{"id":220822,"date":"2025-02-25T15:53:39","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T15:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/travel\/rewrite-this-title-in-arabic-forget-the-colosseum-this-roman-amphitheatre-is-a-lost-treasure\/"},"modified":"2025-02-25T15:53:40","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T15:53:40","slug":"rewrite-this-title-in-arabic-forget-the-colosseum-this-roman-amphitheatre-is-a-lost-treasure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/travel\/rewrite-this-title-in-arabic-forget-the-colosseum-this-roman-amphitheatre-is-a-lost-treasure\/","title":{"rendered":"rewrite this title in Arabic Forget the Colosseum: This Roman amphitheatre is a lost treasure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic<br \/>\n        Two Italian teenagers are reviving their town\u2019s archaeological past by offering free guided tours for visitors.<br \/>\n    ADVERTISEMENTThe Rome Colosseum, Verona\u2019s impressive arena \u2013 everyone knows Italy\u2019s beloved ancient Roman amphitheatres, synonymous with drama and pomp: gladiator conflicts, bloody spectacles and, still to this day, the backdrop to larger-than-life pop concerts and opera performances.Not all of them, however, get quite the same attention. Some lie forgotten or even repurposed in the most unusual of ways \u2013 including as sports grounds.In Monteleone Sabino \u2013 a small village of barely 1,000 inhabitants a stone\u2019s throw from Rome \u2013 a recently discovered Roman amphitheatre is nestled away behind bushes and woodland and has turned into the backdrop of the local team\u2019s football matches.Public money has been insufficient to bring the site to the public\u2019s attention, and local interest appears relatively scant. But two young volunteers are trying to bring their village\u2019s heritage to light \u2013 and hope that tourists will also make an effort to discover its hidden gem.Trebula Mutuesca: the forgotten ancient Roman townA mere 45 kilometres northeast of Rome and just a 70-minute drive away, Monteleone Sabino looks much like any nondescript, sleepy central Italian town \u2013 peppered with terracotta-hued brick bungalows and houses, all clustered around a medieval church and piazza, lined with unassuming cafes, post offices, and the obligatory \u2018tabacchi\u2019 (tobacconist).\u00a0Among its most distinctive features is the sanctuary of Saint Victoria, a beautiful Romanesque church overlooking the region\u2019s rolling hills, which closed after an earthquake in 2016 left it in a precarious condition.But like many other places in the \u2018Bel Paese\u2019 (beautiful country), Monteleone conceals a unique history \u2013 one its own residents were hardly privy to until the end of the last century.Once home to the Sabines \u2013 one of the local Italic tribes conquered by the Romans, which gave the village its name \u2013 Monteleone stands on what used to be a prosperous 4th-century BC settlement, Trebula Mutuesca. This ancient town boasted its own temple, baths, forum and amphitheatre. It even garnered mentions by ancient Rome\u2019s leading literary giants, Virgil and Pliny the Elder.Despite the ancient town\u2019s illustrious past and aristocratic population, it eventually fell into disrepair over the centuries, as it was overtaken by vegetation and eventually gave way to the current hilltop village, roughly 1.5 kilometres away from Trebula Mutuesca\u2019s centre.\u00a0While local awareness of an ancient Roman settlement persisted throughout the generations, Trebula Mutuesca fell into oblivion, becoming little more than a faint memory.It was a spell of particularly intense rainfall in the 1950s that ultimately revealed what had been hidden for millennia: the ruins of the amphitheatre complex.\u00a0A team of archaeologists spent decades trying to uncover the artefacts and remains, taking almost half a century due to a series of delays and interruptions, and only seeing its completion in the 2000s.A historic Roman amphitheatre turned modern-day football pitch?While discovering an entire ancient Roman town may have been any small village\u2019s claim to fame (and fortune), in a region oversaturated with historical artefacts, locals merely embedded the uncovered ruins into their village life \u2013 reflecting a broader Italian tendency to downplay or neglect the significance of its past.Indeed, prior to the arrival of Northern European archaeologists and historians in the 18th and 19th centuries, Rome\u2019s very own ancient ruins were hardly the source of cultural appreciation: the Imperial Forum itself was a makeshift market, while stone from its buildings was used to build many of the city\u2019s most iconic monuments.In Monteleone, the grassy site near the amphitheatre was quickly turned into a football pitch, used by the local team, ASD Real Monteleone Sabino, for matches with neighbouring towns.