Friday 24 February 2012

Rome's Ancient Circus Maximus

History students interested in ancient Rome often find a visit to the Circus Maximus to be particularly rewarding on their study tours. Initially a stadium for chariot races, it was the first and largest stadium of its kind in the Roman Empire, and provided the template for many other imitations and stadium constructions. With a capacity of over 150,000 spectators it was the city's largest venue for 'ludi' - days or half-days of sporting events connected to the Roman religious dates, sponsored by leading political figures or the state itself for the benefit of the population. Today, the site of the Circus Maximus is a public park, open for students and history buffs to enjoy delving into the history of the ancient Roman Empire.

The Ludi

Despite the reputation of the Circus Maximus as an arena for chariot races, history and classics students on their study tours are often surprised to find that there was a bewildering array of entertainments on offer - athletic competitions, plays, poetry recitals, beast-hunts and even the type of gladiator contests that you might have expected to find at the Colosseum! Most of the entertainments began with a flamboyant parade, specially crafted to present a sense of wealth and abundance to the people; the complexity of staging the ludi became a way to demonstrate the generosity and fitness for office of the organisers. One notable event was recorded to have included 63 leopards and 43 bears and elephants - surely a sign of incredible competency to arrange!

The Phenomenon Expanding

As the Roman Empire grew in stature and political power, the Circus Maximum didn't lose any of its splendour or relevance - far from it! Ludi were held at the Circus Maximus on 57 days of the year, and the venue would have been a hubbub of activity even on days when no official event was scheduled, as charioteers practised on the track. Students on study tours will be amazed at the versatility of the entertainments on offer; even at the height of its popularity for chariot-races, the wide space of the Circus Maximus was also one of the most suitable in Rome for religious processions on a massive scale. The other shows it hosted were no less spectacular; in one, it is reported, the emperor Probus organised a spectacular event in which beasts were hunted through a forest of artificial trees, on a specially built stage. Now that's an interesting spectacle for imaginative students on their study tours to contemplate!

Friday 3 February 2012

Hiking in Rio De Janeiro - 3 Easy Hikes to Do on Your Own

One of the things that make Rio special is its proximity to nature. There are numerous national parks, hills and mountains within easy reach which are well suited for hiking. This article will introduce you to 3 short hikes that you easily can do on your own and that will only take between 20 and 30 minutes one way.

1. Parque da Catacumba
Next to the lagoon (Lagoa Rodrigo De Freitas) there is a park called Parque da Catacumba. Until the 1970's this area was a favela but it was removed by the government. InsiDe the park there is a trail leading to two lookout points with great views of the lagoon. One faces the Leblon direction and the other faces Corcovado. The trail is at times a bit steep but the short distance still makes it relatively easy and you will probably make it in about 20 minutes. InsiDe the park just follow a sign that says "Mirante" which means lookout point. The entrance to the park is at Avenida Epitácio Pessoa, 3000 opposite a Petrobras gas station and the park is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

2. Morro da Urca
Morro da Urca is the first hump leading to Sugarloaf and where the cable car makes its first stop. The name means Hill of Urca, Urca being the name of the neighborhood in which Sugarloaf is located. If you don't want to take the cable car you can hike to the top of Morro da Urca for free. And if you wish to continue to the top of Sugarloaf you can pay for the second part of the cable car at a reduced price.

This trail is easy both in difficulty and in length, it is common to see children doing this hike. The trail starts between Sugarloaf and the little beach Praia Vermelha. You follow a paved path along the coast for about 1 km until there is an opening on your left. This is where the hike starts. Once you have found the entrance the trail is quite straight forward. You only need to choose direction once, which is when you reach a kind of plateau where you need to go to the left (after going to the right a few minutes you will notice that you are wrong). On this hike you will be likely to see Marmosets (small monkeys), birds and colorful butterflies.

3. Morro do Leme
Morro do Leme is the hill at the end of Leme which is the end piece of Copacabana. It is a military area housing the Forte Duque De Caxias on top of the hill. (Not to be confused with the Forte De Copacabana, if you ask people about the Forte they may send you to the wrong siDe of Copacabana). There is a relatively easy trail following a cobble stone road to the top which gives you a great view of Copacabana. The trail starts at the bottom of the hill insiDe the military area, soldiers in the area will point you in the right direction. The trail is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 16:30. On Tuesdays entrance is free and on other days it is cheap (at time of writing 4 Reais).