Slavery - gets s*** done!

 Here is the mighty Colosseum - which was built by slaves, where the imperial passion for bloody spectacle reached its peak of excess.  During the first 100 days of celebration upon opening, 5000 exotic animals from as far away as Persia and N Africa met their demise on the floor which was covered in sand to absorb the blood.   You can see in the picture where the floor has been reproduced in part, and below, the chambers for animals and Gladiators.
Once the slaves had finished this, it took 8 years, they were moved across the road to the top of Palentine hill, where they built the Palace for the Emperor, which took only 18 years.  The time involved should tell you something of the size of the palace, and of course the walls were covered in - you guessed it - marble.
Here you can see a small portion of the original Roman Road, paved with huge Basalt rocks.  Much smoother than many of the modern roadways we have traveled on in many parts of the world.
We also visited the Forum today - the heart of Ancient Rome, where the Vestal Virgins and the Caesars and the common folk all went to shop, gossip and drink.
Some things have not changed at all.  We are doing our best to maintain the traditions, as are most of the folks we have met so far.