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addPhoto('images/col1.jpg',"The Colosseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, in Rome. It was capable of seating 50,000 spectators.");
addPhoto('images/col2.jpg',"Construction was started by Emperor Vespasian and completed by his sons, Titus and Domitian, between AD 72 and AD 90. It was built at the site of Neros enormous palace, the Domus Aurea.");
addPhoto('images/col3.jpg',"The Colosseums name was derived from a colossus, a 130-foot statue of Nero which once stood nearby.");
addPhoto('images/col4.jpg',"9,000 wild animals were killed in the first one hundred days of celebration which inaugurated the amphitheatre opening. The arena floor was covered with sand, presumably to allow the blood to drain away.");
addPhoto('images/col5.jpg',"The Colosseum hosted large scale spectacular games that included fights between animals, the killing of prisoners by animals and other executions, naval battles, via flooding the arena, up until AD 81, and combats between gladiators. It has been estimated that several hundreds of thousands died in the Colosseum games.");
addPhoto('images/col6.jpg',"Its elliptical shape kept the players from retreating to a corner, and allowed the spectators to be closer to the action than a circle would allow.");
addPhoto('images/col7.jpg',"Seating was divided into different sections. The podium, the first level, was for Roman senators. The emperors private, cushioned, marble box was also located on this level. Above the podium was the maenianum primum, for the other Roman aristocrats who were not in the senate. The third level, the maenianum secundum, was divided into sections. The lower part was for wealthy citizens, while the upper part was for poor citizens.");
addPhoto('images/col8.jpg',"After the Colosseums first two years in operation, Vespasians younger son, Emperor Domitian, ordered the construction of the hypogeum, a two level subterranean network of tunnels and cages where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. ");
addPhoto('images/col9.jpg',"Numerous trap doors in the floor provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath. Larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like.");
addPhoto('images/col10.jpg',"The Colosseum was in continuous use until 217, when it was damaged by fire after it was struck by lightning. It was restored in 238 and gladiatorial games continued until Christianity gradually put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans.");
addPhoto('images/arcconst.jpg',"The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch in Rome, situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. It was erected to commemorate Constantines victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312 AD.");
addPhoto('images/arccons2.jpg',"Jeff in front of the Arch of Constantine, with the Colosseum in the background.");
addPhoto('images/arccons3.jpg',"The arch spans the Via Triumphalis, the way taken by the emperors when they entered the city in triumph.");
addPhoto('images/arccons5.jpg',"The inscription, on both sides, says: To the Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantinus, the greatest, pious, and blessed Augustus: because he, inspired by the divine, and by the greatness of his mind, has delivered the state from the tyrant and all of his followers at the same time, with his army and just force of arms, the Senate and People of Rome have dedicated this arch, decorated with triumphs.");
addPhoto('images/arcconskim.jpg',"Kim by the Arch of Constantine and Colosseum.");
addPhoto('images/arctito.jpg',"The Arch of Titus is a triumphal arch with a single arched opening, located on the Via Sacra just to the southeast of the Forum in Rome. It was constructed shortly after the death of the emperor Titus.");
addPhoto('images/arctito2.jpg',"The Arch of Titus was built to commemorate the immensely popular emperor Titus, who died suddenly during a plague in 81, after only a two year reign, and to celebrate his victory in Jerusalem.");
addPhoto('images/arctito3.jpg',"There are several interesting relief sculptures on the arch, including depictions of the apotheosis of Titus, and the spoils of the Jerusalem Temple carried in triumphal procession. ");
addPhoto('images/arctito4.jpg',"The inscription on the Arch of Titus reads - The Senate and People of Rome (dedicate this) to the divine Titus Vespasianus Augustus, son of the divine Vespasian.");
addPhoto('images/forum.jpg',"The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed, in which commerce, business, prostitution, cult and the administration of justice took place.");
addPhoto('images/forum2.jpg',"The building on the right, with the small blue dome, is the Basilica Aemilia. This basilica was erected in 179 B.C. by Aemilius and Fulvius. After burning in B.C. it was rebuilt by Augustus.  The middle building with the columns in front is the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina. When the wife of emperor Antoninus Pius died in A.D. 141, he had this temple constructed in her honor, and twenty years later at his own death, the temple was rededicated to them both. The small brick building on the left side, middle, is the Curia, the Roman Senate House.");
addPhoto('images/forum3.jpg',"The Arch of Septimius Severus is on the left. This triumphal arch was erected in 203 A.D. to commemorate the Roman victory over the Parthians in honor of the emperor Septimius Severus and his sons, Caracalla and Geta. On the right, the large columns are the remains of the Temple of Saturn. In early times, the inhabitants brought their wealth, grain, wool, and oil, to offer the first fruits to the god who had blessed them, and to have him guard the remainder of their treasure.");
