Roma: The Eternal City - Terror and Terrorism

After a lovely repast we ambled (meaning got lost) until i found the street where Catherine and I had stayed many years ago on our first journey to Rome. The weird high up steps, the view to the Palatine which I always assumed would lead to the Colliesio (sp). Just like 20 years ago Catherine got it right which is to turn left and there you see her: enormous and breathtaking. On the way, a true Roman watched her walk by, checked out her ass and then whistled and kissed the air. She didn't believe me as she thinks she is too old, but no beautiful woman is old in Roma. 

We got to the Palatine and went to grab last admission to the living museo and ruins. The dude at the desk demanded ID before accepting payment. You need ID to buy tickets i asked? Yes and he was irritated. Where can I go where I don't need ID? Reply: nowhere. 

so terrorism is the rule of the day and everyone must be identified which well ok, i leave my 70s the state is everywhere ethos behind but they might warn you after trekking an hour. 

now onto real terror, given that we could only walk around and above the collesium (sp) and look at the Arch of Constantine and then Titus from afar i explained to Catherine the stories of the first roman emperors. The fact that most of them were just nuts and horrible. 

My favourite is Nero who, like most Roman Leaders had a really weird relationship with their mother(s or sisters). Nero's mother spent all of her time scheming to kill her husband Claudius and get Nero on the throne. She succeeded so the story goes by feeding Claudius poisoned mushrooms. he was mad for mushrooms and was too greedy to wait for the food taster and thus dies Claudius. 

After Nero ascended to the throne he continued the weird mommy-son relationship even having them both appear on Imperial coins together. Soon however he wanted to be free of her apron and began a campaign to get rid of her. 

After a few attempts at poisoning which were not successful he arranged to have her visit him in his Imperial Villa across at lake/sea at Capri if i am right. she showed up all in formal Roman wear, had a lovely dinner with her son and company and then called her boat to row to her mother imperial villa across the way.

However Nero, nasty bit of work that he was, had arranged to have the boat sabotaged and it sank in mid voyage. Most of the crew and slaves drowned but mother was not of faint stuff.

She swam all the way, a km or so to the shore and walked back into her villa soaking wet in her finery. 

Nero sent word to see how the sinking went about to let out some poem about the death of his dear mother. When he found that she was safely back in her villa and alive he decided enough was enough and sent his fearsome Praetorian guard across the Bay to get rid of her once and for all.

When the soldiers entered, knowing what lay in store, she ripped open her robes shaming them by bearing her Patrician breasts and body naked, and yelled that they should stab her in her belly where she had grown and then borne such a monster. 

and so they did