Free Republic

Dozens of witnesses reportedly looked on in horror as a U.S. tourist visiting Rome screamed in pain after impaling himself on a metal fence at the Colosseum. The man — a 47-year-old American citizen living in Taiwan — was stabbed in the spine while attempting to climb over the historic monument's fence. He was possibly attempting to get a better view, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero. Bystanders who saw the horrific event called for help as the tourist, stuck on the fence, screamed until he lost consciousness. Law enforcement and paramedics quickly arrived at the scene, but it took...

An American tourist in Rome impaled himself on a metal fence at the Colosseum while possibly trying to take a selfie — screaming in pain as he was left helplessly dangling for more than 20 minutes. The unidentified visitor, a 47-year-old US man based in Taiwan, pierced his spine and needed 80 stitches after the Friday afternoon horror at the Piazza del Colosseo, according to the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero. It took paramedics more than 20 minutes to remove the man from the metal railing. He screamed till he lost consciousness and then hung lifelessly from the fence in horrifying...

The most unbelievable thing I saw during my time in Africa: the amazing Roman amphitheater at El Jem (FKA Thysdrus).Follow this building through time, and you'll see the entire story of empire and civilisation in the mediterranean.This was undoubtedly the highlight of my trip to Tunisia, and represents the centrepiece that I took out of my video of crossing Tunisia by train.Chapters0:00 Travel from Tunis to El Jem0:49 The Amphitheater of El Jem, Tunisia5:00 The history of El Jem Amphitheater6:52 Thysdrus Amphitheater in the modern eraThe African colosseum that nobody knows exists | 8:55Tom Thornton | 57.8K subscriber | 237,875...

I always recommend visiting the Park of the Aqueducts and the Ostia Antica archeological site.But I think the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Mouth of Truth attractions are overcrowded...I would never say certain attractions have no merit. But after years of interacting with travelers, I understand that people want alternatives.Luckily, Rome has priceless art and artifacts around every corner.Here are five popular attractions that are worth visiting... The Capitoline MuseumsBasilica di San Giovanni in LateranoThe Park of the AqueductsBasilica of Sant'AgostinoOstia Antica ...and five you might want to skip.. Vatican Museums are overcrowdedYou can get a good view of the Colosseum...

When in Rome … another tourist has defaced the Colosseum. A Swiss girl carved her initials into the iconic amphitheater — less than a month after another tourist stunningly defaced the ancient landmark with his and his fiancée’s names Police have launched an investigation after Italian tour guide David Battaglino captured video of the unidentified 17-year-old girl carving the letter “N” into the wall, La Repubblica reported. The footage posted on Twitter by Italian news agency ANSA shows the blond girl, whose face is blurred, using an object to carve the letter before she backs off amid the attention. “It...

An English tourist accused of defacing the Colosseum has said he was not aware of the age of the ancient monument. Ivan Dimitrov, a 27-year-old fitness instructor living in Bristol, wrote a letter of apology to the Rome mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, after allegedly engraving his and his girlfriend’s names into an internal wall of the 2,000-year-old landmark with a key. In the letter, Dimitrov, who was traced by Italian police to England after a five-day search, wrote that only now did he realise “the seriousness of the deed committed”. “Through these lines I would like to address my heartfelt and...

Despite costing €9 million, the campaign has been slammed by art critics and government officials.For many, Botticelli’s Venus embodies the Renaissance ideal of beauty, but have you ever wondered what that might look like today? Italy’s ministry of tourism has launched a campaign that reimagines the iconic figure as an influencer—and it has been swiftly ridiculed on social media. “Hi there, everybody. My name is Venus,” the ad’s digitally altered protagonist announced on her Instagram. “But that’s something you probably already know. I’m 30, ok maybe just a wee bit more than that… And I am a virtual influencer. What...

Archaeologists have discovered some ancient Roman leftovers while digging around in the sewers of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.They found seeds from figs, grapes and melons, as well as traces of olives and walnuts, thought to have been left by snacking spectators 1,900 years ago.Fragments of bones from ferocious animals that fought for their lives in the Roman arena were also unearthed in 230 feet (70 m) of searched drains.The Colosseum is 2,000-year-old stone ampitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian Emperors of the Roman Empire around 70 AD...The results of the study by the Colosseum Archaeological Park were presented...

Adele's mega-money residency in Las Vegas started triumphantly on Friday night – but behind the scenes there has been drama, with the singer shunning a luxury suite at a hotel owned by Caesars Palace, where the show is being staged. The iconic Vegas mainstay offered swanky accommodation at the Palazzo Suites at the Rio Casino as part of her deal to sing at the Caesar’s Palace Colosseum for a reported $1 million a night. The suite was said to be a luxury lodging, with a butler thrown in and the plan was for Adele to spend weekends holed up there...

