The Palatine Hill, thought to be the home of the first people to ever live in Rome, sits at the center of the seven infamous “Seven Hills of Rome,” near the Tiber River where ancient settlements once merged to form the city. The Palatine Hill is associated with several famous myths and legends that you might be familiar with, including the tale of Romulus and Remus (the supposed twin founders of Rome). According to the legend, Romulus and Remus founded the city in 753 BC, before Romulus killed Remus after a rising conflict, became kind, and named Rome after himself. Furthermore, the hill is known for having been a site for emperors’ imperial palaces since the time of Augustus; in fact, the word “palace” actually originated from the Palatine Hill. The ruins of Augustus' (27 BC – 14 AD), Tiberius’ (14 – 37 AD), and Domitian’s (81 – 96 AD) palaces can still be seen today. In addition to these imperial palaces, visitors to the Palatine Hill have a spectacular view of the Circus Maximus, an ancient chariot race course located below the hill; the Romulan Huts, which are believed to have been the homes of the earliest humans living on the Palatine; the Cryptoporticus, 130 meters of passageway that emperors used to use to travel discretely from one palace to another; the Farnese Gardens, which was built in the 1500’s by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese and was the first private botanical garden in Europe; and even the Roman Forum, which is located on low-lying land between the Palatine and Capitoline Hill.
The Roman Forum, located at the center of the ancient city of Rome, was once the site of many important religious, political, and social events. It’s believed by historians that people began meeting in the Forum publicly for the first time in around 500 BC, at the time of the founding of the Roman Republic. It’s essentially a large, rectangular-shaped area that contains many of the most spectacular temples and monuments of the ancient city. The traditional story of Romulus and Remus that was mentioned earlier also says that the Roman Forum was a neutral meeting zone between Romulus and his rival, Titus Tatius. While the Forum was originally a casual marketplace where people did their everyday shopping, public affairs were also held in the area as the Forum became more versatile over time. Elections, public speeches, criminal trials, social gatherings, and religious ceremonies were commonplace in the Forum. Visitors will be able to see the Senate House, which was the council house for the Roman Senate; the Temple of Saturn, dedicated to the god of agriculture and once used as a treasury; the Arch of Titus, built by the Emperor Domitian to honor his brother Titus after his victory in the Siege of Jerusalem; the Sacra Via, a famous street connecting various important sites that constituted a pathway for ceremonies/processions.
The Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum are two of the most ancient sites in all of Rome. Their rich history, in conjunction with their beauty, is what makes them two of Rome’s must-see tourist attractions and an essential component of a study abroad program in Italy.
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