The Colosseum and Imperial Rome

• PHOTOS

This three-hour in-depth walking tour focuses on the history and development of Rome during the Imperial period (roughly from the time of Julius Caesar to the fall of Rome). Using key monuments from this period as our textbook, including the Colosseum, Imperial Fora (situated across the street from the Roman Forum) and the Markets of Trajan, we'll discuss the rapid expansion of the city and the empire under the emperors and how Romans lived 2000 years ago. This walking seminar, normally led by a scholar of archaeology, classics, or architecture, will discuss the important role commerce and entertainment played in shaping the urban design of ancient Rome, and provides a shorter, less walking-intensive alternative to our Roma Antica tour.

We will begin our exploration with the Colosseum, ancient Rome's most visual legacy and a structure emblematic of the ambitious building programs of various emperors. Here will we introduce several key themes in our discussion, including the role of e

This three-hour in-depth walking tour focuses on the history and development of Rome during the Imperial period (roughly from the time of Julius Caesar to the fall of Rome). Using key monuments from this period as our textbook, including the Colosseum, Imperial Fora (situated across the street from the Roman Forum) and the Markets of Trajan, we'll discuss the rapid expansion of the city and the empire under the emperors and how Romans lived 2000 years ago. This walking seminar, normally led by a scholar of archaeology, classics, or architecture, will discuss the important role commerce and entertainment played in shaping the urban design of ancient Rome, and provides a shorter, less walking-intensive alternative to our Roma Antica tour.

We will begin our exploration with the Colosseum, ancient Rome's most visual legacy and a structure emblematic of the ambitious building programs of various emperors. Here will we introduce several key themes in our discussion, including the role of entertainment in society and the ways that power was projected during the Imperial period. After visiting the amphitheater and discussing its role in Rome, we will continue down the via dei Fori Imperiali, a modern road that looks down over the ruins of several squares, temples, and other structures (collectively, fora) built by such emperors as Augustus and Trajan. We will use this opportunity to talk about the great expansion in the city in the first centuries of the common era and the ways in which the old Republican city was transformed.

The second part of the walk will focus on the emperor Trajan and his development of the city, with the markets and the monumental column of Trajan as our focal points. We will linger among the ruins for a while, examining the fantastic details of the Basilica Ulpia and possibly entering it (the site is open on special occasion). Our docent will explain the relationship between some of the surrounding Medieval structures and the Imperial buildings, creating a narrative that will link the different historical periods. There are tens of thousands of fascinating details to focus upon and based on how our conversation has developed to that point our docent will pick apart a few salient ones to help the group get a perspective on the history of this area.

From Trajan's markets we will continue on to see the Roman houses at the bottom of the Capitoline Hill (Aracoeli), the only remains of Roman apartments visible above ground. This will give a nice addition to all the large-scale public buildings visited earlier in the walk and will provide insight in the daily life of the Romans. If time allows, we could continue towards the theater of Marcellus, where we could talk quickly through the temples ending the walk at the Porticus of Octavia, another building that tells us about the daily life of the Romans, as it was a type of building the Romans used for leisure walking, education, and exhibiting art pieces.

From October 19 through November 30, 2011, the third level and underground areas of the Colosseum will be open by special reservation. Context can add this experience as part of private walks only for an additional fee of €80. Please make a special note of this request when booking. Note that underground visits will not be possible during rain. Placing your booking well in advance is highly recommended.

To assist you in planning your Ancient Rome tour, we have created an informative resources page - How to Tour the Colosseum and Ancient Rome

This walk does overlap with our Roma Antica, which is a four-hour in depth seminar that visits the Palatine Hill, Roman Forum, Colosseum. Therefore, we suggest clients book one or the other, but not both.