May 15th – Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy (Part 1)
Lots of time on my hands tonight. Edda – the boys as well – were exhausted by our full day and didn’t last much beyond dinner. Vit is with Mr. Baird being a “secretary” though I’m not sure what that entails exactly. Vit wasn’t sure either … or was acting vague on the subject when I asked him. I used the time to thoroughly wash my hair (with as little water as I could) and I’m letting it dry naturally. I wish I could do it sitting on a verandah or open deck, but life has changed. Probably not the smartest idea any way. I do not need to get sick.
I was pleasantly surprised by the breakfast served in the mess. Mr. Dobbs said that it is because sailors can’t do their work on an empty stomach and a good captain knows to keep a good mess for the deckhands. What Perry tried to add to that I couldn’t understand as he was too busy stuffing his face. He really is little more than a boy. He started out as a cabin boy when his older brother was a member of the crew (he left to join his father in cooking for the family restaurant). Rigs is still on the ship, I simply haven’t seen him as his schedule is different from Vit’s.
The man serving as head of the serving line asked if he’d heard correctly, that I’d be taking the children’s breakfast trays to them I said yes. When he looked at me like he hadn’t expected the answer I said, “I’m not going to drop the trays. I’ve worked in restaurants before … and not just the do-you-want-fries-with-that variety.”
I’m not sure if I am handling things correctly. I keep getting these odd looks from the crew. They get really odd looks when Vit laughs. I don’t want to be a spectacle. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so friendly or something. I just don’t want to make them uncomfortable or have them think that I’m helpless or expect them to wait on me.
Edda was awake and dressing when I knocked. “Eat your breakfast while I deliver this to your brothers. I’ll do your hair in braids if you like when I get back.”
Edda smiled and said, “You better knock loud or they won’t hear you. On purpose.”
I decided to test that theory. I knocked there was no answer. I said, “You have to the count of three to open the door and retrieve your breakfast trays or from now on you can get your own … or go without. If Mr. D has to be called the result will be even more unpleasant. One … two …”
The door was jerked open right as I was finishing “three”.
“We were in the bathroom.”
“At the same time?”
“Er …”
“Eat breakfast. Dress. Be ready before Mr. D arrives to inspect you. The Donna wants to see you before you leave for the day.” I turned and left Al standing there with his mouth hanging open. Over my shoulder I called, “I would not waste any time if I were you.”
When the children were ready to see their grandmother I noticed the boys face were a little too innocent. Of course they passed the Donna’s inspection though she did twitch Edda’s barrett infintisimily straighter.
“I expect behavior fitting your station and family.” Then she looked at her grandson who had suddenly slumped sadly. “Alfio, what is wrong with you?”
“She … likes Edda better than us. She doesn’t understand boys, not like you do.”
Before his words could have the effect that he was going for I said, “What has being male or female have to do with anything? You were informed that the Donna wished to see you before you disembarked. It is unfortunate that you were forced to make that the priority it should be without prompting.”
From the corner of my eye I could see that Vit had gone from irritation to having a hard time keeping a straight face. Al and Aiden’s mouths had fallen open and they stood there looking at me in shock. I merely continued to look at the two boys with a cocked eyebrow as if daring them to dig their hole any deeper.
It was Mr. Baird who finally coughed and said, “Boys … is there going to be any further issues with rising early and preparing for the day?”
“No Sir.”
“Good. And if I find out you’ve failed to behave as you’ve been instructed …” The threat may have been unspoken but all three seemed to understand the implide threat.
The children stepped forward and kissed their three adults’ cheeks dutifully and then we were off. I noticed that Mr. Baird was smiling and that he handed Vit a phone as well as a wallet that was tucked away quickly in something under his shirt. For today I only had my cross-shoulder purse due to some security restrictions we’d be running into.
Our taxi picked us up and dropped us outside the Vatican City right at 8 am. The first tour of the day started at 8:30 but we had pre-opening, skip-the-line tickets courtesy of Barney who had gone over some of the ports and asked me to pick out activities.
Tens of thousands of people visit the Vatican City each day to see St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican museums, and the Sistine Chapel. There were only twelve other people on our tour, and they were all adults. I could see them look sideways at the children and some of them were even rude enough to whisper loudly they hoped they’d behave and not ruin it for everyone. We entered through a reserved doorway to skip the lines, and managed to stay a step ahead of the large crowds the entire time we were there. We also stayed away from the rude members of or tour group and it was at least as much of a relief for us as it was for them.
We started with the museums and if you only spent 10 seconds admiring each piece of art it would still require more than a decade for you to get through them all. Maybe that is a bit far-fetched but not by much I assure you. We spent most of our time looking in the Raphael Room. The frescoes were simply amazing.
Next came the Sistine Chapel. There were so many points of interest, in the paintings themselves, the architecture, and in the life of the artist and those that commissioned the Great Work, that even I was supersaturated with information. Vit wouldn’t let me bypass the gift shop. “Do you think I have forgotten about your postcards Kokhana?” he whispered. While I did that Edda purchased a book called Renaissance Art: The Rebirth of Science and Culture. Vit offered to carry it for her but she became more and more attached to it as the day wore on. The only time Vit had to intervene in the boys’ behavior was when they began to tease her by trying to take it. He grabbed them both by the scruff and said Cossack-style, “Gentlemen do not behave in such a fashion.” That’s all it took.
