Throughout the city of Rome, we took photos of items that had the word ‘SPQR’ inscribed on them as our son was doing a project on the topic. SPQR stands for ‘Senatus Populus que Romanusor’ or ‘the Senate and the People of Rome’. It is stamped on anything that is paid for by Roman taxes (The government of Rome still does it).

Our tour guide had a few other definitions to share:

• The Florentine translation (who did not like the Romans) is either Sono Porchi Quelli Romani (These Romans are Pigs) or Sono Pazzi Quelli Romani (These Romans are Crazy)
• The Romans have another translation, Solo PreteQui Regnono (Only Priest Rule Here).

The first photo is of a water fountain with the SPQR, the second is from the roof of the Vatican where Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus in a Roman court.