addPhoto('images/forum4.jpg',"A closer view of the Temple of Saturn. The west end of the Forum, at the base of the Capitoline Hill was associated with the god Saturn from the earliest times of Roman History. Legend has it that an altar was built at the foot of the Capitoline Hill for Saturn and that a temple was erected on the same site.");
addPhoto('images/forumbasil2.jpg',"Remains of the Basilica of Constantine. The Basilica of Constantine was begun by Maxentius in 306-310, and completed by Constantine in 312-337. Today we can see three huge vaults from the original building. The basilica design later became a model for Christian architecture. For the Romans it was a center of justice and civic affairs.");
addPhoto('images/colforum.jpg',"Taken standing next to the Temple of Venus and Roma. An enormous temple built and designed by Hadrian on the plateau at the top of the Velia. It faced the imperial fora in one direction and the Colosseum in the other.");
addPhoto('images/colforum2.jpg',"It was this temple which caused the famous rift between Hadrian and Apollodorus, the brilliant court architect of emperor Trajan. When asked his opinion about the design, Apollodorus pointed out that the seated statues of the godesses were too large for the temple, if they would stand up, they would actually knock their heads on the ceiling. Hadrian did not handle criticism well, those comments eventually cost Apollodorus his life.");
addPhoto('images/colforum3.jpg',"The temple was constructed with a separate cella for each goddess. The cella on the Colosseum side, which is still visible today, housed the statue of Roma the goddess, while the statue of Venus was in the other cella which looked towards the Roman Forum.");
addPhoto('images/trajanforum.jpg',"Trajans Forum. The forum was built on the order of Emperor Trajan with the spoils of war from the conquest of Dacia, which ended in 106. The Forum was inaugurated in 112, while Trajans Column was inaugurated in 113.");
addPhoto('images/trajanforum2.jpg',"In this forum were the Trajan Markets, planned by the architect Apollodoro and consisting of more than 150 stores on several floors on the slope of Quirinale. On the left can be seen Trajans Column. Finished in 113, the spiral bas-relief commemorates Trajans victory in his military campaigns to conquer Dacia. ");
addPhoto('images/trajanforum3.jpg',"The Forum was built from a vast piazza with porches on two sides, with the Basilica Ulpia at one end, and decorated by a large equestrian statue of Trajan. The piazza was cobbled with rectangular blocks of white marble. Trajans Forum was the latest and biggest built.");
addPhoto('images/trajanforum4.jpg',"The Trajan Forum continued to be used after the fall of the Roman Empire. In the mid-4th century, Constantine II, while visiting Rome, was amazed by the huge equestrian statue of Trajan and by the surrounding buildings.");
addPhoto('images/trajanstatue.jpg',"Statue of Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, Roman Emperor 98-117, commonly called Trajan. He was the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire. Under his rule, the Empire reached its greatest territorial extent. Trajan was adopted by Emperer Nerva, and when he died, became the first non-Italian Emperor.");
addPhoto('images/augforum.jpg',"The Forum of Augustus, seen from the side, one of the Imperial Forums of Rome.  This is located across the main street from the main Roman Forum, and right down the street from the Colosseum.");
addPhoto('images/augforum2.jpg',"When the Empire and population began increasing, the old forum was not sufficient to host the new buildings, and the forum grew around some new squares built by Caesar, Augustus, Trajan, Nerva and Vespasian, enlarged and enriched by other emperors. This is the forum built by Augustus.");
addPhoto('images/augforum3.jpg',"In the battle of Philippi in 42 BC, in which Augustus and Mark Antony worked together and avenged Caesars death, Augustus vowed to build a temple dedicated to Mars Ultor. The incomplete forum was inaugurated, after 40 years of construction, in 2 BC, adding the second monumental square, the Forum of Augustus.");
addPhoto('images/augforum4.jpg',"The ground level of the Forum of Augustus, showing the exposed marble flooring and lots of pieces from broken columns.");
addPhoto('images/augforum5.jpg',"The columns and stairs are the remains of The Temple of Mars, upon which was built the House of Knights from Rodi in the Middle Ages. Mars was the Roman god of war, the son of Juno and a magical flower. Initially the Roman god of fertility and vegetation, and protector of cattle, the Mars deity later became associated with battle. He was the very tutelary god of Rome, legendary father of Romulus.");
addPhoto('images/augforum6.jpg',"This new complex lies at right angles to the Forum of Caesar. The temple consists of a very tall wall, and this still distinguishes itself from the popular neighbourhood of Suburra. The rectangular square has long deep porticos with a surface that widens into large semicircular exedras.");
addPhoto('images/augforum7.jpg',"The entire decoration of the Forum was tightly connected to the ideology of Augustus. According to myth, Rome herself was born from the god Mars through Romulus.");
addPhoto('images/ceasarforum.jpg',"Julius Caesar decided to construct a big forum bearing his name. This forum was inaugurated in 46 BC, even if it was probably still incomplete at this time and was finished later by Augustus.");
