April's Monthly Newsletter
Spring is, tentatively, making an appearance in Rome. From one day to the next the wisteria has begun to appear, its egalitarian charms dripping from petrol stations and ancient temples alike. Today skies are blue and the storms (hail, rain, wind) of the last few days seem a distant memory.
Yesterday I took folk on a tour of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (an area of some thirty acres). They often play second fiddle to the Colosseum but with three hours at our disposal we saw masses, including part of the exhibition in the Antiquarium of Santa Maria Nova, the temples of Venus and Rome, the bucolic Vigna Barberini, the House of Augustus, the ramp of Domitian, and the church of Santa Maria Antiqua. I can quite truthfully say I’ve never followed exactly the same route twice.
I’ve added a new episode of my podcast to my paid newsletter, continuing the chronological thread in it I talk of Etruscans, the Apollo of Veii, and the Pyrgi Tablets. There is a temporary offer giving seven days free access to paid posts, please do take a look if you haven’t already. And for those of you who’ve already subscribed: thank you very much indeed!
This month I have a jam-packed calendar so shan’t be doing any online talks; I’ve already decided the next one will be about Augustan propaganda, but not when it will be so watch this space, as they say. I will, however, be doing a live-streamed walk on Good Friday (15 April) at 5pm Rome time (4pm GMT, 11am ET, 8am PT) which will pick up where I left off last time on the Tiber Island and cross over into Trastevere. There will be more wisteria. (1 hr via Zoom webinar, €25 per screen connection). Please email info at understandingrome dot com to book!
For those coming to Rome in the next couple of months, on Friday 6th May, Rachel Roddy and I will reprise our PASTA themed jaunt (10am-c.3.30pm; €140 per person including all food and drink, max 10 participants, first come first served. Please email info [at] understandingrome [dot] com to book). Once again we’ll be wandering from the Forum Boarium, the very heart of Rome’s ancient origins, and discussing legends and the history built on those legends. We’ll think of the origins, too, of pasta and how these things intertwine. We’ll wend our way across the Tiber Island where we can contemplate the flour mills that once lined the river, and meander through Trastevere. We will take a look at an excellent, and gastronomically relevant, church, before returning over the river to Testaccio. As ever there will be tastings along the way, and a slap-up lunch in a local trattoria to conclude.
We’ve also set a date for an OIL themed outing on Friday 10th June. We will have special, private, access to the Monte Testaccio, the mountain of broken pots which once imported olive oil from Southern Spain and shall crunch our way up this ancient rubbish dump. We’ll visit Testaccio market and speak of the ancient warehouses which were once here (and indeed still lie beneath the modern market), and in the shadow of the mound of ancient amphorae which imported oil for purposes both cosmetic and comestible Rachel will lead an olive oil tasting. Then we shall repair to a favourite trattoria for an abundant luncheon. Once again it runs from 10am-c.3.30pm, costs €140 per person including all food and drink and there are a maximum of 10 participants, first come first served. These jaunts are always great, convivial, fun. Do join us!
I hope you all have a splendid Easter/Spring holiday. Saluti from Rome, Agnes.