This past week, I had the pleasure of spending a week in Rome with Dr. McFarland. In Rome, we saw some amazing sights such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Trevi Fountain; and learned valuable leadership lessons from Caesar, Augustus, and Cleopatra.
On our first full day in Rome, we went on a walking tour of the city, during which we went inside the Colosseum. I had always thought the Colosseum was massive, but you truly cannot comprehend the size of the place just from hearing about it. During the tour, we discussed the daily goings on in the Colosseum. Everyday Romans could enter the Colosseum for free, as the entertainment provided distracted them from any real problems going on in Rome. The free entertainment kept the Romans happy, while the executions in the afternoon kept them in check.
After the Colosseum, we went to the Roman Forum. Touring the forum really highlighted the stark difference between Rome’s artifacts and ruins and those of Athens. While Rome did have some of the same characteristics are Athens, such as some of the architecture and scattered use of marble, Rome seemed to favor more bricks and Roman concrete. Rome also seems to invest more into restoring their ruins, while Athens simply strives to preserve them. As a result of Rome’s restorations, I found it easier to envision what the Roman Empire must have looked like, but I felt like I was standing in the middle of a history lesson, instead of in the history itself.
Throughout my time in Rome, I found myself near the Trevi Fountain quite a bit. This was probably my favorite sight in Rome, as it is truly magnificent to behold in person. The fountain is impossible to truly capture in photos, as its presence just doesn’t transfer well to a small photograph.
Throughout our time in Rome, we discussed the various leaders of Ancient Rome. During these discussions, we learned about Julius Caesar’s great ego, and global mindset for expansion, Augustus’s wise pursuit of peace and trust building, and Cleopatra’s cultural intelligence and adaptability. All three of these leaders demonstrated skills necessary for a great leader that are still relevant in today’s world.
