Gutenberg, Executions, Medicis, Vikings, Hobbits and more - medieval news roundup

A medieval news roundup for the weekend...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfIhMo_ck1UtOvBG4ZpCmTLFvinugoBf6QBVQWv8-5skHcQNQKriLNebawWvb_PzPa-doUEVHFxsDYkkBNvFYQEbpQHicD3ryg0pberrXVhGt_uIPsPHfMVR3rFrgZhJClsY8wASRxyY/s1600/gutenberg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfIhMo_ck1UtOvBG4ZpCmTLFvinugoBf6QBVQWv8-5skHcQNQKriLNebawWvb_PzPa-doUEVHFxsDYkkBNvFYQEbpQHicD3ryg0pberrXVhGt_uIPsPHfMVR3rFrgZhJClsY8wASRxyY/s320/gutenberg.gif" width="262" /></a></div>If you are a fan of Marshall McLuhan or have an interest in the history of printing, <b><a href="http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/the_future_is_medieval.php?page=all">this interview from the Columbia Journalism Review</a></b> might interest you. In this post, entitled <i>The future is medieval</i>, they talk with Thomas Pettitt and Lars Ole Sauerberg from the University of Southern Denmark about their “Gutenberg Parenthesis” idea. It deals with how digital media will be tipping the scales between oral and print communication, the first change we have seen since Gutenberg started his printing machine. It includes some talk about the medieval period, such as:<br /><br /><i>The Middle Ages was not strong on membership of communities. They were not obsessive about inside versus outside. They didn’t emphasize, “I’m a denizen of this town, I’m a citizen of this country, I belong in this nation, behind these frontiers.” They saw themselves rather like Hobbits (Tolkien was a medievalist). Hobbits knew their relatives to the seventh degree: second cousins three times removed, and so on. In the Middle Ages people saw themselves as part of a network of connections. They knew their family trees. They knew with whom they were related. They identified themselves as a node in a network and they saw pathways, connections to other people in their extended family. They also saw themselves in terms depending on their profession. If they were in the Church, they saw themselves in the Church hierarchy as being a priest here, subject to the archdeacon here, subject to the bishop there, and the archbishop and the pope. You could have status by being the servant to a servant to someone important.</i><br /><br />You can also listen to this talk they were part of from MIT:<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F95712755" width="100%"></iframe> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhharf8loKxG0vaNTisB1ppi6wCTZVVtqxAZhgYa8ztJT9JBDqcg-_27T0vXz10TUxAPDxwT7w-XE8gq4sqC8bQjqDADjbbMYRLwJ0XMwK_s0acjaF-m_fYUh984Vz8yj9Gh2vph-U2CbY/s1600/faithful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhharf8loKxG0vaNTisB1ppi6wCTZVVtqxAZhgYa8ztJT9JBDqcg-_27T0vXz10TUxAPDxwT7w-XE8gq4sqC8bQjqDADjbbMYRLwJ0XMwK_s0acjaF-m_fYUh984Vz8yj9Gh2vph-U2CbY/s200/faithful.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Slate magazine offers this <b><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2013/05/executioners_in_medieval_europe_history_of_capital_punishment.single.html">fascinating excerpt</a></b> from <i>The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century</i>, by Joel F. Harrington. It details how 16th century executioners performed their task. For example:<br /><br /><i>During his own 45-year career and 187 recorded executions with the sword, Meister Frantz required a second stroke only four times (an impressive success rate of 98 percent), yet he dutifully acknowledges each mistake in his journal with the simple annotation <u>botched</u>. </i><br /><i><br /></i>The New York Times has a <b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/science/rickets-plagued-children-of-the-medicis.html?_r=2&">short article</a></b> about how nine children from the wealthy and poweful Medici family have been found to have rickets, a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin D and usually associated with the poor. In this case, "the researchers said the children were probably deprived of sunlight, which spurs the body to make vitamin D. Wealthy children of that time were often tightly swaddled and kept inside, with suntans discouraged as signs of low standing."<br /><br />Sticking with the Medici's, <i>Three Pipe Problem</i> (a great blog) has an <b><a href="http://www.3pipe.net/2013/06/edward-goldberg-interview.html">interview with Edward Goldberg</a></b>, who does extensive research on that family and on the Jewish community in Renaissance Italy.<br /><br />ScienceNordic reports that a <b><a href="http://sciencenordic.com/oldest-charlemagne-coin-norway">1200 year old Carolingian coin has been discovered in Norway</a></b>. Jon Anders Risvaag, from NTNU University Museum, explains “Two factors make this find stand out. Firstly, this coin is older than the Carolingian coinage reform, and so far the oldest coin from Charlemagne’s reign found in Norway. Secondly, this coin was not found in a grave, in contrast to almost all other coins from Charlemagne and his successors that have been found in Norway.”<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-td6AplUQ2sf6RzxPUAoXs0Xbn00P6IFDdogJsJ-b7vsODcNq88qF2v8cvXctKrmpQsQ1Sk_GvNEdwB5-3QfrI5-55BV_IaDNfCUBxARyQELJZY6AdilqxDVfY24DHsgezR10rabfPbw/s1600/viking-ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-td6AplUQ2sf6RzxPUAoXs0Xbn00P6IFDdogJsJ-b7vsODcNq88qF2v8cvXctKrmpQsQ1Sk_GvNEdwB5-3QfrI5-55BV_IaDNfCUBxARyQELJZY6AdilqxDVfY24DHsgezR10rabfPbw/s200/viking-ship.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>If you are interested in the Vikings, go over to <b><a href="http://medievalhistories.com/">Medieval Histories</a></b>, where Karen Schousboe has written several posts about the Norsemen, including an indepth review of an exhibition Vikings 2013 at the National Museum in Copenhagen.<br /><br />Finally, the CBC (our public broadcaster here in Canada), has this article <b><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/the-buzz/2013/06/film-set-tourism-spikes-with-game-of-thrones-the-hobbit.html">Film, TV tourism spikes with Game of Thrones, The Hobbit</a></b>. Fans seem to be heading to Northern Ireland, Dubrovnik and New Zealand to check out the beautiful backdrops to their favourite shows/movies. New Zealand tourism is cashing on in the Hobbit (like they did with Lord of the Rings movies) with their "100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand" campaign.<br /><br /><br /><br />

