On July 20th, the Roman and Florentine Calder Classics groups came together for a tour of the Circus Maximus and Roman Forum. At the Circus Maximus, we learned about the great competitions that once took place there, including chariot races. The chariot races were made vivid by the Florentine group's reading of "Phaeton and Phoebus." The Roman group's reading of "Ars Amatoria” helped us understand the flirtatious nature of men at the Circus Maximus. Next we visited the Roman Forum, where we saw what was once the center of Roman trade, religion, and politics. The scorching heat was worth bearing to see the beautiful arches and basilicas made centuries ago. We even got a glimpse of the Colosseum! The two groups had a great time together. It was also a sad day as the Florentine group said goodbye to Matteo Boria and Sarah Murphy, who will join the Rome Calder Classics group. The train ride home through the Italian countryside was a great end to our day.
By Sam Gallen