ABOVE: Here we are listening to our first walking lecture with Liz Lev. She is a renowned professor of Art History. She teaches at the Pontifical University of the Angelicum in Rome. Originally from Boston, MA, she has been living in Rome since 1997. Many of the guys who have studied abroad for the Catholic Studies undergraduate semester at the University of St. Thomas Bernardi campus here in Rome have fond memories of being impacted by her wealth of knowledge. For us who meet her here for the first time now know why.
ABOVE: Courtyard of the contemporary level of the Basilica. With Liz Lev as our guide, we moved beneath the multiple layers of the preceding physical structures that have existed on this spot and have been excavated. From moving through these physical layers, Dr. Lev illuminated the historical backdrop and story of their inhabitants as told by the physical remains. She walked us through 2000 years of Roman history, that is told by the existing physical layers of this one spot!
ABOVE: There are 4 physical levels on the spot of the Basilica built up over the centuries. The first Christian Church on this spot was built either in or on top of St. Clement's house, and also on top of a pagan temple. This was sometime in the 4th century AD. The level pictured above dates in the 12th century AD. It's part of what was a forecourt in the medieval period. All the columns are different. They were gathered marble pieces acquired from ancient Roman buildings.
ABOVE: A narrow alley way from the time of the 4th century between a domestic house and building.
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