcity of native inhabitants, so by tradition
a "true" Roman is one whose family has lived in Rome for no less than 7 generations: this is the
original "Romano de Roma" (in Romanesco, the local dialect of Italian).
MY TOWN
Historical origins
According to tradition Rome was founded on the21st of April, 753 b.C.; actually it spread little
by little. In fact the first hill to be occupied was the Palatine, where in the tenth century a Latin
colony settled on the side which overlooks the Tiber.
Here the Tiber is divided into two by the Tiberine-isle, an obligatory point of passage not only
for the north-south trade, but also for the goods coming up from the sea to Lazio and Central
Italy.The most ancient ruins found on the Palatine prove the existence of a village surrounded
by an embankment. The traditional Roman "Square".
Some time later the development of trade boosted the creation of trade centres for all imported
and exported goods.
Thanks to the natural formation of the area, surrounded by hills distant from the sea, it was a
suitable place to feel safe. New latin tribes occupied other hills (Esquiline, Coelian, Quirinal e
Capitoline) on the left side of the river and between the X and VII centuries b. C. they founded
many villages.
They joined that sacred league which was to build Rome and started with a monarchical
experience its millenial history.
Education
The children used to spend all day at school, except for a short lunch break. They learned to read
with a kind of spelling tablet and to write on wax writing tablets or on papyrus rolls. Heaven
help those who made a mistake or were unruly!
The punishment with rods was not rare.
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Food
The Romans used to give great importance to gastronomy and good food.
It was a consequence of their increasing richness: the ancient Romans were satisfied with eating
turnips, but their descendants were among the most gluttonous of humanman kind.
Their banquets were the real society-rites of the time, they took place in the evenings and were
called "cenae", while at midday the Romans had quick snacks.
They started with hors-d'oeuvres (gustus, gustatio), tasty dishes where eggs were always
present and drunk the "mulsum", wine mixed with honey; then the real dinner, with several
courses and watered wine, and ended with the dessert, or as the Romans called it - the secundae
mensae- based on spicy food to stimulate the thirst. Toasts abounded.
Games
Panem et circenses, bread and circus games, were the essential elements which kept the Roman
plebe quiet. Bread was sought by the poor people but everybody liked the circus games. If a
Roman protested, it was more for a question of good taste rather than morality.
Circus games were of different types: the two-wheeled chariot races, loved by ladies;
The hunts (Venetians) where armed men faced beasts such as tigers, lions, bears or bulls; the
executions of criminals, where the convict people were thrown to wild beasts or left to die with the
pretext of a revocation of a myth or a historical event. But the gladiators games were the favorite
ones: the fight man to man.
The gladiators, were trained become fighting machines, they competed one against the other
with the same or different arms, trying to wound and kill each other. In case of defeat, the
destiny of the loser depended on the public mood: if everybody waved the handkerchiefs, he had
his life saved, if they turned the thumb down, he had to die in the arena.
The athletes of these games were slaves, usually heroes of the masses; one of the gladiators
revolts, that of Sparticus (73-71 b.C.) was one of the most terrible for Rome.
A day in Rome
In Rome the artisans' workshops opened at break of down. The traders, also opened their shops,
quite early early in the morning, putting their merckendise on display.
But what a noise, what a crowd in the streets!
The chariots went round in the narrow streets making a terrible noise. In the morning the
teachers, in the night the bakers, all day long the boiler-makers; the money-changer striking
coins with Nero's minting die, a Spanish gold beater hitting on a stone, while followers of the
Godess of War Bellona went about shouting as if they were possessed. In other words it was
impossible to have rest or to "live" in Rome.
In the courts lawyers defended the rights of their client in front of a magistrate and a large
public.
The children were at school all day, except for a short lunch break during which they returned
home.
At midday the Romans used to go home for lunch. Than they used to go to the baths, the only
meeting place in a city of about one million inhabitants. The distance to the baths was a
problem, because they could be reached only by feet; carriages or other means of transport could
not circulate. At sunset when the baths closed, the people used to go back home for dinner.
Coming out of the baths the people used to meet the fans of the of the circus or the theatre who
were also going home for dinner. Dinner marked the end of the day for the Roman citizen.
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ITINERARY A. Old town (ROME)
The Capitoline Hill, now the seat of the city's municipal authorities, was the centre of
government of ancient Rome, and is the geographical centre of the modern city. It is especially
beautiful at night, when it is usually deserted.
The piazza were designed by Michelangelo in 1538. It is bordered by three buildings (also by
Michelangelo): the Palazzo Nuovo and the Palazzo dei Conservatori, which together house the
Capitoline Museums, and the Palazzo Senatorio at the rear.The bronze equestrian statue of
Marcus Aurelius in the centre of the piazza is a copy made from a mould created through
computer-generated photographs. The original, which dates from the 2nd century AD, was badly
damaged by pollution and pigeon dung and was removed in 1981. It has been restored and is
now housed behind glass inside the Palazzo Nuovo.
For the greatest visual impact, approach the Capitoline Hill from Piazza d'Aracoeli and ascend
the cordonata, a stepped ramp also designed by Michelangelo. It is guarded at the bottom by two
ancient
Egyptian
granite
lions
and
at
the
top
by
two
mammoth
statues.
The Kingdom of Italy needed to celebrate Victor Emmanuel II and the northern part of Capitol
Hill was chosen to erect a gigantic monument which was to become the symbol itself of the new
State. Palazzetto Venezia was re-erected near the church of S. Marco, the Torlonia sold their
Palace (previously known as Palazzo Bolognetti) to allow space for enlarging Piazza Venezia
and the medieval buildings on the slopes of the Capitol were pulled down. The chapel mentioned
by Vasi (Cappella della Beata Vergine) was in part rebuilt inside Palazzo Venezia.
The emblem of Rome is at the centre of the Monument. Action is the name of one of the two
bronze groups at the foot of the steps. The monument is also the tomb of Italy's Unknown
Soldier.The cathedral is the most important Medieval monument in the city. It was built
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during the XII and XIV centuries, so it has a Romanesque and Gothic style. It is placed in
the high level of the provincial Roman forum, which is the highest part of town. The plant of
the cathedral is the Latin cross and the cover is of stone cross. It has three aisles with three
apses, the middle one of a huge dimension. The cloister is in Romanesque style with
important sculpural motives on the capitals of the pillars.
The main rose window is Gothic and the two sides are Romanesque. Inside the cathedral
we find the Saint Tecla altarpiece by the artist Pere Joan.
The exterior part of the cathedral is a place where many popular acts and festivities take
place, like the gathering of the ‘Castellers’ in the main festive days of the city. Many
young people from Tarragona get married here!
The Imperial Forums were created with the hope of enhancing the prestige of the city and
providing the citizens with a place for their markets, from which they could listen to harangues,
and where they could participate in religious ceremonies. The first forum built was the Forum
Iulium (54-56 B.C.), under the auspices of Caesar himself. Next came the Forum of Augustus
(31-32 B.C.), the Forum of Vespasian or of Peace (71-75), Nerva’s Forum (A.D.98) and lastly
Trajan’s Forum (113). After the 6th century, the Forums were completely neglected and began
gradually to be destroyed. During the Middle Ages a tiny portion was recuperated and a small
district came into being which blended with the other Roman ruins. Forgotten for centuries, the
area was partially urbanized in the Renaissance but not until the 19th century and above all the
20th were the remains of this once magnificent architecture brought to light and the Via dei Fori
Imperiali created.
Built over 900 years, the Roman Forum (Foro Romano) was the commercial, political and
religious centre of ancient Rome from the Republican era until the 4th century AD.
The importance of the Forum declined along with the Roman Empire. During medieval times the
area was used to graze cattle and extensively plundered for its precious marbles. During the
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Renaissance, with the renewed appreciation of all things classical, the Forum provided
inspiration for artists and architects.
