Top 5 Cultural Experiences in Rome
The most extraordinary thing about Rome is its sheer longevity.
More than any other city, it has been a centre of the world since it developed an empire, which ruled over a third of the world’s population. The vast range of historic sites, stretching from Etruscan pre-history to the 21st century, creates a destination of unique character, with an unrivalled sense of historical continuity between ancient and modern society.
In this article, ancient historian Dr Eireann Marshall takes on the almost impossible task in choosing her five favourite Roman cultural experiences (with a focus on its ancient phases).
1. Largo di Torre Argentina, Rome
Not far from the forum and closer to Piazza Venezia, there are a series of republican era temples in Largo Argentina, dating from the 4th to the 2nd century BC.
Discovered in the 1920s during the fascist period, the temples provide unique insights into Roman religion and how politicians attributed their success to divine favour. Temple of Juturna, the temple closest to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, was dedicated by Gaius Lutatius Catullus in thanksgiving for his victory in the First Punic War in 241 BC, while his descendant Quintus Lutatius Catullus dedicated his temple to Fortuna Huiusce Diei, ostentatiously close to his famous antecedant, in honour of his victory at Vercellae in 101 BC.
Spending so much money on temples wasn’t only about demonstrating their pietas but about gaining status through their association with gods. The Sacred Area of the Largo Argentina is an oasis of antiquity surrounded by buildings from different eras, including the famous 18th-century Teatro Argentina which premiered the Barber of Seville, as well as a couple of Verdi operas, and a mediaeval tower perhaps named after the Anti-pope Anacletus II.
Today, it is not only an important archaeological site but home to hundreds of cats given refuge there. What makes the Largo Argentina so memorable to me is that it marks the spot Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators angered by his arrogance and autocratic tendencies. There is something scintillating about sharing space with an event which changed the course of history.
2. The Roman Appian Way
The Via Appia has a similar ability to transport people to antiquity. Dubbed the regina viarum by Statius, the Appian Way was the first of the paved roads leading out of greater Rome and was begun by the famous blind censor Appius Claudius Caecus in 312 BC in order to facilitate movements of Roman troops during the Samnite Wars.
While the road is interesting for underscoring Rome’s incredible engineering skills, as well as its brutal determination to conquer, its tranquility which is pierced at regular intervals by tombs and opulent houses, is also movingly poignant. More to the point, the Via Appia is the locus of so much history: it is along this road that 6,000 of Spartacus’ followers were crucified and it is here that the beautiful and audacious Clodius met his end at the hands of his opponent, Milo’s, supporters in 52 BC.
Walking along this route, traversed by so many over so long a period of time, brings it all back.
3. The Mausoleum of Santa Costanza, Rome
The incredible state of preservation of the Basilica of Santa Costanza is enough to make it an important cultural experience.
Built on top of the catacombs of Saint Agnes, right off the Via Nomentana, the Basilica seems to have been a funerary hall erected for an elite Christian who wanted to be buried near the venerable saint martyred in Domitian’s Stadium, now Piazza Navona.
Whether the mausoleum was actually built for Constantia, Constantine the Great’s daughter, can’t be known, despite the fact that her sarcophagus was located here and little does it matter. It is the wonderfully interesting mosaics on the vaults of the mausoleum which stand out, providing important testimony to development of Christian art right after the Council of Milan which legalized the religion.
4. Palazzo Valentini, Rome
Palazzo Valentini, nestled in the very heart of Rome, immediately adjacent to Trajan’s forum, is incredible for allowing us a glimpse into the lives of the Roman super rich at the height of Rome’s power.
The archaeological remains under the imposing Palazzo, built in the 16th century by the Cardinal Michele Bonelli, were discovered in 1902 when the Palazzo delle Assicurazioni di Venezia was being built. The curators of the site have not only displayed the stunning remains of domestic opulence, including opus sectile floors, in an engaging manner but have shown how the site evolved over time, when the shine of the caput mundi had dimmed.
Perhaps the piece de resistance of the entire site is the monumental granite column which may have been used in the now lost Temple of Trajan that once graced the forum he erected.
5. Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome
My final, favourite cultural experience in Rome dates more than a millennium later, namely the Contarelli Chapel in the Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi - immortalized by Caravaggio in his first important commission.
Throwing away the rule book, the tortured Lombard artist brought to life moments in the life of Saint Matthew in a way that only he could. Caravaggio captures the very moment in which Matthew converted by placing Christ in the shadows and bathing the evangelist in light, flanked by men who were too busy counting money to take note of what was going on.
Almost paradoxically, Caravaggio couples his desire to capture a specific moment in time with drama and precision with his desire to depict his subjects as though they were every day people you might meet on the street. It is just this which makes his Inspiration of Saint Mark remarkable, as the angel dramatically provides Grace to a bare footed Matthew precariously perched on a stool.
As is only to be expected, there are so many more cultural experiences in Rome to be had, from the unique Pantheon to the jaw dropping Raphael rooms in the Vatican, that choosing five is a thankless task. Just being there, walking past the foot of an imperial statue, or the remains of the Baths of Agrippa which poke out of a restaurant, is the ultimate of experiences.
Dr Eireann Marshall
TOUR ROME THIS JANUARY
Join Eireann this coming January and take an indepth look at Rome’s history, art and architecture, stretching from the Etruscan civilization to the 21st century. This 15-day residential style allows you to unpack your bags in central Rome and enjoy the city during the quiet months.
