Cicero's Rome
The colosseum was built in 70-80 AD
While there's life, there's hope (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
In the weekend edition of May 23rd the volkskrant had an article about the exaggerated sensibility of developed, privileged countries towards disasters hitting them (“wij zijn chaos ontwend”). In no time our world has had such a long period of stability and prosperity. If we hear of poverty and disasters, it is usually not from our world, it is elsewhere, far away. Now it is a catastrophe to be shut down, to be not able to plan for our next vacation. There are still countries in the world where a curfew is the daily rule, where death and fighting in the streets is a daily practice and where a line at the entrance of a supermarket is leading to empty shelves.
A room without books is like a body without a soul (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
Church dignitary sifting through a second hand book store
In ancient times Rome was the forefront of civilization. I just finished reading the Cicero Trilogy by Robert Harris. In a series of three novels he tells the story of Cicero, the lawyer, philosopher, speaker and statesman, who in his life from 106 – 43 BC was the witness of the last half of a century of the roman republic. Never in his life was the society, the city and the Mediterranean world at peace. Intrigues, corruption and murder were the rule of the day and not the exception. Politicians of all colors lived a dangerous live. Political enemies were simply eliminated by extermination. To go out without a bodyguard was suicidal even for a popular man. The mood of the crowd could change without notice and even bodyguards would not help for a lynching mob of plebs. Speculation led to lack of bread and famine for the ordinary people, while corruption led to the extortion of enormous sums for the benefit of the few getting unimaginably rich.
The sinews of war are infinite money (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
Cicero became famous by his prosecution of Gaius Verres, the corrupt governor of Sicily, whom he got convicted against all odds and Verres mighty friends. But his life was full of changes and dangers. He won the election to be Consul for a year, the highest function the Roman Republic had to offer. At the time he started the famous and successful campaign against Catalina. But soon the odds turned against him and he was exiled. He was able to return under the protection of Ceasar, against whom argued since he foresaw his dictatorial intentions. Soon he had to flee again. His villa on the palatine was burned to the ground, his other properties seized. Again he was able to return and welcomed by the cheering crowds. After Ceasars murder he was the most popular man in Rome. In the Phillipic speeches he argued against Marc Anthony and in support of the young Octavian, adopted son of Ceasar.
The safety of the people shall be the highest law (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
Street artists and spectators without social distancing
At the end of his life, although at first Cicero was protected by Octavian, the future emperor Augustus, a compromise to get together the triumvirate with Marc Anthony and Lepidus was reached by sacrificing some of each ones most popular friends. Cicero was killed, his head and hands chopped off and exhibited on the forum in Rome for deterrence and instruction.
The life given us, by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal
(Marcus Tullius Cicero)
Accordeon players trying to get attention from the guests of a restaurant
With the knowledge of its history, there are few other places in the world which are as exciting for a visitor like Italy and in particular Rome. Many of the buildings of Cicero’s time are gone. Each emperor had own monuments built to increase his fame and tore down the achievements of previous rulers to gain space. I have looked for own pictures which could illustrate the history around Cicero. I could not find a lot but it would be an exciting project to search for his memories in a town where history has been covered by history. Instead here is a combination of pictures of more modern roman ruins, which are all closed for visitors now. Also these later roman times are illustrated in timeless literature, think of “memoirs de Hadrian” by Marguerite Yourcenar or “Claudius the god” by Robert Graves. In 1986 and 2012 when these pictures where taken, these historic streets, which are now so empty, were full of people – tourists, craved for by some, hated by others.
To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history? (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
Tourists rest from the heat
Today, of course, Rome is full of tourists year round. But there is so much to see that there is always a place of escape. And in the eternal city you can spend a lifetime wihtout be able to see everything.
The masses inside the colloseum
Another holy man at the base of the Scalinata die Trinita dei Monti
A nun chats with a swiss guard at the entrance to the vatican
View from the Palatine over the smog of the city
In Cicero's time the rich and influential had their villas on the Palatine hill. Here his villa was burned down. Later emperors built their palaces here
The Pantheon, built in 118 AD as a temple and later converted into a church
The porta pinciana was part of the Aurelian wall built in 271 AD
The circus of Mexentius built in 306 AD along the via appia south of the city
The enormous baths of Caracalla, built in 271 AD
Castel St Angelo was built as the mausoleum for the emperor Hadrian in 130 AD
The interior of the Pantheon full of tourists
The mass quarters of the plebs were repugnant in Cicero's time and the basis for big profit for rich owners like Cicero's enemy Crassus. Today these old flats are unaffordable
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