5. Ancient Rome

Below: The eight surviving colums of the Temple of Saturn, and three from the Temple of Vespasian. Taken from the back of the Capitoline hill.

Below: Looking over the Forum and to Colosseum from the Vittorio Emmanuele II monument

Below: From the Vittorio Emmanuele monument - looking across the Roman Forum to Trajan's Market.

Below: The Pantheon. Nearly 2,000 years old, and magnificent - my favourite building of Ancient Rome. It faces Piazza della Rotonda.
Below: Piero and Ben take a breather at the side of the Pantheon

Below: Underneath the Tarpeian Rock, from whence traitors were thrown. It is the southern tip of the Capitoline Hill.

These days the area around the Tarpeian Rock is a much frequented gay beat. It is named after Tarpeia, the younge daughter of Spurius Tarpeius, defender of the Capitol in the 8th century BC Sabine War.

Below: The Colosseum, commissioned by Vespasian in AD 72


Below: The Arch of Constantine, dedicated in AD 315 to commemorate Constantine's victory in 312 over co-Emperor Maxentius.