Have you ever wondered what it would be like to study abroad in Europe, or more specifically, in Salzburg, Austria? My name is Hayden Hartman, and I am a History Major and an alumnus of the Bowling Green State University Salzburg Study Abroad Program. Up to this point, studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria, has been one of my most influential decisions in life. The number of relationships that I was able to build, the multitude of destinations I could experience, and the interesting classes that allowed me to continue working on my major are only touching the surface of what it was like to live in Salzburg for four months. From peer to peer, I recommend this program to anyone, even if you have never thought about studying abroad before.
Figure 1: Since its addition, the bronze statue of the Archangel Michael has become one of the, if not the most, iconic parts of the Castel Sant’Angelo.
One of Rome’s many great sites in Rome is the Mausoleum of Hadrian, now known as the Castel Sant’Angelo. Over the years, the Mausoleum has served a variety of purposes and housed the remains of many notable Roman Emperors and their families. Because the structure saw considerable use even after the fall of the Roman Empire and into the Medieval and Renaissance periods, the Castel Sant’Angelo remains in incredible condition when compared to many other notable ancient Roman sites such as the Roman Forum, Colosseum and more. The Castel Sant’Angelo has however changed immensely since its initial construction, with the changes reflecting its uses as a mausoleum, fortress stronghold, and even prison. During our study abroad trip, we had the chance to visit Castel Sant’Angelo and see its history up close.
The mausoleum’s mastermind, the Roman Emperor Hadrian, ruled from 117 CE until his death in 138. Hadrian is considered part of the Roman Empire’s “Five Good Emperors,” who ruled Rome in its Golden Age. Hadrian is best known for his large public works projects with this most famous being Hadrian’s Wall in Britain.
By: Peter Strzempka, BGSU Roma Aeterna 2023 Student
Figure 1: Entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica. Photo courtesy of Peter Strzempka, 2023
When one first enters Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica is undoubtedly the first thing everyone notices. However, one does not get a great view of the Basilica until they enter through the entrance on the north side of the oval Piazza San Pietro, where the massive structure is finally visible up close and personal. The façade, decorated beautifully with marble columns and statues of the most important Church fathers, overwhelms the viewer with seemingly endless detail. What most people do not realize about St. Peter’s is its long and illustrious history, both the Old and modern St. Peter’s. Much of the old structure and pre-Christian sites underneath have been overshadowed by perhaps the most important church in Roman Catholicism, but their stories are crucial to the foundation of the basilica we see today. This blog will start from the beginning, with St. Peter’s execution and the construction of Old St. Peter’s, and proceed through the Counter-Reformation, the period in which the St. Peter’s we know today was finished. Through this brief overview, the goal is to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for all who visit the basilica, whether for pilgrimage or tourism.
In history, one of the most relevant topics is colonization. I spent three weeks abroad in Italy studying Ancient Roman history in the summer of 2023. In my time in Italy, I occasionally noticed a lot of historical emphasis on the so-called Roman account of events. The perspective of history from groups who have been colonized by Rome is lacking. When looking at Pompeii, the ancient Roman city massacred by the volcano Mt. Vesuvius, historians note that the city was thriving at the time of its destruction. But who determines if Pompeii was thriving: The Romans, or the descendants of natives who inhabited Rome pre-colonization? The interpretation of the definition of thriving also changes the understanding of events. There are 158 years between the colonization of Pompeii and the eruption of Vesuvius. This gives a lot of time for traditions and cultures to be lost, especially with the shorter lifespans people had in ancient times. But with evidence through archaeology and recovered findings, a lot of the culture wasn’t lost. This proposes several questions about the lifestyle of the citizens of Pompeii. Were Pompeiians rejecting Roman cultural changes? Did they want Pompeii to become a symbol of wealth for Roman elites? Rome established an importance on social cohesion, but how could a society be unified if the colonizers are living in wealth and extravagance and the colonized are in poverty? This article will argue that the Romanization of Pompeii established that social cohesion was frugal and only existed in pre-established social classes. The wealth divides in Pompeii were correlated to the divide between indigenous descendant citizens and Roman citizens.
By: Sabrina Sprague, BGSU Roma Aeterna 2023 Student
“Grey clouds roll over the hills Bringing darkness from above but if you close your eyes Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?” (Bastille 2013). For many people, there is more to Pompeii and the Bay of Naples than the eruption that led to the disappearance of Pompeii. That eruption preserved Pompeii and has allowed research in several disciplines to interact including those of archeology, history, classical studies, and geology to learn about the past. Thus, Pompeii has become a major site for interdisciplinary research and results.
By: Joseph DeSario, BGSU Roma Aeterna 2023 Student
This is a presentation written as part of HIST 3445, Ancient Rome BGSU, Summer 2023 Roma Aeterna Education Abroad Program in Rome, Italy.