After the Sistine Chapel came the impressive St. Peter’s Basilica. The Pietà by Michelangelo is even more moving in person than it is in the photos I have seen of it. The Basilica is built where Saint Peter is said to have died a martyr and where he was buried in 64 AD. The Basilica itself was finished being built in 349 AD. However, by the middle of the 15th century the Basilica was falling into disrepair and Pope Nicholas V ordered the restoration and enlargement of the church. It was not actually completed until 1626. Words cannot describe how impressive the structure is. The tapetries, the relics, the art at every turn … I am glad Vit insisted that I get a commemorative book so I can remember it all.
It took us three hours to get through our tour of Vatican City and then after we left the world’s smallest country, we stopped to sample some authentic Italian cuisine. Pizza at Scialla before we passed the Parco Adriano and the Sant’ Angelo Castle for a rather impressive photo op. I keep using the same superlatives, but it is difficult not to.
Next on our walking tour was The Pantheon, one of Rome’s most famous buildings. Its dome and columns have been inspiring architects for centuries. The original temple, commissioned in 27 BC by Marcus Agrippa, was destroyed in an earthquake. In 126 AD Emperor Hadrian (of Hadrian’s Wall fame) commissioned a new temple dedicated to “pan theos” – all the gods. The temple was restored by Emperors Septimus Severus and Caracalla in the 3rd century AD. The immense dome is over 48 meters high with a central oculus of 8 meters in diameter, which provides the only light in the circular temple below. The massive bronze doors weigh over 20 tons each. The portico has 16 white marble columns. The temple houses statues to various gods and animal sacrifices were carried out under the oculus. As Christianity spread throughout Rome, the temple fell into disrepair, and in 356, when public pagan worship was outlawed, it seemed that the temple might be scheduled for destruction as many others were during that time. Luckily for the rest of us it was saved and in 408 it became a secular building. In 609 Pope Boniface IV had it consecrated as a Christian church – the first (but not the last) pagan temple to be transformed in Rome. An altar was placed in the apse, surrounded by golden mosaic depicting crosses. Between 667 and the 16th century, the church was vandalized and robbed several times. The gold roof tiles were stolen and replaced by bronze tiles, which in their turn were removed for use in Bernini’s baldacchino in St Peter’s Basilica.
The walls of the Pantheon are filled with monumental tombs, including that of the artist Raphael, the same artist that had painted so many frescoes for St. Peter’s and whose work was on display in the Vatican Museums. The Pantheon is free to the public and rarely has security so we were able to get in and move about rather quickly compared to other locations during the day. From there we passed through the Piazza Navona and headed towards the remains of the Theater of Marcellus on Via del Teatro.
The Marcellus are the only surviving ruins of a building used uniquely for mythological dramas in ancient Roman times. Julius Cesar wanted to build a theater and had the land where the theater stands cleared and leveled, but before work could begin on the building project he was murdered. In 23 BC, Emperor Augustus had the theater built for his nephew Marcus Marcellus – who was also his son-in-law and his designated successor. Young Marcellus died long before the building was finished. The theater was built of concrete and sheathed in travertine and was a semi-circular building of three levels and 110 meters in diameter, it could seat over 10,500 spectators. In the 12th century the theater changed purposes and became a fortress and then, in the 16th century was transformed into a palazzo. Over the centuries stones and columns were removed and used in building houses in the area. Today only a small part of the original theater remains and is a great tourist attraction. The upper part of the palazzo has been transformed into highly sought-after apartments.
Our next sights all used the same admission ticket. Instead of entering where most tourists do we started with the Roman Forum (or Imperial Fora) as our first stop on the triumvirate. The Imperial Fora ('Fori Imperiali' in Italian) are a series of monumental public squares constructed in Rome between 46 BC and 113 AD. The forums were the center of the Roman Republic and of the Roman Empire. Built by Julius Caesar and Caesar Augustus, as an extension to the Roman Forum, a Temple of Venus was built there with an equestrian statue of Caesar in front of it. It became a popular public square and just before Caesar’s murder, the Senate agreed to move there. Augustus founded the second of the Imperial Forums, with a temple dedicated to Mars Altor (Mars the Avenger). It was built at a right angle to Caesar’s forum and had deep porticoes opening onto large exedras. Used by the public and senators alike, its main function was that of a law court. After the conquest of Jerusalem, Emperor Vespasian had the Temple of Peace built with a garden filled with statues and ponds. This one had no civil function, so it wasn’t considered a Forum in itself, but it was a favorite meeting area for the wives of various Roman officials. There were several other structures built by various Caesars and Emperors over time. During the 1930's, Mussolini built the Via dei Fiori Imperali that runs through the center of the Imperial Forums. All that remains of these magnificent squares and buildings are the ruins on each side of the avenue.
