History of Abu Mena

The site was built in honour of early Christian martyr, Saint Menas of Alexandria, who died in 296 AD. Various 5th-century accounts give slightly different versions of his burial and the subsequent founding of his church, but essentially his body was taken from Alexandria on a camel, which was led into the desert beyond Lake Mareotis. At some point, the camel refused to walk any further – this was taken as a sign of divine will, and the body’s attendants buried it on that spot.

The tomb’s location was then thought to be forgotten until its miraculous rediscovery by a local shepherd, who is said to have seen a sheep healed by the site’s water and then used the water and dust from the tomb to heal sick people brought to him. Word of the shepherd’s healing powers spread rapidly, and the synaxarium (a book that includes short accounts on the lives of the saints) describes Constantine I sending his sick daughter to the shepherd to be cured. The book credits her with finding Menas’ body, after which Constantine ordered the construction of a church at the site.

By the late 4th century, it became a major pilgrimage destination for Christians. Small terracotta ‘Menas flasks’ were sold to pilgrims as containers for holy water, and are found widely around the Western Mediterranean, dating roughly from the century and a half before the Muslim conquest. Roman Emperor Arcadius ordered a major expansion of the facilities, and by the end of Late Antiquity, Abu Mena had become the leading pilgrimage site in Egypt, yet was destroyed during the Muslim conquests of the mid-7th century.

Abu Mena today

The site was first excavated from 1905-1907. There are very few standing remains, but the foundations of most major buildings, such as the large basilica church, are easily discernible as well as monastic buildings, a baptistery and Roman baths. The highlight is the stunning underground tomb of Saint Menas, adorned with beautiful frescoes. More recent excavations in 1998 uncovered a large dormitory for poor pilgrims, a complex to the south of the great basilica (likely the abbot’s residence) and a complex of wine presses, including underground storage rooms, dating to the 6th/7th centuries.

However, excessive groundwater extraction has caused land subsidence, meaning the site is at risk of irreparable damage. A number of the site’s buildings have collapsed or are now unstable, and the site was added to the List of World Heritage Danger in 2001. Since then, efforts have been made to preserve and stabilise Abu Mena, including the placing of sand in endangered buildings and closing them off to the public.

Getting to Abu Mena

Abu Mena is located about 31 miles southwest of Alexandria, near New Borg El Arab city.

One of the most popular ways to view the Acqua Marcia is by bicycle, rented from the Appia Antica Regional Park.

History of Acqua Marcia

For around 90 years, the aqueducts Aqua Appia and the Anio Vetus satisfied Rome’s population. However, military success against Carthage and Macedonia meant that Rome’s population was growing, and combined with the aqueducts leaking and many citizens stealing water for their own use and thereby depriving the city of its supply, it became clear that another water supply was urgently needed.

The Aqua Marcia was constructed by and named after Quintus Marcius Rex (an ancestor of Julius Caesar) from 144 to 140 BC. It was largely paid for by the spoils from recent Roman conquests of Corinth and the end of the Third Punic War, both in 146 BC.

Acqua Marcia – which was noted for its cold and pure waters – followed the ancient road via Tiburtina into Rome, and entered the city in its eastern boundary at the Porta Tiburtina of the Aurelian Wall.

It was repaired by Marcus Agrippa in 33 BC, and then again later by Augustus, who augmented the supply by linking it to other sources.

By the time Emperor Nero was in power, the supply had dwindled to a trickle due to citizens siphoning it off for their own personal use. However, later emperors increased the supply, transforming it into the second greatest supply of the city’s water.

Acqua Marcia Today

Today, only ruins of Acqua Marcia remain, though are extensive. One of the main ways to visit some ruins of Acqua Marcia are via the Acqueduct Park, which contains the ruins of the more recent and complete Acqua Felice (1500s), as well as the ruins of Acqua Marcia and Acqua Claudia. There is also a park among the ruins which is often used for recreation by locals and visitors alike.

The ruins are also prominent at the Appia Antica Regional Park, with full details available on our website here.

Getting to Acqua Marcia

Ruins of Acqua Marcia at the Aqueduct Park are easily reachable by the Metro, with Metro Line A to Lucio Sestio followed by a short walk likely being the most convenient way to see the ruins. The ruins are a 15-20 minute drive from the centre of Rome via Via Tuscolana, or a 1 hour 45 minute walk.

Similarly, it is possible to see the ruins at Appia Antica Regional Park, with full travel details available on our website.

History of Aguateca

Thought to have been one of the two capitals of the Maya Dynasty in the region – together with Dos Pilas – from around 700 AD, Aguateca was a vital stronghold thanks to its natural defences – cliffs and a ravine. In fact, in the eighth century, Dos Pilas was abandoned and its people sheltered at Aguateca. Carved stelae on site detail Aguateca’s military successes and have greatly helped historians decipher Aguateca’s history.

