By Lesley Sauls Frederikson
The quintessential symbol of Rome is the Colosseum. Think of Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck zooming past its lofty arches in “Roman Holiday” and souvenirs with the structure emblazoned on their sides. When my husband and I were planning our five-day trip to Rome, we put this at the top of our list, and working out the particulars of our visit led to something of an education.
I learned that a tour of the Colosseum almost always comes with an afternoon wander through the Forum because of their proximity. And my concept of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar being murdered on the steps of a building called the Forum was misguided. The Forum is actually a five-acre commercial heart of ancient Rome filled with social, political and religious buildings. The center of government as far back as 700 B.C., it was in use into the 700s….