The
Colosseum, which Martial calls “Caesar’s Amphitheatre” (On The Spectacles 1), is the next stop
on the tour. A large part of the Colosseum remains today and can be visited: although a visit to the underneath of the Colosseum needs to be booked in
advance, the remainder can be visited using the same ticket
with which you gained access to the Roman Forum and there is no need to book in
advance. After visiting the Colosseum, you can then visit “the Esquiline”
(Epigrams 7.73), one
of the seven hills of Rome. Martial does not state a set location upon the
Esquiline to visit, meaning that it is not necessary to visit on the tour, but
if you choose to do so then cross the road from the Colosseum, head up Via
delle Terme di Tito, and then take a right onto Viale del Monte Oppio: this
will lead you up the hill.
If you have chosen to not walk up the Esquiline,
the next stop on the tour is the “Porta Capena” (Epigrams 3.47). This is a gate in the
Servian wall,
of which a small piece remains. In order to get to the Porta Capena,
leave the Colosseum, heading down the Via di San Gregorio: the Piazza di Porta
Capena is at the junction of the road, and it is in this Piazza that the piece
of wall is sited. Next on the tour is the Caelian Hill, or as Martial refers to it
the “Greater and Lesser Caelian” (Epigrams
12.18). The easiest route from the Porta Capena is to walk
down the Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, then turn left along Via Druso, which
turns into the Via dell'Amba Aradam. This is one many paths that goes up the
Caelian Hill. Then return to the Porta Capena, when you have walked up the hill.
This, like the Esquiline Hill, is not a necessary stop on the tour as, again,
Martial does not indicate a specific point on the Caelian Hill to visit.
Similarly, the next potential stop on the tour is the Aventine, which Martial
calls “Diana’s Hill” (Epigrams 7.73):
starting at the Porta Capena, walk along Viale Aventino, then take a right up
Via di Santa Prisca, following this road as it turns into Clivo dei Publicii. This will take you across the Aventine hill, and you will end up by the Circus
Maximus. The next stop on the tour is the “Shrine of bereaved Cybele” (Epigrams 7.73), which was located in the
centre of the Circus Maximus: all that remains of the Circus Maximus today is a
large grassy area, which is now a public park. After this head towards “the
Aemilian Way” (Epigrams 10.12),
now known as the Ponte Rotto. As you leave the Circus, head towards the Tiber, where the remnants of the bridge still remain: a single arch of
the bridge stands in the middle of the river. After this visit
“Phillipus’ Colonnade” (Epigrams 5.49):
in order to reach it you must walk along the Via Luigi Petroselli from the
Ponte Rotto, then turn onto the Via del Foro Piscario to reach the Portico of
Octavia. The exact location of the colonnade is unknown, although it is
believed to be north west of the Portico of Octavia. The colonnade was in the
temple of Hercules and the Muses and it got its name as it was restored by a
Philippus, probably Quintus Marcus Philippus, consul-suffect in 38BC.
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