Rome - The Eternal City

Unlike the city of Babylon that rose to glory and then died a natural death, some cities just refuse to die. These are simply eternal cities. Varanasi in India and Rome in Italy are sources of such eternal wonder. Surprisingly enough, both of these two cities have roots in religion and enjoy the favor of ever flowing rivers (Tiber in the case of Rome and Ganges that flows past Varanasi) while the vagaries of Euphrates/Tigris regrettably destroyed Babylon.

Rome, for more than five centuries, was one of the most powerful and enchanting cites of the western world, most of which was spent serving as the capital of the Roman Empire. However, it began to feel the twinge of decline during the third century that continued right up to the 4th and the 5th when the capital was shifted from Rome. Gone were all the hustle and bustle, construction of roads and bridges and many other developmental works that came to a grinding halt following the transfer of the centre of power.

But the city recovered soon by becoming the capital of the catholic world. The wife of Emperor Constantine reportedly bestowed to the church what was to become San Giovanni in Laterano and thus the sanctuary turned into the centre of perpetual papal power. A greater milestone was added by the end of the 4th century when the Basilica of Saint Peter was built at the site of the death and burial of Saint Peter. And as a result, Rome became an important centre of pilgrimage in whole of Europe and started flourishing again. New churches and sanctuaries were built with the money the pilgrims brought with them. Pope was re-installed and all went well.

However, the Napoleonic war of the early 19th century brought disaster to Rome once again. Pope was expelled but when he returned after the restoration he had to face public discontents that led to rebellions. Nevertheless, these were eventually crushed with the help of French troops and papal power was once more restored and Rome thrived again.

Strange, as it may sound, when the rest of Italy got together under Piedmont’s rule during 1859-60, Rome was left alone, thanks to the presence of French troops in the city and stranger still how Rome again became the capital of Italy through the birth of the young state. And this time things really began to take shape. The “new” or the “Third Rome” not only recovered all its former glory but also spread its wings to cover new territories and thus turned into a sprawling city teeming with vitality and vigor.