Hotel room brochure from Caesars Palace, circa 1969

THIS IS CAESARS PALACE "Know why Wolfschmidt Vodka's making such a splash? Because it's the only vodka that's won 33 medals!" "When I hear that, feel like yelling Bloody Mary!" DURING YOUR VISIT WITH US, I, CAESAR, INVITE YOU TO READ AND ENJOY THIS IS CAESARS PALACE ... A CREATION WE ARE VERY PROUD OF. BUT PLEASE ... DON'T TAKE IT WITH YOU. IT IS RESERVED FOR GUEST ROOM USE ONLY... SO THAT YOU AND THOSE THAT FOLLOW WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO SEE ... ALL THE WONDERS OF MY PALACE OF PLEASURE. If you wish to have a copy (or several) for gifts or souvenirs, they are available either in the Caesars Palace Gift Shop or in the Public Relations Office... for just $3 per copy CAESARS PALACE -- THE GLORY OF NOW Ancient Rome - the Glory that was. Caesars Palace - the Glory that is. Here -now. In all the world, Caesars Palace stands today as supreme as did Ancient Rome in its most glorious time. This is your invitation, your welcome and your guidebook. On these pages I, CAESAR, will lead you through the wonders of my Palace of Pleasure, and recount to you the history and the myths which inspired this lavish domain I have had created. I, CAESAR, will greet you often on these pages, as your host, your warm friend, your guide and constant companion, while you become aware of the legends which influenced the unique atmosphere of Caesars Palace. Walk with me through the glorious corridors of an age long past, now brought to vigorous and shining life in this, the time when you will weave your own legend in your own way. The recorded historical facts of the Golden Age of Ancient Rome are intermingled with the myths, the folklore and the effects of centuries of romance in literature and arts. How those Romans lived, what they believed, how their beliefs affected their behavior, their family structure, their hopes and fears, make a vivid picture. lVV It comes as something of a surprise to many to learn that the Romans of Caesar's time were rather ordinary human beings, although given to many excesses in pleasure. Human emotions change little from generation to generation, from century to century, and from one age to another. But human customs are shifting things. Gods and demi-gods in Ancient Rome had to be constantly appeased, pleased and praised with feasts and festivals, sacrificial offerings and monuments. They affected every moment of the Ancient Roman's life. Invented and embellished over thousands of years, these Supreme Beings - gods and goddesses at different levels - supplied what seemed to be the only logical answers to why the seasons changed, why there was thunder and lightning, cold and heat, barren land or fertile. For us today, the temples, statues and myths of these gods and goddesses add to a colorful tapestry of a fascinating age, when the people lived every moment to the fullest, and experienced the heights and depths of all emotions. In this Golden Age of Rome, despite its relative grandeur, even the Caesars lacked much of what we accept as commonplace today. For instance, coffee, tobacco and champagne were not introduced into Europe until the Seventeenth Century, and potatoes were not eaten until a hundred years later. Yet the townsmen - the citizens of Rome - enjoyed all the goods, resources and tidbits (such as peacock tongues!) ... all the pleasures of their time. It was the peasant, outside the walls of Rome, who knew little joy .. . nothing but unending labor without profit. Even the most wretched poor who lived within the city could warm their hearts with the liveliness of the palaestrae, the comfort of the communal baths, the gaiety of public banquets, the rich man's doles, the magnificence of public spectacles. It is impossible, and undesirable, to blend two such dissimilar pictures into one. So, naturally, here in Caesars Palace have been re-created the modes and customs shared by the upper-class Roman who had leisure time in which to relax, to disport himself at pleasure of many kinds, to enjoy the good foods, the good wines, the imported treasures from the known world - so that you might live and breathe the very heady atmosphere of Ancient Rome, the proud and wealthy hub of its time. As you will shortly see, I, CAESAR, have drawn on only the most enchanting and the best parts of historical fact, romantic legend and the myths of the gods to create my Palace of Pleasure. As you move through the wonders of Caesars Palace, let each moment remind you that here and now is the time for your personal glory and delight... all surrounded by the finest facets of Ancient Rome, updated by the skills of the present. Dine lavishly like the Ancient Romans, here in Caesars Palace, where each dish makes of every man a gourmet. Shop in my Roman Bazaars where each gown makes of each woman a goddess. Dance, drink, and whisper sweet nothings in an intimate lounge matched to your mood. Savor the quiet impeccable service. Be casual, relaxed in thought and in dress. Tingle to entertainment, the finest on earth. Flirt with Lady Luck in Caesars Forum Casino, where dreams come true. I, CAESAR, wait to welcome you. My personal gods and goddesses wait to attend you. My Palace of Pleasure swings wide the gates. