One of the most fascinating elements about Spanish culture is the rich and varied history from a variety of cultures, including, but not limited to, the Visigoths, Muslims, Bourbons, and Romans. This weekend, I went to some preserved ruins of the Roman empire, called Las Ruinas de Itálica, located a convenient 20 minutes away from Sevilla. Itálica was an upper-class suburban area in the Roman empire, with estates, bakeries, communal areas, and an arena that held an estimated 15-30 thousand people.
The following pictures below include some of the highlights from Itálica. The first is a statue of a Roman emperor Trajan, who was born in Sevilla. Having a nude statue of an emperor was a sign of power, as traditionally only Roman gods were considered pure and sacred enough to present themselves naked; this shows the cultural significance of a Roman emperor, who were revered as much as the gods themselves.
The second picture shows part of the mosaico de los Pájaros, a mosaic depicting a variety of birds. Itálica has a host of well-preserved mosaics, yet I found this one to be particularly striking because of its size and attention to detail, as each bird has anatomical intricacies and meticulous design.
Finally, the last pictures show part of the arena in Itálica, where bloody games were played that drew in massive crowds of Romans. You can walk through the outer ring of the arena, and see where gladiators lived in wait for their next fight. The arena is a physical testament to “bread and circuses”, a roman phrase that claimed if the empire provided bread and games, the masses would be appeased and the empire would run smoothly. Interestingly, the arena was used in the seventh season of Game of Thrones as an abandoned dragon fighting pit.
Visiting the ruins of Itálica was fascinating for me to see the rich history that can be found all around Spain. When I think of the Roman empire, I picture Italy, Greece, Sparta, Athens, and Rome; I was very surprised to learn that the emperors Trajan and Hadrian were both born in Sevilla. I went to Itálica as a day trip with my program at UPO and I look forward to seeing what other adventures they will offer, as well as broadening my knowledge of Spanish history and culture through my coursework this semester.
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