The assasination of Julius Caesar made the Ides of March a turning point in roman history. It’s one of the event that marked the transition from the Roman Republic to Roman Empire.

The “Gruppo Storico Romano” (www.gruppostoricoromano.it) offers the historic commemoration of the tragic events of March 15, 44 BC. The Gruppo Storico Romano is a cultural non -profit organization that recreates traditions and scenes from Ancient Rome. For the first time, the assassination of Julius Caesar  was reenacted at the exact location where the general was stabbed to death, at the Area Sacra di Largo di Torre Argentina.

The 45-minute re-enactment of the dramatic events of 2,159 years ago was played in three parts. In the first, senators declared Caesar a public enemy of Rome after he appointed himself a perpetual dictator. In the second, Caesar was stabbed to death with 23 wounds, the last of which was inflicted by Brutus. Before dying, Caesar shouted his last, famous words in Latin: “Tu quoque, Brute, fili mi!” (‘You too Brutus, my son!’) In the third and final Scene, Brutus and Mark Anthony justified their actions to the people of Rome.

See related story: Rome’s foundation anniversary

Rome, “the eternal city”, celebrates his secular holiday, on 21th April. Known as “Natale di Roma”, the annual birthday celebration is based on the legendary foundation of Rome by Romulus in 753 BC.

The “Gruppo Storico Romano” (www.gruppostoricoromano.it) every year commemorates the origins of the city of Rome with a series of events and initiatives. The purpose of this festival is exactly to keep alive this global interest towards the city.

Rome’s foundation anniversary is a set of events and initiatives involving groups of about 1.600 historical celebrators, coming from 42 cultural organizations from 9 different European countries. The main event is a costumed parade, featuring more than 2.000 gladiators, senators, vestal virgins which begins and ends at the Circus Maximus.

See related story: Ides of March – The Death of Caesar

Sicily–Rome American Cemetery and Memorial was established in the city of Nettuno (RM) as a temporary cemetery on 24 January 1944, two days after the U.S. VI Corps landing on the beaches of Anzio.

7.861 war dead of the United States of America from World War II rest here. Most of those buried here died in the liberation of Sicily, in the landings in the Salerno area and in the subsequent heavy fighting northward, in the landing at and occupation of the Anzio beachhead, and in the air and naval operations in these regions. Additionally, the names of 3.095 Americans whose remains were never recovered or not identified are inscribed on the walls of the chapel.

A bronze rosette marks the names of those who were subsequently found. 488 headstones mark the graves of 490 “unknowns”. The construction and care of this 77-acre cemetery and memorial are the responsability of the American Battle Monuments Commision, an agency of the United States government. Use of the land was granted, in perpetuity, by the people of Italy.

Info: www.abmc.gov/Sicily-Rome

Northern Thai province of Chiang Mai – During my trip in Thailand, I combined a visit to the fascinating Karen hill tribe of Nongomontha village. After a long trekking into the jungle, I finally reached the village. Around 150 people live here. I had the chance to meet with them, having dinner together and sleeping for one night in this village.

It is not clear where the Karen hill tribe originates from. Tibet and the Gobi desert are considered possible homelands of the Karen. What is clear is that the Karen have been living in Burma for many centuries. In the 18th century Karen started migrating into Thailand.

Karen live in fifteen provinces in Thailand. These are all along the Burmese-Thai border from Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son down to Tak, Kanchanaburi and further south to the Isthmus of Kra. Green Trails organizes tours to Karen communities in the Mae Wang area and on Doi Inthanon. Karen communities also feature in tours to the Mae Taeng and Chiang Dao areas. There are Karen villages in the Doi Wawee area, south of Chiang Rai.

The Karen hill tribe people wear woven v-neck tunics of various natural colours and turbans. Unmarried women wear distinctive long white v-neck tunics. The Karen occupy lowland areas, engaging in agriculture, including rice cultivation. Most Karen live in mountain villages and practice shifting cultivation of the rotating field type (that is, they move their fields, not their villages). They are primarily subsistence rice farmers. Because they live in the lower mountains, they have interacted significantly with the Thai population.

They are also skilled weavers and the most environmentally conscious of the hill tribes – practicing crop rotation, thus preserving the forest. The Karen hill tribe is the only tribe that owns elephants. Their formerly isolated villages now boast electricity, running water and a dirt road. Many marketable crops, such as tomatoes, soya beans, peanuts, beans and peppers, have become almost as important as the basic rice crop.

Info trekking: Yudee Mesook

The Maasai tribe of Kenya are an indigenous ethnic group in Africa of semi-nomadic people settled in northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania.

A Maasai tribe visit is something you have to do in Africa, during a safari experience. Before entering a village, the whole tribe will perform a traditional Maasai welcome dance for you. After the dance, you are allowed inside to learn about their culture and how they live.

To be a Maasai is to be born into one of the world’s last great warrior cultures. The role of a warrior is to protect their animals from human and animal predators, to build “Kraals” (Maasai homes) and to provide security to their families. The Maasai people have a patriarchal social structure, with elder men making most of the decisions for each group.

Men often have several wives, each with her own house. But the women must build their own houses (fashioned from sticks, cow dung and thatched roofs) every five years due to termites. Their villages are enveloped in a circular “Enkang” (fence) built by the men and this protects their cattle at night from wild animals (hyeans and leopards).

The Maasai people has a deep, almost sacred, relationship with cattle. They are guided by a strong belief that God created cattle especially for them. They are the sole custodians of all the cattle on earth. The Maasai tribe measures wealth by the number of cattle and children one has.

Info safari: beaconsafaries.com