Fragments of Antiquity

Being in Rome, one becomes extremely aware of the depth of history that lies within this city.  The layers of time, one era stacked on top of the other, is noticeably palpable when visiting this city.  This is probably one of my favorite aspects of Rome, and it always reminds me that great cities are always an accumulation of histories and layers. 

Nowhere in Rome is this idea more evident that in the Roman Forum itself, where the detritus of the Roman Empire lies in a layered pile of fragments from antiquity.  Some of these photos contain more history in one image (hundreds of years) than we know as a nation here in the US.  I guess that is why Rome is known as the eternal city, a city where you can experience two and half thousand years of history simultaneously.

In addition to my fascination with layered cities, I think there is a fundamental beauty found in ruins.  There is something about these fragments of incomplete ancient structures that I find to be incredibly beautiful and poetic.  Perhaps it is the way our “memories” and imagination work together to recreate the missing whole.  Maybe the parts, or fragments of history, are greater that the whole when it comes to our experience of place. 

Imperial Forum

Colosseum column fragments

Roman Forum

Column fragment

Roman Forum

Flower with Corinthian Capital

Roman Forum