A Nap in the Emperor's Garden
Palatine Hill
June 7, 2008
Seems pretty calm up here now, but I wouldn't have risked lying down and napping in a shady corner of the Emperor's garden when Augustus or Caligula were walking around. After our tour, we took a break from the Italian heat, and lay down in soft grass, along with a few dozen other tourists from various spots around the globe, and had a little siesta.
Our guide said that the ruins of a small amphitheater (below) were where the Emperor and his pals could enjoy minor spectacles -- such as chariot races pulled by goats and driven by slave children -- when they didn't feel like hauling it down to Circus Maximus with the plebs. (I know it's wrong, but that would be pretty fun to see.)