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Introduction to Caesars Palace......................................1 Site Plan of Caesars Domain........................................7 Legends and Myths of the Gods....................................9 Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder................................11 Statuary - from the Marble of Michelangelo..............13 Dining - in the Roman Tradition..................................15 The Bacchanal Dining Room........................................17 The Piazza Restaurant....................................................19 The Ah So Steak House..................................................21 The Noshorium ..............................................................23 I, CAESAR, Pamper You................................................24 Room Service Menus............. CENTER INSERT Circus Maximus Night Club..........................................25 Cleopatra's Barge............................................................29 The Galleria, Discus Lounge, Ah So Bar......................30 Conviviality Reigns (Ancient History of Intoxicants). 31 Caesars Forum Casino....................................................33 HOW TO PLAY: Baccarat ..................................................................35 Blackjack ................................................................34 Craps ........................................................................35 Keno ........................................................................36 Roulette....................................................................34 Tennis and the Roman Baths........................................37 Caesars Shopping Bazaars............................................43 Sightseeing ....................................................................45 Conventions at Caesars Palace......................................47 Telephone Directory................ BACK INSERT THE ELYSIAN FIELDS -- ALL OF CAESARS PALACE The great dream of a glorious eternity which flourished in the minds of the Ancient Romans was that they would eventually wander forevermore in the Elysian Fields of Plenty, known also as Paradise. The Fields were, in mythology, Heaven itself, full of song and sunlight. .. fresh air, flowers and meadows ... with shining castles where all was joy, comfort and spaciousness. Caesars Palace is the embodiment of the ELYSIAN FIELDS. And though you may wander to your heart's content, it is impossible to 6 be 'lost' in the ELYS IAN FIELDS that I, CAESAR, have sown, cultivated and brought to full bloom for you in my Palace of Pleasure. If you would choose to go to a given locale within my domain, here presented is the plan to guide your steps. Your entrance into these ELYSIAN FIELDS was most likely through my Grand Promenade. From there you can follow in the footsteps of the Roman gods and goddesses to and through my ROMAN BAZAAR of fine shops, my GARDEN OF THE GODS with the huge pool its center 'gem'. . . perhaps to the COLOSSEUM CONVENTION HALL, or wherever your fancy takes you. Hasten to your destination or, preferably, linger in a niche along the way. My Palace, I promise you, will excite your imagination at every turn. Every day is a joyous holiday here. Pleasurable diversions abound. From whichever point your odyssey begins, at whatever spot in our ELYSIAN FIELDS you may find yourself, the thousand and one pleasant distractions I offer will have enraptured you along the way. Explore and enjoy. For the ELYSIAN FIELDS have been re-created here for your pleasure. /NORTH ENTRANCE I [TED LINES ENCLOSE/NORTH TOWER AREA AH SO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE CLEOPATRA'S BARGE NORTH / ENTRANCE/a PIAZZA ITALIAN RESTAURANT DISCUS LOUNGE FRONT PARKING KENO ENTRANCE SHOPS CAESARS FORUM (Casino) GRAND PROMENADE (Lobby) FOUNTAINS receptionI OFFICES GALLERIA (Lounge) FRONT PARKING ART GALLERY CONVENTION REGISTRATION CIRCUS MAXIMUS (Supper Club) (Daytime Use) COLOSSEUM (Convention Hall) f--ATRJUM (Meeting Room) IMPERIUM (Meeting Room) DELIVERY