The city was finally abandoned sometime around 800AD – arrowheads and skeletons, the remains of burnt buildings, and scattered valuables imply that the city was attacked and partly destroyed by invaders, leading to its sudden abandonment.

The remains of the city suggest that it was a centre for craft production and trade: obsidian was found in quite large quantities, which is evidence of trade with other city states. A half constructed temple has also been unearthed, which provided insights into Maya building processes and materials.

Aguateca is located in northern Guatemala, in the region of Petén. It’s relatively remote, accessible only by motorboat from the nearby town of Sayaxché, via the Río Petexbatún: the journey takes just under an hour each way. Sayaxché itself is off the main highway PET-11 to Flores – buses should be able to drop you there.

Amongst its ruins, Aizanoi has five ancient and still used bridges, two Turkish-style baths, column-lined promenades, a stadium, a gymnasium, a theatre and its great Temple of Zeus.

History of Aizanoi

Aizanoi was an Ancient Greek city in western Anatolia. Located astride the River Penkalas, some 1000m above sea level, the city was an important political and economic centre in Roman times.

Settlement in the area is known from the Bronze Age. It changed hands between the Kingdoms of Pergamum and Bithynia, finally being bequeathed to Rome in 133 BC. Aizanoi’s monumental buildings date from the early Empire to the 3rd century.

Aizanoi became a Christian bishopric, with its bishop, Pisticus, being a participant at the First Countil of Nicaea in 325. The former city is no longer a bishopric, and is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see.

After the 7th century, Aizanoi fell into decline. Later, during Seljuk times, the temple hill was repurposed as a citadel.

The ruins of the city were discovered in 1824 by European travellers. Survey work in the 1830s and 40s was followed by thorough and systematic excavation conducted by the German Archaeological Institute from 1926.

This excavation was resumed in 1970, and is still ongoing, with archaeologists in January 2021 announcing that they have discovered a cache of 2,100-year-old Roman coins in a jug buried near a stream.

In 2012, the site was submitted for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Aizanoi Today

Today, visitors can see the Temple of Zeus, which is situated prominently on a hill and was the city’s main sanctuary. Construction of the temple began under Emperor Domitian.

A theatre and stadium are built adjacent to each other, with their being combined into one complex being a feature that is unique in the ancient world.

There are also two baths – or ‘thermae’ – one which includes a palaestra and marble furnishings, and the other which contains a mosaic depicting a satyr and a maenad.

The remains of Aizanoi’s market, which features a circular macellum, is famed for being the first recorded place in the world where inflation was calculated. Recent excavations have also revealed the existence of a stoa, or covered walkway, and a large necropolis includes examples of door-shaped Phrygian tombstones.

In 2012 the site was submitted for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Getting to Aizanoi

Though Aizanoi is well off the tourist beaten track, locals are friendly and happy to guide interested travellers round all of the historic sites of the historic site.

From the nearby city of Kutahya, Aizanoi is reachable in around 45 minutes by car along the Kütahya Uşak Yolu/D240.

Driving from Istanbul to Kutahya takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes, primarily along the Bursa Eskişehir Yolu/D200/E90.

Ambrussum history

Northeast of the French village of Lunel, where the Via Domitia crossed the Vidourle River, lies the ruins of Roman Ambrussum.

This interesting archaeological sites holds three main attractions, the Iron Age defended settlement known as the Oppidum, a Roman era staging post complex and the remains of the nearby Roman bridge. The river was once spanned by this magnificent 11-arch stone bridge, the first century BC Pont Ambroix, of which only one arch now remains.

The hilltop site Colline de Devès had human settlements as far back as 2300 BC. A bit more recently, the Gauls built a walled settlement here around 300 BC. From this hilltop vantage point, you can see the Nages Oppidum on its hilltop to the northeast, towards Nîmes.

The Romans conquered the area around 120 BC, and fortified the oppidum with an improved surrounding wall including 21 towers. The 12 acre enclosed space included an active town, especially from the time of the Ambroix bridge and staging area, 30 BC, until about 100 AD when it was abandonded.

The lower part of the site, beside the river, was a large staging area, which the Romans installed every 10-15 km along their main routes.  The remains here are only the foundations, visible in the fields on the other side of the fence beside the current dirt track. Information panels have facsimile drawings and information in French and English.

The staging area was a Roman mansio, an official stopping place for Roman officials and travelers on official business. The Ambrussum site included hotels, baths and industrial buildings, beside the Pont Ambroix across the river.

Ambrussum today

A new visitor’s centre (established in 2011) and museum exists for history buffs and one can walk the rutted old cobblestone roads to the Oppidum and see the reconstructed ramparts dating to before the Roman period.

To tour the Oppidum site, you can walk down the main path to the Pont Ambroix, then branch right, up the hillside and loop through the main oppidum archeological sites.