The area was systematically excavated in the 18th and 19th centuries, and you can see
archaeological teams at work in ongoing digs.
The Forum is entered from the piazza leading from the Colosseum. You immediately enter
another world: the past. Columns rise from grassy hillocks, and repositioned pediments and
columns aid the work of the imagination.
The arch rises in the eastern zone of the forums, south of the Temple of Venus and Roma. The
inscription on the side towards the Colosseum tells us that it was dedicated to the emperor Titus
probably after his death in A.D. 81 by his brother and successor Domitian to commemorate the
victory in the Judaic campaign of A.D. 70.
Begun in A.D. 121 and inaugurated in 135, the Temple of Venus and Roma was designed by
Hadrian himself. The building was set within an enclosing double colonnade which left the two
principal facades free and which had two entrance propylaea at the centre of the long sides. The
dimensions (m. 145 x 100) of the entire ensemble are imposing.
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This is the most famous of Rome’s hills and it retains the earliest memories of the old city. In
fact the first groups of huts of the square city were built on the Palatine, before they spread over
to the adjacent hills. Important public buildings, large temples and many private dwellings
such as those of Cicero, Crassus and Tiberius Graccus went up here. Later the hill became the
residence of the emperors of Rome who had their sumptuous palaces built here. The Palatine was
then the residence of the Gothic kings and of many popes and emperors of the Western Empire;
in the Middle Ages convents and churches were built. Finally in the 16 th century most of the
hill was occupied by the immense structures of Villa Farnese and the Orti Farnesiani (the first
real botanical gardens). Archaeological excavation was begun in the 18th century and evidence
of Rome’s past was brought to light, including remnants of the Domus Augustana, the
splendid paintings of republican period and the remains of the first dwellings that stood on the
hill, as well as the omposing 16th-cantury entrance portal to the Orti Farnesiani.
Construction of the Colosseo (Colosseum) was started by Vespasian in 72 AD in the grounds of
Nero's private Domus Aurea. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, after the family
name of Vespasian, it was inaugurated by his son Titus in 80 AD. The massive structure could
seat more than 50,000 (the 4th century figure of 87,000 is disputed), and the bloody gladiator
combat and wild beast shows held thereThe splendid games held at the inauguration of the
Colosseo lasted for 100 days and nights, during which some 5,000 animals were slaughtered.
Trajan once held games which lasted for 117 days, during which some 9,000 gladiators fought
to the death.With the fall of the Empire, the Colosseo was abandoned and gradually became
overgrown. Exotic plants grew there for centuries; seeds bad in advertently been transported
from Africa and Asia with the wild beasts that appeared in the arena (including crocodiles,
bears, lions, tigers, elephants, rhinos, hippos, camels and giraffes).
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In the Middle Ages the Colosseo became a fortress, occupied by two of the city's warrior families:
the Frangipani and the Annibaldi. Its reputation as a symbol of Rome, the "Eternal City", also
dates to the Middle Ages, with Bede writing that "while the Colosseo stands, Rome shall stand,
but when the Colosseo falls, Rome shall fall and when Rome falls, the world will end".
Damaged several times by earthquake, it was later used as a quarry for travertine and marble
for the Palazzo Venezia and other buildings. Pollution and the vibrations caused by traffic and
the Metro have also taken their toll. Restoration works have periodically been carried out, the
latest starting in 1992. Current estimates have a restored Colosseo being unveiled by 2004.
Opening hours in winter are daily from 9 am to 4 pm and until 6 pm in summer.
The largest of the arches erected in Rome is on the route which the triumphal processions took in
antiquity, between the Caelian and the Palatine hills. It was built in A.D. 315 by decree of the
Senate and the Roman people to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Constantine’s ascent to the
throne and his victory over Maxentius in the battle of Ponte Milvio in A.D. 312.
Now only the lay of the land, much higher than the original arena, betrays the form of the
original structure. For a long time it was built entirely of wood. The Circus was destroyed in the
fire of A:D: 64. Nero rebuilt it and increased the number of seats. The circus measured 600x200
metres and had a capacity of 320,000 spectators who watched the chariot races that were held
there.
The Circus Maximus was another amusement site. Chariot
races were held there. It was as long as six football fields in a row and could hold 250,000
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spectators. The chariot that completed 7 laps won. There were no rules and any unfairness was
permitted ..
Beneath the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin (dating from the 6th century), to
the left, is the famous Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth), a large stone disk depicting the face
of a faun or river god, with its mouth open. It is probably a monumental slab to close a drain
but, according to legend, the stone was used to judge people's honesty: whoever told a lie while
holding his hand in the mouth would have ended up pulling out only the stump.
. This Piazza is situated between the Isola Tiberina and the Emporium and was once a place
of trade for bankers who did business in the Velabro.
When the Bizantines took control, it became centre of a Greek colony and from 1796 to 1864
more than 516 heads were guillotined off in this piazza. Today in this piazza one can
admire 2 antique temples including a fountain from the 700's and a late medieval church
with bell tower.
The Temple of Vesta mistakingly attributed to Vesta when in reality dedicated to Hercule, is
the oldest Roman marble temple with a circular foundation. Its two walls are painted with
frescos from 400' and along side of it the Temple of Portunus was erected.
In 1715 Pope Clemente XI commissioned Carlo Bizzaccheri to design and build a late
Baroque fountain with the figures of two Tritons whose tails are crossed while lifting two sea
shells where from the centre water thrushes upwards to adorn this piazza.
La Bocca della Verità - Under the portico of the church of St.
Maria in Cosmedin you will find a big marble mask. This 'big face' was probably a drain of
the Cloaca Maxima which was one of the biggest sewers of Rome.
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The project for the so-called thetre of Marcellus dates to Caesar’s time, but the building was
finished in 13 B.C. by Augustus who officially dedicated it in the name of his nephew
Marcellus, his first designated heir, who died early in 23 B.C.In the 13th century the building
was occupied by the noble Savelly family; in the 18th century it passed to the Orsini. The fine
Renaissance palace that occupies the third floor of the exterior façade of the cavea is the work of
the architect Baldassarre Peruzzi.
The Synagogue, or Israelite Temple, stands on the Via del Portico di Ottavia, along the Tiber.
Like other Italian synagogues, it is characterizes by a style that can be classified as exotic
revival, in this case Assyro-babylonian. The building terminates in a large aluminium dome,
which marks it as belonging to the early twentieth century. In fact the Synagogue dates to
1904 and was designed by the architects Armanni and Costa.
According to an old written tradition, the small island in the Tiber now known as Isola Tiberina
was formed when the grain that had been harvested in the Campus Martius (private property of
the Tarquins) was thrown into the river after the expulsion of the Etruscan kings from Rome.
The first important building erected on the island dates to 291 B.C. This was the temple of
Aesculapius. The porticoes of the sanctuary of Aesculapis were a real hospital. In the Middle Ages
the island continued to be set aside as a hospital, thanks in part to its being isolated from the
inhabited areas, and it is still used as such with the Hospital of the Fatebenefratelli, adjacent to
the small Church of S. Giovanni Calibita.
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In antiquity the island was was also joined to the city by two bridges. The one which still today
connects it to the left bank, near the thetre of Marcellus, is the ancient Pons Fabricius. The other
bridge which joins the island to Trastevere is no longer the original one. The Pons Cestius was
torn down between 1888 and 1892.
Lined with Baroque palaces, the vast and beautiful Piazza Navona (Navona Square) was laid
out on the ruins of a stadium built by Domitian in 86 AD, ruin of which can still be seen at the
north end of the piazza. The stadium had seating for around 30,000 spectators. Originally
called the "Circus Agonalis" (circus of the Agonalia), it became known in the Middle Ages as the
Campus Agonis, which in time became 'n'agona'and eventually 'navona'. The arena was used
for festivals and sporting events, including jousts, until the late 15th century, when it was
paved over and transformed into a market place and public square. The ruins of the stadium
can be visited by appointment only.
