This panoramic photograph of Rome was taken by James Blakeway. It features the ancient Roman ruins known as the Roman Forum with the world famous Coliseum in the distance. The Coliseum, the symbol of Rome, was started in 72 A. . and had a capacity of 50,000. The Coliseum was inaugurated in 80 A. . and during the festivities, which according to historians lasted 3 monthes, a large number of Gladiatrs and 5000 animals were slain. The Forum was the heart of ancient Rome, the ex-capital of the lergest empire of antiquity and currently the religious center of the Catholic world.