While going through old pictures of Ancient Rome from my very first trip to Italy, I realized I needed to make a post of my favorite Roman monuments specifically from Ancient Rome! So here I am sharing the remnants of Ancient Rome with you. But before that a little introduction.
Rome was founded by twin brothers Romulus and Remus. They fought for leadership in the city until Romulus killed Remus and laid the foundation of Rome on the Palatine Hill. The Roman Empire was one of the longest reigning empires in history, having lasted for an impressive 844 years. At its height in AD 117, Ancient Rome had ruled an estimated 50 to 90 million people spread out across 5 million square kilometers. I understood a lot about Ancient Rome from the book SPQR by Mary Beard.
The Roman Empire left behind a huge legacy in many various regions – but none more than its epicenter- Rome. Here are some of the Ancient Roman landmarks that have stood the test of time.
Exploring the Remnants of Ancient Rome
1. The Pantheon:
The Pantheon was built by Emperor Hadrian between AD 118-125. It was a temple built to honor all the Roman gods and was later on converted into a church. Today it stands as a testament to the grandeur and engineering of Ancient Rome. The Pantheon is the most well preserved structure from all of Ancient Rome. Situated in front of the beautiful Piazza della Rotonda, the gigantic dome of the Pantheon is breathtaking! Entrance to the building is free but Rome may be imposing a fee sometime to help cover the high maintenance costs. Not sure when!
2. The Colosseum:
The most iconic and marvelous of all Ancient Roman attractions is the Colosseum. An amphitheater that can seat up to 55,000 people, the Colosseum has towering arches, impressive columns, and massive windows! Despite its age of more than 1,900 years, the Colosseum is still an impressive sight to behold. I’ve previously named it as one of the most Instagram-worthy attractions. The Colosseum is also known as the Flavian Amphitheater and is known to be the largest elliptical amphitheater ever built during the Roman period. Imagine it stood witness to thousands of gladiator and animal fights!! Today there are many popular games, tours, and TV shows set in the Colloseum. They sure keep the interest in modern Rome alive.
3. The Roman Forum:
Another major centre of Ancient Roman life is the Roman Forum. Located near The Colosseum, this forum was once a simple valley between the Capitoline and Palatine Hills. It is a huge complex of temples, basilicas, commercial establishments, and municipal buildings. Today most of these are ruins but a impressive sight to behold. Remember, these structures were built between 400 BC and AD 500!
4. Capitoline and Palatine Hills:
The Palatine Hill was known as the stomping grounds of Ancient Rome’s elite, with many emperors and aristocrats having lived in this area for over 300 years. The earliest residents of the hill lived there in the 10th century BC. Currently, the surviving ruins reveal the existence of ancient palaces and vast gardens. Meanwhile, the nearby Capitoline Hill is the symbolic and political centre of the city that held the temple of Jupiter-the chief Ancient god. Today, the hill hosts Rome’s city hall, Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo dei Conservatori.
5. Trajan’s Market:
Last but not least is Trajan’s Market, widely regarded as the world’s oldest shopping mall. The Tarajan’s Market was also the administrative offices of Emperor Trajan built against the flank of the Quirinal Hill. The surviving buildings and structures include delicate marble floors and even the remains of an ancient library.
Check here for Further Reading on Rome
- Castellammare di Stabia- between Naples and Sorrento
- Sfogliatelle calde Attanasio- a Neapolitan institution
- Ischia and The Story of a New Name
- Day trip to Procida from Naples
- 7 Reasons why you should give Naples a chance
- Naples is Magic
Did you know??
The Colosseum has underground rooms where gladiators prepared for their deadly mission and sharpened their tools.
Happy Birthday Rome! – ItalophiliaJune 11, 2020 at 12:21 pm
[…] Exploring the Remnants of Ancient Rome […]
Greg SpeckAugust 27, 2018 at 5:12 pm
Great post. Brings back good memories.
ItalophiliaSeptember 1, 2018 at 12:07 pm
LorelleAugust 24, 2018 at 2:45 pm
I love the deep history of this city, it gets me every time! Xx
ItalophiliaAugust 24, 2018 at 4:11 pm
Every time. Have a great evening, Lorelle!
Kathryn OcchipintiAugust 24, 2018 at 2:41 pm
Love to imagine what it must have been like to live in Rome “back in the day.” Nice post.
ItalophiliaAugust 24, 2018 at 4:11 pm
I know, I think of that often especially when I’m around the Roman Forum area.
Pamela AllegrettoAugust 23, 2018 at 9:38 pm
As always, an excellent travel guide. Mille grazie!
ItalophiliaAugust 24, 2018 at 10:22 am
You are so kind, Pamela. Grazie for reading and sharing!
5thingstodotodayAugust 22, 2018 at 11:54 am
We would love you to write 5 things for our site http://www.5thingstodotoday.com. Just a sentence each. Think about what you would do if you could only do 5 things today. Be creative. Think general lifestyle things including travel, eating our etc. Email to firstname.lastname@example.org. Thank you very much. David
ItalophiliaAugust 22, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Thanks for the message, David. I’ll keep you posted if I’m interested 🙂
CristinaAugust 22, 2018 at 9:13 am
This is one of my favourite topics since I am a major archeology nerd! Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is one of my favourite places to learn more about ancient Roma. They have reassembled several ancient Roman houses (domus) , an ancient villa found near Villa Farnesina, and the summer home of Empress Livia-complete with all of the frescoed walls. I also love to check out the different hairstyles on the sculptures. Plus it is never crowded and they keep it very cool because of all the frescoes, so it is the perfect place to visit while it is hot outside! Ciao, Cristina
ItalophiliaAugust 22, 2018 at 11:27 am
That’s so cool Cristina, I had no idea!! I will check out Palazzo Terme 🙂 Grazie bella.
MansiAugust 21, 2018 at 12:33 pm
This is so b’fully written. It was like a visual tour of Rome for me! Kudos🤗🤗
ItalophiliaAugust 21, 2018 at 1:16 pm
Thanks girl 🙂
marilynebAugust 20, 2018 at 11:28 pm
This one’s definitely my era 😎😁. Currently writing my dissertation about ancient lower class ‘insula’ housing that can still just about be seen in Rome near the Capitoline. Imagine living near all that splendour! Did you know that churches like San Paolo Fuori le Mura or Santa Maria Maria Maggiore are the closest we can get to the ancient basilica? If you haven’t already, definitely explore Santa Maria degli Angeli, the Baths of Diocletian and the Baths of Caracalla on your next visit to get an idea of the scale of bath complexes in the ancient period. Also Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli is pretty special as a day trip – you can see a lot of its contents in the Vatican Museums. Your post has definitely made want to go back to Rome!
ItalophiliaAugust 21, 2018 at 10:44 am
Yes your love for Rome and Roman era shines through. I haven’t been inside Baths of Diocletian yet. I have seen Caracala though. Tivoli is also on my list. There’s so much to do 😀 I miss Rome like you do!
Darlene FosterAugust 20, 2018 at 8:35 pm
Amazing places to visit. A great post full of interesting information.
ItalophiliaAugust 20, 2018 at 8:40 pm
As always, thanks for reading Darlene. Can never get enough of Rome.
Tanja/The Red Phone Box travelsAugust 20, 2018 at 7:48 pm
nothing beats Roman remains in Rome, right?;) Pantheon is my fav:)
ItalophiliaAugust 20, 2018 at 8:05 pm
Nothing at all 🙂 Mine too!