ENTRANCE TO COLOSSEUM SOUTH WING LEGENDS AND MYTHS OF THE GODS Legends are stories based on fact, passed down from generation to generation; myths are 'legends' that grow naturally out of a people's belief in a god or gods that control his and the earth's destiny. More often than not, the ancient Roman myths about their gods threw light upon the culture and the people of that day. Etiology is the science of causes or reasons. So etiological myths were meant to answer, by imagination, questions which science of later years answered by reasoning and research. The Roman myths were as frequently cruel as pleasant, and many were an odd mixture of both. As an excellent example, let us examine the source of the name given to Caesars Palace-The Palace of Pleasure. Greek and Roman mythology tells us that Venus, the mother of Cupid, strenuously objected to Cupid's marriage to Psyche, a beautiful mortal princess. After much soul-searching Venus finally made Psyche immortal, Goddess of the Soul, and gave her blessings to the lovers. And we can thank the gods for that... for from this union Pleasure (Voluptas) was born - the myth that was, the Palace that is. Ancient Roman myths recounted the wonders and powers of both major and minor gods and goddesses, many borrowed from Greek mythology. Undoubtedly the most pleasant among the scores of so-called minor charmers were nine beautiful girls known as the Muses. The Nine Muses were all daughters of Zeus, Greek King of the Gods, and the Titaness Mnemosyne [pronunced ne-mos--i-nee). The latter name, in Greek, means "memory," and the word survives today most commonly as "mnemonic," meaning anything that pertains to memory, and particularly something that aids the memory, such as the famous verse beginning, "Thirty days hath September . . ." The Muses were the goddesses of the arts and sciences. Today, we would call them the goddesses of show business. They were particularly the goddesses of poetic inspiration. Poets of ancient times always initiated important endeavors by calling upon the Muses for inspiration. Since poetry before the days of writing had to be memorized, it is not surprising that the Muses, who represent poetic inspiration, were considered the daughters of memory (Mnemosyne). Poetry, drama and other forms of recitation and entertainment were always done to the accompaniment of melodious sound. It follows logically this melodious sound should become "music." Each of the Nine Muses represents a different branch of The Fine Arts. The usual listing has Calliope as chief of the Muses. Her name comes from the Greek meaning "beautiful voice." She was the Muse of Eloquence and Heroic Poetry. Her name today identifies an instrument made from a series of steam whistles and used on merry-go-rounds and in circuses. It is lively and cheerful, but bears little resemblance to a "beautiful voice." Clio, meaning "to tell of," was the Muse of History. Erato was the Muse of Love Poetry and Urania the Muse of Astronomy. The two combine loosely into "love songs by the stars." Euterpe, meaning "to delight well," became the Muse of Lyric Poetry and Polyhymnia the Muse of Religious Music. From the latter Muse comes the word "hymn" to describe any song with a religious theme. Thalia, meaning "blooming," was the Muse of Comedy and Pastoral Poetry; Melpomene is known as the Muse of Tragedy, although the literal translation of the name is "to sing." And finally, Terpsichore is the Muse of the Dance which is why you hear dancing spoken of as "the terpsichorean art." In the CIRCUS MAXIMUS or the uniqueness of CLEOPATRA'S BARGE, you will come to believe that the nine most beautiful Roman sisters, the Muses, are influencing even the atmosphere . . . the music, the poetry of superb performances, the artistry, the singing, the dancing. There's no business like show business and no mythical goddesses as helpful to it as the Nine Muses. The beautiful daughters of Zeus, Greek King of all the Gods, could have no finer showcases than those which I, CAESAR, have provided in my Palace of Pleasure. BEAUTY IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER I, CAESAR, have blended tradition and inspiration to create far more than the grandeur that was Ancient Rome. From the majestic sweep of the approach to Caesars Palace, past the fountains, statuary and magnificent reflecting pool, through the elegant halls of the Gallery and into the awe-inspiring Gardens of the Gods, I have spared nothing so that you may feast your eyes before you begin your search for more pleasures. My sparkling fountains and their dazzling lights were inspired by the myth of Hero, a priestess who served the Goddess