Piazza Navona is a popular gathering place for Romans and tourists alike. Take time to relax
on one of the stone benches and watch the artists who gather in the piazza to do their work, have
your "tarocchi" (tarot cards) read, or pay top prices to enjoy a drink at one of the outdoor cafés,
such as Tre Scalini. The piazza is best avoided from early December until 6 January when a
gaudy market and mini funfair take over.
There are three fountains, the central one being Bernini's masterpiece, the Fontana dei Quattro
Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) depicting the Nile, Ganges, Danube and the Rio Plata. The
fountain took four years to build and was completed in 1651; funds to build the fountain were
raised by an unpopular tax on bread. Bernini designed the figures, but the actual carving was
done by assistants. The obelisk once stood in the Circo di Massenzio on the Via Appia Antica.
The Fontana del Moro at the southern end of piazza was designed by Giacomo della Porta in
1576. Bernini altered the fountain in the mid-17th century when he designed the central
figure of the Moor bolding a dolphin.The surrounding tritons are 19th century copies. The
fountain at the northern end of the piazza dates from the 19th century and has a central figure
of Neptune fighting with a sea monster, surrounded by sea nymphs.
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In the centre of the piazza facing the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is the Chiesa di Sant'Agnese
in Agone, its façade designed by Bernini's better rival, Borromini. The tradition is that the
statues of Bernini's Fontana dei Fiumi are shielding their eyes in disgust from the sight of
Borromini's church, but the truth is that Bernini completed the fountain two years before his
contemporary started work on the façade and in fact the figure is shielding its face to indicate
that the source of the river at that time had been undiscovered.
Piazza Navona - Games and feasts used to be held in Piazza
Navona. Both princes and common people enjoyed flooding the square in summer to bathe in it
and organise events. In 1600 Pope Innocent X had it embellished by the greatest architects by
building the famous 'Fountain of the Rivers' in the middle. The people did not approve of the
money spent on works of art because the Pope used to raise taxes on meat and salt. Notes were
hung on the back of the statue of Pasquino with anonymous complaints like 'Never mind spires
and fountains, bread, we want bread, bread, bread!!'
Marcus Agrippa's Pantheon is one of the world's most sublime architectural creations: a
perfectly proportioned floating dome resting on an elegant drum of columns and pediments. It
was built in 27 BC, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in 120 AD.The temple has been
consistently plundered and damaged over the years; it lost its beautiful gilded bronze roof tiles
in Pope Gregory III's time. Its extraordinary dome -is the largest masonry vault ever built.After
being abandoned under the first Christian emperors, the Pantheon was converted into a church
in 609 and dedicated to the Madonna and all the martyrs.The Italian kings Victor Emmanuel
II and Umberto I and the artist Raphael are buried here.
Pantheon - They say the Pantheon was built where Romulus,
founder of Rome, was shrouded by a cloud and disappeared for ever during a thunderstorm. It is
amazing to think that the only source of light is the large whole in the middle of the dome,
through which the rain also comes in! This is the lowest area of Rome and often when the Tiber
overflowed water arrived all the way here and flooded the whole area. Near the church of S.Maria
Sopra Minerva you will find plates marking the level reached during the worst floods.
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Considered one of Bernini’s most delightful inventions, the elephant serves as the support for the
Egyptian obelisk dating to the 6th century B.C.
Considered one of Bernini’s most delightful inventions, the elephant serves as the support for the
Egyptian obelisk dating to the 6th century B.C.
Rome. From Via del Tritone we enter Via della Stamperia, which leads to the Trevi Fountain,
certainly the most famous and spectacular fountain in Rome, made even more famous by the
night-time wading of Anita Ekberg in Federico Fellini's film "La dolce vita'. The fountain is the
terminal part of the Vergine aqueduct built by Agrippa, a general of Augustus, in 19 B.C. to
bring the water coming from the Salone springs, 19 km away, to Rome.
Legend, illustrated in the fountain's upper panels, has it that it was a young girl who showed
Agrippa's thirsty soldiers where a copious spring gushed forth. Hence the name of the aqueduct
which, running underground for a long stretch, is the only one in Rome that has remained in
use almost uninterruptedly from the time of its construction to the present day. This is the
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aqueduct that supplies the water to the monumental fountains of the historic centre, from
Piazza Navona to Piazza di Spagna.
The name "Trevi", on the other hand, allegedly derives from the word Trivium, a meeting point of
three streets that form this little widened area.
lt is truly surprising to see such a large fountain in such a small square, but the artist Nicola
Salvi, who created it between 1732 and 1762, carefully studied the way to increase the
sensation of marvel. Indeed, he set it almost entirely against the face of Palazzo Poli, preceding
it with a little balconied scene, almost as if it were a theatre! The artist was, however, disturbed
during his work by the continuous criticism expressed by a barber who had his shop in the
square. To shut him up, during one night Salvi created the large basin, familiary calied the
"Ace of Cups", situated on the right-hand balustrade, which completely blocked the view of the
fountain from the shop. Everyone knows that, if they want to return to Rome, they have to throw
a coin into the basin, but be careful: for the dream to come true, you have to toss it over your
shoulder with your back to the fountain!
In 19 B.C. Marco Vespasiano Agrippa decides to construct a long canal to feed the springs he
developed near the Pantheon.
The legend states that soldiers were sent to research the water springs closest to Rome, who, while
on assignment, met a young girl that led them to the pure springs. It is from this legend that
the water is gets its name the "Virgin Water".
During antiquity, a glass of the fresh, thirst quenching water from the Trevi Fountain was
said to ensure good fortune and a fast return to Rome.
Over the course of time, this practice was replaced with the tossing of a coin in the fountain. The
precise tradition calls for one to throw the coin over one's left shoulder while standing with one's
back to the Trevi Fountain.
The Trevi Fountain today, contains a wide collection of international coins tossed by those
travellers wishing to return to this distinctly romantic and wonderful place in Rome.
There is second romantic ritual associated with the Trevi Fountain. This legend pertains to the
miniature fountain of the left side, known as "the small fountain of lovers". According to the
legend, couples that drink from the mini fountain will forever be faithful to their partner.
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These two palaces, the former dating to the second half of the 16th century and the latter to the
18th century, face onto the Piazza del Quirinale. The Quirinale was the seat of the papacy from
Clemente XII to 1870, the year in which was chosen as the palace for the kings of United Italy,
and then after 1947 as official residence of the Italian President.
Still another fascinating famous fountain by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is set in the centre of the
Piazza Barberini. Dating to 1643 is characterized by the apparent lack of any kind of
architectural support for the statue of the Triton from which the fountain takes its name.
An important element in the town-planning projects of Rome at the beginning of the 20th
century and the building up of the Ludovisi District, the Via Vittorio Veneto goes from Piazza
Barberini to the Porta Pinciana and is lined with outstanding works of architecture as well as
with hotels, shops and universally famous rendez-vous.
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Rome. The piazza, church and famous Scalinata Spagna (Spanish Steps) have long provided a
gathering place for foreigners. Built with a legacy from the French in 1725, but named after
the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See (which is still located in the piazza), the steps lead to the
French church,
Trinità dei Monti. In the 18th century the most beautiful women and men of Italy gathered
here, waiting to be chosen as an artist's model.
In May each year the steps are decorated with pink azaleas.
