Ancient Rome
Rome, Italy
Rome grew from a small city on seven hills into an empire stretching from Britain to the Middle East. The Romans adopted much of Greek religion, renaming the gods and weaving them into the rituals of the state. Their engineering, law and language still shape the modern world.
The gods
Temples & monuments
Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
Capitoline Hill, Rome
The most important temple in Rome, where triumphant generals offered their victories.
Temple of Mars Ultor
Forum of Augustus, Rome
Built by Emperor Augustus to honour Mars as the avenger of Rome's enemies.
Temple of Venus and Roma
Rome
One of the largest temples in ancient Rome, honouring Venus alongside the spirit of the city.
Achievements
Built roads, aqueducts and concrete structures that still stand
Created a legal system that underpins modern law
Spread Latin, the root of the Romance languages
Natural wonders
Mount Vesuvius
The volcano whose eruption in 79 CE buried and preserved the city of Pompeii.
The River Tiber
The river at the heart of Rome's founding myth of Romulus and Remus.
Archaeological Library
Watch how we uncovered Ancient Rome — real discoveries that revealed this ancient world.
The Buried City of Pompeii
A whole Roman city frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.
Watch on YouTube →Hadrian's Wall
The great stone frontier the Romans built right across northern Britain.
Watch on YouTube →The Vindolanda Tablets
Thin wooden letters revealing everyday life on Rome's British frontier.
Watch on YouTube →