Rome

The Eternal City

• Coat of arms/Flag
• Status – Settlement
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• Corruption +; Crime +; Economy +; Law +; Lore +; Society +
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• Country – Papal States
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• Places of interest – The Colosseum, (Wilderness Area – Lake Nemi)
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• Current Ruler – Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia)
• Other Notable residents –Michelangelo, Perugino, Raphael, Ghirlandaio, Luca Signorelli, Botticelli, Cosimo Rosselli.
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• Base Value ; Purchase Limit ; Spellcasting
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Rome is one of the greatest center’s of art in the world.

The Council of Constance settled the Western Schism, and a Roman pope, Martin V, was elected. This brought to Rome a century of internal peace, which has marked the beginning of the Renaissance. The ruling popes from Nicholas V, founder of the Vatican Library, to Pius II, humanist and literate, from Sixtus IV, a warrior pope, to currently  Alexander VI, immoral and nepotist. All devoted their energy to the greatness and the beauty of the Eternal City, to the power of their stock, and to the patronage of the arts.

During these years the face of Rome dramatically although the centre of the Italian Renaissance moved to Rome from Florence. Majestic works have been created. To accomplish that, the Popes engaged the best artists of the time, including Michelangelo, Perugino, Raphael, Ghirlandaio, Luca Signorelli, Botticelli, and Cosimo Rosselli.

The period is infamous for papal corruption, with many Popes fathering children, and engaging in nepotism and simony. Under extravagant and rich popes, Rome was transformed into a centre of art, poetry, music, literature, education and culture. Rome became able to compete with other major European cities of the time in terms of wealth, grandeur, the arts, learning and architecture.

Rome lost in part its religious character, becoming increasingly a true Renaissance city, with a great number of popular feasts, horse races, parties, intrigues and licentious episodes.

Its economy was rich, with the presence of several Tuscan bankers, including Agostino Chigi, who was a friend of Raphael and a patron of arts. Raphael also promoted for the first time the preservation of the ancient ruins.

The Senate Building

Building set up as a meeting place for the most powerful men in practoria called the Senate

This is made up of leading citizens and when they meet, the Senate discuss issues such as proposed new laws, financial issues affecting Rome etc. There were about 300 men in the Senate. They were usually from rich noble families and what they think goes a long way to determining the law.

The Cicus Maximus

Place of chariot racing

Tarpeian Rock

The Tarpeian Rock is a steep cliff of the southern summit of the Capitoline Hill, overlooking the Forum in Rome. Which is used as an execution site, murderers and traitors, if convicted they are flung from the cliff to their deaths.

History

When Titus Tatius attacked Rome after the Rape of the Sabines, the Vestal Virgin Tarpeia, daughter of Spurius Tarpeius, governor of the citadel on the Capitoline Hill, betrayed the Romans by opening the city gates for the Sabines in return for ‘what they bore on their arms.’ She believed that she would receive their golden bracelets. Instead, the Sabines crushed her to death with their shields, and she was thrown from the rock which now bears her name.

To be hurled off the Tarpeian rock is, in some sense, a fate worse than death, because it carried with it a stigma of shame. The standard method of execution in ancient Rome was by strangulation in the Tullianum. Rather, the rock was reserved for the most notorious traitors, and as a place of unofficial, extra-legal executions (by mobs whipped into frenzy).