The Colosseum, a symbol of modern Rome, was finished in 80 AD and became the main center for entertainment in Rome. It was built of travertine marble, is elliptically shaped and c. 1,729’ in circumference on a foundation of six acres. It has four stories and is c. 157’ high. On the top story was an enormous awning, the velarium that protected the spectators from the sun and inclement weather. It required 1,000 men to open and to close this Full Colosseumingenious device. The four arches at the four axes of the building were the main entrances, but 76 other...

Polar bears from the Arctic. Tigers from India. Giraffes from the Serengeti. The Romans brought animals thousands of miles for the beast hunts and shows staged in the Colosseum.How did the Romans Capture Animals for the Colosseum? | August 16, 2019 | toldinstone

<p>The Roman Colosseum is one step closer to having a floor, which will let visitors see the ancient amphitheater from a gladiator's vantage point for the first time in two centuries.</p><p>Colosseum Gets A Good 2,000-Year Scouring The famed Italian landmark dates back to the Flavian dynasty of the first century, and was originally used to host spectacles like animal hunts and gladiatorial games. It's been without a complete floor since the nineteenth century, when archaeologists removed it to reveal the network of structures and tunnels underneath.</p>

An Irish tourist has been accused of vandalizing Rome's Colosseum after security staff spotted him allegedly carving his initials into the ancient Italian structure. The Carabinieri police said the 32-year-old man was caught by the Colosseum's private security on Monday and immediately reported to officers. The man's two initials, about 6 centimeters (2 inches) high, were said to have been carved with a metal point on a pillar of the first floor of the 2,000-year-old monument.

Rome, September 1st, Islamic gathering at the Colosseum: “We want it as a place to pray” Libero Quotidiano August 25, 2017 Disturbing image of the October 2016 Muslim gathering The appointment is for September 1st. On that day Muslims will invade the Colosseum  transforming it into an open-air mosque. “Il Tempo” reports that the Islamic community of Rome will gather under the Flavian Amphitheatre, as they did last October. For the Muslims the occasion is a prime feast: 'Eid Al Adha, the  Sacrifice of Abraham.  The  Bengalese Association Dhuumcatu  organizing it, has decided to transform Via San Gregorio, under the...

The enormous arena was empty, save for the seesaws and the dozens of condemned criminals who sat naked upon them, hands tied behind their backs. Unfamiliar with the recently invented contraptions known as petaurua, the men tested the seesaws uneasily. One criminal would push off the ground and suddenly find himself 15 feet in the air while his partner on the other side of the seesaw descended swiftly to the ground. How strange. In the stands, tens of thousands of Roman citizens waited with half-bored curiosity to see what would happen next and whether it would be interesting enough to...

<p>Hundreds of graffiti messages engraved into stone in the ancient city of Aphrodisias, in modern-day Turkey, have been discovered and deciphered, revealing what life was like there over 1,500 years ago, researchers say.</p> <p>The graffiti touches on many aspects of the city's life, including gladiator combat, chariot racing, religious fighting and sex. The markings date to a time when the Roman and Byzantine empires ruled over the city.</p>

The Termite Nations have dispensed with God and His Commandments in their quest for unbridled hedonism. We are being prepared for the Reign of Antichrist. The Rev. P. Huchede, in his work entitled "History of Antichrist," explains the religious preparation, both intellectual and moral, for the Reign of Antichrist which will arrive after economic collapse: "But how shall he deprive the world of Christianity and have himself adored as God? Alas, it is only too true that the minds and hearts of men are admirably disposed for revolution and consequently ready to accept and bear the cruel yoke of such...

Rare Ancient Statue Depicts Topless Female Gladiator A small bronze statue dating back nearly 2,000 years may be that of a female gladiator, a victorious one at that, suggests a new study. If confirmed the statue would represent only the second depiction of a woman gladiator known to exist. The gladiator statue shows a topless woman, wearing only a loincloth and a bandage around her left knee. Her hair is long, although neat, and in the air she raises what the researcher, Alfonso Manas of the University of Granada, believes is a sica, a short curved sword used by gladiators....

Carabinieri Captain Lorenzo Iacobone said Monday two tourists from California, ages 21 and 25, were picked up Saturday for carving their names eight centimeters (three inches) high into an upper level of the Colosseum. They were freed later but will face trial for aggravated damage to a monument. Iacobone said the young women apologized for the vandalism, but he said such acts "are extremely serious, and no one considers the damage they are creating."

Traces of painted red numbers have been discovered during the ongoing restoration of the Colosseum, indicating various sectors of the amphitheatre similar to the seating system employed by today's stadiums. The numbers were painted on the arches of the Colosseum to guide visitors to their respective stands, according to their social class. Describing it as an "exceptional discovery", the monument's director Rossella Rea said that restorers had not expected the painted numbers to have survived. The director of the restoration project Cinzia Conti said the discovery proved the delicacy of the water-powered process, which removes dirt and smog residue but...