To the right as you face the steps is the house where John Keats died in 1821, now the KeatsShelley Memorial House, a small museum crammed with memorabilia of Keats Percy Bysshe
Shelley, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron and other Romantics. It is open from 9 am to 1 pm and
2.30 to 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
In the piazza is the boat-shaped fountain called the Barcaccia, believed to be by Pietro Bernini,
father of the famous Gian Lorenzo. The Viale della Trinità dei Monti at the top of the steps leads
to the Pincio. Half way along the road on the right is the Villa Medici, perhaps Rome's best piece
of real estate with undoubtedly one of the city's best views. The palazzo was built for Cardinal
Ricci da Montepulciano in 1540. Ferdinando dei Medici bought it in 1576 and it remained his
family's property until Napoleon acquired it in 1801, when the French Academy was
transferred here. The academy was founded in 1666 to provide talented French artists, writers
and musicians - Prix de Rome winners - an opportunity to study and absorb the enormous
classical heritage that Rome offered..
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Built between 1889 and 1910 to designs by Guglielmo Calderoni, the court building is
characterized by the fact that the central block is higher than those on either side (3 floors), as
well as by its imposing dimensions.
Mausoleum of Augustus
The dynastic tomb of the first emperor of Rome is a circular structure consisting of a series of
concentric walls in tufa connected by radiating walls.
Piazza del Popolo, one of the most characteristic areas of neoclassical Rome, is the child of
Giuseppe Valadier’s creative genius in the field of town planning and architecture, a project he
began work on in 1793.
It is distinguished by the low exedras which define the boundaries of the square and which are
topped by statues of the Four Seasons, while the centre is emphasized by the two fountains,
Neptune and the Tritons and Rome between the Tiber and the Aniene River.
The public gardens of the Pincio stretch out on the slope beyond the exedra to the right of the
Piazza del Popolo. Like the Piazza, they too were laid out by Giuseppe Valadier between 1810
and 1818. Already famous in antiquity, the site was occupied by the Gardens (horti) of
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Lucullus, the Acilia family, the Domizi, and finally the Pinci after whom the site, and then the
park, was named. In line with a typically Italian type of garden architecture, busts of men
famous in the world of art and history are scattered throughout the Pincio.
First created for Cardinal Caffarelli Borghese early in the 17th century, the park was completely
renewed at the end of the 18th century by the architects Asprucci, but what we see now was the
work of Luigi Canina at the beginning of the 19th century.
Generously donated to the city of Rome in 1902 by Umberto 1, king of Italy. This is the largest
park in Rome with a perimeter of six kilometres and it is also the loveliest with a wealth of trees
and charming paths.
This 'queen of all private collections' was formed by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the
This 'queen of all private collections' was formed by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the most
passionate and knowledgeable connoisseur of his day. The collection and the mansion were
acquired by the Italian state in 1902; a lengthy restoration took place in the 1990s.
The ground floor contains some important classical statuary and intricate Roman floor
mosaics. But Bernini's spectacular carvings - flamboyant depictions of pagan myths - are the
stars. His precocious talent is evident in works such as Pluto and Proserpine, where Pluto's hand
presses into Proserpine's solid marble thigh, and in the swirling Apollo and Daphne, which
depicts the exact moment at which the nymph is transformed into a laurel tree, her fingers
becoming leaves, her toes turning into tree roots, while Apollo watches helplessly.
There are six Caravaggios, including the wonderfully naturalistic Madonna dei Palafrenieri
(Madonna with the Serpent), whose uninhibited realism led to its rejection by its ecclesiastical
commissioners, allowing Scipione to snap it up.
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The paintings on the first floor are testimony to Scipione's connoisseur's eye, and include
masterworks by Giovanni Bellini, Giorgione, Veronese, Botticelli, Guercino, Domenichino and
Rubens, among others. It's advisable to book.
Castel S. Angelo, whose imposing mass still dominates the panorama of Rome, and which is
knowm as the Mole Adriana, was not originally built for defensive purposes but as the funeral
monument of the emperors. A new bridge (called Pons Aelius from the nomen of the emperor)
which still exists as Ponte Sant’Angelo was built to put the monument in communication with
the Campus Martius. Most of the structural parts of the Mausoleum, which was incorporated into
Castel S. Angelo in the Middle Ages, have been preserved. The building consisted of an
enormous quadrangular basement, 89 m. per side and 15 m. high. On top was a cylindrical
drum (diam. 64 m., height 21 m.) flanked by radial walls. Reached by one of the world's most
beautiful bridges - Bernini's billowing, angel-clad Ponte Sant' Angelo - this strange, circular
tank of a building was originally constructed as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian.
It was converted into a papal fortress in the 6th century, and is linked by underground.
It was converted into a papal fortress in the 6th century, and is linked by underground
passages to the Vatican palaces. Several popes have felt the need to take advantage of the secret
routes in times of threat.
The mausoleum is now an interesting museum, and its evocative atmosphere is heightened by
the knowledge that it was from here that Puccini's Tosca plunged to her death.
Castel Sant'Angelo was originally the tomb of Emperor Hadrian. Later it was transformed into
a fortification. Allegedy, during an attack by the Goths, the Romans barricaded within its
walls used the statues that decorated the monument as ammunition.
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Vatican City spreads out to the right of the Tiber and lies between Monte Mario to the north and
the Janiculum to the South. Since 1929, the year in which the Lateran Treaty was stipulated
between the Holy See and the Italian State, the Vatican City has been an independent sovereign
state and it contains exceedingly important examples of art and architecture. The boundaries of
this state, whose residents can be numbered in the hundreds, is defined by the Via Porta
Angelica, Piazza del Risorgimento, Via Leone IV, the Viale Vaticano, Via della Sagrestia, and
the Piazza San Pietro. The Pope, in addition to being the head of the Apostolic Roman Catholic
Church, has full legislative, executive and judiciary powers. The Vatican State is completely
independent of the Italian state, even though they maintain extremely friendly relations. The
Vatican prints its own stamps, has its own railroad station, and a well-known newspaper, the
Osservatore Romano, which is distributed throughout Italy. The city also has its own police
service as represented by the famous “Swiss Guards” which, from the early 16th century,
protected the person of the pope and still today wear uniforms that were probably designed by
Michelangelo.
San Pietro - Did you know that St. Peters is the biggest Christian church and can hold up to
60,000 people. In order to build it, a hill was levelled, land was raised and a road detoured. It took
170 years to build. Today, a switch is sufficient to light up the enormous dome, but in the past
centuries 5991 candles, lanterns and torches were used to illuminate it and these were lit
simultaneously by 2000 men.
In the 4th century a church, which was the ancestor of the present Basilica, was built on the hill
of the Esquiline. The present Church of Santa Maria Maggiore was completely rebuilt by Sixtus
III (432 -440)
Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli
This basilica stands on the slope of the Esquiline hill. Here there is the famous Moses by
Michelangelo, seated between Rachel (or the Contemplative Life) and Leah (or the Active Life).
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Built by Constantine, plundered by the Vandals of Genseric, frequently sacked, damaged by
the earthquake of 896 and various fires, the Basilica of St. John Lateran was continuously
being rebuilt and restored.
Built by Constantine, the church remained standing until 1823, when it was gutted by fire,
not bto be reconsecrated until 1854. On the exterior, St. Paul’s now has an imposing
quadriporticus in front of the main façade (on the side towards the Tiber) with 146 granite
columns which define a space that is dominated by the statue of the Apostle Paul.
Founded as early as the 3rd century by Saint Calixtus and terminated under St. Julius, Santa
Maria in Trastevere basically maintained its original aspect, notwithstanding various
restorations in the course of the centuries until the 18th century, when Pope Clement VII had the
architect Carlo Fontana add on a portico.
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Although its traditionally proletarian nature is changing as the crumbling palazzi become
gentrified, a stroll among the labyrinthine alleys of Trastevere still reaps small gems of a
bygone past. Washing strung out from the apartments in best Mama-leone tradition has
everyone sighing and reaching for the Kodaks.
