Rome: San Luigi dei Francesi

The San Luigi dei Francesi is located slightly east of the Piazza Navona and can be found right next to the Palazzo Madama, currently the seat of Italy’s senate, the Senato della Repubblica. The church was built in the sixteenth century and is the national church of France, its primary…

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Rome: Santa Maria del Popolo

The Santa Maria del Popolo is located on the edge of Rome’s historical city centre (centro storico) and only just within the third century Aurelian Walls. It is right next to the Porta del Popolo, the former Porta Flaminia. The present church was built in the fifteenth century, replacing a…

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Rome: Palazzo Barberini

After discussing three dozen churches in Rome, it is now time to discuss a museum again. The Palazzo Barberini was a pleasant surprise during my last visit to the Eternal City back in January of this year. It is one of two locations of the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, the…

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Rome: San Bartolomeo all’Isola

The San Bartolomeo has perhaps the best location of all the churches in Rome: it is located on the edge of the Tiber Island. The church is opposite a hospital, the Ospedale Fatebenefratelli[1], and the island has been associated with disease and healing for over 2.300 years, ever since the…

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The Mercenary War and the Annexation of Sardinia: The Years 241-238 BCE

Summary Carthage fights for survival against rebellious mercenaries and North Africans in the Mercenary War (241-238 BCE); Rome refuses to help the rebels and sends aid to Carthage instead; Hamilcar Barcas defeats the rebels at the Battle of “The Saw” and goes on the quell the entire rebellion (238 BCE);…

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The Second Illyrian War and the Fate of Saguntum: The Years 220-219 BCE

Summary Gaius Flaminius is elected censor and has the Circus Flaminius and the Via Flaminia built (220 BCE); Rome’s former ally Demetrios of Faros resumes his piratical activities, prompting a Roman campaign against the Illyrians (219 BCE); The Second Illyrian War ends in a decisive Roman victory. The consul Lucius…

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Rome: San Clemente

Up until fairly recently I had a love-hate relationship with the church of San Clemente. It is easily one of the most fascinating churches in Rome, a twelfth century basilica built on top of a fourth century basilica that was itself constructed over Ancient Roman buildings dating back to the…

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