September 8, 2023

Day Four: Pathways and Passages

September 4, 2023
Zabaglione – Tess, Gabriel (Emilio), Audrey

Tess

Starting our 4th day in Rome, we were all excited and still ready to explore more with each waking breath of fresh Roman air. Whether it be traveling to different churches or exploring different terraces, each and every sight is breathtaking and never ceases to amaze us.

This day in particular, we visited many sites, including but not limited to the Trajan Market. From the market, which was turned into a museum and refurbished from the ruins, there are many beautiful sites to see. Inside the museum, there is an extensive collection of detailed and ornate remnants of masterpieces sculpted by many of the trained and talented artists in Rome.

From the first and second floor of the museum, you can see a variety of broken pieces salvaged from the ruins. Bronze and marble galore, the numerous rooms each individually exhibit a different part of Roman culture. Each individual piece and its description in the museum unlocks a pathway to understanding a slither of how Rome was when it was modern, opening a passage of the ancient history of Rome from the Eternal City’s past.

On the upper level floors, there is a beautiful view of the forum and the market ruins. Being able to see this for myself in person has been a pathway to increase my learning and knowledge of Rome and a more extensive record of Italy’s millennia timeline. It is a miracle how the rock structures have survived a countless number of years for us to continue to enjoy as visitors and for Italians to remain proud of.

Just from this museum alone, a rich history of Rome has been revealed to us as travelers. We were able to experience a little bit of everything Rome has to offer from its bountiful and ancient civilization.

Audrey

Journeying through Rome, up staircases, through alleyways, even between cars tightly tucked into the wall, we made it to Trajan’s Column. An impressively elaborate and intimidatingly tall column stands framed by the blue sky. Spiraling up the monument are sculpted depictions of the Roman’s triumphs in the Dacian Wars. We heard from Emilio’s presentation that despite showing wartime scenes, it interestingly lacks any glaring violence, especially against women and children.

We continued on our itinerary following the leader style behind Professor Shawn Wong. He led us around street corners, across treacherous roads, up slanted shallow steps, and through ivy-covered arches. Ultimately, we were brought to The Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, which houses Michelangelo’s Moses and San Pietro’s relic chains. Entering the church was astounding. The ceiling was adorned by frescoes interwoven with ornamental moldings. Columns on either side drew our eyes to the high, gilded altar, which marks where the chains are held. We had just learned from Margaryta that the Moses sculpture has horns due to a mistranslation of “shining” to “horned” when Moses had come down from Mount Sinai. It was remarkable to see how lifelike the statue seemed, especially after learning how educated Michelangelo was in human anatomy

By the end of the day, we had found ourselves trekking up Esquiline Hill to the Domus Aurea, or Nero’s Golden Palace. We proceeded down into the underground museum. It was remarkable to imagine what luxury this palace would have been, with walls of blinding white marble decorated with ivory and gold leaf, along with elaborate frescos of Egyptian hieroglyphs. We wove through the many halls and doorways of the palace, leading us to new discoveries and ancient artifacts. We had learned which passageways or areas were accessed by Nero himself, those of higher class, or by the servants, as they would have been constructed and decorated very differently. One of the most important aspects of the castle was the presence of light. In a side passageway, meant for the servants, we were educated on the brilliant architecture of angled archway windows that would let the light through from the outside. This way, light was able to shine through into the opulent banquets within the interior dining rooms.

Adventures, such as this trip, are ripe with physical pathways and metaphorical passages. Each day has introduced us to the Eternal city and its countless roads, staircases, alleyways, and side streets. Any path we decide to take could bring us to an ancient monument, a tourist trap, a dead end, or a hidden gem. No matter where we end up, we have seen and learned something new. Even within our group, every conversation opens up a possible pathway of friendship, every meal shared acts as a passage to a deepened relationship.

Gabriel (Emilio)

Our theme of the day was pathways and passages, which meant I took notice of how Romans, both ancient and modern, built their roads and their hallways. For example, when walking into Trajan’s Market, one can see a large shopping area with wide hallways and easy access to all the stalls.

From the end of the balcony, I could see the Via Biberatica, which used to run through the entire market. I read that in its heyday, Trajan’s Market was completely surrounded by two-story high hallways. When I sat to rest, I counted 100 individual bricks making up a tiny arch in one of the windows. I would not be surprised if millions of bricks made up the original market. 

Another memorable part of my day was my presentation about Trajan’s Column. Known as optimus princeps meaning “best ruler,” Trajan was known for expanding the Roman empire as a soldier-emperor during the Dacian wars. The column is over 115 ft tall and is known for the comic-strip-like frieze that wraps around the entire column, telling the chronological story of the Dacian wars. The statue on the capital block of the column used to be of Trajan, but disappeared in the 16th century, now there is one of Saint Peter, holding the recognizable keys of Heaven.

The emperor Trajan made pathways of his own during the Dacian campaigns, some of which still stand today. During his Dacian war campaigns, Trajan built the longest arch bridge at the time made of wood and stone, calling it Trajan’s Bridge. It spanned for a longer than a kilometer across the Danube River, stood for 160 years and was the longest arch bridge for over a millennium. Another pathway he made was when he ordered his army to dig an entire tunnel through the Carpathian Mountains because the main pass (Rucar Bran) was heavily fortified by the Dacian army. We did not visit, but photos of this pathway can be seen online.