Rome—“The Eternal City”—is one of Europe’s oldest continuously-occupied cities at over 2,700 years of age. Once the capital of the entire (vast!) Roman Empire, today it is simply the capital of Italy (and is that country’s most-populous city). The greatest artists of all time have worked-in and contributed to Roman art and architecture including Michelangelo, Bramante, Raphael and Bernini and the city was influential in the development of Renaissance and Baroque art. Rome has always been—and continues to be—a mecca for artists (worldwide) in search of inspiration, enlightenment and the development of their talent.
Within the borders of Rome stands The Vatican—a separate and sovereign country unto itself—the heart of the Roman Catholic Church. Millions of pilgrims converge on The Vatican each year to visit holy sites and to view its unparalleled collection of art and artifacts.
Because Rome is so old, ancient structures stand alongside “newer” (500 year old) buildings and priceless archeological treasures are discovered anytime someone digs a hole.
The Coliseum was built just after the time of Christ. It is the largest amphitheater in the world—once able to hold 50,000 to 80,000 spectators at gladiatorial contests, theatrical spectacles, and battle scene reenactments performed for eager crowds of spectators.
The set of six Coliseum glasses, shown above, are (by Roman standards) quite new—from the sixties. Nevertheless, they are timeless, like the city which inspired them.