I was gratified to see that we’d kept to our timetable and made it through security once again to use our timed tickets. To the east of the Roman Forum stands the remains of the Colosseum, said to be the most visited ruins in the world. The Colosseum was first called the Flavian Amphitheater after the family name of the emperors Vespasian and Titus, under whose rule the building was constructed. Construction began in 72AD and was finished in 80AD, requiring the use of 100,000 cubic meters of stone. Though appearing circular from outside, the amphitheater is actually elliptical in shape: 189 meters long, 156 meters wide and 48 meters high. It is composed of three arcades. Below ground subterranean passages were used to bring men and animals into the arena. The tiered seating areas could hold up to 50,000 spectators and, because of its efficient exits, could be emptied in fifteen minutes. The amphitheater was used for public spectacles: mythological dramas, re-enactments of land and sea battles, animal hunts, public executions and, of course, the infamous gladiator battles. In medieval times the amphitheater was used as living quarters for a religious sect and for poor families, workshops, a fortress and a quarry, as people building houses in the area didn't hesitate to take stones from the building. Later visitors got into the habit of chipping pieces away to keep as souvenirs. Due to this stone theft and earthquakes, only the north side of the building now remains, as well as the underground passages which are open to the public with a special ticket. The outside wall is in fact the original interior wall. The boys were thrilled with the stories the guides told and it would have been nice if we could have stayed longer but we had to keep to the schedule.
We passed the Arch of Constantine between the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. It is the last Triumphal Arch to be erected in Rome. In 312 AD Emperor Constantine I led his troops against Maxentius for a final battle at Milvran Bridge. The emperor’s army was hopelessly outnumbered, and according to legend, Constantine had a dream in which he saw the sign of Christ’s Cross in the sky and a voice said, “By this Sign, Conquer”. The emperor had his men make a wooden cross, which they carried into the battle … and yes, they won. Constantine commissioned the arch in commemoration of his victory over Maxentius. The arch spans the Via Triumphalis, the way taken by the emperors when they entered the city in triumph and has been duplicated around the world, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
The Palatine Hill was our last item with that ticket and is the centermost of the Seven Hills of Rome. It is reputedly the one where Romulus and Remus were found in a cave and where Romulus founded the city. Rising 40 meters over the Roman Forum, the Hill was the “in” place to live for the rich nobles. I can understand why. The views from the summit are magnificent and it was thought that the air was purer there. In the Middle Ages churches and convents were built on the Hill and in the 17th century Cardinal Farnese had the first private botanical gardens in the world laid out here. During 18th century excavations the remains of a Bronze Age settlement were uncovered as well as the ruins of a house believed to be where Augustus, the 1st Roman Emperor was born. Among the ruins on the Hill, you can see the remains of Septimus Severus’ palace, and the Baths bearing his name. In 2007 a cave was discovered, believed to be the Lupercal Cave of Romulus and Remus, but more likely a nympharium or a triclinium dating back to Nero’s time. Thankfully we had time to visit The Palatine Museum on the Hill which has an exhibition of pottery, mosaics and other artifacts from the ancient buildings that help to envision what was there over the centuries.
In the valley between the Palatine and Aventine Hills is a long, grassy public park and it gave the boys time to run around though it was obvious they had burnt a lot of energy during our extended walking tour. The park stands on the site of the Circus Maximus, the biggest of all of Ancient Rome’s circuses. The circus was laid out in the 6th century BC and became a permanent structure in around 329 BC. It was used by gladiators and for dramas of Greek and Roman mythology, but its main purpose was for chariot races. Thing of the famous movie Ben Hur and you’ve got the scene. The stadium was 621 meters long and 118 meters wide, with a seating capacity for 250,000 spectators. The chariots raced around the central spina, on top of which stood a row of eggs. At each turn, an egg was removed to indicate the number of laps raced. Sounds like auto races of today … Indie 500, Daytona 500, etc. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, stones from the long-abandoned circus were used for house building, so that today nothing remains but a part of the spina and some of the starting gates.
Our last stop of the day was The Pyramid of Cestius which stands near the Porta San Paolo and the Protestant Cemetery. It is one of the best-preserved buildings of Ancient Rome. For a long period in Ancient Rome, Egyptian monuments were highly prized. Obelisks were transported from Egypt at great cost and inconvenience, and having a pyramid built was considered a mark of wealth and stature. In around 15BC Caius Cestius commissioned one for this family tomb. Cestius was a magistrate and a member of the Septemviri Epulonum, one of the four Religious Corporations in Rome. His pyramid was built out of brick and concrete with slabs of white marble on a travertine foundation. It is nearly 27 square meters at its base and is 37 meters high. The burial chamber is rather small, roughly six by four by five. The walls once bore frescoes, but these have been damaged over time by water seepage. Nothing much remains in the chamber as it was looted in the early 1st century AD. On the outer east and west sides or the pyramid are inscriptions bearing Cestius’ names and titles. A “recent” inscription was added in 1663 by Pope Alexander VII who had the pyramid opened and restored. When it was first built, the pyramid stood in a field, but with the expansion of the city it was incorporated in the Aurelian Walls in the 3rd century AD. In 2001 both the interior and exterior were restored, and further renovation work started in 2011. It may be less than it once was but it is still quite something to see.
