The Colosseum was the first area to visit today. What an incredible structure!
This was just inside. It was very much like a baseball stadium - except arches and ancient rock. ha.
You can see the pits in the bottom. There was a floor over them and all the gladiators, animals and prisoners were down there. During the games, there would be multiple events going on all over the stadium to keep the interest of the spectators.
You can see where the floor would have been in this cutaway.
Because earthquakes are common, the stadium was built to be able to flex. The guide described it like giant Legos. These holes are where large brass knobs held the 'lego' pieces together. When Rome was conquered, the brass was taken down and melted. I forgot to ask the guide how it was held together now. heh
Closer view of the lower level. There is some disagreement over whether or not Christians were thrown to the lions here. Some say it never happened. Others say it happened occasionally. Some say it only happened to criminals. I would venture to guess that since criminals were thrown to wild beasts here, there were probably some Christians who were considered criminals because they would not bow to the Emperor, Caesar.
I'll leave it at that.
Just outside the Colosseum is the triumphal Arch of Titus. He destroyed Jerusalem and brought back all the gold from Solomon's Temple and used the money to build the Colosseum.
We then walked a short distance to the Mamertine Prison where it has been recorded that Paul was imprisoned for a period of time. He was under house arrest for two years, set free and then rearrested at a later point (possibly after Rome burned and Nero blamed the Christians for starting the fire). It was after that second arrest that Paul was imprisoned here.
Looking down into the cell. This is where the food was thrown down to the prisoners. It is believed that since Caesar's palace is nearby and Paul, when under house arrest, talks about the Christians that lived in Caesar's palace, (Philippians 4:22) they may have been the ones who brought him food. Presumably, at great risk to themselves.
Mamertine Prison was the worst of the worst. According to Roman historian Sallust, it could have been called the House of Darkness. Few prisons were as dim, dank and dirty. It's 'neglect, darkness and stench" gave it "a hideous and terrifying appearance." It is lighted now so we can see it but since it's underground with no windows, it would have been pitch dark except for small oil lamps if the prisoners had them.
The room was so small I could not get back far enough to take a picture of the ceiling and all the way down to the floor. The round hole in the ceiling is the same food hole in the previous picture. Prisoners were not fed by the Romans so they were dependent on family or friends coming to the prison and bringing food to them.
The hole in this photo was actually a spring where Paul could get water. It is said that he baptized any converts he made in the prison with that spring water. Normally, prisoners were not held for more than a few days prior to their execution but Paul seemed to be an exception. Perhaps Nero wasn't sure what to do with him. Some scholars believe that Paul wrote the book of 2 Timothy while in Mamertine (with Luke as scribe). In 2 Timothy 3, Paul asks Timothy to bring his cloak before winter.
"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day..." 2 Timothy 3:6-8
Seeing the prison, while heartbreaking, was my favorite part of the day. It is so easy to read our Bibles and not really comprehend what the early church endured. Paul was their leader - a very beloved one. And he was in chains...in prison... What a sweet passage there is in Act. 28 where it says that as Paul was being taken on his journey to Rome some of the Christians came a long way to greet and encourage him.
(Acts 28:14, 15 "....and so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.")
After lunch we were taken to the ruins of a city called Ostia that has been uncovered. There are extensive ruins there which were interesting for the first hour and then we were tired, hot, and dirty so they all started to look the same. heh
The menorah on the top of the pillar proves there were Jewish people living in the city.
Those cool mushroom shaped pine trees that I'm fascinated with? Turns out they produce these huge pine cones and inside them are pine nuts! I have eaten them many times. The pine cones were extremely heavy. I would have loved to bring one home but it probably wouldn't have traveled well.
Tomorrow we ride the bus to Florence.
