City police officers watch over tourists at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome (image credit: AP/Gregorio Borgia via news.com.au)

Rome applies strict rules for centurions and messy eaters

Make sure you don’t dress like centurions and eat carelessly near monuments when you travel to Rome. 

Roman Authorities decided to take serious measures against bad manners visitors especially near Colosseum and Trevi Fountain. The government announced a prohibition to dress up like centurions – men who wear tunics and leather breastplates while holding plastic swords and gain money from tourists by posing for photos.  

According to the Guardian, the rules were coming from 1946 where legislation disallowed men from wearing ancient soldier’s costumes and hunting visitors for money by posing with them.  

Daniele Di Porto who started began dressing up as a Roman centurion in 2000 said the authorities released an anti-centurion decree because of a bunch of rotten apples. For almost nine years, Di Porto became centurion in front of the Colosseum to attract tourists who wanted to take picture with him, but now he has been chased away after the new rules applied.  

The sanctions for centurions are fine up to 400 euros, or about $734  and prohibition to enter the Town Centre for as long as two months, according to the City’s new rules.

Another sanctions also come for “clumsy” eaters who make others feel gross near monuments.  People who eat carelessly are mostly found in The Trevi Fountain area. The penalties for “messy” eaters remained unclear whether they just get a rebuking from police patrolling historic sites or would be punished.  

However for those who swim in the Trevi Fountain would face “severe fines”, said authorities

Marco Cardilli, the deputy chief of staff and security delegate at Rome’s council, said due to the necessity of a modern society, government decided to update several old rules. 

The cities also ban people for pulling down wheeled suitcases on historic staircases, walking around bare-chested, “nuisance drunks” such us singing on public transportation. In addition, visitors disallow to touch the nozzles of drinking fountains with mouth.

Source: https://www.news.com.au/travel/world-travel/europe/rome-is-fed-up-with-costumed-characters-and-messy-eaters/news-story/f3a04d0f0a16ed43abced58a4bddab9c