Awaiting the dawn’s impervious columns
of light to greet the marshy landscape of Rome, Marcus peers down into the
valley just outside of his home atop Palatine Hill. Blessed with a plethora of
shade bearing trees, Palatine Hill is the centermost of seven great hills that
surround the glorious city of Rome and embraces the homes of the city’s elite. Descending
the gradual slope down the backside of Palatine, Marcus acknowledges familiar
faces and joins the deluge of people walking along the Via Sacra into the forum.
Not long after the sun fully clears the horizon do the voices of orators and
foot patter slice the chilled early morning air.
Continuing west along the Via Sacra
through the forum, Marcus takes a moment to admire one of the city’s most
impressive structures, the Basilica Aemilia. Encased by a multitude of polished
colored marble and Doric columns the basilica comes to life with the nurturing
of the sun. He can see many of the cities politicians and speakers gathering
within the open nave of the basilica as well as the barrel vaulted shops and
portico that overlook the Forum. In an attempt to avoid drawing attention to
his unusual journey Marcus cuts his admiration short and continuous through the
gathering crowd towards the market just off the banks of the Tiber River.
The sounds heard from the market are
much different than those in the forum. Thanks to the port and trade route the
commercial area is filled with many diverse faces. The smell of cattle wisps in
the breeze coming off of the rivers current while the sounds of bargaining and
negotiation can be heard in every direction. At the westerly end of the market
closes to the bridge of Pons Aemilius, Marcus can see the Temple of
Portunus. Unlike so many of the structures in the forum, the renovated temple
is not fashioned of marble but of travertine and tufa with a stucco surface.
Upon his arrival he is greeted by a cloaked man.