Gutenberg, Executions, Medicis, Vikings, Hobbits and more - medieval news roundup

A medieval news roundup for the weekend... If you are a fan of Marshall McLuhan or have an interest in the history of printing, this intervi...

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Found in China, what to find in Iceland, and why we may never find the secret of the Voynich Manuscript

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21TvbtorMZOoI0adZDK2IYLul6Nn9TXTh-343EO4lKw7nPERsv5FqQ_IyaDcW8muQi5OCTwVvkbLnxh7h8dPwVd2Z-4jTsDtFsXuUPNZYeeC5dK3NfALqXNluXL3AqU8NnzNiUVioZCI/s1600/voynich_041113_300px_vertical.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21TvbtorMZOoI0adZDK2IYLul6Nn9TXTh-343EO4lKw7nPERsv5FqQ_IyaDcW8muQi5OCTwVvkbLnxh7h8dPwVd2Z-4jTsDtFsXuUPNZYeeC5dK3NfALqXNluXL3AqU8NnzNiUVioZCI/s400/voynich_041113_300px_vertical.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>The Voynich Manuscript has confounded scholars ever since it was revealed by a book dealer named Wilfrid Voynich in the early part of the 20th century. There have been several theories of when this odd manuscript, which contains bizarre images and indecipherable writing, was created, with some believing it dates back to the Middle Ages.<br /><br />In his article Cracking the Voynich Code, Batya Ungar-Sargon takes a look at the history of the manuscript. Radiocarbon dating finds that the manuscript was made between 1404 and 1438, although we do not know when the ink was written on it. Still, some believe the manuscript is really just a hoax, perhaps created in the 17th or even the 20th century.  <b><a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/books/129131/cracking-the-voynich-code?all=1" target="_blank">You can read the article on Tablet Magazine</a></b>.<br /><br />Icelanders are seeing the potential value of its medieval archaeological sites as tourist attractions, according to an article in the Iceland Review Online. Ólöf Ýrr Atladóttir, director general of the Icelandic Tourist Board, explains that “Nature still has the most attraction but culture, in a broad sense, is gaining popularity. Tourists are constantly seeking new experiences and not least the interplay between daily life and nature through centuries. Strategic development of tourism related to cultural values like archaeological remains plays a big part in that context.”<br /><br />However, she also warns that the her country needs to do a better job protecting archaeological sites from environmental degradation. <b><a href="http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Archaeology_Unused_Resource_for_Tourism_in_Iceland_0_399434.news.aspx" target="_blank">Click here to read this article from Iceland Review Online</a></b>. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Chinese archaeologists report that they might have discovered the tomb of Emperor Yang Guang, who was the last ruler of the Sui Dynasty. The small tomb contains a gravestone that identifies the emperor and relates events about the year he died, 618. However, Shu Jiaping, head of Yangzhou's Institute of Archaeology, warns "we're still not sure whether it was the emperor's final resting place, as historical records said his tomb had been relocated several times." <br /><br />Emperor Yang Shang had a very active rule, ordering major building projects including a Grand Canal and rebuilding large parts of the Great Wall. But his construction work and military campaigns bankrupted the state, eventually leading to a coup in which he was murdered. <b><a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-04/16/content_16412383.htm" target="_blank">Click here to read the full article from the China Daily</a></b>.