Guided visits are available of the oppidum site on Saturdays and Sundays, October to May, according to the information panel.

Getting to Ambrussum

You can find Roman archaeological site of Ambrussum around 7 km from Lunel, 35 km from Nimes and 30 km from Montpellier via the RN113. In Lunel, head towards Sommières, then Villetelle, and then follow the signs to the “Oppidum d’Ambrussum”.

If travelling via the A9, take the exit to Lunel, drive towards Lunel, then Villetelle, and then follow the signs to “Oppidum d’Ambrussum”.

Erected to commemorate Constantine’s victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312AD, the Arch of Constantine contains an inscription dedicated to the emperor which can still be read today.

The Arch of Constantine is situated next to the Colosseum and near to the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. It is free to visit and there are no opening hours. As well as the Arch of Constantine, there are two other triumphal arches in Rome: The Arch of Titus and the Arch of Severus.

History of Arch of Constantine

The arch was built between 312 and 315AD to commemorate ten years of Constantine’s reign and his victory over the then reigning emperor Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge.

The Arch of Constantine is also significant because it reflects Constantine the Great transforming Rome politically, religiously, and his founding of Constantinople (modern day Istanbul).

The Arch’s location, between the Palatine and Caelian Hills, spanned the ancient route of the Roman triumphs, which was a ceremonious route to celebrate Rome’s military victories.

The arch is around 20 metres high and 25 metres wide, with three smaller archways.

It is a superb example of the ideological and stylistic changes Constantine’s reign brought to art, as well as demonstrating the emperor’s diligent adherence to traditional forms of Roman Imperial art and architecture.

During the Middle Ages, the arch was incorporated into one of the family strongholds of Ancient Rome.

Restoration works were carried out in the 18th century, with the most recent taking place in the late 1990s, before the Great Jubilee of 2000.

Arch of Constantine Today

Today, visitors can admire the striking and eclectic relief structures on the arch. There are a number of figures such as Nike above the central archway, as well as architectural features that correspond to the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius.

Most of the reliefs feature the emperors participating in codified activities that demonstrate the ruler’s authority and piety.

Many other famous arches have been either directly or indirectly inspired by the arch, such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Arc de Triomphe and Marble Arch.

In the same area is the famous Roman Forum, which is home to a number of stunning monuments from the same era.

Getting to Arch of Constantine

From the centre of Rome, the arch is a 25 minute walk via Via Cavour. It’s also an 8 minute drive along the same road, though parking might be difficult at the site. There are also a number of connecting bus and metro services.

History of Arch of Janus

Constructed in the early 4th century AD, the Arch of Janus was located at the periphery of the Forum Boarium, once Rome’s cattle market. Built of brick and marble, the arch has alcoves which would have originally contained statues and other decorative items, though these have unfortunately not survived.

Little is known about this arch and, despite its name, the Arch of Janus was probably built in honour of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. As such, it is often known as Arcus Constantini.

As Constantine himself converted to Christianity after his victory in the civil wars, there is much debate as to whether such a triumphal arch would have been dedicated to a pagan deity by Constantine, further compelling the mystery surrounding this monument.

Arch of Janus Today

This ancient arch can be found in the centre of Rome, near other Roman sites such as the Roman Forum and Colosseum. As such, it’s certainly worth a quick detour to view it as it’s a pretty impressive site.

Getting to Arch of Janus

From the centre of Rome, the Arch of Janus is reachable in around 15 minutes by car via Via del Teatro di Marcello. A number of bus and metro transport options are also available which take around 25 minutes. By foot, it’s a scenic 30 minute stroll via Via Nazionale.

History of the Aztec Ruins National Monument

Built and occupied from around the 12th century, the Ancestral Pueblo people used the site for over 200 years. In its heyday, it contained several multi-story ‘great houses’ – including one which had 500 rooms –  as well as plenty of smaller structures. There would also have been a “kiva” or ceremonial building, which has now been reconstructed.

Excavations in more recent periods have discovered a wealth of artefacts, providing a fascinating insight into the world in which these people lived: some walls even contain fingerprints from those who built them, 900 years ago.

The ruins were rediscovered in the 19th century by settlers who misattributed them to the Aztecs. The Aztec Ruins National Monument is part of the “Chaco Culture” UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Aztec Ruins National Monument today

Visitors to the Aztec Ruins National Monument can tour these fascinating ruins, with much of the structure of some rooms still intact and some of their original wood beams still visible. A short (1/2 mile) trail through the site is the best way to explore: it feels remarkably intimate. The reconstructed great kiva is particularly impressive: despite the fact that this site was last inhabited 700 years ago, something about it feels strangely tangible and close.

