Aside from the graffiti, the biggest surprises about Rome have been:
- Seagulls. It makes sense, Rome being so close to the sea, but I never realized how many seagulls were flying around and shitting on ancient Roman statues and buildings.
- Obelisks. I realize that Egypt was subjugated by the Roman empire, but I had no idea how many obelisks were brought back to Rome. I had assumed plundering Egyptian artefacts was a British Museum thing.
This particular one is the Obelisk of Montecitorio and was brought back to the Campus Martius in Rome by Augustus. It was found in the 16th century (but reburied!) Pope Pius VI had it moved to the Piazza di Monte Citorio in 1792.