day 26: how to go where you aren't supposed to at the forum

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the day's events:
just a forum field trip, but the first one where we got to go in stuff that's closed to the general public. on the agenda was the basilica Aemilia, house of the Vestals, and the basilica Julia. how does one get into these fenced-off sites? we were just learning how this process works at the time. it's really quite simple.

1. know Franco (preferably have him call ahead)
2. show up
3. send Walsh off in search of the custode
4. wait
5. wait a little more
6. jump the fence once you're in the line of sight of the custode
7. repeat for each site

we did just so. getting into the basilica Aemilia is worth it to get a good look at the frieze fragments preserved there, depicting the punishment of Tarpeia and the rape of the Sabine women. without jumping the fence and running the length of the basilica, you have to lean over a railing on the south ramp entrance to the forum to get any sort of decent look at them.

the house of the Vestals is such a crucial part of the forum, i'm surprised that it's actually closed to the public. many other people told me that it used to be open. perhaps it was related to the work going on at the neighboring regia. i hope they open it in the future.

the basilica Julia is little more than a raised platform any more, but getting to climb up on it and look at the floor let us see all of the carvings in the pavement, including several game boards.

i've got nothing on the rest of the day.