\u00a0ADVERTISEMENTTucked away behind the village in a bucolic setting encroached by olive groves and overgrown vegetation, blink and you\u2019ll miss the entrance to the ancient Roman site, which includes a vast open expanse dotted with walls and arches \u2013 once the amphitheatre and its stands \u2013 as well as the tunnels underneath the arena that once held ancient gladiator fights and shows.The Romanesque sanctuary of Saint Victoria, located near Monteleone Sabino\u2019s amphitheatre, and closed since a 2016 earthquake.Visitors can also see some of the busts and other artefacts found at Trebula Mutuesca in Monteleone\u2019s small archaeological museum, open Friday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm for \u20ac5 (\u20ac3 for young and senior individuals).\u00a0There have been local efforts to preserve and promote the historical and archaeological significance of the site, including small concerts and exhibits.ADVERTISEMENTBut insufficient public funds, lukewarm local interest, as well as regional competitiveness \u2013 the so-called campanilismo or \u201cchurch bell-ism\u201d: the distinctly Italian phenomenon of rivalries between parishes \u2013 has resulted in Trebula Mutuesca remaining largely underappreciated.\u2018We want to share our heritage with future generations\u2019For two young Monteleonesi, the ruins of Trebula Mutuesca are more than just a part of their local heritage \u2013 it\u2019s a passion project and a driving force in their lives.Sara, 25, and Tommaso, 17, discovered their love for archaeology after becoming volunteers for an archaeological conservation project (G.A.T.C) four years ago.\u201cArchaeological sites are important because, if preserved well, they can have a significant positive impact on the local economy through cultural tourism,\u201d Sara tells Euronews Travel.\u00a0ADVERTISEMENT\u201cBut more than that, they help us understand how people lived, their traditions, and their technologies. Without these treasures, we would lose so much of our history.\u201dThe two young conservationists have since channelled their enthusiasm locally and now hold the keys to Trebula Mutuesca\u2019s site, giving small tours of the amphitheatre for free every weekend.\u201cWe are the guardians of a millennia-old history, proud to represent the greatness of our ancient city and the Roman legacy that defines our identity,\u201d Tommaso adds.But Sara and Tommaso\u2019s efforts have not been entirely rewarded: while they claim to have a positive rapport with the local council, they bemoan what they consider to be the region\u2019s lack of willingness to raise awareness and publicise the archaeological site.\u00a0ADVERTISEMENT\u201cIt would be helpful to create some tourist centres, but we understand that the regional financial situation is challenging,\u201d Sara notes. \u201cIt takes a lot of time.\u201dFor the few visitors who have already made the journey to the ruins of Trebula Mutuesca, the apparent lack of care and resources in maintaining the ancient ruins has not been lost on them.\u201cPoorly looked after and appreciated,\u201d one Tripadvisor comment from August 2024 states. \u201c[A]s often happens in Italy.\u201dFor the foreseeable future, it seems Monteleone Sabino\u2019s ruins will remain off the beaten track, while its football pitch is not going anywhere any time soon.ADVERTISEMENTSome may see this all as a sign of Italy\u2019s longstanding struggle to fully appreciate its artistic heritage. Or you could say that it shows how life can still be breathed into thousands of years of history \u2013 as a sign of continuity with the town\u2019s past. Regardless, Sara and Tommaso remain steadfast in their fight to obtain greater recognition of their town\u2019s nugget of ancient history.\u201cTrebula\u2019s light still shines in what we do,\u201d Tommaso explains.\u201cBeing heirs of Trebula means carrying on a tradition that continues to inspire and shape us\u2026 it gives us our strength and an unbreakable bond with the ancient Roman roots that guide our future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Two Italian teenagers are reviving their town\u2019s archaeological past by offering free guided tours for visitors. ADVERTISEMENTThe Rome Colosseum, Verona\u2019s impressive arena \u2013 everyone knows Italy\u2019s beloved ancient Roman amphitheatres, synonymous with drama and pomp: gladiator conflicts, bloody spectacles and, still to this day,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":220823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-220822","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220822"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220822\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":220824,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220822\/revisions\/220824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}