The Ancient City of Rome

This week it's my turn to post the blog regarding the theme megacity. What exactly is megacity. Well, megacity is recognised as a metropolitan area that have a population over 10 million people. Megacity can be form either from a single metropolitan area or two or more metropolitan area that joined together.

This city can be differentiated from global cities by:

• Their rapid growth.
• New form of spatial population density.
• Formal and informal economies.
• Level of poverty and crime.
• The high level of social fragmentation.
  

ROME

Ancient Rome was known to be the largest city in the world of ancient history. It has been said that Rome's population was over one million during the rise of it's empire. Many of it's magnificient building was built within Rome city. As the city become more and more crowded, a second city was bulit some distance from the city centre but it is still in Rome.

COLOSSEUM

The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheatre was planned and started by the emperor Vespasian in 70 - 72 AD. It was designed with 620 x 513 ft in length, 165 ft in height and with the internal arena of 27 x 180 ft. The Colosseum can fit up to 50,000 people and on a special occasion the number increase up to 70,000. It was constructed in the city centre, in effect placing it both literally and symbolically at the heart of Rome. The Colosseum was used in term of entertainment for the people of Rome. The event was mostly gladiatorial show but other variety of event also happen there.

Munera, the name of the gladiatorial show were always given by the private individuals rather than the state. Another popular show is the animal hunt, venatio. The animal were imported from africa and the middle east. The battle and hunt were set with movable trees and building. There was a time when Trajan celebrated his victories in Dacia with a contest involving 11,000 animals and 10,000 gladiators over the course of 123 days. The colosseum was sometime used for executions in which the hero of the story, played by the condemned person was killed in one of the various gruesome but mythologically way, like being eaten by beast or burned to death.

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain, Fontana di Trevi is the most famous and the most beautiful fountain in all of Rome. This monument is located in the Quirinale District. The fountain is at the ending part of the Aqua Virgo, Aqueduct constructed in 19 BC. Water is from the Salone Springs, 20 km from Rome. Neptune, the central figure of the fountain in front of the large niche. The Chariot that he is riding is in the shape of a shell and is pulled by 2 sea horse who are guided by a Triton. The horse symbolises the fluctuating mood of the sea, one is calm and obedient and the other is restless. There is also statues that is located beside Neptune. The left side represent Abundance and the right side represent Salubrity.

Trajan' Market

Mercatus Traiani, Trajan's Market is located on the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the opposite end to the Colosseum. The building and the stucture present a living model of life in the Roman capital. It is built in 100 - 110 AD by Apollodorus of Damascus. During the middle ages the complex was modified by adding floor levels. The upper level of the market were used for offices. Shops were located at the lower level. There were shops that sell oil, wines, seafood, groceries, vegetable and fruit. There were also houses built on the top floor face the semicircular segment of the via Biberatica.