Informative Essay
Eng. 112
AUG 24, 2011

Rome: A City Drenched in Ruin and Splendor “Ah! The aroma of ‘Roma-the Eternal City!” Rome, known as the Eternal City even among the ancient Romans themselves, was so called because the Roman people thought that no matter what happened to the world, no matter how many other empires might rise and fall, Rome would go on forever (4Information.com). Indeed, Rome is over three thousand years old and has been the center of the universe for most of those years; it is also the home to the Pope where he is known as the “Bishop of Rome.” “For those who have visited her, it is unquestionably the most magnificent city in the world. Like the memory of a lost love, she will haunt you, stealing your senses one by one while hastening your return. For those who have not yet experienced her magic, the thrill awaits… (Roman Homes Website)” Rome is one of the most ancient and mystifying cities, full of majesty and splendor because it is a place of myth, antiquity, and spectacle.

Rome is a city full of legend, history, and wonder. Its history includes classical myths of vengeful gods, blatant foolishness of Roman emperors, Bacchanalian excess around Renaissance courts while fast-forwarding to pompous Fascism during the reign of Mussolini in the twentieth century. Emperors, Popes and dictators have been at the forefront of domestic and international battles as they stamped out heresies while crushing infiltrating foes. As legend goes, Rome actually had its beginnings on April 21, 753 B.C. when the mythical twins, Romulus (Rome is named for him) and Remus, founded the city. (Seindal and Derito, 2011) This is disputed by most historians but archaeological discoveries do confirm a settlement on the Palatine hills about this time. This great city flourished for about a thousand years until it started its decline between 200 and 300 A.D., finally falling to the Huns in 476 A.D. No longer the center of power, maintenance and construction of monuments and vaned buildings, ancient Rome was gradually reduced to crumbling ruins.

Furthermore, Rome is a city shrouded in pagan history while steeped in Christian rite. Her downfall as a world empire led to its ouster as the capital and leading city of Italy. However, it soon became the epicenter of the Catholic Church. Rome became one of the most important focal points of pilgrimage, and soon flourished again. Many new churches were built from the ruins of ancient, non-Christian sanctuaries as settlers and pilgrims brought industry and finances to the region. In fact, the wife of Emperor Constantine donated the future St. John’s Lateran to the Church during the reign of her husband in the 300s A.D.; this eventually became the church of the Bishop of Rome. Also, the Basilica of St. Peter which is a favored destination of modern Roman pilgrims, was constructed on the site of his death and burial in the fourth century. Although this ancient city was centered on the Roman Forum and the Imperial Fora, a series of public squares, Christian Rome had its center on the Campus Martius, the common property of the Roman people. Also known as the Field of Mars, it is home ground for military triumphs, public assemblies, and leisure activities. Moreover, Rome is a city that survived World War II as it was spared heavy bombing due to its declaration as an open city. After the second world-wide clash, Rome continued to expand at a rapid pace as its population grew from 1.6 million to 2.1 million inhabitants, and by 1981 was around 3 million. Incidentally, this was the year Pope John Paul II was seriously shot and almost lost his life at St. Mark’s square. Its exponential post-war growth included residential developments far out in the Roman countryside, overtaking such major cities as Milan and Naples while assuming its erstwhile status of Italian leading city. Additionally, Rome's economy is dominated by government operations and tourism. Most of the city's workers are employed in these fields, in wholesale and retail trade, and in other service industries. Together with traditional products such as textiles and tourist souvenirs, Roman industry produces printed materials, high-fashion clothing, processed food, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and paper and metal products. Moreover, Rome is seat of the headquarters of many international corporations and agencies, such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Program. As a special point of interest, motion pictures are produced inside the world of cinecitta, considered by many the Italian Hollywood (Aboutroma.com website). In fact, you may recall the “Spaghetti Westerns” directed by Sergio Leone and performed by Clint Eastwood in the 1960s. Finally, Rome is a modern metropolis where the old and new meet, where young and old feel the vibrations of the gods. Walk any street, and you will find a statue, a fountain, part of an ancient wall, or piazza - and standing nearby, a young woman on her cell phone, or a youth sitting astride his Vespa. This is the essence of the Eternal City-Imperial, Classical, Renaissance, Baroque, and Modern: all these periods are represented in her art and architecture. “As the Romans so aptly put it: You could spend an entire lifetime in the eternal city and still not experience it all.” The Pompeian magnitude of its history exposes a landscape with three millennia of life exacted upon it and exudes a kaleidoscopic aura found nowhere else. Remember, as St. Augustine originated, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do!”

They say “All roads lead to Rome.” It is one you must take along your earthly journey, to experience the mystery, fanfare, history, and magnificence of the “La Città Eterna.” The city’s countless museums, amphitheaters, and structures bring amazement to any itinerant’s tour as it reverberates with the ageless enchantment of past centuries. Go ahead! Put it on your “Bucket List” as a place to experience Roman life-past and present- before you meet Jupiter on Mount Olympus.

Works Cited
Bucket List. Dir. Rob Reiner. Perf. Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, and Sean Hayes. Warner Bros. 2007. Film.
René Seindal and Valentina Derito. “Rome: The Eternal City.” Photo Archive. 1999-2011. Web. 22 August 2011. Retrieved from http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/2 Rome.html.
"Roman Homes." http://www.romanhomes.com/why rome/the eternal city.htm N.d. Web. 22 August 2011.
"Spaghetti Western." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 July 2004. Web. 10 Aug. 2004. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti western> “Welcome to About Rome.” N.d. Web. 22 August 2011 “Why is Rome called the Eternal City?” N.d. 4Information.com. Retrieved on 22 August 2011