The lovely Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere is the area's heart. It's a true Roman square - by
day peopled by mothers with strollers, chatting locals and guidebook-toting tourists, by night
with artisans selling their craft work, young Romans looking for a good time, and the odd
homeless person looking for a bed. The streets east of the piazza is where you'll find the most
photographed washing in the world
The funeral building dating to the early imperial period was obviously inspired by Egyptian
models, fashionable in Rome after the conquest of Egypt (30 B.C.).
The most important of the Roman consular roads, known as Regina Viarum (the queen of
roads), extends from the Porta di San Sebastiano to Brindisi on the coast of Puglia. It was
started around 312BC by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus, but didn't connect with Brindisi
until around 190BC. The Via Appia Antica winds towards the interior bordered with ancient
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monuments and others that are not so old..The first section of the road, which extended 90km
(56mi) to Terracina, was considered revolutionary in its day because it was almost perfectly
straight - perhaps the world's first autostrada. Every Sunday, a long section of the Via Appia
Antica becomes a no-car zone. You can walk or ride a bike from the Porta di San Sebastiano for
several kilometres.
Monuments along the road near Rome include the catacombs and Roman tombs. The Chiesa Di
Domine Quo Vadis is built at the point where St Peter had a vision of Christ as he was escaping
the Neronian persecution. Noticing he was going towards the city, Peter asked 'Domine, quo
vadis?' - ('Lord, where are you going?') When Jesus replied that he was going to Rome to be
crucified again, Peter took the hint and returned to the city, where he was arrested and
martyred.
The tomb of Caecilia Metella lies on the Via Appia Antica. This sumptuous mausoleum, a typical
example, was originally built for Caecilia, wife of Crassus and daughter of Quintus Metellus,
conqueror of Crete. It belongs to the late republican period and was modified in 1302 by the
Caetani who adopted it as a tower to defend their neighboring castle. Even so the tomb chamber
of the ancient tomb with its conical cover can still be identified.
These deep galleries were once quarries for travertine and pozzolana. Situated at the periphery of
Rome, they became meeting places for the early Christians and shortly thereafter were also used
as cemeteries (1st – 4th cen.).
This famous district, at one and the same time the most recent and the most historical, was
originally created for the Esposizione Universale di Rome (World Fair of Rome) to be held in
1942. Designed by a group of famous architects, it covers an area of 420 hectares in the shape of
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a pentagon: The formative concept was that of monumentality and it was bult with a view to the
future expansion of Rome towards the Tyrrhenian Sea. Included among its significant
paradigms of Italian architecture of the first half of the 20th century are the Palazzo della
Civiltà del Lavoro, as well as the sites of the Museo Preistorico ed Etnografico Pigorini, the Museo
dell’alto Medioevo (Early Middle Ages), the Museo delle Arti e Tradizioni Popolari and the Museo
della Civiltà Romana.
TALAVERA DE LA REINA
REGIONE: CASTILLA LA MANCHA
COUNTRY: SPAIN
SCHOOL:Collegio Publico Hernan Cortes
Talavera de la Reina, the biggest city in the Toledo’s province, is located in the centre of Spain,
west of Madrid ( 117 km) and only one hour from the capital, in the comunidad autónoma
(“autonomous community”) of Castile-La Mancha, on the northern bank of the Tagus River
near its confluence with the Alberche. The town originated as the Roman Caesarobriga and was
conquered by King Alfonso VI in 1082. Alfonso XI gave it to his queen, Maria of Portugal,
whence its appellation de la Reina
This is a town with many interesting places to visit or to have fun. You would like to see the
Prado Gardens with the famous "Ntra. Sra. del Prado" Basílica (the long-lady of Talavera) or go
to see interesting plays at the "Victoria" theatre or "Palenque" theatre (both located in the centre of
the town). There are ancient Roman walls and many churches to see, too.
An important part of the history of this city lied to the ceramic.
The story of maiolica began in Spain. In 711 the expanding Moorish empire first set foot on the
Iberian Peninsula. The Moors came from North Africa crossing the Straits of Gibraltar and
settled in the area of southern Spain they called Al-Andalus. A dominant presence in Spain
until the 1400’s, Muslim Spain could boast a splendour and cultural refinement that revealed
the court of Baghdad. This flourishing Muslim empire in Spain was a gathering place for
scholars, artists and scientists, it was during this cultural and artistic explosion that HispanoMoresque potters first began producing tin-glazed earthenware. The pottery from this period is
called lusterware and is the forerunner of maiolica, as we know it today.
Seville was one of the largest cities in Europe during the 13th century; from her ports HispanoMoresque lusterware was exported all over the world. By the first half of the 15th century the
lusterware of Spain was the most valued pottery in the world. Pieces of lusterware dating back to
the thirteenth century have been found in England.
The first pottery centres of lusterware were in the southern cities of Seville and Malaga. The
pottery produced in Malaga was referred to as obras de malica or obras de malique; it is possible
that the term maiolica is a derivation of the word Malaga. As the political empire of the Moors on
the Iberian Peninsula began to erode, the potters of southern Spain slowly migrated to the
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Spanish Levant on the eastern coast of Spain. The potters of Manises and Paterna began
producing works that rivaled that of Andalucia.
As the popularity of lusterware waned the pottery centres of Spain shifted to Talavera de la
Reina in Toledo. Talavera is synonymous with Spanish maiolica and continues to be so to this
day. Maiolica from Talavera De La Reina is a fusion of many styles, there is the Christian
Gothic of the middle ages, the indelible style of the Italian Renaissance, Flemish influence of the
Dutch masters, traces of the Oriental porcelains of the T’ang and Ming dynasties and of course
the inescapable Moorish influence.
The collection of Spanish maiolica represents the Talavera pottery of today, which is a beautiful
blending of past traditions reinterpreted by the contemporary artisans.
BLAYDON- GATESHEAD
REGION: NORTHUMBERLAND AND TYNE AND WEAR
COUNTRY: GREAT BRITAIN (England)
SCHOOL: BLAYDON WEST PRIMARY SCHOOL
ON THE SOUTH BANK : BLAYDON, GATESHEAD, JARROW AND SOUTH SHIELDS
Gateshead Borough on the south side of the River Tyne is the home to over 200,000 people and
includes the towns of Whickham, Blaydon, Winlaton and Ryton as well as Gateshead and its
suburbs. It is quite a diverse area with a heavily built up centre comprised of blocks of flats and
busy roads, while the south west of the borough has much open rolling countryside. Throughout
its history the town of Gateshead has lived in the shadows of the commercially powerful and
historically wealthier Newcastle but despite this strong competition Gateshead has managed to
rigidly hold onto its own identity and refuses to become a mere suburb of the Geordie capital.
Today Gateshead is widely famed as a venue for top level International Athletics and is also the
home of the famous Metro Centre shopping and leisure complex, which is undoubtedly the
biggest modern tourist attraction for visitors to the region.
BLAYDON AND THE RACES
Blaydon
Blaydon is of course internationally known as the subject of the Geordieland
`National anthem' `The Blaydon Races', which was originally a Victorian Music
Hall song written by Gateshead's Geordie Ridley (1835-64).
The first public performance of the song by Ridley was on the fifth of June 1862
at a testimonial for the great Tyneside sporting hero Harry Clasper which was
held at Balmbra's Music Hall in Newcastle. The song was composed as an
advertisement for a Geordie Ridley concert to be held at Blaydon and describes a
coach journey from Newcastle to Blaydon.
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In Ridley's time `The Blaydon Races' song was nothing like as well known as it
is today and it was only at the beginning of this century that it was made
popular by a Tyneside comedian called Scatter.
In 1862 the Blaydon Races were to be held on an island in the middle of the River Tyne at
Blaydon but they were called off when a heavy storm made it impossible for the horses to plodge
their way across to the race course. This storm is recorded in the last verse of the `Blaydon
Races' but most of the events referred to in the song actually took place in 1861. The last
Blaydon Races were held on the 2nd September 1916 but had to be abandoned when a riot broke
out following the disqualification of a winning horse.