Venus. It is recorded that Hero flashed a lamp at night so her lover Leander, swimming to her from Abydos, could find the shore after dark. The Gardens of the Gods are our re-creation of the tribute which the ancient Romans made to the soil and to the goodness and beauty which it produced. Many of Rome's romantic poems, notably those by Theocritus, had their roots in the enjoyment of nature, as, even today, youth sings of a 'lost earth' among a people too interested in other things. One poem by Theocritus cries out for simple pleasures lost in the bustle and activity of urban life. He wrote, "All smelt of ripening summer, the time of fruits, pears at our feet and apples at our flanks . .. and the tender branches weighed with wild plums came bowing down to earth ..." This was his tender recall of an earth threatened by too many houses and too many people, too many officials, and too many rules. The Gardens of the Gods in my Palace of Pleasure beckon you to enjoy the beauties of this earth as nature meant them to be. Nature was improved by art of all kinds in the Golden Age of Ancient Rome. I, CAESAR, have followed this pattern in the approach to my Palace of Pleasure. The Romans called such avenues "horti mormorei" and I, CAE- SAR, have followed this tradition of the ancients by lining the avenues with verdant nemora tonsilia, clipped in shapely fashion as were the smaller trees and shrubs surrounding the finest palaces of Rome. The gushing fountains, ablaze with multicolored lights, are the sentinels which guard the gates of Caesars Palace. They are harbingers of the colorful splendors which await the traveler inside. I, CAESAR, command your attention to these exterior things of beauty, to these wonders which go beyond the dreams of any Roman emperor. Even the mighty Caesars of Ancient Rome were not surrounded with such an array of gleaming statuary, gorgeous gardens and fabulous fountains as I, CAESAR, have installed in my Palace of Pleasure. Flowers and shrubs in the days of Ancient Rome served a double purpose: they were enjoyed as they blossomed and grew, and they were plucked to make the wreaths which men wore as they settled down to serious drinking after dinner. The gardens of Caesars Palace, with their blooming flowers and shrubs, are another contribution for your delight. One of the popular forms of relaxation for Romans of the Golden Age was painting. Over the centuries, Hadrian and Valentinian have come to be acknowledged as the greatest painters and sculptors of their era. Marcus Aurelius, another legendary Roman, took extensive instructions in painting. Off the lobby, you will enjoy a stroll through the Gallery, where great paintings hang for your contemplation. Pause before them and study these inspired creations. Let your mind wander across the centuries of time. Your image in the reflecting pool will mirror the achievements of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow. Here, today, at Caesars Palace the Golden Age of Rome is re-awakened. STATUARY -- FROM THE MARBLE OF MICHELANGELO Sparkling white Cararra marble, torn from the same Italian mountain which was Michelangelo's source, was used for the towering statuary which surrounds you at Caesars Palace. I, CAESAR, take quiet but deep pride in presenting these perfectly executed reproductions. They represent some of the greatest art treasures known to man. Although Caesar's Rome produced only a small collection of enduring masterpieces in statuary, the empire's influence has been felt throughout the centuries. The Romans were more effective as engineers of design: the broad avenues, the city planning, the massive yet extraordinarily graceful buildings, the geometric perfection of shape and form were their forte. During this period, however, the Roman artist was developing the personal portrait style with much skill. Greek sculptors and craftsmen who came to Rome along with their pupils and imitators found a ready market for all their works. Roman statuary in these ancient times, like that of the Greeks, developed in two main directions - as guardians of the State and guardians of the Family. And it was the Roman gods and goddesses of those days whose mythical heroics, tragedies and adventures furnished the inspiration for much of the classical statuary created. Just as Ancient Romans considered their statues to be guardians, so I, CAESAR, have aligned the classics to stand as exquisite sentinels at the entrance to Caesars Palace. More than half of the originals were created many centuries after the Golden Age of Rome; others date back to the Hellenic genius of Greece, long before the Roman Empire achieved its greatest fame. But