Rome Market
Istanbul Market
Each series of three photographs come together into one theme: the Market World. The style as if these were taken from a photo booth, these scenes are seen through the eyes of a foreigner who lived in these cities for only a time long enough merely to reveal their first impressions.
Walking through the market in Rome is a smooth stream while in Istanbul it was more like trying to swim in agar. What I see in people's walking, and eventually mold into doing the same: Laid-back mosey (Rome) versus directionally determined shuffling (Istanbul).
What do these two markets have in common? An overwhelming mix of tourists and residents where the latter is mainly playing the role of the vendor. Merchants will try anything to get your attention. They will try to guess where I am from or shout out any Asian language they know in hopes of reeling me toward their stand. In Rome, there was a larger range in languages (Chinese, Japanese, English) whereas in Istanbul they would generally stick with English. Initially it was difficult not to feel insulted by their horribly pronounced words, but then seeing the smile on their faces made me pity their desperate attempts. A smile in return was all I could give them because I was usually not interested in buying anything. They must think I am just a waste of time. Merchants in Rome sure made me feel this way. If I was not going to buy anything, then it is not worth talking to me. I guess this is true in general for most people who are trying to sell their products, but I did not feel this sort of pressure as strongly in Istanbul as I did in Rome.
Food, food, food. I cannot get enough. But to get the best price for the same product? You have to scope through as many stands as possible before you make your purchase. In both cities, the food remained about the same in each stand. Sometimes, I am proud of myself for having skipped a stand that sold an orange for 1 euro when the next one over was selling one for half the price. I know its not much, especially when I was going to spend 80 euros on a leather purse, but I think that if I save a little bit each day I can save a lot by the end of the trip.
The market in the Campo de Fiori had stands that sold mostly the same thing for relatively the same prices; it just depended on which one you preferred to walk to. However, in Istanbul I had found Turkish delight for 20 Lira in one stand and the same types of Turkish delight for 10 in another. This was the same for other things such as scarves, towels, jewelry, and pottery. The vendors that I encountered were also more sincere than the ones I tried to speak with in Rome. If I stopped to talk to them, they were interested in having a real conversation rather than just trying to sell me their Pashminas. Even if I left without buying anything, they would wave good-bye with such enthusiasm that it just made my day.
Overall, there was a specific identity that merchants had in Istanbul that I did not see in Rome. Were they selling products that the city or country was known for? I don't know if it was my lack of research but I had a long list of things to get in Istanbul (Simit, Turkish coffee, Pashmina, Turkish ice cream, towels, copper, Turkish black tea, and Turkish Delight just to name a few) because these were things that they were specialized in making; in Rome, there weren't many specific things I "had" to buy (except, of course, for my leather purse; espresso at Magnolia; Gelateria del Teatro gelato; pizza; and pasta) that were identity-oriented. It could have been that it was too obvious for anyone to say to me "You have to try this. Italy's _____ is amazing you can't get it anywhere else". Sure, pizza is an obvious choice to Americans and is so much better there than in the US. I usually despise the taste of pizza in the States but I was beginning to convert into a pizza-lover by the 4th week. Is pizza known as an Italian thing though? I guess having a class that constantly questioned what "Italian" means had made me uncertain because I honestly do not know.
Maybe it was also that Turkey's specialty products are not well-known to students in the program so the topic was brought up more often. I certainly did not hear as much about Turkish Delight than I did about Simit because everyone had already heard of Turkish Delights. As someone who loves bread, Simit became my favorite food throughout the whole program.
Istanbul and Rome. Rome and Istanbul. They are so different, and yet, this is why I love both. If I am able to finance my plan to visit a different country each month for a year by 2013, I know that I will definitely be hitting up Istanbul, Turkey and Rome, Italy.
I was so surprised to hear that the Istanbul Sabiha Bokcen Airport was actually the smaller airport because it was so nice inside and it reminded me of Seatac except less crowded. In fact, it seemed as though our group made up the majority of the passengers in the airport.
