This four-hour walking seminar takes us into the archaeological core of the city, focusing on three key monuments: the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum. Led by an archaeologist or classical historian, this in-depth tour uses the ruins of Rome as a backdrop for discussing the rise of the Roman empire, the political intrigues of emperors, and the daily life of commoners. Since our docent is a trained scholar, we’ll also use our time together to discuss the role of archaeology in history and learn how to read the ruins in order to reconstruct the ancient city. As much more than just a Colosseum tour, this seminar provides some of the basic tools to put ancient Rome into context.
Depending on the individual docent’s approach, we might start the walk at any of the three major areas: Palatine Hill, Forum and Colosseum. On the Palatine Hill, we will explore the first stages of the city and the legenda of its founding in 753 B.C. (,(on April 21, to be exact) by Romulus. After cov
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This four-hour walking seminar takes us into the archaeological core of the city, focusing on three key monuments: the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum. Led by an archaeologist or classical historian, this in-depth tour uses the ruins of Rome as a backdrop for discussing the rise of the Roman empire, the political intrigues of emperors, and the daily life of commoners. Since our docent is a trained scholar, we’ll also use our time together to discuss the role of archaeology in history and learn how to read the ruins in order to reconstruct the ancient city. As much more than just a Colosseum tour, this seminar provides some of the basic tools to put ancient Rome into context.
Depending on the individual docent’s approach, we might start the walk at any of the three major areas: Palatine Hill, Forum and Colosseum. On the Palatine Hill, we will explore the first stages of the city and the legenda of its founding in 753 B.C. (,(on April 21, to be exact) by Romulus. After covering the founding myths and anthropological record of the Palatine, we explore the imperial palaces that eventually covered the hill. If time and interest allows, we usually stop in the Palatine museum to learn about Roman statuary and, when possible, make a special visit to one of the archaeological sites normally closed to visitors. We will linger for a while among the ruins the Palatine, as from here one gets a very good introduction to archaeological technique, Roman architecture and construction technologies, and Roman political and social structure. From here, we will explore the remnants of the aqueduct of Claudius and take in vistas of the Roman Forum that illustrate the palimpsest nature of the city.
While in the Forum, we will focus on a series of discussions that will carry us down the Via Sacra (the main street of ancient Rome), and past the major sites that crowded the city center, including the Curia (senate house) and the temples, triumphal arches, and basilicas around the Forum Square. Depending on the specialization of the docent, we may linger in front of the House of the Vestal Virgins, or the Basilica of Maxentius, or the game boards etched into the steps of the Basilica Giulia. There are tens of thousands of fascinating details to focus upon in the Forum; and based on the interests of the group, our docent will pick apart a few salient ones to help us get a perspective on the history of this area.
From the Roman Forum we exit by the Mamertine Prison and take in the Imperial Fora, a series of interlocking public spaces constructed during Rome's "Imperial Era," perhaps as a way of remaking the old, republican city into a new Emperor-ruled theocratic state.
At the Colosseum, where we will either start or end the walk (again, depending on the docent’s apporach), we will discuss Roman public spectacle and decadence. Also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, the Colosseum is a marvel of ancient engineering and construction. Gladiatorial fights, wild beast hunts, and mock sea battles all contributed to the spectacle that played an important role in the social life of ancient Rome. We will explore these themes in detail, separating fact from fiction in one of the most visited sites in Rome.
At the end of our walk, we will have a deeper knowledge of ancient Rome—its emperors, its history, and its feats of engineering. The Roma Antica walk is also a perfect way to begin a visit to Rome: the archaeology of the Palatine, Forum, and Colosseum only serves to whet the appetite for the feast of monuments that awaits us throughout the city.
To assist you in planning your Ancient Rome tour, we have created an informative resources page - Guide to touring the Colosseum and Ancient Rome
This walk does overlap with our The Colosseum and Imperial Rome tour, as they both visit the Colosseum. Therefore, we suggest clients book one or the other, but not both.
