Book Review: Rome Reconstructed

Recently, my husband, his mom, her fiancé, and I went on an awesome two-week long vacation. One of the places we visited was Rome, Italy. This is actually my husband and my second trip there. To read my first blog about Rome, click here. I will be working on our second trip (along with the other places we went to) and posting it on my other site soon.

We bought this copy of Rome Reconstructed in one of the gift shops at the Colosseum. I’m not sure why I didn’t buy it the first time, but nonetheless, I bought it this time!

Pages: 95
Genre: Non-Fiction/History
Book Bought In: Rome, Italy – in Colosseum Gift Shop

In this short illustrated flip book, readers learn about the construction, destruction, and restoration of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and other ancient ruins in Rome, Italy. Using a flip-book method, readers can see the ancient ruins at their present state, but also what it once looked like.

When I first looked at Rome Reconstructed, I was so excited for it. I felt like a kid flipping through its pages and was fascinated to see the current ancient ruins and how they previously looked.

Needless to say, I loved the illustrations and the set up the book. It really made me respect how advanced the Roman empire truly was. For so long, I always brushed off how people lived centuries ago, including ancient Roman time. However, seeing the ruins and reading this book helped me appreciate all that they have done and started.

The book contains quite a bit of information about some of the ruins and the history attached to them.

Some things I learned that caught my eye:

9,000 animals were killed in the one-hundred celebration upon opening the Colosseum.
Telemachus, a monk, entered the Colosseum one day getting in between the gladiators. His goal was to convince the people to stop all the violent games. The bad news? The monk was stoned to death. The good news? The games stopped that day.
The House of the Vestal Virgins section mentions that even though the six Vestels enjoyed their special privileges, there was always the fear of being buried alive if they broke their vow of chastity!
The Circus Maximus is a place where religious rites and games were held in honor of God Consus. The interesting aspect is that the huge basin is still buried. Though there were attempts to excavate the basin, the restoration has not been able to be maintained.

There are so many things to learn! Due to this, though, I did feel a bit overwhelmed with the amount given. I can tell this would be a book that I would have to revisit to remember certain facts.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I’m happy to have purchased it.