5/23/15

Space and Place

On May 21 I was able to get on to the Palatine Hill. Once you have entered you are given options on how to start walking around the Palatine. You can either a set of stairs down the middle, to your left, or to your right. I decided to go up the middle staircase which eventually led to the path of the left staircase. As I walked along the path the first thing I see is where the Aqua Claudia once lied. All that remains of it is a brick arch. Pass the arch you can remain on the path or go onto a grass field. The grass field seems to be one of many spots to have an ideal picnic. As I walk around I can see that the Palatine was built fortress like. You get the feeling that not just anyone was allowed to go into the Palatine without the permission of anyone of the prestige citizens living there. I say prestige because when you see the view from the Palatine and how it overlooks the entire city you get a sense of ownership. I can imagine the high class citizens of ancient Rome believing that the city was theirs and only theirs. The city was their backyard and they had control of it.  Walking around the Palatine I obtained more of an aww feeling than I had with the Coliseum. The Palatine is a location where you can in a way follow the same footsteps as those in the high class like Romulus. The Palatine gives you the chance to view the city as if you were a king.