Rome – The Capital of Italy and One of The World’s Great Historic Cities

Traveling is an experience very many get to do, but very few enjoy it. Most visit destinations for personal reasons more than just visiting to see. Yet, those that visit for pleasure get to see sights that wouldn’t be possible within an average day. It’s good to see what’s in the outside world for your mind to be sharpened by sights yet to be seen. A city worth a view is Rome a city with a huge standing in the making of modern civilization, whether it be culture, language, or general arts for the rest of the world.

The city sits by the Tiber River in Italy within 10 miles of it is the Tyrrhenian Sea. In its landscape is twenty hills varying in sizes with some flat pieces of land scattered around. There are hills that are considered the most famous which number seven of the twenty total hills(Joes). “These hills include the famous seven hills on which ancient Rome was built―the Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Vinminal hills”(Joes). These hills, each have their own unique history and place in the life of the people who live there.

Rome was the middle of all cultures for more than 2,000 years. It’s wide range of its history has given it the name of the “Eternal City”. Many important symbolic buildings were built in Rome with new buildings being built in modern times to show it’s progress. Roman culture still shows it’s way in other cultures across the world as most places have a hint of Rome’s effect. Whether this be farming, legal systems, or the alphabet. Rome is a city visited by thousands every year, making it a popular destination for tourist to see(Joes).

Throughout the years Rome as stood as the staple point of cities. With cities that reach a grand enough level end up being compared to Rome. Like Moscow, which has been called the “Third Rome”. Many cities always ended being compared to Ancient Rome with it’s warm temperature, which usually stays consistent throughout the years. With the sun usually shining on most days, even later on in the year(Mosebach). Even in the religious view, it has come to be looked up to. As the place of creation for popes and the Catholic Church, which eventually led to the creation of the country known as Vatican City. The Popes than bringing in workers from all over the world to help cover Rome in priceless artworks further boosting its glory(Joes). Yet if there is one thing that people learn about Rome is its ancient sites. From the ruins of Domus Aurea the “golden house” of Nero a leader of Rome for a period of time(Mosebach). Or the Portus a port city that had a huge influence on it’s spread of culture and resources during the height of the Roman Empire. Though after centuries of decay, it has fallen down to broken pillars and buildings. Recently however, there has been an effort with not so much a rebuilding of the town, but more towards the maintaining of structures for future citizens to see(Urbanus). There is also probably one of the most famous sites the Colosseum. A place which is well known about by everybody, even if they know little else about Rome. A place which slaves known as Gladiators fought one another. During the later years Christians were also killed by animals in here. These ruins which would have been surrounded by shops in ancient times now sit by gardens and trees to help maintain the beauty and appeal of the ruins(Joes). Rome also had its role in sports also. When the Olympic Games were held in Rome. The event was to be held in 1908 but due to difficulties the Italian government faced they decided they didn’t want to host the event. So it was postponed for a later date. The event being in 1944 but the war again pushed it back. Not until the 1960s did the event finally commence. Previous Italian officials didn’t want to take on the challenge of the Olympics. Mussolini on the other hand was the exact opposite(Bosworth). “Mussolini was photographed swimming, skiing, fencing, horse riding, and playing football and tennis”(Bosworth). He pushed for the Italian people to get more involved in the sports. Even going so far as to participate in many sports and activities himself. He built a grand stadium to host the sport with a massive obelisk serving as the entry statement(Bosworth).

Rome while known to many as place with rich history was not always a place of fun and dreams with the family. Today Rome is known for a rich culture with massive buildings telling myths and legend on their walls. Yet after the war Rome did not escape unharmed from the claws of destruction. With Rome mostly falling into disarray with traffic growing out of hand and jams being on every road. “Rome was a sober place in those years. Churches and palaces were painted a deep russet, and sun and rain had given them a blotchy complexion”(Mosebach). Yet, as modern times slowly started to hit Rome it began to change. No longer a city that was slowly being destroyed by a lack of care. An increase in tourism had saved the city of Rome. People visiting from all over the world to see the ruins of an ancient civilization. This soon led to the rebuilding or at least management of the ruins of former buildings(Mosebach).

Rome economy now is not nearly as powerful as it once was in ancient times but still with a massive economy fitting the “Eternal City”. A city not built with heavy industry(Joes). Most earn money through stores or in the food service. With a hand in opera play for the sake of traditions(Mosebach). Also they have a massive play into the movies of Italy origin being a huge producer of Italian movies. Their only true factory working is in the production of clothing and textiles. This is not to forget the income from tourism from all across the world(Joes).

Works Cited

1. Bosworth, R. J. B. (2009). Mussolini's Rome: Rebuilding the Eternal City. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
2. Joes, A. J. (2012). Urban Guerrilla Warfare. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.
3. Mosebach, M. (2013). The 21. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
4. Urbanus, J. L. (2012). Rome's Ruin: The Portus Project. Falmouth, UK: University of Exeter Press.
5. Giorgi, E., & Richardson, J. (2019). Rome: The Eternal City. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
6. Borri, F., & Ceserani, G. (2016). Rome: Artistic Centers of the Italian Renaissance. Florence, IT: Scala Arts Publishers Inc.
7. Di Porto, E., & Guerriero, C. (2014). Rome: The Making of an Empire. Los Angeles, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum.
8. Salierno, V. (2017). Rome: A Cultural, Visual, and Personal History. London, UK: Tate Publishing.
9. Ward-Perkins, J. B. (2014). The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
10. Beard, M. (2016). SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome. New York, NY: Liveright Publishing Corporation.