Rome vs. Pompeii

Being a History major, the prospect of seeing the ruins of structures built more than two thousand years ago was extremely exciting.  As I looked over the list of sites the group would be visiting, two of them really stood out to me: The Roman Forum, and Pompeii.  Upon arriving in Castel Gandolfo and receiving a brief orientation about our activities for the following eight weeks, I was interested to learn that the Roman Forum would be our first site visit, and Pompeii would be one of the last.  “How fitting,” I thought at the time, “to begin and end with the most exciting and interesting sites.”

            At first, walking through the Roman Forum was like walking through a dream.  It just didn’t seem real that I could brush my hand against a column that had been standing centuries before the founding of Christianity!  However, it was difficult to visualize what the Forum would have looked like in ancient times.  What was left of these buildings was only a pile of rubble, or a single broken column still left standing.  Also, the Forum has been built, torn down, and rebuilt several times throughout history.  The task of separating each of the layers is nearly impossible.  I could not tell the difference between a Republic-era building from an Imperial one.  The difficulty is doubled when, as it happened quite often, a pile of rubble would be made up of column fragments from BOTH eras.  After the second or third building of this sort, the tourist loses interest and tunes out, no longer listening to the guide going on about Emperor X who came before Emperor Y, who later tore down Emperor X’s temple to build his own, which was torn down centuries later by Pope Such-and-Such to be the site of a grand Catholic church, which would be torn down even more centuries later by Napoleon!  And somewhere in the middle of all that, the Forum was flooded and the buildings were all buried under sewage!  By the time our tour was over, my mind was spinning with all of the different names and dates of eras, Emperors, and Popes that had just been thrown at me.  Although I loved the Forum for what it was, I was disappointed by what it is today.

            Now nearing the end of my journey to Italy, we’ve just recently traveled to Pompeii.  Today, Pompeii is an excavation.  Over two thousand years ago, it was a great city in the Roman Empire.  In 79 A.D., nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the entire city of Pompeii under this layers of ash, dust, and volcanic rock.  While this was an unthinkable tragedy, the disaster has served a good purpose.  The city of Pompeii was so well preserved by the ash, that even Pompeii’s ancient residents can be seen today.  The ash and dust enveloped the people as they attempted to hide or flee the eruption, making a sort of cast around their bodies.  When they were discovered, these casts were filled in, revealing perfect human forms.  Even the body of a dog was found among them, writhing in agony as it struggles to breathe.  The expression of pain can still be seen on its face.  More than this, walking through the streets of Pompeii, one can enter houses and shops, see the pots where food was cooked and served to the residents, see the colorful frescoes that decorated ceilings and walls, and walk on the gorgeous marble tile that adorned their floors.  In my mind, Pompeii was still alive, and can be seen today for what it was in ancient times. 

            The Ancient Rome that I came to see is gone.  All that’s left is what I can imagine out of a few columns and a pile of rubble.  Pompeii still exists.  I can see how large the houses were, how small the beds were—thereby knowing the height of most ancient people.  I learned more about ancient Roman culture is the single day that I was in Pompeii than I believe I did during the time I spent within sites in Rome.  Where the Roman Forum was a disappointment, Pompeii renewed my passion and interest.  In Rome, I saw the Rome of the upper class and the royal families.  In Pompeii, I saw the lives of the common man.  I could walk into restaurants, bars, and brothels.  I saw small tenements and large villas.  In Rome, I only saw Imperial Palaces and places of government.  There was nothing to give me an insight to what life was like for the common Roman man.  But this is what I found in Pompeii.  All in all, Pompeii gave me back what I had lost in Rome.  I am so happy for the chance to be able to travel there and walk through the excavations.

Is the Catholic Church a global, or a strictly Roman institution?

When visiting Rome, even for non-religious purposes, it is difficult, if not impossible, to avoid seeing some influence of the Catholic Church everywhere you go.  Art, architecture, and religion all show great influence from the Church throughout history.  This week, we’ve studied the Renaissance era.  If it weren’t for the financial contributions from the Pope and other clergy to the artists of the time, there would be no Renaissance at all, and the Dark Ages would have dragged on possibly for centuries more. 

When I first arrived in Rome, my idea of the Catholic Church was that it had its greatest influence in Rome.  This was because Rome is the central site of Catholicism.  The Pope resides here, St. Peter was buried here, and the Vatican Museums are here (housing the greatest collection of Catholic historical artwork and documents).  However, after attending the Papal Audience earlier this week, my feelings have changed dramatically.  As I sat, listening to Pope Benedict XVI read his speech first in Italian, then in French, then English, then German, followed by Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and a few others that I couldn’t make out, I realized that the Catholic Church was in fact a worldwide institution.  It makes many efforts to reach every country around the world.  The Papal Audience, for me, was the perfect example of this. 