The Pantheon is regarded as one of Rome’s great tourist attractions due to its ancient history and architectural design. Many of those tourists do not know its origins of who built the Pantheon, why they built it, and why it still stands where it was built. The Pantheon was not always in the orientation as it is today and was built three times under three different emperors. To know why the Pantheon is regarded as one of the greatest structures that withstood the test of time people need to understand the origins and the purpose of the building, the architectural genius, the conversion of the Pantheon into a Church, its preservation, and its cultural importance and tourist appeal. The Pantheon began as a pagan temple that was rebuilt multiple times and was transformed into a Christian church, which shows cultural and religious evolution, which makes the Pantheon a major source of understanding the ancient world and a long-lasting mark of historical and architectural importance.
Figure 1: A modern day picture of Hadrian’s Pantheon with an Obelisk from the Temple of Isis in front.Continue reading →
The Theater of Marcellus. Photograph courtesy of fellow Roma Aeterna student Ian Small, May 2023.
Within the Campus Martius in the northern area of Rome in the former Circus Flaminius lies the Theater of Marcellus. Construction on the theater was begun by Gaius Julius Caesar as a rival to the Theater of Pompey in the southern section of the Campus Martius, but it was not completed until 13 BCE by his successor and adopted son, Augustus. Augustus dedicated the massive structure to his nephew and son-in-law Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who had been his heir until his unfortunate death at the age of 19 in 23 BCE. On the Res Gestae Divi Augusti (Deeds of the Divine Augustus), the official autobiography carved into columns that Augustus had built that proclaims all of his victories and projects for the people of Rome, it says, “I built the theater adjacent to the temple of Apollo on ground in large bought from private owners, and provided that it should be called after Marcus Marcellus, my son-in-law” (Augustus and Bushnell 1998, 21). In order to build such a massive amphitheater, the Temple of Apollo Sosianus was moved several meters away from its original location. The theater is estimated to be able to hold anywhere from 11,000 to 40,000 people, and was in a prime location between the Circus Flaminius and the temple, making it one of the most important amphitheaters in Rome (Claridge et al 2010, 243). It would hold games and festivals for the people, including the Secular Games, which was one of the ludi (Roman celebrations) that involved games and sacrifices. These games were annual, and were held in the amphitheater several years before it had been officially inaugurated. Another of the ludi, the Ludi Apollinares, was held at the nearby Temple of Apollo Sosianus.
The Largo di Torre Argentina, or Largo Argentina, holds immense significance as a testament to Rome’s ancient past. The temples within the complex provide valuable insights into the religious practices and beliefs of the Roman Republic. Largo Argentina consists of four Republican-era temples dedicated to various religious figures that were important during this time. However, the space is most notable for being the location where Julius Caesar was assassinated. Now, one of the critical features of the space is the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary which feeds and cares for stray cats around Rome. From above, the space seems almost ordinary in a city like Rome where there are ruins on almost every block but when considering and studying the history of this space, it is quite amazing.
By Nathaniel Brooks, BGSU Roma Aeterna 2023 Student
Figure 1: The road leading through the Porta Romana and into the city of Ostia Antica.
The figure above shows the central road through which traffic and shipments would flow in and out of Ostia Antica. The city, its name Latin for “ancient entrance”, once sat at the mouth of the Tiber River and on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. This prime location made it of strategic importance to whatever power held it. Situated barely 25 kilometers west of Rome, it would be under their influence that the city prospered and grew. According to the ancient historian Livy, the city was founded by the fourth king of Rome, Ancus Marcius, during the middling days of the monarchy. Throughout much of this period, Ostia Antica would act as the westernmost border of Rome’s territory (Livy 1.33). If Livy’s claims are to be taken as fact, that would make Ostia Antica one of, if not the first of Rome’s colonies. Given Rome’s position on the Tiber but dozens of kilometers away from the sea, founding a port city was an important step in expanding their interests in the Italian Peninsula. Today, Ostia Antica sits abandoned, a rare glimpse of the remains of an ancient city like that of Pompeii. But it was decline, rather than natural disaster, that spelled the end of it. Ostia Antica began as a singular and vital port for Rome, but as the empire expanded and the center of power shifted away from Italy, it began a period of decline that would culminate in the city’s eventual abandonment.
By: Hope London, BGSU Roma Aeterna Summer 2023 Student
HIST 3445: Ancient Rome, taught by Dr. Casey Stark, focused on the rise, and fall of the Roman Empire while studying abroad in Italy. For three weeks, we were centrally located in Rome and had the opportunity to learn more about Ancient Rome while seeing the history first-hand. During my time in Rome, I was able to learn more about the geography, important landmarks, and the layout of the city. Throughout this time, I saw how almost every large location was interconnected to something else or the role of religion and the God(s). Tiber Island was a location that we visited twice and passed several times while walking to other places in Rome. This island is near Trastevere and connected to the mainland of Rome through two bridges: Ponte Fabricio and Ponte Cestio. As we explored in our class, we learned more about how the original avoidance of the island drastically shifted during the plague of 293 BCE when Tiber Island became a center of medicine and religion, associations that the island continues to hold today.