all of the glowing works are symbolic of the classic beauty of that Golden Age. The Rape of the Sabines was completed in 1583 by Giovanni Bologna. The classical marble masterpiece was inspired by the diabolical scheme of Romulus to invite a neighboring tribe to participate in a Roman festival ...with a purpose which was quickly achieved: the Roman warriors, hungry for wives, captured and fled with all the visiting Sabine women. Three tributes to Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, adorn the approach to Caesars Palace. The Venus de Milo was created about 200 B.C. by an unknown genius. It has lived through the ages as one of the most famous artistic achievements. Antonio Canova's Venus, about 1800, shows the lovely goddess as she stepped from the sea. The Venus de Medici (a copy of a statue of the Grecian Goddess Aphrodite, believed to have been sculptured about 100 B.C.) shows the goddess in an attitude of modesty. The Roman re-crea-tion was commissioned by the Medici family, who ruled Florence during the Renaissance. The statue of Hebe, Greek Goddess of Youth, and the daughter of Zeus and Hera, was created by Adrian de Vries during the Sixteenth Century. This magnificent classic is owned by a private collector. An unknown sculptor created another of the Caesars Palace classics - the Winged Victory of Samothrace, which dates back to the Greeks of about 300 B.C. It was discovered on an Aegean island and was supposedly designed for the prow of a ship sailed by Piliocretes. The original is on display at the Louvre in Paris. Two of Michelangelo's most famed works are among the statues that I, CAESAR, have had reproduced for your pleasure at Caesars Palace. One is the indulgent Bacchus, Roman God of Wine and Festival; the original is in the National Museum of Florence. The other is the world-beloved David, also in Florence, poised at the instant before he shot the stone from his sling and slew Goliath. This masterpiece captures the ethereal beauty of David's proud and thoughtful face, and the reproduction, like the original, was carved from one large block of Cararra marble. Michelangelo once observed that the artist and sculptor created their works to satisfy their own spiritual hungers and needs, but that those who glorified the works of others by displaying these treasures were to be honored most among men. They, said Michelangelo, were perpetuating a culture for all the world. In our time, a most brilliant contemporary sculptor, Sir Henry Moore, defined his feelings thusly: "Sculpture is an art of free space. It needs daylight, sunlight. Nature is its best setting." In recognition of this truth, I, CAESAR, designed the landscaping and architecture to achieve the most effective and beautiful setting possible for these great works of art. May they give you an elegant and royal welcome to your Palace of Pleasure. EPICUREAN FEASTS IN ROMAN TRADITION Among all the legends which have come to us from the Golden Age of Ancient Rome, none has been more enduring than the tales of feasting. In reading of the lives of the Caesars, it would be easy to imagine that the Romans passed all their waking hours at the dining table. But such is not true. Most historians agree the first two meals of the day - jentaculum [breakfast] and prandium (lunch) - often were little more than some liquid refreshment, perhaps a morsel of cold meat and some fruit. History relates the Romans usually waited until day was done to enjoy the serious task of eating. It was then they made up for any lost time by doing full justice to the cena, the one true meal of the 24-hour day. The Romans made their one and only proper dinner either a contest to see who could consume the greatest amounts of food, or a dignified meal of gourmet delicacy and distinction. My Master Chefs would delight Petronius. Famous satirical writer and arbiter for Nero, he was one of Rome's finest judges of gourmet food. Petronius once praised a Roman chef in this manner: "If you want it, he will make you a fish out of a sow's belly, a wood pigeon out of bacon, a turtledove out of ham, and a chicken out of knuckle of pork. There could not be a more valuable fellow." I, CAESAR, have provided in my Palace of Pleasure the widest selection of dining delights, in a variety of decor and menus to satisfy your every desire. Choose from among the wonders of the CIRCUS MAXIMUS, where superlative entertainment is always at your command along with the finest of menus; or the gourmet BACCHANAL, named rightly for the God of the Feast; or the PIAZZA with its sumptuous Roman delicacies; or the NOSHORIUM coffee house, with an abundance of superb cuisine of every description