Many people may believe that the Church only has influence in Rome, or even in Italy.  For instance, in America, we do not have a central Catholic leader, and must refer to one who resides in Italy, on the other side of the world.  This may seem like an inconvenience, something that would make the Church unable to reach Catholics in the United States, but it’s not true.  Catholicism is just as strong in other parts of the world as it is in Italy.  And as I said before, the Church is doing everything it can to reach out to people across the globe, not just to those who live in Rome.  The simple act of the Pope reading in so many different languages, making sure that everyone listening could understand, proved this to me.  It was a very moving and eye-opening experience for me because of this.  I feel honored that I was given the chance to attend, and would recommend it to anyone, Christian or not.

Leisure

To me, “Leisure” is an activity that one does for his or her enjoyment.  The “down time” between working and studying for class is my leisure time.  I usually spend this time reading a book, messing around on the computer, or watching television.  Since I’ve been in Rome, I’ve observed the differences and similarities between how Americans and Italians spend their leisure time.  For our activity this week, we were to go to the Villa Borghese and look at Italian leisure, compared to our own.  I saw groups of friends jogging or riding bicycles together.  I saw couples of all ages strolling, hand in hand, through the park.  I watched as young lovers ducked out of sight from the main roads to share a few moments alone.  I sat in an Ancient Roman amphitheater and watched all of these things, while a large group of young children played a game of soccer below me.  I could think of no place in America where I would be able to see all of these things at once.  Italian leisure is definitely different from American leisure.   

In the United States, if one goes to a mall or other public area to observe culture, they would see Americans rushing to get into this store or that, or constantly texting or talking on their cell phones, or blocking out the world with their iPods.  More time is spent with friends via the computer than over a cup of coffee like here in Italy.  It seems that being in the company of others is important in Italy, while it is not in America.  Italians would rather make time to go out with friends than sit at home in front of the TV.  I’d say Italians are on to something, and Americans should definitely adopt this aspect of Italian lifestyle.

I believe that, after I return to the United States, what I do during my free time will definitely change.  I’d like to spend more time with friends than I have in the past.  I’d like to get outside more.  I think I should make my leisure time more productive, rather than focusing on just relaxing.  I hope to start exercising more, researching more about things that interest me, seeing more of the world.  I’d like to not spend so much time texting friends, and more time talking face-to-face.  “Leisure” doesn’t have to mean that I’m relaxing and doing nothing productive.  There are so many little things that I’ve started over the years and never finished.  Perhaps this will be the time to go back to them.   

Observing Italian leisure has showed me that my flawed idea of what free-time should be used for has been nothing more than wasting my life.  What am I really getting out of sitting in front of the TV for a few hours?  I could be doing so much more.  Once I return to the US, I hope to change how I’ve been spending my leisure time.  I believe that this will improve the opinion I have of myself and my life in general.

Observing Culture: The Roman Piazza

Rome is full of piazzas, and piazzas are full of Rome.

In a Roman Piazza of today, one can observe all kinds of culture.  Some is interesting, some desirable, and some utterly grotesque.  Any way you look at it, a piazza is the “place-to-be” if one desires to observe culture, or even simply to socialize with friends, neighbors, and strangers.  The reason that piazzas are such cultural centers is that people of all races, classes, nationalities, and ages gather in them.  One can see a great variety of confrontations and communication.  Whether it be outsiders struggling to carry on a conversation with a native, gypsies tricking a group of tourists for their money, or simply children of various nationalities playing a game together, each shouting in their own language, yet somehow understanding one another.  Rich and poor alike have an espresso in a nearby cafe, or have their merenda (snack at 5pm) while seated at the base of a fountain.  These are all parts of the daily function of a piazza.

But first, what is a piazza?  In the dictionary, “a large open square in an Italian town.”  From what I’ve seen so far, a piazza is a town square, usually with a fountain or other architectural feature in the center.  The square is surrounded by small shops, restaurants, outdoor cafes, churches, and other buildings.  Day or night, piazzas are always full of people.  During the night, bars and discothèques come to life, filling with tourists and natives alike.  There is always an abundance of culture in and around the piazzas of Rome.

Does History limit or bolster Faith?

As a history major, I interact regularly with historical accounts which vary from books, letters, and journals, to artifacts and oral histories.  Many things historians read include religious topics.  Some of these can be thought of as controversial.  For instance, looking at historical accounts of Jesus sometimes contradicts what was written about him in the Bible.  For these reasons, I think that most people believe that studying history limits faith entirely.  I disagree though.  I think that learning about Jesus from the Bible alone creates an image of him that more resembles a fairy tale than an actual man who once existed.  Reading about Him from other sources gives facts about His life that make Him a real person.  For some people, this image of a real person, rather than the impossible, may limit their faith, but I find that my faith has a much stronger foundation than what I had before, relying solely on stories from the Bible.

