San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-24
The Roman Forum, the Centre Of
Ancient Imperial Rome, with
Its Temples and Statues,
as 1t Would Look if
Restored.

conqueror! hail, Incompatible son of
Apollop
Before the Flavii had reared the Col
osseum, the amphitheatres in Rome were
built mainly of wood, and for that reason
nearly all of them had burned during the
fire. But Nero, for the celebration of
the promised games, had ordered several
to be built, and among them a gigantic
one, for which they began, Immediately
after the fire was extinguished, to bring
by sea and the Tiber great trunks of trees
cut on the slopes of Atlas; because the
games were to surpass all the previous
ones in splendor and number of victims,
and therefore the space had to be en-
larged for people and for anm.ls. Thous-
ands of men were working at the build
ings day and night. They built and orna-
mented without getting tired.
And on the day when the morning
game was to begin throngs of the popu-
lace were awaiting from daylight the open
ing of the gates. listening with delight to
the roars of lions, the hoarse growls of
panthers, and the bowls of dogs. The
beasts had not been fed for two days,
but pieces of bloody flesh had been
pushed before them to rouse their rage
and hunger all the more.
'As the moment grew near for open
ing the corridors leading to the interior of
the building called vomitoria, people grew
animated and joyous; they discussed and
disputed about various things touching
the spectacle.
"At last the vomitoria was opened and
the crowd rushed in. But the number of
those assembled was so great that they
flowed in and flowed in for hours, till it
tl.N Al. L 4
such countless multitude; the roars of
the beasts, smelling the exhalation of hu-
man bodies, grew louder. While taking
places the spectators made an uproar like
the waves of the sea in time of storm.
FINALLY the project of the city came,
surrounded by guards, and after him in
unbroken line appeared the litters of SEN
ators, consuls, pretors, ediles, officials of
the government and the palace, of pre-
torian officers, patricians, and exquisite
ladies. In the sun CLEANED the gliding of
litters, the white and multi-colored stuffs,
feathers, earrings, jewels, steel of the
maces. From the Circus came shouts with
which the people greeted the great digni-
taries. Small divisions of pretorians ar
rived from time to time.
'"rhe sight was indeed magnificent.
The lower seats crowded with togas, were
as white as snow. In the gilded podum
sat Caesar, wearing diamond collar, and
a golden crown on his head; next to him
sat the beautiful and gloomy Augusta, and
on both sides were vestal virgins, great
officials senators in purple togas, officers
of the army with glittering weapons-in a
word, all that was powerful, brilliant and
rich in Rome. In the farther rows sat
knights, and higher up darkened in rows
a sea Of common heads, above which from
pillar to pillar hung festoons of roses, ILL
les, ivy and grapeVines.
Usually, spectacle was begun by
hunts of wild beasts in which Southern
and Northern barbarians excelled; but this
time, as they had too many beasts, they
began the spectacle with andabates-that
is, men wearing helmets without an open
ing for the eyes, hence fighting blind
fold"
Spectacles corresponding to these, but
changed somewhat to suit modern condi-
tions, must be given if Rome is to be the
capital of a successfully restored Roman
Empire and Emperor Mussolini has al
ready begun training for the position of
Caesar by tanning lion, into whose cage
he enters every day.