Day 2: Roman Forum - Arch of Titus (Rome, Italy)

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From San Vitale, Presidential Palace, Trajan Column & Forum to the Victor Emmanuel Monument... we're finally arriving to The Roman Forum.

Sidenote: Purchase a Roma Pass (€ 25,00) that helps you: skip lines and gets you entry to 2 visited museums and / or archaeological sites of your choice; Free use of the city’s public transport network (urban busses, trams and trains, on underground lines metro A and B); and is valid for 3 days.

With our Roma Pass in hand, we probably saved 30 minutes in a long line to get into the Roman Forum! Thank you Rick Steves for the tip (p.46 Rick Steves' Rome).

The Arch of Titus

"The Arco di Tito (Arch of Titus) stands in a slightly elevated position on a spur of the Palatine Hill at the entrance to the Roman Forum in Rome. Its religious significance lies in its depiction of the sacking of Jerusalem and its sacred temple by the Romans in 70 AD." [via Sacred-Destinations.com]

"50,000 Jewish slaves... who were forced to build this arch..." (p.104 Rick Steves' Rome)

"...the relief shows the emperor Titus in a chariot being crowned by the goddess Victory." (p.104 Rick Steves' Rome)

"...at the top of the ceiling. Constructed after Titus' death, the relief shows him riding an eagle to heaven, where he'll become one of the gods." (p.106 Rick Steves' Rome)

"...shows booty from the sacking of the temple in Jerusalem..." (p.104 Rick Steves' Rome)

Starting to really feel the weather... similar to Hawaii... lots of sunny days in the forecast.

^{[via Weather.com]}

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