ROME

Colosseum

Rome is an ancient city and the capital of Italy .It is the country’s fourth populous city in the European Union .The city is located in the Central Western portion of Italian Peninsula and stands on the river Tiber in the Lazio region in Italy .The city is also known as ‘The Eternal City’.                                    

The history of Rome spans more than two and a half thousand years since the founding of the city in 753 BC. Once it was the capital of Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic  and the Roman Empire and it was the most dominant power from 1^st century  BC to 7^th century AD. Rome is regarded as one of the birth places of Western Civilization.

Rome was ruled by Popes after the middle ages and under the leadership of those   popes the city turned into a center of Italian Renaissance as was true with Florence. In this regard Alexander vi and Leo x played a pivotal role.

In the year 2010 Rome has been ranked as a beta+world city. It has also been declared as the 28^th most important global city which was the 11^th most important global city in 2007. As regards assets and  branded city it is one of the most successful cities in the world so far.In Rome the most visited tourist museums are Vatican Museum and Colosseum Museum. Every year on an average 4 million tourists visit this museums.

WOLF FEEDING THE TWINS

The very well known legendary and mythical story about the founding of this city handed down by the ancient Romans is that Romulus and Remus were twin brothers. They are the central characters of the myth relating o the founding of the city, Rome. Rhea Silvia was their mother and Rhea was the daughter of Numitor who was the king of Alba Longa. Amulius ,the brother of Numitor, dethroned his brother and all the male heirs of Numitor and Rhea Silvia was forced to become vestal virgin and was sworn to chastity to make the power of Amulets  thornless. But in an irony of fate   Rhea Silvia conceived the twins by god Mars or by the demi-god Hercules. In due time the twins were born but Amulius had floated the twins abandoned to die in the river Tiber but for miraculous interventions the twins survived to kill him in course of time. It so happened coincidentally that a she wolf found them on the bank, suckled them and a woodpecker fed them. The two brothers remaining completely dark about their identity were fostered to manhood with great care by a shepherd and his wife. When they came to know their identity they killed Amulius the usurper and restored Numitor to power. Romulus was intent to found a city on the Hill Palatine while Remus wanted it to be founded on the Hill Aventine. To end the dispute both the brothers agreed to settle the dispute with the help of augury. But it so happened that both claimed the decision in his favour and got involved in fighting. Eventually Remus was killed and Romulus founded the city and named it Rome after himself. But the legend is not beyond controversy.  

In the chronology of history Rome became Republic in 509 BC. Within a few centuries Rome flourished as a great and popular city after the rule of the famous Augustus who is also known as Octavian. It flourished more when the Sabines, the Etruscans and the Semites were defeated by Rome in the third century BC.

NERO FIDDLES---------

The more formal and grand journey towards a flourishing condition of Rome started in the hands of Emperor Augustus(63 BC- AD14). Augustus founded ‘Principiate’, a system of monarchy headed by an emperor who holds power for life instead of making himself a dictator. Augustus started his work for development of Rome in respect of social, political and economic reform. He was a great patron of arts. Poets like Virgil, Propertius and Horace attended his court. Impressive magnificent buildings and palaces were built by him.

The followers of Augustus were Trajan, Caligula, Nero and Hadrian. Nero among them is most remarkable for his tyranny, cruelty and extravagance. The very well known proverb-“Nero fiddles while Rome burns” is reminiscent of the incident of the night of 18 to 19 July 64 AD.
 Today Rome is one of the most important tourist attractions around the globe. Colosseum is one of the most attractive spots for the tourists to visit. It is an elliptical  amphitheater the largest ever built at the heart of the city of Rome. It is made of concrete and stone. Its construction started in 72 AD when emperor Vespasian was in power and it came to a completion in 80 AD Titus in power. This amphitheater had the capacity to accommodate 50,000 spectators. The Colosseum was generally used for mock sea battles, animal hunts and for staging classical mythical dramas and so like. It is still present in the 21^st century though partially ruined by earthquake and party damaged by stone robbers.

TRAVIE  FOUNTAIN

The fountain Travie in Trevi district in Rome is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and perhaps the most famous fountain in the world with 88.3 feet height and 65.6 feet width. There holds a traditional legend that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain their return to Rome is ensured. It is one of the most attractive tourist attractions to the people around the globe.  

Rome is really a wonder and attracts the people to see,learn and realize the spirit of human intention incarnate in art forms throughout the centuries.It is really superb.