Rome Off the Beaten Tracks

 The Campus Martius, dedicated to the war god Mars, was the vast plan where roman soldiers played sports or military exercises. During Imperial times the area, now the historic centre of Rome, is huddled between Venice Square, Navona square and Piazza del Popolo. Thr emperor Augustus used it for public entertainment and built theatres, baths, porticoes and temples there. You can  start your walking tour from Via dell’Arco della Ciambella near Argentina square  where you can still see the remains of the ancient Baths of Agrippa. You will then continue your walking  tour towards the Pantheon square. Just before the square adjacent to the Pantheon rotunda you will  admire the magnificent ruins of the Basilica of Neptune. The basilica was constructed in 25 B.C. by Marco Vipsanio Agrippa – son in law and admiral of the emperor Augustus – in honour of the sea god Neptune to celebrate his naval victory over Marc Antony and Cleopatra at Azio in 31 BC. You will visit then the imposing and well-preserved building of the Pantheon temple. It was transformed into the Church of Santa Maria ad Martyres during the VII century. Your  walking tour can continue towards the beautiful Piazza di Pietra where we can  admire  the ruins of the massive Temple of Hadrian. In 1831 the building was assigned to the Borsa di Roma (the stock exchange of Rome). You can  then walk  to  Piazza Colonna. At the centre of the square just opposite the Chigi Palace, stands the column of Marcus Aurelius built to honour the emperor Marcus Aurelius by his son Commodus to celebrate his victorious campaigns against the German tribes of the Marcomanni, Sarmati and Quadi between 176 and 192 AD. You can  then take a walk to Piazza Augusto Imperatore to visit the Mausoleum of Augustus, the great circular tomb of the emperor Augustus. Next head to the splendid marble altar Ara Pacis built by emperor August in 9 BC to commemorate the safe return of Augustus after he had spent three years in Spain and Gaul.