Further afield

Today Alex, Augustin and I went out the Appia Antica to see a Roman Aqueduct. Before we got there we came upon this mausoleum. It is the tomb of a woman named Caecillii Metelli, the wife of the Roman general Sulla. Unfortunately the tomb was closed, so we initially contented ourselves with taking a picture of it.



Well then, we decided a better picture would be one of us three on the walls.


Alex decided an even BETTER picture would be one with him on top of the foundation.


Not to be outdone, I sent Augustin up there and then came up myself.


And here's a group shot. Don't you admit that's a better picture than the first one? :)


The tricky business was getting DOWN.


Then we finally came to our Aqueduct. This particular one is named the Aqua Felice and was built by Pope Sixtus V in the 16th century. When the barbarians streamed across the Roman frontier they cut all of Rome's aqueducts, forcing the people to rely on the Tiber. It wasn't until the Renaissance times that new ones were constructed and old ones repaired, largely at the expense of the Church.


Here's the aqueduct itself.


Augustin stopping to tie his shoe on the ancient Appian Way.


Another shot of the aqueduct, which is still in use today.