Last Saturday, I went to Ravenna on a tour with the school.  Ravenna became the capital of the Western Empire during the reign of Onorius in 395 A.D.  It is known for it’s Early Christian and Byzantine art, which I remember some of from art history.  That said, we went to Galla Placidia (I think), S. Vitale, and Sant’Apollinare in Classe, among other places.  If it hadn’t been so cold, I would have enjoyed it even more than I did, but it was pretty amazing, regardless. For instance, there were fish swimming in an accidental well near Dante’s tomb.  I guess there was a leak or an open ceiling that allowed rain and stuff to get in, and somehow, over time, fish found their way in, as well.  Often times, I think that the trip to Ravenna would have been better suited to someone like Nathaniel or Diane Smith or Jay Zumeta, someone passionate about the history of art.

these mosaics were something like a visual documentation of the battle in constantinople against the turks, if I recall correctly.