The longest wait was probably at baggage claim. Except it wasn't really all that long and plus, they had a wonderful duty free where I found which my next perfume was going to be (Daisy by Marc Jacobs). I don't think it was any cheaper here so I resisted buying it. One little problem at baggage claim: Rebecca could not find her luggage. I feel really bad because even though it was just clothes in there, I would feel tense just knowing I didn't have my belongings with me. Like Resat said, plan for the worst.
A heavily-air-conditioned tour bus picked us up right outside the door and we set off for Bogazici University. Wow, the dorms are amazing. At least compared to the ones at UW. They are like rooms in a fairly nice hotel! We all got split up, 4 girls in each room, and settled down with our baggage. I claimed the top bunk while Yu-Ting settled on the bottom. Not long after, she told us the bad news about her hard-drive getting stolen. It was so sad hearing her voice as she questioned why anyone would want to steal something that is not half as valuable to them as it is to her. The bad news didn't end there. When we got downstairs, we heard that Daniel also got his hard drive stolen along with $1000 worth of cash. This all made me so appreciative of my protective dad. He made sure I had a band AND a lock for my luggage. And all I had in my luggage was just clothes! I guess it would still suck for me to lose all my clothes though.
We all needed something to bring the spirit up. Dinner definitely helped a ton. It was amazing. The service was over the top; when Bennett dropped his glasses and bent down to get them, a waiter beat him to it and set it back onto the table before we could all take another breath. After I took one sip of water from my glass, a waiter was right next to me ready to fill it back up to its original volume. There were, I think, ten courses for the whole meal! It just went on and on....and on and on. It was endless. Just when we thought we were finished, there came the incredible baklava dessert. It was like no other baklava I had ever had. Honestly, I despise baklava. But this one I was able to finish the whole thing even after having eaten 9 other courses!
Returning to the dorms, we were all too full to move. Tiredness eventually came over many of us and it was time for bed because it will be an early start tomorrow!
Rome's Italian character of the eighth century was evident in her irregular city-form that was born out of topographical makings and ancient rituals of town planning. What was most important to the Roman culture is the city's repertoire of institutional architecture, from its first expansionist phase to the creation of the Mediterranean empire under Augustus about the time of Christ, and the following three centuries of its dominion. Architecture was a civilizing mission and a sure means of establishing Roman visibility. The Romans appropriated the geometrical schemes of Greek and Etruscan colonies in various ways; one way was the Roman practice of locating new towns at the intersection between the north-south and east-west cross-axes, known as the cardo and decumanus, respectively. The practice of emphasizing this crossing was done by placing the Flavian Amphitheatre, now known as the Colosseum, along with other public buildings such as the forum-basilica complex, in the center of Rome.The Colosseum is the largest and first permanent amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. Its construction began in 70 AD under Emperor Vespasian, was completed in 80 AD under Titus, Vespasian’s older son, and changes were made to the building during the rule of Domitian, Vespasian’s younger son, in 81-96 AD.
Emperor Vespasian: A.D. 9-79Around the amphitheater, buildings were erected representing prominent cities of the empire. A thirty-six meter
high statue of Nero as the sun-god stood between the Colosseum and the Forum and it was possibly this, rather
than the large size of the Colosseum itself, that gave the amphitheater its name. The measurements were
intimidating and extraordinary, standing at a length of 616 feet 9 inches, and a width of 511 feet 10 inches. Its outer wall is 159 feet above the ground. High above on the roof of the topmost gallery, were sailors expert in
controlling the canvas who would pull across a colored awning supported by 240 beams around the
circumference of the top perimeter wall when rain or sun dawned on the spectators. While other amphitheaters that were inspired by Greeks, such as the Circus Maximus, were built on hills or valleys
that formed natural slopes of the seats overlooking the arena,the Colosseum was unusual in that it was the first
entirely freestanding amphitheatre of its time, sinking into the hollow of three encompassing hills east of the Roman Forum. With
eighty arches around its girth, the amphitheater swallowed more than 50,000 spectators that came to the games.
