Visiting Italy

[Lothia]

Ave Civitas,

I will be visiting Italy during the second week of March.

I am writing a novel set during the last years of Constantine I and those who followed him.

I want to gather as much information about what it was like to be a Roman Soldier and what it was like to be a Roman Citizen during that period.

I hope to walk and touch and taste as much Roman and Native Italian as I can during my week there.

So, I have questions which I hope someone can help with.

1. Where would be the best places to visit for a one-day stop?

2. Without using an auto, what is the best (cheapest - most comfortable - most dependable ) mode of moving from one place in Italy to another?

3. Staying in a One or two star hotel and eating frugally, what can I expect to spend per day (and are weekends different from week days)?

Thanks a lot. I do appreciate your help.
Tom.
PS. What is the best beer?

[jvrjenivs]

In the area of Rome the best way to move is by Train and Underground. Last holiday I was on a campsite between Napoli and Rome (Formia) and we just got a day-ticket for both the train to Rome and the underground busses etc of whole te area for just Euro 11.50. (imagine that the train ride itself was about 2 hours/150 km)

I know that going by Train from Firenze to Rome is some more expensive.

[Mauritius]

Would suggest bed and breakfast staying just on fringe of Sorrento then jumping onto train to Pompeii and Herculean take a backpack with lunch and wine and just wander off the main tourist route to the back of the ruins

[Lothia]

Ave Civitas,

Thanks for the information. I will see if there is a map of the subway for Rome on the internet. I am sure there is.

Does anyone know of any re-constructed sites that I might visit? Somewhere where I could get a view of what a soldier might see in or around Rome?

Lothia,

[M.H. White]

Go to the Forum Romanum. Start at Constantine's arch, walk all the way up the Via Sacra to the Capitoline. Go at a time of day when its unlikely to be crowded (not sure what that would be, but you should have better luck in march than I did in July/ November.) Doing this, its not so hard to imagine you're in a triumphal procession.

[jvrjenivs]

Does anyone know of any re-constructed sites that I might visit? Somewhere where I could get a view of what a soldier might see in or around Rome?
,

Note that Armed soldiers aren't allowed into the City. When the empire becomes bigger most of the soldiers even don't come near the city in their whole lifetime.

[Lothia]

Ave Civitas,

Your idea of visiting Pompeii is good. I had not thought of that, but it would give me a good idea of the sizes of Roman Civilian homes, the width of streets (not the ones widened for motor traffic).

jvrjenivs, thanks for the tip on using the underground. I hope, and assume, that I don't have to learn Italian to navigate within the cities. I knew of the restriction about no armed soldiers within the city (Alaric must have not read that part, :lol: ) That restriction did not apply to Constantinopolis. I wonder why not?

Mr. White, thanks for the itinerary around the city of Rome. I will definately do that.

[jvrjenivs]

Your idea of visiting Pompeii is good.

Then you could also, visit Ostia. You can go to ostia by underground (station Ostia antica) and there're less tourists. I personally like Herculaneum very well, but its harder to get there by public transport and is a lot smaller than Pompeii.

[Jeroen Pelgrom]

Then you could also, visit Ostia

Visit Ostia! Its a half hour trip with the train. Take the whole day for your trip and buy a good plan of the town before starting.

Ostia Antica will give you a good idea of a roman harbour town (lots of storage buildings, flats and baths)

here is a good website of Ostia:
www.ostia-antica.org/

[Lothia]

Ave Civitas,

Thanks for the note on Ostia. I had forgotten about the port in laying out my itenerary. I will have to add it. I don't know now if a week will be enough time. I may have to extend it for ten days.

Thanks for your help.

Lothia.