Found in China, what to find in Iceland, and why we may never find the secret of the Voynich Manuscript

The Voynich Manuscript has confounded scholars ever since it was revealed by a book dealer named Wilfrid Voynich in the early part of the 20...

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Selling Robin Hood: City's search for Sherwood spectacle

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjya9s2_XPBk3jEtByAuHFkqbJ-37k3mdfej9HScWhjUOvnpeKDo8s84Z1g6tAumzmaD7UugamO4KurWGzJfkRwkOORRvURuIZbWc1LzK32pTqDhYRW4y3Gjlopqi2nMJS6uNUDKpmi7Ec/s1600/Nottingham_Castle_Gate_2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjya9s2_XPBk3jEtByAuHFkqbJ-37k3mdfej9HScWhjUOvnpeKDo8s84Z1g6tAumzmaD7UugamO4KurWGzJfkRwkOORRvURuIZbWc1LzK32pTqDhYRW4y3Gjlopqi2nMJS6uNUDKpmi7Ec/s320/Nottingham_Castle_Gate_2009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>He's got a bow, wears Lincoln green and he's been the subject of Hollywood blockbusters starring Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe.<br /><br />There is no denying Robin Hood is a fully fledged global icon, but he has proved to be a headache for his home town of Nottingham.<br /><br />"There has been a feeling for as long as I can remember that Nottingham has underused and undersold one of its greatest assets," said Ted Cantle, who is soon to unveil new official proposals for a themed tourist attraction.<br /><br />"In the past, attempts to promote Robin Hood have been regarded as flimsy and lightweight and it needs something to really hold the public's imagination."<br /><br />This week's Robin Hood Festival, featuring jousting and storytelling, aims to attract 20,000 visitors but what about the other 51 weeks of the year?<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-19248926" target="_blank">Click here to read this article from the BBC</a></b><br /><b><br /></b><b><a href="http://www.medievalists.net/tag/robin-hood/" target="_blank">Click here to read more about Robin Hood</a></b><br />

Selling Robin Hood: City's search for Sherwood spectacle

He's got a bow, wears Lincoln green and he's been the subject of Hollywood blockbusters starring Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner and Russ...

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France's hidden gem...not any more! Beautiful medieval hamlet overrun with tourists after scooping travel award

