Ancient Rome

We visited a different Rome today, the one of Julius Caesar to Constantine. We stood on the spot where Julius had the occasion to say "e tu Brutus?". At another point we stood in the remains of the immense cathedral that was built by Constantine upon his victorious return after finding an opportune time to convert from persecutor of Christians to being the first Pope.
Then we marched down the main roman street of the forum between two triumphal arches and found the Temple of Vesta where virgins (vestal, of course) kept the symbolic flames burning. Right next door was the palace of the vestal virgins, which was quite luxurious and had a fine central courtyard line with statues of V.V. Maximi of the past to inspire residents of the palace that wealth and fame awaited awaited them if they stayed virgins until their 36th birthday.
We wandered around the ruins of the forum some more and then had our picnic among the opulence of Palatine Hill where the emperors lived, looking down on the mere mortals below.
After lunch we went to the Coliseum. Lots of crowds, but an impressive place, we could feel the ghosts of the gladiators, slaves, Christians, lions, etc who were killed here solely for spectacle and pleasure of the more fortunate residents of Rome. At least in our culture we allow the gladiators in the football stadiums to live until they die a slow death of dementia from repeated brain trauma.
So with that in mind we decided to feed the lions in our stomachs...