Europe Day 9 - Rome!

So we arrived last night in Roma and and went straight out for a walking tour. 

Today was about going back to those sites we didn't get enough time to see. Once again too many photos!!!

Trevi Fountain

The 'typewriter' or 'wedding cake'

Pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice)

St Peter's Basilica

Colosseum

Some history for you; here is one of the legends surrounding the founding of Rome.

The King of Alba Longa was ejected by his younger brother Amulius. To do away with any further possible pretenders to his usurped throne, Amulius murdered the kings's sons and forced his daughter, Rhea Silvia, to become a vestal virgin. 

However Mars, the god of war became enchanted by her beauty and had his way with Rhea Silvia while she slept. As a result of this Rhea Silvia bore twins, Romulus and Remus.
An enraged Amulius had Rhea Silvia thrown into the river Tiber where she was caught beneath the waves by the river god who married her.

The twins were set adrift on the river in a reed basket. They floated downstream until the basket was caught in the branches of a fig tree.

This was where they were found by a she-wolf who suckled them (wolves are sacred to Mars) until a shepherd found them.



True to their heroic status the twins raised an army and marched on Alba Longa. Amulius was slain in battle and the King was restored to his throne.

The twins decided to found a new city close to where they had been washed ashore, caught by the fig tree. The twins disputed which hill their city should be built on, Romulus favouring the Palatine, Remus choosing another (possibly the Aventine).

Taking the auspices to read the will of the gods, Remus on his hill saw six birds, Romulus saw twelve. So it was decided that Romulus’ choice was the right one and he and his followers took to building their city on Palatine Hill.

Romulus took to marking the city's sacred boundary with a plough drawn by a white bull and a white cow. Remus however leapt over the furrow, either in jest or derision. This was an ill omen suggesting the city’s defences could easily be overcome. Remus was slain, either by Romulus himself or by one of his chief followers.