L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5 2023 www.italoamericano.org 10 L'Italo-Americano HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS PEOPLE R o m e : a p l a c e where moderni- ty and antiquity come together i n a h a r m o - n i o u s d a n c e a n d w h e r e a simple stroll in the street can lead you straight into the embrace of history. Then all of a sudden, just behind the corner, you find yourself face-to-face with towering walls, their majesty reminiscent of emperors and g l a d i a t o r s , p o e t s a n d philosophers. These are no ordinary walls, these are the A u r e l i a n W a l l s : R o m e ' s silent sentinels, which have stood guard over the city's soul for nearly two millennia. In the late 3rd century AD, Rome was a city in flux. The empire had expanded far beyond its original bound- aries, stretching from Britain i n t h e w e s t t o t h e M i d d l e East in the east. Yet, this vast territory came with its own s e t o f c h a l l e n g e s — c h i e f among them, the increasing t h r e a t s f r o m b a r b a r i a n tribes. Emperor Aurelian, who ruled from 270 to 275 AD, recognized the urgency of the situation: Rome need- ed a new set of walls, and it needed them fast. Before the construction of the Aurelian Walls, Rome was protected by the Servian Walls; named after the sixth King of Rome, Servius Tul- lius, they were built in the 6 t h c e n t u r y B C a n d w e r e designed to protect the city's original seven hills. But as R o m e g r e w , s p r a w l i n g beyond these hills, the Ser- vian Walls became obsolete, as they were no longer suffi- cient to protect the burgeon- ing metropolis from the new threats it faced. Aurelian, therefore, took on the monumental task of c o n s t r u c t i n g a n e w s e t o f defensive walls, which were initially 19 kilometers long and encircled not just the s e v e n h i l l s b u t a l s o t h e expanded territories of the city. Remarkably, the con- struction was completed in just five years, a sign of the u r g e n c y o f t h e t i m e s . T o expedite the process, existing structures were incorporated into the structure, something that not only saved time but also resources, a crucial fac- tor during a period when the e m p i r e ' s c o f f e r s w e r e f a r from full. The most famous are the Pyramid of Ces- tius, a tomb built between 18 and 12 BC for a wealthy Roman named Gaius Ces- tius, and the Amphithe- atrum Castrense, built under Emperor Elagabalus between 218 and 222 AD. And while only 12.5 kilome- ters of these walls still stand n o w a d a y s , t h e y r e m a i n a lasting monument to a peri- od of intense change and adaptation for the Roman Empire. But the Aurelian Walls were not just built for utility, they were an architectural marvel that showcased the ingenuity and skill of Roman engineers. Initially standing at 6.5 meters high, they were formidable but not impreg- nable so, as the threat from the Gothic tribes intensified, modifications were made to turn them into an impass- able fortress. Their height was doubled, m a k i n g t h e m a d a u n t i n g obstacle for any would-be invader, and defensive tow- e r s w e r e a d d e d e v e r y 3 0 meters: these were function- a l s p a c e s e q u i p p e d w i t h r o o m s f o r w a r m a c h i n e s like ballistae, catapult-like devices that could launch projectiles over great dis- tances. T h e w a l l s t h e m s e l v e s were made of bricks, a com- mon building material in ancient Rome, but the way they were constructed was anything but ordinary. With a thickness of 3.5 meters, they provided a mighty bar- rier against battering rams and other siege equipment. The Romans also employed a technique known as opus mixtum, a combination of brick and stone layers, to g i v e t h e w a l l s a d d i t i o n a l s t r e n g t h . O v e r t h e y e a r s , their structure underwent f u r t h e r m o d i f i c a t i o n s , including the addition of a covered gallery filled with loopholes for archers. This transformed the walls into a multi-layered defense sys- t e m , c a p a b l e o f r e p e l l i n g a t t a c k e r s f r o m m u l t i p l e angles. The walls are also a sig- n i f i c a n t p a r t o f R o m e ' s cultural heritage, often featured in art, literature, and folklore. They serve as a c o n s t a n t r e m i n d e r o f t h e city's glorious past and its ability to adapt and survive: f o r t h e R o m a n s a n d f o r those who love this eternal city, the Aurelian Walls are a s o u r c e o f p r i d e . A s y o u would expect from such an ancient and iconic structure, many curiosities and anec- dotes surround them, start- ing from the way they were constructed. Their gates, for instance, are worth men- t i o n i n g : o n e o f t h e m o s t famous, Porta San Paolo, i n i t i a l l y k n o w n a s P o r t a Ostiensis, was the starting p o i n t o f t h e a n c i e n t V i a Ostiense, a road that con- nected Rome to the port city of Ostia. Over the years, this gate has witnessed countless historical events, from the triumphal entries of emper- o r s t o t h e d e s p e r a t e l a s t stands of defending armies. Today, the walls are an integral part of the Roman landscape, a living symbol of the city's history and spirit of endurance because they symbolize more than just a defense mechanism, rather, t h e y e n c a p s u l a t e t h e resilience, ingenuity, and cultural richness Rome has exhibited for centuries. When one walks along- side them, it's not just the p h y s i c a l s t r u c t u r e t h a t impresses, it's the very idea these walls have been silent witnesses to Rome's — and Italy's — long and eventful h i s t o r y . T h e y h a v e s e e n e m p e r o r s c o m e a n d g o , w a t c h e d a s R o m e w a s sacked and then rebuilt, and s t o o d f i r m a s t h e c i t y e v o l v e d f r o m a p o w e r f u l e m p i r e i n t o a m o d e r n m e t r o p o l i s . A s w e s t r o l l t h r o u g h t h e l a b y r i n t h i n e s t r e e t s o f R o m e , w e ' l l inevitably cross paths with them. When we do, it will become immediately clear that they are not mere relics of an ancient era, they are almost like the keepers of R o m e ' s s e c r e t s , t h e guardians of its soul. Each stone, each tower, and each gate has a story to tell — a s t o r y t h a t i s i n t r i c a t e l y woven into that of the city itself. So, the next time you find yourself in the Eternal City, t a k e a m o m e n t t o l i s t e n : press your hand against the w e a t h e r e d b r i c k s o f t h e Aurelian Walls and let them whisper to you the tales of a city that has never truly fall- en, only risen anew, time and time again. A majestic section of the Aurelian Walls in the city (Photo:Onlyfabrizio/Dreamstime) and, bottom left, a view from above (Photo: Giuseppe Di Paolo/Dreamstime) The Aurelian Walls, silent sentinels of Rome's eternal story GIULIA FRANCESCHINI

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