Pax Romana Tour: Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

We start the tour from the Arch of Constantine, a triumphal arch in Rome dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great. The arch was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312.

Next, we head to Palatine Hill, where there were the villas of the emperors and where, according to legend, Romulus traced the furrow on which Rome was founded. This hill was one of a group of hills, traditionally counted as seven, around which the ancient city grew. Palatine Hill is considered to be the birthplace of the Italian capital and is believed to have been inhabited since the year 1000 B.C. On Palatine Hill, you can see hundreds of ruins of imposing buildings that were created for high Roman society in ancient times. Although the whole scene is impressive, these are some of the points that deserve special attention: Domus Flavia, House of Livia, House of Augustus, Farnese Gardens, Hippodrome of Domitian and e.g. 40 metres below Palatine Hill sits Roman Forum.

 From Palatine, going down to the valley, you enter the famous Roman Forum which was the heart of the ancient city of Rome and it was the venue for speeches, criminal trials, and Gladiatorial battles. In the late 7th century BCE the valley was reclaimed and the Roman Forum began to take shape. It was destined to remain the centre of public life for over a millennium in Ancient Rome.

The various monuments were built through the centuries: first the buildings for political, religious and commercial activities, then during the 2nd century CE the civil basilicas, were used for judicial activities.

The various dynasties of emperors added only prestigious monuments: the Temple of Vespasian and Titus and that of Antoninus Pius and Faustina, dedicated to the memory of the deified emperors, and the monumental Arch of Septimius Severus, built at the western end of the Forum in 203 CE to celebrate the emperor’s victories over the Parthians.

The last great development was carried out by the emperor Maxentius in the early years of the 4th century CE when the temple dedicated to the memory of his son Romulus and the imposing Basilica on the Velian Hill was erected. The last monument built in the Forum was the Column erected in 608 CE in honour of the Byzantine emperor Phocas.

Finally, outside the forum, in the company of an expert tour guide who will be able to share their knowledge in a captivating way, you'll find the Colosseum the most famous amphitheatre in the world. You will be able to discover everything about the Colosseum, its history and the games that took place inside it.