GATESHEAD
From the earliest times Gateshead has been at the head of an important road or
`gate' from the south and this would suggest that the name of the town is a
reference to its location at the head of the `gate'.
There is however an alternative suggestion that Gateshead means `Goats Head' a headland frequented by wild goats and this is supported by the Venerable Bede
who described Gateshead under the Latin name of Ad Caprae Caput meaning
Goat's Head. Bede referred to Ad Caprae Caput as the site of a monastery
belonging to an an abott called Utta in 653 A.D who is described as a `truthful
and serious man'. We know virtually nothing else about Gateshead in AngloSaxon times.
Whatever its origins, Gateshead is certainly the site of an ancient throughway,
and in Roman times a `street' ran here between the Roman forts of Concangium
(Chester le Street) and Pons Aelius (Newcastle). The Roman road may partly
have followed the course of the modern Gateshead High Street. It crossed the Tyne
by means of a Roman bridge upon which some say there was inscribed the
emblem of a goat's head!
No evidence has been found for the existence of a fort at Gateshead in Roman
times, but Roman coins and artefacts were discovered in the vicinity of Church
Street and Bottle Bank in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. If there
was some kind of Roman outpost fort associated with the Roman bridge the most
likely setting would be on the site of the Gateshead parish church of St Mary close
to the edge of the Tyne.
In Norman times Gateshead passed into the hands of the Prince Bishops of
Durham who for centuries virtually ruled the land between the Tyne and the
River Tees. The first Norman Bishop of Durham was William Walcher of Loraine
who upset the locals of Gateshead when one of his men murdered a popular AngloSaxon noble called Liulf of Lumley in 1081.
The bishop realised that the activities of his men were beginning to get out of
hand and called for a meeting with his people to try and make ammends. For
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some reason the bishop chose Gateshead as the site for this meeting which
suggests Gateshead may have been a place of importance in Norman times.
Whatever his reasons for choosing Gateshead, the bishop was not succesful in his
attempts to make peace. An angry mob had assembled to drown out the words of
the bishop. A cry of "good rede short rede slea ye the Bishop" was heard as the mob
sallied forth. The bishop took refuge in a church but the mob set alight to the
building causing the bishop to flee once again. He was set upon by the mob and
brutally murdered. Later the bishop's mangled body was found on the site by the
monks of Jarrow who conveyed it first to their own monastery and then to
Durham for a private internment.
In the twelfth century Gateshead became a favourite place of residence of Hugh
Pudsey, a powerful Prince Bishop of Durham, who was attracted by the extensive
hunting forests in the vicinity of Gateshead and Heworth.
Despite this attraction the bishop instigated the clearance of some of these forests
which continued into following centuries. As the forests were cleared subsequent
Bishops of Durham gradually lost interest in Gateshead's hunting grounds.
They may have prefered to see the use of the forest timber in the construction of
Tyneside pits which were an increasing source of wealth for the bishops.
The Prince Bishops seem to have taken only minimal interest in Gateshead as a
port, prefering Stockton on the River Tees and the accesible natural harbour of
Hartlepool. Nevertheless they had certain rights to allow ships to trade fom the
south side of the River Tyne and were determined to protect these rights despite
strong opposition from the merchants of Newcastle who wished to control the trade
on both sides of the Tyne.
Newcastle's wealthy merchants continuously tried to restrict trade on the south
side of the river and several attempts were made to annexe Gateshead as a part of
Newcastle. On each occasion the king came out in support of the Bishop of
Durham. However in March 1553 John Dudley Duke of Northumberland, (who
virtually ruled England during the reign of the boy-King Edward VI) finally
annexed the town of Gateshead to Newcastle. The annexation only lasted a few
months with Gateshead returning to Durham with the accession of Queen Mary to
the throne.
In 1574 another attempt was made by Newcastle to annex Gateshead but the
Gateshead people fiercely petitioned parliament against such a posssibility
claiming that the merchants and poor people would suffer from the annexation.
This petition was succesful but Newcastle was not to give in and in the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I Newcastle finally gained control of Gateshead's coal trade in a
grand lease of ninety nine years. The coal mines of Gateshead were worked very
heavily during this period and all the wealth from these mines went into the
pockets of the Newcastle merchants and not to the bishops of Durham.
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Despite the early development of coal mining in the Gateshead area, Gateshead
seems to have remained a rather small place which in the eighteenth century was
still little more than a large village, noted for `oak trees and windmills'.
As late as 1834, Mckenzies History of Durham records that the Windmill Hills,
near the town were `studded with corn mills which seen at a distance, impart a
lively and picturesque effect to the landscape'. A Tyneside song further
proclaims;
The Quayside for sailors,
The Castle Garth for Tailors,
The Gateshead Hills for Millers,
The North shore for Keelers.
This idylic rural situation was however beginning to change as industrialisation
brought about a continuous increase in Gateshead's population with an increase
from 8,597 to 108,024 between 1801 and 1901. As a result the riverside area of
the town became increasingly overcrowded and this was a contributing to a great
disaster in the nineteenth century which affected the neighbouring town of
Newcastle as well.
At one o' clock on the morning of 6th October, 1854 a fire was discovered close to
the River Tyne in a worsted factory in Hillgate, Gateshead (also known as
Hellgate!). The fire quickly got out of control and spread to an adjacent
warehouse containing huge stores of salt, iron, lead, manganese, nitrate of soda,
guano, arsenic, copperas, naptha, and 3000 tons of Brimstone.
Enormous blue flames began emmitting from the building as it caught fire and
large crowds began to gather in both Gateshead and Newcastle, to see the spectacle.
Boats on the River Tyne were said to be alive with spectators.
At around quarter past three that morning, disaster struck; the whole building
suddenly exploded, sending off flaming debris in all directions, the sight of
which was described by onlookers as `like flying fish'. The explosion was heard
far off in Berwick upon Tweed and houses were damaged as far up the Tyne as
South Shields. The glow from the fire could be seen in northern Yorkshire, many
miles to the south.
The flying debris caused ships and boats in the centre of the River Tyne to catch
alight, but worse still, caused a second huge fire to break out on the northern
bank of the river, which ultimately destroyed many of the medieval buildings on
the Newcastle quayside. Hundreds of people were made homeless by the event
which was known for many years after as `The Great fire of Newcastle and
Gateshead'.
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The Great fire destroyed nearly all of the few historical buildings that existed in
Gateshead and this is possibly one of the reasons why Gateshead has its greater
share of the less atrractive modern concrete buildings, than its famous city
neighbour across the Tyne.
Newcastle upon Tyne
ROMAN ORIGINS
PONS AELIUS, CONDERCUM & SEGEDUNUM
Benwell, in the western subburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne was the site of a fort on Hadrian’s
Wall called CONDERCUM but the later name of Benwell is of Anglo Saxon origin deriving
from Beonnam-Wall meaning a placewithin the wall Today most of what remains of the fort at
Benwell is largely burried beneath modern housing, but the defensive Roman ditch called the
`Vallum' can still be clearly be seen along with the nearby ruins of a Roman temple dedicated
to a local god called Antenociticus.From Benwell the Roman wall continued east, towards the
fort near the river at Newcastle called Pons Aelius (See Roman history).. Between Benwell and
Newcastle City Centre Hadrian's Wall more or less ran along the course of what is now the
Westgate Road. This road is built along the site of a Roman defensive ditch situated just north
of Hadrian’s Wall. In Roman times the fort of Pons Aelius at Newcastle was probably not as
important as that at Benwell, although it had a significant role in guarding a Roman bridge
accross the Tyne. Pons was the Latin word for Bridge, so Pons Aelius was the name of both the
the fort and the bridge at Newcastle. In fact Pons Aelius can be translated to mean `the Bridge
of Hadrian' , as Aelius, was the family name of the Emperor who gave his name to the Roman
Wall.The Roman bridge at Newcastle was built of timber on stone piers and may have
continued in use for many centuries.Records suggest that the bridge may still have stood in
Norman times and if this is so then it was not finally destroyed until 1248 during a raging
fire. It is highly liklely that a medieval bridge which replaced this burned structure still utilised
the Roman foundations.Initially the Roman bridge and fort at Newcastle formed the eastern
terminus of Hadrian's Wall but later the wall was extended three miles further to the east where
a fort called Segedunum was built at what we now know as Wallsend.The fort of Segedunum
was strategically located at the point where a short northward flowing section of the River Tyne
suddenly turns east towards the sea. East of here the Tyne provided a natural continuation of
Roman defences. This is demonstrated by the fact that one of the defensive walls of Wallsend
fort actually extended into the River Tyne itself.
