The Anfiteatro Romano (The Roman Amphitheater)-- now a sweet, cozy neighborhood. This area housed the Roman laundry where Roman women gathered to talk, support one another and do their wash. Most likely, the amphitheater was on the outside of town. The amphitheater dates from the first century A.D., and the current structures were built in the 13th and 14th centuries.
From the amphitheatre, on to first-century B.C. Temple of Minerva. This was a spiritual center for the Romans, sacrifices and all. In the 9th century, the Church of Santa Maria was added and parts of the Temple were utilized; in the 13th century, a bell tower was added. There is a nice archaeological museum at this site that takes you underground into what was then then the inner sanctum of the temple.
Today, it also houses various exhibits and while we were there they had an art show, "Parole del Silenzio"--Words of Silence by a woman who is a long time Italian resident of Pakistani origin. She "recycled" materials from trash heaps in the area and from objects found on walks to make a very powerful statement about women in the world and the human condition in general. I was just finishing the book (The Infidel....I recommended in an earlier blog) about a woman who grew up in Somalia in a traditional Muslim family and the thematic coincidence was especially impactful.
Parole del Silenzio
Today, it also houses various exhibits and while we were there they had an art show, "Parole del Silenzio"--Words of Silence by a woman who is a long time Italian resident of Pakistani origin. She "recycled" materials from trash heaps in the area and from objects found on walks to make a very powerful statement about women in the world and the human condition in general. I was just finishing the book (The Infidel....I recommended in an earlier blog) about a woman who grew up in Somalia in a traditional Muslim family and the thematic coincidence was especially impactful. 
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