addPhoto('images/ceasarforum2.jpg',"The Forum of Caesar was constructed as an extension to the Roman Forum. The Forum was used as a replacement venue to the Roman Forum for dealings in public affairs as well as the noblest activities. It was also designed as a celebration of Caesars power.");
addPhoto('images/ceasarforum3.jpg',"The choice of the Forum site carried a meaning, the future dictator didnt want to be far from the central power, represented in the Curia, seat of the Senate. In fact, not long before Caesars death, the Senate agreed to reconstruct the Curia on the site.");
addPhoto('images/ceasarforum4.jpg',"Caesar had placed, on the front of his forum, a temple devoted to Venus Genitrix, since Caesars family claimed to descend by Venus through Aeneas. The columns on the left are the remains of the Venus Temple.");
addPhoto('images/nervastatue.jpg',"Statue of the emperor Nerva, standing in front of Nervas Forum.");
addPhoto('images/nervastatue2.jpg',"After Domitians assassination in 96 following his reign of terror, Nerva was elevated to emperor on September 18, 96. He may have been approached by the conspirators against Domitian because he was elderly, 61, and childless.");
addPhoto('images/marcusstatue.jpg',"A well preserved bronze equestrian sculpture of Marcus Aurelius, which during the Middle Ages had stood in the Lateran Palace in Rome. This is a copy, located in the Piazza del Campidoglio, Capitoline Hill. ");
addPhoto('images/marcusstatue2.jpg',"According to accounts from medieval times, a small figure of a bound barbarian chieftain once crouched underneath the horses front right leg. It was one of the few Roman statues to remain on public view during the Middle Ages. Such an image was meant to portray the Emperor as a victorious all-conquering lord of the earth. However, shown without weapons or armor, Marcus Aurelius seems to be a bringer of peace rather than a military hero, for this is how he saw himself and his reign.");
addPhoto('images/marcusstatue3.jpg',"It is the only surviving bronze statue of a pre-Christian Roman emperor — the reason being that following Romes conversion to Christianity, when statues of Emperors were being melted down to make statues for the Christian churches, it was thought that the statue was of the Emperor Constantine, who christianised Rome, and so it was left untouched.");
addPhoto('images/stepsmichel.jpg',"Michelangelo devised a monumental stair to reach the high piazza, so that the Campidoglio resolutely turned its back on the Forum that it had once commanded, and he gave the space a new building at the far end, to close the vista. The Cordonata is a ramped stair that could be accessed on horseback by the sufficiently great.");
addPhoto('images/piazzavenezia.jpg',"Standing in the Piazza Campidoglio, looking down on the streets of Rome.");
addPhoto('images/tombunknown.jpg',"The Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II, located just down the steps from the Piazza Campidoglio in the Piazza Venezia. It was erected between 1895 and 1911 to honour Victor Emmanuel, the first king of unified Italy, and holds the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an eternal flame, built under the statue of Italy after World War I.");
addPhoto('images/tombunknown2.jpg',"The monument is build of pure white marble and features majestic stairways, tall corinthian columns, fountains, a huge equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel and two statues of goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas.");
addPhoto('images/tombunknown3.jpg',"The monument is controversial. Its construction destroyed a large area of Capitoline Hill housing a medieval neighborhood. The building is clearly visible to the most of the city of Rome despite being boxy in general shape and lacking a dome or a tower. The monument is also glaringly white, making it highly conspicuous amidst the generally brownish buildings surrounding it, and its stacked, crowded nature has lended it several derogatory nicknames, among them the wedding cake and the typewriter.");
addPhoto('images/treviftn.jpg',"The Trevi Fountain in Rome, designed and built by Nicola Salvi 1732, was finished in 1762 when Pietro Braccis Neptune was set in the central niche. Taming of the waters is the theme of the gigantic scheme that tumbles forward, mixing water and rockwork, and filling the small square. Tritons guide Neptunes shell chariot, taming seahorses or hippocamps.");
addPhoto('images/treviftn2.jpg',"The center niche framing Neptune has free-standing columns for maximal light and shade. In the niches flanking Neptune, Abundance spills water from her urn and Salubrity holds a cup from which a snake drinks.");
addPhoto('images/treviftn3.jpg',"The Trevi Fountain is the Three Coins in the Fountain fountain, the one that drenched Anita Ekberg in Federico Fellinis La Dolce Vita.");
addPhoto('images/treviftn4.jpg',"A current legend is that it is lucky to throw coins with ones right hand over ones right shoulder into the Trevi Fountain. Throwing one coin in will ensure that the thrower will return to Rome. Throwing two coins ensures that the thrower will fall in love with a beautiful Roman girl or handsome boy, and throwing three coins ensures that the thrower will marry that girl or boy in Rome.");
addPhoto('images/treviftn5.jpg',"The backdrop for the fountain is the Palazzo Poli, given a new facade with a giant order of Corinthian pilasters that link the two main stories. In the center is superimposed a robustly modelled triumphal arch.");