With the premise of the arch, the Colosseum enslaved space. Its course is circular so the eye has the option of
going up or down, and at the junction with the architrave, to continue toward the left or the right. The space
beneath is active, reaching upward against the force of gravity. Entrance arches line the perimeter of its external
and internal walls, as well as the center. Those that run through the center create the internal corridors and tunnels
that allow gladiators and animals to move around the arena, and provide storage space for scenery used during
performances. The series of passageways called the hypogeum were also used to lift props from underground
elevators created by counterweights.
Colosseum exterior
The floor of the arena and the metal barrier around it are now gone, exposing to our view a warren of hundreds of
chambers that once housed beasts, staff, machinery, and services. The cliff-like exterior consists of travertine
blocks, a form of limestone deposited by springs, which are fastened with iron clamps and is composed of three
stories of arches framed by piers and three-quarter columns. An unprecedented fourth story displayed alternately
bronze shields and windows in a manner impressionistic of the bouleuterion, a council chamber in ancient Greece.
The four stories employed the principal Roman orders, or styles of architectural columns: Tuscan first, which is the
ancient Italian version of Doric; Ionic and Corinthian for the second and third stories, respectively; and tall
Corinthian pilasters for the attic.
Colosseum interior
Roman Doric columns are the simplest and most thickset of all orders, but are still smaller in proportion
compared to Greek Doric columns. The Ionic shafts are taller than the Doric, and are special because
they are marked by an entasis. An entasis is a bulge on the surface of columns about a third of the way up
used to make them appear straight when peering at them from the ground level. Without the addition of the
entasis, the diameter of the columns would look narrower at the top if one was to peer upward at them.
This unique characteristic is believed to be used as an illusion of greater strength or simply to make the columns
look more aesthetically pleasing. Lastly, the Corinthian order is characterized by a slender fluted column with
an ornate capital, and two rows of acanthus leaves and four scrolls. It is also often considered the most elegant
of the three orders.
As spectators approached the amphitheater across a precinct formed with lava and then a smooth pavement bounded by stones, above them would tower the clear exterior of the building brightened with statues standing in the arches between the columns of the arches. Each of the seventy-six entrances was numbered to correspond with the admittance tickets. However, four other entrances remained unnumbered; two for the Emperor’s entourage; two for the gladiators, through one of which, the Porta Sanivivaria, the survivors returned and through the other, named after Libitina, the goddess of death, the corpses of the defeated were taken out. Gladiatorial combats had lost most of their religious and sacrificial significance adopted from the Etruscans and had become part of a system in which authorities appeased the people of Rome. A large proportion of the people were unemployed, and providing them with regular entertainment as well as with free distributions of food gave them some satisfaction in their impoverished lives. With Vespasian’s decision to replace the lake in the private gardens of Nero’s Golden House with the Flavian Amphitheatre, imperial land then became land for public use.
This building was a place of entertainment intended to lift the spirits of the people during Rome’s restoration period and helped to maintain the beauty of the empire. The Roman people developed a sense of pride when they attended the events held in the arena. People of all statuses were united in a building where they could enjoy similar experiences. However, seating was strictly according to social class, meaning that the closer one was to the central arena, the higher one’s rank in society was. The emperor and Vestal Virgins occupied boxes at the most central points of the stadium, while the senators would sit at the same level, but at the ends of the stadium. Next up were the noble men and knights; then the wealthy citizens; then the poorer plebeians, slaves, and women. Although people were divided depending on their status, the building represented a hub for all people to congregate. It was a place that hosted entertainment games termed ludi, which were held in conjunction with Roman religious festivals, and were presented as part of the cult of the state.
The Flavian amphitheater became the first permanent place where gladiatorial games could be held so that they no longer had to resort to the smaller, temporary squares set up in the Forum Romanum. Gladiatorial games were a sport of glory for those who survived, but all participants in the games knew that they walked along a very thin line between life and death. The gladiator’s oath by Petronius states, "He vows to endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword." Those who survived combat became wealthy public celebrities, but those who die are left without a memory. Gladiatorial games provided their sponsors with effective self-promotion while offering cheap, extravagant shows for their audiences. Gladiators strengthened the businesses of trainers and owners, and of starting politicians as well as experienced ones who were already high in status. It was very effective for politicians to win votes from plebians and their tribunes with spectacular shows during election season.
