Roman Centurion accused of attacking tourists at Colosseum*

Tom Kington in Rome
Thursday June 28, 2007
The Guardian

Two thousand years ago Roman centurions were not above cracking heads
together as they enforced imperial authority, an example which is
apparently being followed a little too faithfully by the "centurions"
who hang around Rome's Colosseum posing for photos.

José Aznar, a visitor from Los Angeles, and a friend from Chile claim
they received a lesson in Roman brutality when their cash offering for a
picture taken was rejected as too low by a burly Italian dressed in body
armour, who proceeded to dish out a beating.

"When I offered €6 [£4] the centurion, a big guy, started screaming and
removing his armour," said Mr Aznar, 50, who won his trip to Italy with
his wife in a charity auction.

"When I offered extra dollars, he said 'In Italy we blow our nose with
dollars' and called me a son of a bitch, a mafioso and a cuckold."

When one of the Aznars' two companions, a Chilean woman, intervened, the
centurion kicked her and toppled onto Mr Aznar, breaking a bone in the
tourist's foot, he said. Walking with crutches, Mr Aznar said he was
continuing with his holiday with a more peaceful tour of Umbrian
vineyards. Police in Rome were studying the group photo to identify the
alleged aggressor. It would not be the first time Rome's modern
centurions have resorted to violence. Arrests were made in 2003 after an
argument between rival bands of costumed Romans over turf rights outside
the Colosseum resulted in a fist fight in front of tourists.