VIR IN VIA

EXPLORING MODERN ROME WITH A COMPANION FROM THE ANCIENT CITY

SUDBURY, NICHOLAS

Vir in Via is a travel guidebook to the modern city of Rome – but with an ancient twist: it brings together a contemporary city walking guide with a traditional archaeological survey. Whether exploring Italy’s vibrant capital or delving into its past is your thing, this rich book will prove both useful and fascinating. Detailed itineraries escort us around familiar tourist tracks and lesser-known areas of Rome while imagining that we are accompanied by Josephus Publicus, a fictional inhabitant of the ancient city. Sudbury keeps his – and our – eye on what remnants of the ancient and medieval past can be found in Rome, whether readily visible or buried underground, while our imaginary companion relates tales about his haunts and discovers what they have become. Peeling back layers of topography, Vir in Via reveals unexpected connections between past and present. Digging deep into history, it reveals how Rome has evolved into its modern guise. Walking tours encompass all the most famous landmarks: the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Imperial Fora, Villa Borghese and the Seven Hills. But the suggested strolls also explore areas not usually included in guides aimed at casual tourists, such as Pinciano, the Parioli hills – haunts of ancient witches and soothsayers – and modern districts such as Prati, where early emperors had their pleasure gardens. In this unique city of history, culture and much more besides, even the most far-flung parts of the city have an absorbing story to tell. With Vir in Via in your hand, visit 500 churches (many with connections to the pagan past), 24 sets of Roman baths, 32 towers, all 13 original obelisks, 20 sets of catacombs, over 120 fountains. and 6 talking statues. Learn where to find the creepiest crypts, most ghoulish martyrdom frescoes and Roman carvings embedded in street walls, then celebrate by following hot tips on locating the city’s very best ice-creams. Whether you are an amateur archaeologist, ancient-history buff or simply a visitor who looks beyond the obvious, let Vir in Via be your guide on an unusual, absorbing tour of Rome.