Salve Everyone!

Today, we started our day bright and early at 8:40 am with some class time, where classmates Ben, Bryce, and Taye presented on Trajan’s Column and the Arch of Constantine. Their presentation helped set the stage for the day by explaining the historical importance and engineering behind these structures.

After class, we used the metro transit system to travel to our first site visit, the Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano. What stood out most was the layered history beneath the church. Multiple levels of older structures showed how engineering evolves over time. It was interesting to see how new buildings were constructed on top of older foundations, which reflects early adaptive reuse and long-term structural planning.

Next, we moved to the Arch of Constantine. Seeing it up close made the engineering principles clearer. The arch relies on compression, which we learned about in our class time, forces that keep it standing. It was also interesting to learn how parts of older monuments were reused, showing early recycling practices in construction. There was even locations where old inscriptions could be seen within the new mosaic floor.

Our final stop was the Colosseum. We were lucky enough to go underneath the structure and see the hypogeum, where animals, gladiators, and props were stored. The engineering of the structure was a feat to behold, we saw square arches, curved arches and other compression members. We were shown diagonal blocks that were to structurally support the wall from sagging. The arches above helped distribute weight and support massive crowds safely.

We ended the day by taking the metro back to our hotel, where we ended the night so everyone could get some much-needed shut-eye and get ready for the next day!

Buenanotte!

– Cullen White & Courtney Swenson