I believe Rome is called the Eternal City because it seems that it takes an eternity to get a break in traffic so you can cross the streets. It was so bad that we took to crossing only in the company of priests and nuns! Fortunately, our experiences in Naples paid off and we were well versed in the pedestrian arts.
   Our first stop was at Trevi Fountain (right) where the legend says that by tossing in a coin you will some day return to Rome. Not wanting to tempt fate, Debbie ensures a future visit (far right) by tossing in a coin.

   At right are the Spanish Steps whose name seems odd considering that they were built by the French in the 1800's. (Actually, they were built so the French and Spanish Quarters could be joined together.)   Below is the absolutely amazing Colosseum. Commissioned by Vespasian in AD 72, it could hold up to 55,000 people. During its inauguration in AD 80, over 9000 wild animals were killed.

   The floor of the Colosseum (left) was made of wood plank that covered a labyrinth of rooms, cages and corridors. Elevators would lift animals or gladiators to the playing field. Poles mounted above the upper deck would support huge sheets of cloth that could be stretched out like sails to provide shade for the spectators.

   The Colosseum complex was built over Nero's old palace in an effort to show the people that Vespasian also despised the dictator. Somewhere between the Colosseum and where the Arch of Constantine would later stand, was an enormous statue of Nero. Vespasian altered the statue to make it resemble Apollo instead, eliminating much of Nero's presence.

   The Arch of Constantine (left) was built in AD312 to commemorate Constantine's - and all of Rome's - conversion to Christianity. Constantine was said to have seen an image of the Cross on the battlefield. Interestingly, although the Arch commemorates his conversion, it is decorated with the typical pagan symbols of the Romans.

   The "Downtown" of ancient Rome was the Forum (below left). The Forum itself was just that, meetings and other public events were held there, politicians spoke, trials were often held there, too. Surrounding the Forum were various administrative buildings, temples and shops.

   The three-column ruin behind Tim is the Temple of Vesta, and behind that, is the House of the Vestal Virgins.   The on top of the hill is the Palantine, home to Rome's elite after Augustus built his palace there. Prior to that, it had been the slums.

   Below left, is the Temple of Saturn.   Old meets not-so-old:  Debbie stands before the older of Rome's ruins, Trajan's Forum. Behind that, it is the memorial to Vittorio Emmanuel II, crowned the first king of the unified Italy in 1875.

   One of the best extant examples of early Roman architecture is the Pantheon (below).    Built circa AD60-AD70 as a temple to "All of the Gods". The front of the building is rectangular with an array of columns forming a loggia. The main temple is a cylinder with a self-supporting dome that is a hemisphere of the same radius as the cylinder. In the center of the dome is a large circular opening called the "Occulus" that provides light.  The temple was converted into a church and houses the tombs of Italian notables such as Raphael and Vittorio Emmanuel II.