Building the arena was a large political move during the time; it was intended to make the people seem closer to their emperor, as he would often be seen enjoying the games along with them. Some would argue that it was more intended to distract the public from the city’s ruins left from Nero’s despotic rule. Nevertheless, the construction of the amphitheatre proved a great way to make the people feel more part of a whole community.
For centuries the Colosseum remained Rome’s most celebrated ancient monument as well as a source of supply for the building of other structures. The Ponte Sisto and the Palazzo Venezia were two of the buildings for which it provided materials. It is also an exciting place for botanists, for it was listed with over 411 species that grew there by 1855.
Christian martyrs being fed to lions in Rome
In 1349 A.D., the Colosseum was labeled a site where Christians had been martyred so it was devoted to the
Passion of the Christ. Many early Christians were persecuted for not taking part in rituals and sacrifices to the
pagan gods and goddesses of the Romans. They went into hiding because to refuse would mean torture and death.
Christian martyrs who died during the Christian Persecution were later canonized by the Catholic Church. The
Stations of the Cross was erected and up until today, the Pope leads a Via Crucis procession to the amphitheater
every Easter Friday, during which a meditation is read at each of the fourteen stages of Christ's passion situated
around the perimeter of the Colosseum.
Some authors and historians do not have positive opinions concerning the values associated with the building. Journalist John Pearson called it, “an effective system of empire-wide mass anaesthesia” and blames it for having “drained away those activities making for movement, change, unrest or ambition in society”. He stated that it had “ritualized mass fantasies for the realities of politics, religion…and war.” That may be true, and is still a topic of discussion concerning society today. Are ancient gladiatorial games or modern day violent television shows good for the public? Are modern sports such as football and lacrosse that much different from gladiatorial games? The events allow the community to have a tighter bond, yet the question still remains if the act of community bonding is worth the potential bad influence it may have on their viewers.
Learning about the good heart of Vespasian was an interesting part of my project that fueled my curiosity about his motives for building the Colosseum. He did not waste money but when there was something that needed doing, neither did he hoard it. In every province he spent money to build roads, provide public works, regulate boundaries and strengthen frontiers. He even granted taxation immunity to some deserving communities. In Italy he undertook a program of building and repair of civil war damage; even before his arrival in Rome the rebuilding of the Capitoline temple had been begun in token of Rome's resurgence. Schools were built and endowed, and a new life for the Empire was beginning. In the new order, the Emperor’s theme would be public service instead of a willful self-indulgence. The amphitheater can only agree with his intention in this respect.
The Colosseum ultimately represented something that was not intended at the start of construction. The unification that resulted from watching violent games and religious ceremonies is something we still have today. Surely, Vespasian did not plan for this building to be influencing the lives of people in the 21st century. People today still have religion to feel connected with others and with God; modern reality shows are also a great example of a form of violence that the majority of the public like to watch on a regular basis. However, unlike television shows that eventually die out after a few years, the Colosseum is an important monument with such memorable characters that it has managed to remain influential and prominent to people all throughout the world over thousands of years.
Bibliography
Castex, Jean. “Architecture of Italy.” Greenwood Press, 2008. pp. 35-38
Gibbon, Edward. “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: The Turn of the
Tide.” London: The Folio Society Ltd, 1983. Pp. 65-6, 68, 305-6
Kostof, Spiro. “A History of Architecture: Second Edition Settings and Rituals.” New York:
Oxford University Press, 1995.