Recognition in the lucrative holiday market is what most destinations dream of garnering. However, one pretty French hamlet is experiencing the pitfalls of over-exposure after its tourist figures soared when it picked up a prestigious award.  <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02tOEnz23glUZ_f_GCdPdl0dytrwyFYzUZNdgpP49f-9IU1BiY_fyYKeDlnol86ZOt2im3sv63upve060UZeMZA7HxaNx7cwJXdSG4Y4sKKqxSp2eQeMsYdHBvm5pAStVlcNXY6dD_9I/s1600/Saint-Cyrq-Lapopie_34.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02tOEnz23glUZ_f_GCdPdl0dytrwyFYzUZNdgpP49f-9IU1BiY_fyYKeDlnol86ZOt2im3sv63upve060UZeMZA7HxaNx7cwJXdSG4Y4sKKqxSp2eQeMsYdHBvm5pAStVlcNXY6dD_9I/s400/Saint-Cyrq-Lapopie_34.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />On some days during the summer, the local population of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie - just 217 people - has been dwarfed by visitors flocking to the medieval village, which lies 20 miles east of Cahors in south west France. Perched on a steep cliff 100ft above a river, the hamlet has a riveting history of battling off feudal rulers, Richard the Lionheart and religious fanatics in the Middle Ages.<br /><br />But its tourist office has been almost overrun. 'The sudden increase in visitors has taken us a bit by surprise, not that I'm complaining,' said office chief Clare. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2180955/Frances-hidden-gem--Beautiful-medieval-hamlet-overrun-tourists-scooping-travel-award.html" target="_blank">Click here to read the rest of this article from The Daily Mail</a></b> <object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7u-mSH6ABb8?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7u-mSH6ABb8?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> <object height="420" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yxq_n8N9anc?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yxq_n8N9anc?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="420" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

France's hidden gem...not any more! Beautiful medieval hamlet overrun with tourists after scooping travel award

Recognition in the lucrative holiday market is what most destinations dream of garnering. However, one pretty French hamlet is experiencing ...

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Segovia: Within medieval walls

The throne clad in red velvet was magnificent, the embroidered eagle stared menacingly, and the dome embellished in geometric motifs surreal. Mariano Vela Bautista, the dapper guide with a salt-and-pepper beard, doffed his fedora and stood still in Segovia Alcazar’s Throne Room.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXuBPVtxq4T3TGv-UdsHcWEj97e35BTBlvJxdjKykiw5HwWwCSs_vfi2Scpgb1iesBDFoR9vUERCX-NQKPtQsWk1e_14zRP99mUO10aREHaiCX-aCgzkozHcr-4WPHhefpZ3GTcm7MEw/s1600/Catedral_de_Segovia02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXuBPVtxq4T3TGv-UdsHcWEj97e35BTBlvJxdjKykiw5HwWwCSs_vfi2Scpgb1iesBDFoR9vUERCX-NQKPtQsWk1e_14zRP99mUO10aREHaiCX-aCgzkozHcr-4WPHhefpZ3GTcm7MEw/s400/Catedral_de_Segovia02.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />“This is where Christopher Columbus stood when Queen Isabella gambled on his proposal for a western route to China, a voyage that would lead to the discovery of America.” I looked at the ground beneath my feet — I was standing on history.<br /><br /> Almost."That is what Segovia is all about. History,” Bautista began his story about Segovia, a UNESCO World Heritage City which sits coquettishly close to Madrid, Spain’s capital. It is replete with twisted alleys, Romanesque structures, and legends that could tire any storyteller. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/255736/within-medieval-walls.html" target="_blank">Click here to read this article from the Deccan Herald</a></b><br /><br />See also this video: <b><a href="http://youtu.be/uKHRXY2UAKk" target="_blank">Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct</a></b>

Segovia: Within medieval walls

The throne clad in red velvet was magnificent, the embroidered eagle stared menacingly, and the dome embellished in geometric motifs surreal...

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France: A Medieval Castle in the Making

