Rome

We arrived in Rome yesterday.  This is a city filled with great history.  It is an unparalleled repository of monuments from many periods. Roman monuments include the almost perfectly preserved Pantheon which was founded in 27 bc and rebuilt in ad 118-128.  This is considered one of the finest surviving temples of antiquity.  Then there is the Colosseum which was opened ad 80.  Although it is partially destroyed, this huge amphitheater that was the scene of gladiatorial combats and other spectacles, stands as a testimony to the roll of brutal entertainment in western history. Other impressive sites are the great ancient city walls, triumphal arches, great public meeting places, churches, and palaces all about the city.