Berkley Center

What does it mean to be a Roman? No, not the toga-wearing, gladiator-watching people that controlled the Mediterranean 2,000 years ago, but a resident of this vibrant capital of the modern Italian state. Spending the past couple of months in the city of Rome has provided me with a glimpse into the lives of these colorful, storied people.

Romans grow up completely immersed in the footprints of their past. The 500 square miles that comprise the modern city of Rome are home to more than 900 churches and dozens of Roman columns that jut from the ground as a reminder of this city’s former imperial glory. However, the inescapable presence of the past is almost an anomaly in modern Rome, considering that these testaments to Rome’s past seemingly vanish into the background of daily life.

The majority of Romans today are no longer practicing Catholics. The parishioners of many of the churches here are senior citizens, vestiges of a bygone age. Churches today lay open as museums to the former prominence of the Catholic religion in the city. Tourists stream into these holy places clutching their digital cameras snapping away at the Michelangelos and the Berninis as Italian nuns bedecked in black sit in the empty pews clutching their rosary.

The situation is seemingly equally as bleak for the importance of Roman ruins within modern Roman society. Many of my Roman friends concede that although they have lived here their entire lives they have not once stepped foot inside the Colosseum. This shocked me. The Colosseum is the symbol of Rome. Everyone from medieval pilgrims to modern American tour groups stop by this great testament to Rome’s imperial might. It confounded me that someone could spend their entire life in the shadow of this great structure and never once set foot in it.

My first month here I was absolutely devastated by these revelations. I thought that these beautiful structures were being underappreciated by the citizens of this city. I was so troubled that I sat down and discussed it with an Italian friend over cappuccino. I frantically recounted my observations in an attempt to convey the urgency of what I perceived to be the great calamity of Italian culture. Much to my surprise he just looked at me and chuckled.

He was able to put things into perspective for me. He explained that a lot of people think that just because the cityscape of Rome is ancient that the inhabitants must also be. This could not be further from the truth. Modern Roman culture is as alive as ever. From fashion to cinema Romans are on the cutting edge.

Yet this does not mean that they have lost all sense of their past. Any Roman that you talk to will acknowledge that they are incredibly proud of the place that their city has earned in history. The world wouldn’t be the same were it not for this city and the culture that grew out of it. But the development of that culture was not arrested with the fall of the Empire. These monuments continue to inspire the Romans to their place within the modern world, rather than to wallow in the past.

Romans understand the importance of their past. Although many Romans have never set foot inside the Colosseum they are still proud of it, and all agree that it and the rest of the monuments around the city must be preserved. And although many Romans are no longer practicing Catholics they still recognize their churches as reminders of an important time in Roman history. Were it not for papal influence over the city they would not have the artistic gems such as the Sistine Chapel, which have caused countless people to flock to Rome and admire the splendor of this city.

Rome has come a long way since the days of Augustus. It still is one of the leading cities of Europe and a hub of Italian culture. Although modern Romans may have abandoned the toga for Versace, they still revere the accomplishments of their ancestors while striving to earn their own place in their world.