Noreña, Carlos F. “Medium and Message in Vespasian’s Templum Pacis.” University of
Michigan Press, 2003. pp. 25-43
Pearson, John. “Arena: The story of the Colosseum.” New York: McGraw-Hill, 1973. pp. 192
Salmon, Edward T. “A History of the Roman World: From 30 B.C. to A.D. 138.” London:
Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1944. Pp. 211-231
“The Flavians: Savior to Despot AD 69-98.” 2010. pp. 134-139
Rome Market
Istanbul Market
Each series of three photographs come together into one theme: the Market World. The style as if these were taken from a photo booth, these scenes are seen through the eyes of a foreigner who lived in these cities for only a time long enough merely to reveal their first impressions.
Walking through the market in Rome is a smooth stream while in Istanbul it was more like trying to swim in agar. What I see in people's walking, and eventually mold into doing the same: Laid-back mosey (Rome) versus directionally determined shuffling (Istanbul).
What do these two markets have in common? An overwhelming mix of tourists and residents where the latter is mainly playing the role of the vendor. Merchants will try anything to get your attention. They will try to guess where I am from or shout out any Asian language they know in hopes of reeling me toward their stand. In Rome, there was a larger range in languages (Chinese, Japanese, English) whereas in Istanbul they would generally stick with English. Initially it was difficult not to feel insulted by their horribly pronounced words, but then seeing the smile on their faces made me pity their desperate attempts. A smile in return was all I could give them because I was usually not interested in buying anything. They must think I am just a waste of time. Merchants in Rome sure made me feel this way. If I was not going to buy anything, then it is not worth talking to me. I guess this is true in general for most people who are trying to sell their products, but I did not feel this sort of pressure as strongly in Istanbul as I did in Rome.
Food, food, food. I cannot get enough. But to get the best price for the same product? You have to scope through as many stands as possible before you make your purchase. In both cities, the food remained about the same in each stand. Sometimes, I am proud of myself for having skipped a stand that sold an orange for 1 euro when the next one over was selling one for half the price. I know its not much, especially when I was going to spend 80 euros on a leather purse, but I think that if I save a little bit each day I can save a lot by the end of the trip.
The market in the Campo de Fiori had stands that sold mostly the same thing for relatively the same prices; it just depended on which one you preferred to walk to. However, in Istanbul I had found Turkish delight for 20 Lira in one stand and the same types of Turkish delight for 10 in another. This was the same for other things such as scarves, towels, jewelry, and pottery. The vendors that I encountered were also more sincere than the ones I tried to speak with in Rome. If I stopped to talk to them, they were interested in having a real conversation rather than just trying to sell me their Pashminas. Even if I left without buying anything, they would wave good-bye with such enthusiasm that it just made my day.
Overall, there was a specific identity that merchants had in Istanbul that I did not see in Rome. Were they selling products that the city or country was known for? I don't know if it was my lack of research but I had a long list of things to get in Istanbul (Simit, Turkish coffee, Pashmina, Turkish ice cream, towels, copper, Turkish black tea, and Turkish Delight just to name a few) because these were things that they were specialized in making; in Rome, there weren't many specific things I "had" to buy (except, of course, for my leather purse; espresso at Magnolia; Gelateria del Teatro gelato; pizza; and pasta) that were identity-oriented. It could have been that it was too obvious for anyone to say to me "You have to try this. Italy's _____ is amazing you can't get it anywhere else". Sure, pizza is an obvious choice to Americans and is so much better there than in the US. I usually despise the taste of pizza in the States but I was beginning to convert into a pizza-lover by the 4th week. Is pizza known as an Italian thing though? I guess having a class that constantly questioned what "Italian" means had made me uncertain because I honestly do not know.
Maybe it was also that Turkey's specialty products are not well-known to students in the program so the topic was brought up more often. I certainly did not hear as much about Turkish Delight than I did about Simit because everyone had already heard of Turkish Delights. As someone who loves bread, Simit became my favorite food throughout the whole program.
Istanbul and Rome. Rome and Istanbul. They are so different, and yet, this is why I love both. If I am able to finance my plan to visit a different country each month for a year by 2013, I know that I will definitely be hitting up Istanbul, Turkey and Rome, Italy.