The construction of Guédelon about 100 miles southeast of Paris has already been underway for 15 years, yet workers are proud about how long it’s taking. That’s because you don’t build a medieval castle in a day using 13th-century techniques only.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjoC6jzFn7q59sCKtsEnbUVpmraPMn66hlRElKqFN7HVUrbFwFJzpYbTtJFF3UAXmTKWtFBwPbyssLMRjZyXvFMJI14eLNPgEdyYn7j0_cWBjY2kkW3j9Zog1WsFGwD3XAIEJLhvcevg/s1600/Ch%25C3%25A2teau_de_Gu%25C3%25A9delon_%2528juillet_2009%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjoC6jzFn7q59sCKtsEnbUVpmraPMn66hlRElKqFN7HVUrbFwFJzpYbTtJFF3UAXmTKWtFBwPbyssLMRjZyXvFMJI14eLNPgEdyYn7j0_cWBjY2kkW3j9Zog1WsFGwD3XAIEJLhvcevg/s400/Ch%25C3%25A2teau_de_Gu%25C3%25A9delon_%2528juillet_2009%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /> The project, begun in 1997, is the brainchild—or, as it was said at the time, the idée folle—of Michel Guyot, an architectural historian who restored the nearby Château de St.-Fargeau. In the process he discovered the remains of a castle that predated the elegant 17th manor. Fascinated by the building they suggested, he decided to recreate it in the forest a dozen miles from St.-Fargeau, enlisting experts who studied illuminated manuscripts, stained-glass windows and extant medieval structures to devise a fully authentic design.<br /><br /> With Guédelon now on the rise, no one’s calling Guyot crazy and the point of the exercise grows ever more apparent. Like one of those illustrated children’s books by David Macaulay—”Cathedral,” “Castle,“ “City,“ “Pyramid”—it is aimed at answering a question everyone asks when visiting remarkable edifices from the Middle Ages: How did workers do it without trucks, bulldozers and power tools?<br /><br /><b><a href="http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/travel/2012/05/a-medieval-castle-in-the-making/" target="_blank">Click here to read this article from Smithsonian.com</a></b><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.guedelon.fr/en/" target="_blank">Click here to visit the Castle's website</a></b> <object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/81UaMYAxzZo?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/81UaMYAxzZo?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> <object height="410" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SR7SI7tzvhA?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SR7SI7tzvhA?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="410" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

France: A Medieval Castle in the Making

The construction of Guédelon about 100 miles southeast of Paris has already been underway for 15 years, yet workers are proud about how long...

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$800-million ancient Rome theme park planned - in Rome

The wonders of the ancient city of Rome will be re-created as a gigantic theme park a few kilometres from the original monuments, if Gianni Alemanno, the mayor, has his way.<br /><br />The grandiose project is being nicknamed the Disneyland of Ancient Rome or Romaland. Those backing the project envisage millions of tourists having the chance to stroll through the ancient forum, race chariots around the Circus Maximus, climb down into the catacombs or loll in the Baths of Caracalla.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-0Z9LUjTZxLQC0k92kwEyHkKSlBRrOaCPh5lNUOSVN2K6SAhy3OHEUXU8z1ZwLTbsqf-C_XiWLXyz1yW8AhbcJxMHKUZnw1KzypFjuZDqrPOJaVsO1fff2VViR0J64JQwwUWAPyIF3I/s1600/6166361-inside_the_Colosseum_Rome.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-0Z9LUjTZxLQC0k92kwEyHkKSlBRrOaCPh5lNUOSVN2K6SAhy3OHEUXU8z1ZwLTbsqf-C_XiWLXyz1yW8AhbcJxMHKUZnw1KzypFjuZDqrPOJaVsO1fff2VViR0J64JQwwUWAPyIF3I/s1600/6166361-inside_the_Colosseum_Rome.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><br />Visitors will get to watch gladiator fights and battle re-enactments in the Colosseum, although officials say it is unlikely that a full-size version will be built. "The idea is to give the visitor a sense of what the ancient life of Rome was. That's the target," Antonio Gazzellone, Rome's leading tourist official, said.<br /><br />The plans call for a 240-hectare site on the outskirts of Rome with five hotels, all of which will generate 9,000 jobs. The designers say that an estimated five million foreigners and three million Italians will visit the park every year. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/million+ancient+Rome+theme+park+planned+Rome/6488881/story.html" target="_blank">Click here to read this article from the Ottawa Citizen</a></b><br /><br />See also <b><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iDg5Fsr1PZsSZB8wno-reN7bFjMw?docId=CNG.d0cb167a6861d704eba39f80497b125d.391" target="_blank">Qatar could invest in ancient Rome theme park: reports</a></b>

$800-million ancient Rome theme park planned - in Rome

The wonders of the ancient city of Rome will be re-created as a gigantic theme park a few kilometres from the original monuments, if Gianni ...

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