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THE OLDEST LIVING ENGLISH
The Angles and Saxons brought with them to Britain a language which was the forerunner of
modern English and indeed it was the Angles of Denmark that gave England its name meaning the Angle land. Over the centuries the old Anglo Saxon language changed beyond
recognition with the gradual introduction of Latin, Norman-French and other foreign
influences.
Today the only part of England where the original Anglo-Saxon language has survived to any
great extent is of course the North East. Here the old language survives in a number of varieties,
the most notable of which are Northumbrian and Geordie. It is from the ancient Germanic and
Scandinavian language of the Angles that the unique local dialects of Northumberland,
Durham and Tyneside, all primarily owe their origins.
GEORDIE WORDS, ANGLE ORIGINS
Distinctively Geordie and Northumbrian words are more than 80 % Angle in origin, compared
to standard English, where the figure is less than 30 %. Modern English words by comparison
are predominantly of Latin origin because modern English derives from the dialects of southern
England which were continuously influenced by the Latin and Norman French favoured by the
educated classes of Oxford, Cambridge and London.Geordie words should not therefore be seen as
sloppy pronunciation or a poor use of language, as they are in fact of great antiquity. Indeed
many old words and phrases commonly used in the old works of Chaucer and Shakespeare
which are no longer used in other parts of Britain have survived as common usage in the North
East..These old words have survived in the North East for a number of reasons primarily
associated with the region's historical remoteness and isolation from southern England. The
turbulent border history of this region was also a major factor in discouraging outside influence
although some Viking words have crept into the local dialect from the neighbouring Viking
settled areas of Yorkshire, South Durham and Cumbria.
WHAT IS A GEORDIE ?
The Anglo-Saxon `Northumbrian' dialects of North Eastern England which we have just
discussed take a number of forms which are often loosely termed `Geordie' but technically a
Geordie can only be a native of those parts of Northumberland and Durham known as Tyneside.
Why is this so ? and what exactly is a Geordie ?.No-one knows for sure exactly how the residents
of Tyneside or perhaps more accurately Newcastle-upon-Tyne became known as Geordies. One
theory is that it was the name given to the workers of the railway pioneer `Geordie' Stephenson,
another is that it was a term for a pitman deriving from his use of Stephenson's `Geordie'
Lamp. There is some evidence to support this theory but it fails to explain why Newcastle folk the `Novocastrians' claim to be the true Geordies. What is needed is a theory which shows why
specifically Newcastle people are known as `Geordies' - the answer can be found in history.
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Hadrian's Wall
WHY THE WALL WAS BUILT
55 B.C., is the year in which the Romans first invaded Britain under Julius Caesar but it was
not until almost a century later in 43 A.D., during the reign of the Emperor Claudius that the
full scale Roman conquest and occupation of Britain really began.By A.D. 70 a powerful
army led by the Roman Governor of Britain Julius Agricola, had captured most of southern
Britain and advanced into the northern part of our country. Here they defeated two great Celtic
tribes, the Brigantes at Scotch Corner to the south of the Tees and the Picts at the Battle of Mons
Grapius in Caledonia.Victory over the Picts was not difficult for the might of the Roman army,
but the wild mountainous terrain of Caledonia made the total subjugation of this remote
Higland people a formidable and rather unprofitable task. When the Roman Emperor Hadrian
visited Britain in 122 A.D. he recognised the difficulties in establishing control in Caledonia
and saw that it would be impossible to introduce the Picts to the Roman way of life. The Emperor
therefore ordered the construction of a great defensive wall which would mark the northern
limits of his empire and consolidate the hold on those parts of Britain already subdued.
Hadrian's empire would not include Caledonia.
ROMANS AND `BARBARIANS'
A biographer of Hadrian's time summed up the purpose of the Emperor's great wall when he
recorded that its construction would `Separate the Romans from the Barbarians'. The
`Barbarians' in question were of course the Caledonian Picts and the great local tribe called the
Brigantes, whose territory lay on both sides of Hadrian's Wall.It is worth noting that when
Hadrian's Wall was first built, many of its forts actually faced south into the heart of the
Brigantian territory. This suggests that initially it was not the Picts who were the greatest
threat to the Roman occupation of northern Britain.The Picts and the Brigantes were neither
English or Scottish by origin, but were tribal descendants of earlier inhabitants of Britain.
When Hadrian's Wall was built neither the English nor the Scots had yet settled our country,
England or Scotland simply did not exist in Roman times.One thing should therefore be made
absolutely clear about Hadrian's Wall- it did NOT act as a boundary between England and
Scotland. The English and the Scots, did not settle in Britain until three centuries after
Hadrian's Wall was built. In Hadrian's time the ancient race called the Scots inhabited
Hibernia (now called Ireland), while the English, or more accurately the Anglo-Saxons, were a
Germanic race who inhabited the central mainland of northern Europe.It is an even greater
mistake to think that Hadrian's Wall forms a boundary between England and Scotland today,
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for the simple reason that most of Northumberland, England's northernmost and very AngloSaxon county, actually lies to the north of the Wall.
A MULTI-CULTURAL ZONE
Hadrian's Wall was eighty miles long, six metres high, three metres wide and built of stone,
(though the Cumbrian sections were originally built of turf). Its defences were supplemented by
a northern DITCH, a MILITARY ROAD and an earthwork called the `VALLUM' . Together these
features formed a `MILITARY ZONE' which restricted the movement of people to the north and
south of the wall. This military zone was a `No Go' area for armed `Barbarians'.The defences of
the Military Zone were supplemented by MILECASTLES which housed garrisons of up to sixty
men. These were built at intervals of one Roman mile and between each of these stood two
smaller defensive towers called TURRETS which held small garrisons of four men.Most
important of the military garrrisons along the wall were of course the great FORTS, of which
there were sixteen, each housing between five hundred and one thousand men. The men who
occupied these forts and the other Wall defences were sometimes recruited locally, but more often
than not they were brought in from some distant corner of the Roman Empire.Soldiers
garrisoned on the wall, thus came from as far away as Spain, Switzerland, Hungary,
Germania, Romania and even North Africa. Surprisingly very few of the Roman soldiers
originated from Rome or Italy. Instead the wall was a Multi-National Military Zone whose
people had brought with them many different customs, languages and religions.
CIVILIAN TOWNS
The `Multi-Cultural Society was further developed by small Civilian towns called VICUS which
grew up around the Roman forts. These were inhabited by women, children, craftsmen, traders
and retired soldiers who brought the wall to life in the way that Kipling superbly describes in
`Puck of Pook's Hill'.
It can therefore be seen that Hadrian's frontier was not just a dull and simple stone wall - far
from it ! - Hadrian's wall was an active military zone, a customs barrier, a line of defence and
above all `a way of life'.
Towns stood upon my length, where garrisons were laid.
Their limits to defend and; for my greater aid
With turrets I was built where sentinels were placed
To watch upon the Pict; so me my makers graced.