for your enjoyment around the clock; or the AH SO STEAK HOUSE, a delightful Japanese paradise which is not exactly Roman, but is a creation the Caesars might have had, had they known of the oriental pleasures later to be discovered. The Romans of the Golden Age considered the reclining position indispensable to the enjoyment of their daily cena. It was also a mark of elegance and social distinction. They were usually dressed in the fashionable light muslin, which was perfect for the warmth engendered by a huge meal. The Ancient Romans sometimes changed their robes between courses. But whether they changed them or not, the Romans would have thought it unbecoming and uncomfortable not to dine reclining, men and women side by side. An usher, or nomenclator, announced the guests and showed each to his and her individual couch. The ministratores, or waiters, brought the dishes and bowls to the tables and the cena began. It would have taken an appetite of Lucullian proportion to finish off some of the meals that history has recorded. A small cena might consist of seven courses. This would include hors d'oeuvres, or gustatio, three entrees, two roasts, and the dessert. Thus were the gastronomic pleasures of Ancient Rome. I, CAESAR, have decreed that my guests in the Palace of Pleasure shall have the most complete selection of foods to suit not the hour, but the taste. You have but to choose the surroundings and the menu which appeals most to you at the moment. ?...M??!MI?HMt*HH!?l!?? tm,tmt??tmwwwHitww ?ffWeWBII^ESlMW 'HE WHO GIVES ECSTASY' INSPIRES THE BACCHANAL Among the most endearing of all the Roman gods was Bacchus, one of the sons of Jupiter. Bacchus originally was known as the God of Agriculture, and thus has been honored by I, CAESAR, by using his name for my sanctuary of gourmet feasting. THE BACCHANAL. Too, Bacchus loved the happy life of feast and festival. He was feared by many in Ancient Rome for he represented unfettered physical enjoyment; he was the first 'good-time Charlie.' This joyous demi-god had another strong claim on the imagination of the Ancient Romans because of the myth that recounted how he was slain and re-born. In all the religious mysticism of that age, death and rebirth was most significant. It symbolized a period of barren winter followed by a return to beautiful vegetation in the Spring. Thus, Bacchus became the God of Wine and Revelry . . . making the vineyards grow, the wine flow, the spirits glow! Even as the gaiety of Bacchus pervaded the great dining halls with joyous relaxation, the same era saw many superstitions connected with dining firmly fixed in the minds of Ancient Romans. To overturn the table was to overturn the family, a sacrilegious act in the eyes of a Roman. It was bad luck for anyone to rise and leave the table during the meal. The table could never be wholly cleared or the dining lamp put out; things dropped from the table could not be picked up. The left hand could not be used except to hold bread. Those faithful to Bacchus believed finger rings must be removed, and the only garment worn to the table must be without a belt of any kind. Knots or buckles also had a bad magical effect. All egg and snail shells, once emptied, had to be broken or pierced with a sharp object at once. A sneeze at the table was a bad omen. Servants were under rigid discipline to perform their duties in absolute silence. The slightest cough or noise of any kind brought an instant beating from the master. Gourmet dining in Ancient Rome provided a contest of sorts, where each host tried to outdo the others with various trick effects. Petronius wrote an hilarious account of one Trimalchio who served his guests a pig filled with sausages and puddings. He outdid himself on another occasion when he had a covey of thrushes fly out from the pig's belly. Because of rivalry, dinners could often seem quite excessive - featuring such a conglomeration as sea urchin, raw oysters, mussels, thrushes, asparagus, fattened fowl, oyster patties, shellfish, sea nettles, fig-peckers, boar, fattened and flour-sprinkled poultry, purplefish, sow udders, duck, boiled teal, rabbit, roast poultry, meal and Picenum bread. This last feast was created by a famed host - Apicius - who later committed suicide when he had 'eaten up' the greatest part of his fortune. It was traditional among the gourmets of Bacchus' time to eat all foods with the fingers. Slaves passed among the couches with ewers and poured fresh perfumed waters over the hands of the reclining guests, who wiped their fingers on a towel the slave carried over his forearm. Each guest was also provided with a napkin for his personal use, and guests never