Garnet for Gravel.

There was a time in Ancient Rome when the granaries were fat and the vaults were bursting, when Romans could sail for miles and still be home. The people wore gold around their necks and silver around their arms. Another city bath was built. And another. And another. Fresh cut flowers were strewn where footsteps were dropped. Perfume sprinkled down like rain from ceilings. Precious stones of all shapes and sizes, of all hues and intensities paved the floors.

And as their heels made dents in the rainbow gravel, and clear diamonds wedged themselves in their leather sandals and cooled the skin between their toes, they stopped and asked themselves why.