In Rome, for example, travelers and tourists come from around the world on religious pilgrimages to visit the stairs brought by the mother of the Emperor Constantine; stairs that were thought to be the very same that Jesus walked up to hear his verdict from Pontius Pilate.  History later disproved this thought, but knowing that the stairs at Santa Scala may not have been walked on by Jesus at all does not take away from the meaning behind them.  People still flock to this site every day by the thousands!  Even if the stairs are not authentic, the people believe them to be.  They come to worship Jesus and follow His footsteps where they believe He walked.  These visitors’ beliefs are not diminished by history.

I believe that, if a person’s faith can be crushed by a single historical question, their faith was not very strong to begin with.  If it were discovered someday that Jesus’ ability to walk on water was nothing more than a sandbar in the middle of a lake, my faith would not be shaken.  My faith in God does not stand simply on Jesus’ ability to perform miracles.  It runs much deeper than that.  So for me, history does not hinder faith in a Higher Power.  Rather, it bolsters faith by giving its readers a true image of what they’ve only read about in their holy books, or heard in their church’s teachings.  If the Bible were full of scientifically proven facts, there would be no Christian faith.  There would simply be knowledge.  Faith and knowledge are two separate things for me.  I have faith that Jesus is God’s son, but I have knowledge that the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.  Both are absolutely true for me, but one is fact, the other is faith. 

Recently it has been discovered that Jesus was not born on December 25 in the year zero, but more likely in March sometime during the first century BC.  December 25 was chosen as the day to celebrate Jesus’ birth because it was a pagan holiday.  Early Christians wanted to make it easier to convert pagans by choosing similar dates for holidays.  Does this affect your faith at all?  Will this make you refuse to celebrate Christmas?  Of course not!  (Or at least, it shouldn’t.)  Why not?  Because faith is not based on historical facts.

Exhilarating or Oppressive?

Rome is, of course, a city that holds many appealing qualities.  Aspects such as food, music, wine, religion, shopping, and history, among others, all contribute to the organized chaos that is Rome.  However, for a first-time traveler, Rome can be a very shocking experience.  Some people are unfriendly to outsiders; there are always thieves to worry about; and there is an entirely new language to learn, as well as new etiquette.  Even the rules for crossing the street are different!  If one is not prepared for many of these changes, Rome will be a very oppressive place.

That said, Rome could be quite an exhilarating and wonderful experience for people.  There are many people who are very friendly to outsiders, and are always curious to learn more about you and where you come from.  If you are open to experimenting with language, learning Italian might be very exciting; as it is for me.  In time, and with a little effort, one can learn most of the cultural rules to live by in Rome. 

If the traveler has an interest in History, Rome will definitely be an exciting place in that regard.  Over 2,000 years of history can still be seen in the city.  It spans from Ancient times, through the Empire and the Republic, through the Biblical era, to the Renaissance, and onward through the Fascist rule in the 20^th Century and into the present day.  This does not include what can be seen in museums, but merely what can be found in the “Open-Air Museum” of the city itself.

I believe that Rome will be either Exhilarating or Oppressive for a traveler, depending on his or her intentions for coming.  Rome has much to offer to a wide variety of people.  Just be prepared for a drastic change from your current culture, and be open to the new one, and Rome will open welcoming arms to you.  However, if you approach with a closed mind, expecting that everything should be the way you’re used to, Rome can be a cold, and often cruel place.

The Coliseum

Seeing the Coliseum for the first time gave me mixed emotions.  At first, I was excited and in awe of the fact that I was actually standing inside such an iconic building.  I thought of how many emperors stood in the exact spot I was standing.  I frantically snapped pictures of everything I could: the ruins of the prison chambers beneath the floor, the ruins of the walls, the ruins of the benches, the ruins of the arches, the ruins of the stairs…  At this point, I looked up from my camera and was hit with a slight pang of disappointment.  Everything was made from the same dilapidated, grey-ish brick. 

At this point, I realized that the Rome I would be seeing during my trip would not be the great world power I had read about.  Nor would it be the city full of glistening white marble covering every surface.  The Eternal City has been stripped of its former glory.
Then again, it amazed me that pieces of it still existed.  After 2,000 years, remnants of Rome were still available to the public, enabling its history to be kept alive.  Actually seeing and touching the ruins of the Coliseum is an experience that I will never forget.
According to Barzini, there are many groups of travelers to Rome.  There are the travelers who come in flocks to the most popular sites, snapping pictures all around, and acting generally "touristy".  And there is another group of travelers who plan their visits to avoid the flocks of the former kind.  They arrive at later or earlier hours, therefore avoiding crowds, and are able to enjoy the site more thoroughly.  I see myself as falling into this group, thanks to our group leader and guide, Danilo.  Because of his extensive experience leading groups of Americans through the city, he knows what times will be the least crowded at the places we visit.  I'm extremely thankful to have him with us, and I feel very lucky that he is willing to guide us around every day.  I believe that because of him, I'm getting a much better experience than I would have on my own.