hesitated to bring a napkin of their own, for custom permitted them to carry home all the tidbits which they had not had the time or capacity to consume. This custom may have been the forerunner of today's 'doggy bag.' At major feasts, a bath and a massage after the first round of courses often served to refresh the diners' appetites. I, CAESAR, have translated and transferred the Bacchanalian delights of Ancient Rome into the reality of the BACCHANAL. Once you are seated, my Vestal Virgins stand behind each chair and tilt your head back to rest upon their bosoms as they gently massage your forehead, neck and shoulders to relax you and prepare you for the feast to come. And what a feast! The gustatory delights included in the Bacchanal menu are unmatched - in flavor, variety, inventiveness, preparation and presentation. And, as in Ancient Rome, the most delicious vintage wines, appropriate to each course, are served you by beautiful toga-clad maidens, and are included in the single price of the dinner. The BACCHANAL is truly a fitting tribute to Bacchus, 'He Who Gives Ecstasy.' U-i WHEN IN ROME ... THE PIAZZA I, CAESAR, have created THE PIAZZA in honor of the magnificent forums of Ancient Rome, as well as the spacious piazzas of Modern Rome. In Caesars Palace, THE PIAZZA is where I, CAESAR, invite my guests to dine in the splendor of a superb salon that typifies all the romance of an open piazza of old, and offers the true perfection of Italian gourmet food. The piazza (pronunced pyat-tsa) came to mean - and still means - an open area, a public square, a forum, a gathering place, even a market place. Always, its flooring was laid with designs of intricate tiling and decorative stonework. And usually part of it was covered over with a roof or awnings. An integral part of the piazzas through the centuries has been the additional delight of open booths where the tastiest of Italian delicacies were cooked on the spot, brought to a succulent peak, and sold to the shoppers for their immediate enjoyment. In Ancient Rome, villas of the wealthy were built near and around piazzas, and many exist, in part, to this day. So many of these extravagant villas were built among the seven hills of Rome, in fact, that the philosophers of the era, who deplored such waste of good agricultural land, were severely critical. Among the most famous of the piazzas is the Piazza Armerina in Sicily. Near its grounds today stand the ruins of a splendid villa, renowned for its breathtaking hunt mosaics, still brilliant in color thousands of years later. In Rome today, you can visit the Piazza Colonna, Piazza del Cinquecento, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza di Grotta Pinta, Piazza Navona and Piazza San Pietro and many more - all of which are now spacious public squares decorated with magnificent statuary depicting the myths of Ancient Rome. The most lasting fame, because of its history and antiquity, has been achieved by the Piazza Navona. It still has the shape and size of a small-scale circus, and is constructed upon the exact site of the stadium which the Emperor Domitian had built for athletic purposes, about A.D. 85, in the Campus Martius of Rome. Some of the original stone, 2,000 years old, still may be seen in this favorite tourist spot. The arcades and tunnels of the Piazza Navona served the same purposes as did similar niches in other Roman edifices. Ladies of the evening, their boyfriends and other characters, plied their nefarious trades in the semi-darkness provided. It was here that Saint Agnes was martyred while attempting to save a young girl. Her shrine still stands near the Piazza Navona. I, CAESAR, decreed that my PIAZZA should be as fascinating and historical in a different way. Its decor is reminiscent of the beautiful country villas in which the Ancient Romans relaxed and entertained ... its flooring similar to that of many beautiful open forums and piazzas through the centuries . .. its cuisine surpassing all - Italian essentially, but adding a wide variety of open-hearth specialties to the ancient staples of pasta and its cousins. Borrowed from Greece - the delicious Beef Kabob. Borrowed from today's Italy, who imported it from China - Fettucine or Rigatoni... a simmering taste delight you will not soon forget. These and dozens of other perfectly prepared delicacies are the specialties of my PIAZZA. I, CAESAR, invite you to visit this unusual dining salon. The superb cuisine is everything you ever imagined Italian cuisine could be. And everything is prepared, cooked and served in a manner uniquely Roman . . . and just as uniquely Caesars Palace. 19 WHERE THE ART OF DINING BECOMES VISUAL P