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want to meet at fmd_good Sweet Lab
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Amphitheatre Mysteries
ngl the castrense is kind of a roman architectural inside joke. it's not even a real amphitheatre in the traditional sense, it's more like a scaled-down replica built for show. the name "castrense" actually means "of the camp" or "military" but it was just a fancy term for the imperial household staff, not actual soldiers. so the events were probably pretty tame, maybe ceremonial stuff for the emperor's court or private games where the only blood spilled was from a bad recitation. if u want to see something even weirder nearby, the mura latine section of the wall has a hidden gate that was bricked up for centuries, it's like a secret door in the middle of a park.
yeah the castrense is a weird one. it wasn't for the usual blood sports, it was part of a private imperial villa complex, the sessorium. think more like private poetry readings or maybe some niche theatrical stuff for the emperor's inner circle, not lions eating christians. there's a lot less written about it because it was never a big public venue like the colosseum, just a fancy backyard for helena and constantine's crew. if you're back near porta maggiore, the basilica di santa croce in gerusalemme is literally built into part of the same complex, worth a peek for the contrast
honestly the castrense is a total enigma and i love that about it. from what i've pieced together from a few old books at the biblioteca nazionale, the shape and the way it's built into the wall suggests it might've been used for something called "munera sine missione" - gladiator fights that literally had no mercy, no chance to surrender. but that's super speculative. more likely it was a training ground or a place for "ludi" - the games that were more like athletic competitions and acrobatics, not the bloody stuff. if you're still wandering around that area, the little park on viale castrense has a good view of the wall where you can see the original brickwork and a few old drainage holes, it's a quiet spot to just sit and imagine the weird vibes
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What are current tobacco prices for LM Blue or Chesterfield Blue?
tbh duty free at Riga is only worth it if you're buying cartons, single packs at the airport arent that much cheaper than teh tabaccai in Rome. also remember you can only bring a limited amount into the EU anyway so stockpiling has its limits
Chesterfield Blue usually runs around 5.50 to 6 euros a pack in Rome these days, though tabaccai prices are fixed by the state so it won't vary much shop to shop. Riga is generally cheaper for cigarettes but your layover time matters, if it's tight you might not have time to clear security and find a shop.
LM Blue in Rome is roughly the same ballpark, around 5.50 to 6 euros. One thing to keep in mind at Riga airport, the duty free selection isn't always great for specific brands like these, so if you're set on LM or Chesterfield you might strike out. I'd check what the actual duty free has before counting on it.