Chariot tracks – part two
Sylvia Fragappani
Just after our arrival at the Hotel Parliamento, we had a discussion with the clerk. We expressed a desire to have a tour of ancient Rome with a personal guide. This was a common request apparently.
He suggested Sylvia Fragapanni, a professor of history at the University of Rome. We instantly agreed.
On our third and final day in Rome we met Sylvia, at our hotel about 9 AM. She was in her mid-30s, very enthusiastic and spoke English very well.
Giving these private tours seemed to be one of her passions, as well as an extra source of income. The three of us boarded a bus and headed for the centre of ancient Rome. She gave us a running commentary on all of these significant areas that we passed.
As usual, I had my ever -present video camera, constantly at the ready. We disembarked the bus at the Roman forum, a rectangular Plaza surrounded by the ruins of several ancient government buildings in the centre of the city Rome.
There are many surviving structures here including the temples of Caesar, Castor and Pollux, Vestal Virgins, and others of great interest. The forum main square was also here. As we walked through, Syvia would stop and give us a detailed history on what we were looking at, and its significance. We both listened intently as she was doing a marvellous job of describing the fabulous surroundings. I was in my element. After listening to Sylvia, I would use my video camera to record what we were looking at and tried to give an accurate synopsis of what Sylvia just told us. After doing this repeatedly, my wife apologized to Sylvia for my exuberance, and delaying our tour. Far from being annoyed, she seemed flattered that I was so utterly absorbed.
The streets were the original brick. On the corner of one of the main intersections, Sylvia explained that when Roman legions returned from their conquests, the soldiers, their prisoners, some of their confiscated treasures, …..and the chariots… would parade up the street and turn right at the corner where the dignitaries were waiting. I can just imagine how spectacular that would’ve been.
Knowing my intense interest, she knelt down on the street we were standing on, and should be parallel tracks in the bricks that continued around the corner. Indeed ,there were well-worn grooves into the bricks about several centimetres deep. She explained that these were chariot tracks. …..worn into the road over hundreds of years…I was blown away. I have a picture of my right foot in a chariot track. If I could ever find it, I would frame it.
Onward we walked to many other pieces of history including the Arch of Titus ( AD81) with a relief sculpture of his triumph over Jerusalem; Arch of Septimus Severus (victory over the Parthians) and the arch of Constantine.
As if this weren’t enough, we were now off to the Colosseum itself, one of the most famous Roman structures.
Because we had a private tour, we entered at the head of the waiting line up. We were enthralled by this magnificent place in the history, so eloquently explain to us by Sylvia.
At our request, our next stop was the church of San Clemente. Because of its relatively small size, it is not on the list of regular tourist destinations.
On the way there, we passed an area that Sylvia said was a training and warm up area for the gladiators awaiting their duels in the Colosseum.
We then arrived at the church of San Clemente. As described to us by our Irish acquaintance, this was a travelled backwards through time. Each site was built upon a previous one.
Monks who lived there, meticulously excavated and restored, as much as possible, all of these sites. We descended the stairs in anticipation. At each of the levels, Sylvia again explained the significance of what we were looking at.
At the lowest level, we entered the temple of Mithras – that has been there for over 2000 years. We saw the benches and the altar. We were told animals were sacrificed here to honour their God honour their God Mithras. There remained the site of sacrifice, as well as the trough to carry away the blood.
We even had the opportunity to go outside the temple, deep down in the earth to see the surroundings of that time. This had been partially excavated.
Each part of this tour would easily be its own story.
My memory of my foot in that Chariot track will remain with me forever… A true step back in time.