History Channel Airs Special on Sunken Ships of Lake Nemi

Lake Nemi, just a short drive form Rome but a world away, is a lake formed from a volcanic crater. The ancient Romans felt that it was a sacred place and built shrines to several gods in the vicinity, including Diana, the goddess of the forests and hunting. Caligula built a floating temple to Diana (perhaps) and Mussolini pried this temple from the muck of Lake Nemi. The floating temple (two ships, actually) was put on display in a nearby museum, but the Nazis burned the museum as they were retreating. The History Channel attempts to recreate this floating temple and even shares footage of the draining of the lake by Mussolini to recover the ships. Watch the show tonight at 9:00 pm, and if you miss it, it's on again at 1:00 am Wednesday, October 1st (that's also tonight!).

Villa Torlonia Has Reopened

One of the most lavish of the private villas in Rome, the Villa Torlonia was closed for several years and has recently reopened restored to all its former opulence. The Villa is located to the east of the Villa Borghese along the Via Nomentana in the elegant Parioli neighborhood of Rome. The villa was redesigned in the 18th century by Marchese Giovanni Torlonia, who commissioned Giuseppe Valadier to renovate the main villa and build several outbuildings and gardens. These outbuildings included three major residences, stables, false ancient ruins, a small temple and later additions of a Moorish grotto, conservatory and tower, among other structures. Today the Villa Torlonia and its grounds, museums in their own right, house collections of stained glass, statuary, and archives from the Roman School era of painting from 1920-1940. The Villa was also Mussolini's primary residence 1925 until 1943, when it became the headquarters of the Allied High Command. The Villa Torlonia opens at 9:00 am and remains open until at least 6:30 pm year-round.

A History of Imperial Forum Excavations at the Capitoline Museum

Mussolini may have been a despot, but he did initiate the excavations which uncovered a vast majority of the ancient ruins you see in Rome today-the Forum and Markets of Trajan, the Forum of Augustus (pictured), the Forum of Nerva and the Forum of Caesar. While some might argue that Mussolini's Via dei Fori Imperiali (the road that runs from the Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum) effectively severed the Imperial Forums in two-not exactly what the Romans intended-his program of excavations did make these amazing ruins accessible to everyone. You can learn more about Mussolini's excavation program at the Capitoline Museum until November 23rd. The exhibition, titled "L'invenzione dei Fori Imperiali. Demolizioni e scavi: 1924-1940 (The invention of the Imperial Fora. Demolition and excavations: 1924-1940)" highlights photos, paintings and artifacts from these excavations.

Walk the Walls of Ancient Rome

As you journey around the city, you may notice a high brick wall in several areas, particularly if you are headed south by means of the Appian Way. This wall was begun in the 3rd century CE by the Emperor Aurelian. You can visit a museum dedicated to the study of these walls at the Porta San Sebastiano, the gate from which the Via Appia Antica leaves the city. The exhibit itself includes rooms which were once occupied by Ettore Muti, one of Mussolini's highest-ranking officials, and some mosaics from the Fascist period are still extant. With admission to the museum you can also access the ramparts of the walls. Here you will find a wonderful view of the city, the surrounding hills (Castelli Romani) and the Via Appia. It's a nice, cheap (3 Euros) diversion on your way to visit the catacombs at San Callisto or Santa Domitilla.