ABSTRACT
From time immemorial the Eternal City has been the goal of travellers, especially since Rome changed from being the centre of an Empire into heart of a faith that stretched far beyond borders of its realm. Aristocrats and soldiers, merchants, and diplomats came and went. The golden rule of travelling in historical times was: Avoid travelling alone. This rule had as a consequence that – unless a group was composed only of mounted men – speed and distance of movement were dictated by the pedestrian part of the group. Travelling with companions of different origin, predominantly in haphazardly formed groups, sharing company when meeting in a tavern, and going in the same direction the next morning, may have offered a solution to possible linguistic problems, at least within Europe. When an official appeal to the synodal court was turned down on September only an appeal to the Papal Curia might restore justice and could protect the monastery from total failure.
