A second day in the sun. We began with Frank at Trajan's column, the extraordinary depiction of the Emperor Trajan against the Dacians (now Romania), then down the road, a quick look at Trajan's Market, one of the first shopping centres, established in the middle of ancient Rome.
We dropped into the 5th century church of Cosmas and Damian to wonder at the fabulous mosaics, reminiscent of the decorations of Ravenna.
Into the Forum itself, resplendent in early spring flowers. Gregory Dowling gave a moving recital of Mark Anthony's "Friends, Romans and Countrymen" speech and we walked up to the Palantine hill to look over at the Circus Maximus, a sports stadium that could hold almost 250,000 spectators.
Into Flavian's Amphitheatre, commonly known as The Colosseum.
Finally, we went to the Keats/Shelley house by the Spanish Steps, where the great poet died, to hear Gregory talk.