Michael Drayton `Poly Oblion' (1613)
Hadrian's Wall was occupied for almost three centuries and at the height of its importance had
been the home to thousands of men, women and children. Today, at eighteen hundred years old,
Hadrian's Wall may be a mere relic of its magnificent past, but it is still nevertheless the most
impressive monument to the Roman occupation of Britain, as well as being a very important
feature of the heritage of North Eastern England.
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THE END OF ROMAN OCCUPATION
From the middle of the third century A.D, the Empire of Rome came increasingly under threat
from raiding Vandals and Goths on its eastern frontiers in continental Europe. This resulted in
heavy demand for Roman troops in Europe and caused a gradual depletion in the number of
Roman soldiers stationed in Britain.The movement of troops from Britain was bad news for the
native Welsh speaking Britons of the Wall Country as the presence of the Roman army provided
them with much needed protection from raiding Picts. By 367 A.D. the number of Roman
troops on Hadrian's Wall had reached an all time low and pre-empted the so called `Barbarian
Conspiracy' in which the Picts overran Hadrian's Wall in conjunction with the Scots (from
Ireland) who invaded western Britain and the Saxons (from Germany), who invaded the south
and east.For a short period following the Barbarian Conspiracy the Romans managed to restore
law and order to the Wall Country but by the year 399 A.D the Roman Empire was crumbling
with further trouble in Europe. The full scale evacuation of Roman troops from Roman Britain
began.
FAENZA
REGION: EMILIA _ ROMAGNA
COUNTRY: ITALY
SCHOOL: ISTITUTO PARITARIO “SANTA UMILTA’
FAENZA
Fame, riches and beauty ceramics
Of Roman origins, Faenza is a splendid city of art whose fame already shone in the
Renaissance period of the production of exquisitely made pottery that was exported all over
Europe. The very name has become synonymous with ceramics (majolica) in various languages
among which French (faïence) and English (faience). From the second half of the first century
A. D. the city flourished considerably as a result of its agricultural propensities and the
development of industrial activities such as the production of everyday pottery and brickwork
objects and linen textiles. After a period of decadence from the 2nd century to the early Middle
Ages it regained prosperity from 8th century on. Around the year 1000 with the government of
the Bishops and subsequently in the age of the Commune the city began a long period of
richness and building expansion which reached its peak with the rule of the Manfredi family.
Under Carlo II Manfredi, in the second half of the 15th century, the city centre was renewed.
After a brief period of Venetian domination Faenza became part of the Church States until
1797. So the city we see today was formed over a long arc of historical evolution and enriched
over the years by fine architecture with strong Renaissance and Neoclassical features.
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Palazzi, porticoed squares and a Cathedral of pure Tuscan forms
Faenza’s outstanding architectural attractions are concetrated in the two contiguous main
squares: Piazza del Popolo, lined by two spectacular double order porticoed wings, and Piazza
della Libertà. The Palazzo del Podestà and the Town Hall, both of mediaeval origin, stand in
Piazza del Popolo. The former was largely restored in the early 20th century while the latter radically transformed in the 18th century - was the Palazzo of the Captain of the People and
later the residence of the governing Manfredi family. Along the east side of Piazza della
Libertà , the splendid Cathedral. Of clear Tuscan influence it is one of the highest expressions of
Renaissance art in Romagna. Built to Giuliano da Maiano’s design, it was begun in 1474
and completed in 1511. The marble decoration of the facade remained unfinished. The interior,
nave and two aisles with obvious references to Brunelleschi’s San Lorenzo in Florence, houses
numerous works of Renaissance art, chiefly sculpure, among which the tombs of St. Terence
and St. Emilian (Tuscan school 15th C.) and that of St. Savinio, perhaps done in Florence by
Benedetto da Maino. Opposite the Cathedral the open gallery known as the Goldsmiths’Portico,
built in the first decade of the 17th century, and the monumental fountain whose bronzes date
to the same period. The Clock Tower, in front of the entrance to the Piazza, is a postwar
rebuilding of the 17th century tower that stood at the crossroad of the cardo and the decuman
gate of the Roman Faventia. Among the other monuments of the historic centre are Palazzo
Milzetti, the richest and most significant Neoclassical building in the region, and the Teatro
Masini (1780-1787) one of the finest theatres in Italy. Faenza Majolica: all the light and colour
of the Renaissance. In Faenza you can visit one of the world’s most beautiful and complete art
collections: the international Ceramic Museum houses pieces from all over the world and from
every epoch, from classical amphoras to the works of Chagall and Picasso, and there is a rich
section dedicated to Faenza pottery in the golden age of the Renaissance. You will find other
highly interesting art collections in Municipal Art Gallery, the Diocese Museum, the Bendani
Museum and the Manfredi Library. The historic production of Faenza majolica is recognized
worldwide as one of the highest moments of artistic creativity expressed through pottery. The
tradition was born from a happy convergence of favourable conditions: a territory rich in clay, a
centuries-old history of political and commercial relations with nearby Tuscany (especially
with Florence ) and great sensitivity and aptitude with regard to this art form. So over the years
Faenza craftsmen and artists developed and perfected the decoration of hand made pottery, and
the 60 workshop currently active - most of them in the city centre - offer the tourist the chance of
unique purchases unavailable elsewhere. Art, folklore and sport in great events in September
and October international contemporary and classical ceramic art events draw majolica
amateurs, collectors and artists to Faenza from all over the world. In June the Palio del Niballo, a
spectacular tournament between five horsemen from the districts of the town, re-evokes the
magnificence and struggles of Faenza in the Manfredi epoch. The Florence - Faenza 100
kilometres, a demanding long distance race held during the last weekend in May, attracts
athletes of all nationalities. For lovers of good food and drink Faenza offers welcoming
restaurants both in the city centre and in the surrounding green hills. Typical regional dishes
include home-made tagliatelle, cappelletti, lasagna and strozzapreti with the rich Romagnol
meat sauce. Fields, flowers and water in the heart of the city Faenza is a green town. The
Botanical Gardens, next to the Civic Natural Science Museum with its important collections,
boast more than 170 species of plants indigenous to the Romagna region. There are around 100
hectares of public urban green area and the local Administration takes good care of it. The Bucci
Park, created in 1968, stretches over roughly 8 hectares of undulating land, green meadows
and fish-rich waters. Here you can find various species of birds including wild duck and
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swans. Pride of the park is a large colony of storks. The public parks offer a pleasant
opportunity to rest, near flowers and water, in various areas of the centre.
Green valleys, historic homes and the wild karstic landscape of the Chalk Vein
Faenza, at the foot of the first Subapennine hills, enjoys a fine location and evocative agrarian
surroundings: vineyards in the hills, cultivated land with traces of the ancient Roman landdivision system, and fertile market gardens in the plains. In the nearby green valleys of the
rivers Samoggia and Lamone there are great number of 18th and 19th century stately homes,
set in extensive grounds or preceded by long cypress-lined driveways. Two of these are «La
Rotonda», built to Giovanni Antonio Antolini’s design between 1798 and 1805, and the Villa
Case Grandi dei Ferniani, celebrated for its collection of 18th and 19th century Faenza cermics.
There are loads of possibilities for excursions in the nearby karstic area of the Chalk Vein,
walking great ridges of surface selenite and discovering extraordinary morphologies of dolinas,
ravines and swallow holes. The guided visits to the Grotto Tanaccia Karstic Park and the Carnè
Natural Park, a vast green area with a visitor’s centre and refreshments, are also of great
interest. Another evocative itinerary, among woodlands and the ruins of mediaeval
fortifications, runs from Croce S. Daniele to Ca’ Malanca in the upper Sintria Valley. At the
end of the itinerary you can visit the small Museum of the Resistance.
Mrs. R. PAOLA PERRELLA
GENERAL COORDINATOR
COMENIUS 1 PROJECT
THIRD YEAR 2005-2006
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