There’s also a visitor centre with exhibits of excavated finds from the site and a film about the history of the Four Corners region. Allow an hour or two for your visit. The park is open daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) – hours vary by season so it’s worth double checking before you go.

Getting to the Aztec Ruins National Monument

The site is is northwest New Mexico, about a 3 hour drive from Albuquerque. Highway 550 and 64 are both close by: the ruins road is well signed from both. It’s possible to get here by bus from Farmington – take the Aztec Tiger Bug Route to the Safeway/W Express stop. From there, it’s about a 20 minute walk to reach the site.

Considered to be one of the most impressive of the Forum’s structures, it is thought that Basilica Aemelia was built and rebuilt several times. Its first incarnation may have been erected in 179 BC and it was finally burnt to the ground in the fifth century AD.

Parts of the Basilica Aemelia have since been rebuilt, although today only remnants of columns and its pavement remain.

Basilica Aemelia history

The Basilica Aemilia was first built in 179 BC by the censors Marco Fulvio Nobiliore and Marco Emilio Lepido. This is the reason why the basilica was originally known as “Basilica Fulvia et Aemilia”. Over time the building became a sort of monument to celebrate and commemorate the Aemilia family, and the name of Fulvio was lost.

As a public building, the Basilica Aemilia was mainly a place for business and meetings. The portico hosted the so called Tabernae Novae, the series of shops and market stalls and the building was also used for money lending. Politicians and tax collectors gathered here for their business.

The Basilica Aemilia was regarded by Pliny as one of the most beautiful buildings in Ancient Rome. Destroyed and rebuilt several times until 34 B.C., this luxurious public hall had an imposing architecture, decorated with precious marbles and columns. In 54 BC Marcus Emilio Lepido renovated the Basilica and the works were actually funded by Caesar. At that same time works also began to built the Basilica Julia, which stands just on the opposite side.

At the time of the Imperial Rome, the Basilica Aemilia was divided into three parts: the portico, the tabernae and the main hall.

From the area of the Forum there are stairs leading to the portico. The facade of the portico, which resembles that of the Basilica Julia, featured two floors supported by pillars and white-marble columns. The main hall comprised of fourteen arches finely decorated with statues.

In 410 AD the Basilica Aemilia was destroyed by the Visigoths during the sack of Rome.

Basilica Aemelia today

Today, only the foundations and some rebuilt elements can be seen of this impressive public building that is still one of the few examples of this kind of buildings from the Republican Age.

Getting to the Basilica Aemelia

The Basilica Aemilia is located at the intersection of Via dei Fori Imperiali and Largo Romolo e Remo in the archaeological area of the Roman Forum at one of the Forum entrances. It lies between the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the Curia Julia. The nearest metro stop is Colosseo.

Initially founded by Julius Caesar in 54 BC, it soon burnt to the ground and was rebuilt and completed under Augustus in 12 BC. The Basilica Julia was subsequently rebuilt several times.

Basilica Julia history

Construction of the Basilica Julia was started by Julius Caesar and left to his heir Augustus to complete. The basilica was built on the site of the remains of two important Republican structures, the Basilica Sempronia and before that the house of Scipio Africanus, Romen’s legendary general. The first Basilica Julia burned down in 9AD shortly after its completion. It was reconstructed and enlarged in 12AD. The Basilica was restored after another fire in 199 AD by Septimius Severus, and later reconstructed by the Emperor Diocletian after another fire in 283 AD.

The Basilica housed the civil law courts and tabernae (shops), and provided space for government offices and banking. In the 1st century, it also was used for sessions of the Centumviri, who presided over matters of inheritance.

The Basilica Julia was partially destroyed in 410 AD when the Visigoths sacked Rome and the site slowly fell into ruin over the centuries. The marble was especially valuable in the medieval and early modern eras for burning into lime, a material used to make mortar.

A section of the remains of the basilica was converted into a church, generally identified as that of Santa Maria de Cannapara which is mentioned in catalogues from the 12th through the 15th centuries. Other parts of the basilica were sectioned off in the medieval period for the use of different trades.

In the 16th century, the long-buried site of the Basilica was used as a burial ground for patients of the adjacent Ospedale della Consolazione.

This church was destroyed by the 19th-century excavations. Later excavations in the 20th century, coupled with the surviving historical records, have provided the information used by scholars to recreate the basilica.

Basilica Julia today

All that remains of the building now is a rectangular area, levelled off and raised about one metre above ground level, with jumbled blocks of stone lying within its area.

A row of marble steps runs full length along the side of the basilica facing the Via Sacra, and there is also access from a taller flight of steps at the end of the basilica facing the Temple of Castor and Pollux. Today’s visitors will need to use imagination to picture the former glory of the basilica.

Getting to the Basilica Julia

The site is easily accessible by public transport. Fori Imperiali-Colosseo Rome and Colosseo Rome Metro stations are both close by.