Getting Ready

The modern-day capital of Italy as well as its largest city, Rome, has been an important center of civilization for nearly 3000 years. From languages based on Latin to legal systems based on the Roman senate, the influence of ancient Rome is still very much felt in the present day.

According to legend, Rome was founded in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus, the mythical twin sons of the god Mars. A jealous king threw the infants into the Tiber River, but they survived and were suckled by a she-wolf (statues of the boys and wolf can be seen throughout Italy). Years later, the twins founded Rome on the spot where the wolf nursed them. Romulus was the first of seven kings to rule Rome. The famous Roman senate, with its parliamentary rule of law, also dates back to this time, although it was relatively weak compared to the monarchy. In 509 BC, Rome became a Republic, governed by a senate that had grown enormously in power. Roman control soon expanded to include Spain, North Africa, and Greece. Vast armies were needed to police and defend the territories, which allowed military leaders like Julius Caesar to gain political power. Caesar became dictator in 44 BC, ending the Republican era. His assassination soon after, resulted in 17 years of civil war, which ended when Augustus became the first emperor of Rome.

Imperial Rome is renowned as a time of glory and excess. From its beginning in 27 BC to the fall of the western Empire in 476 AD, this era saw great emperors such as Trajan and Hadrian, as well as the unstable Caligula and the tyrannical Nero. The Empire's borders expanded as far north as present-day England and as far east as present-day Syria; emperors celebrated their wealth and power with lavish banquets, gladiator battles and monuments. Christianity began to spread in the 1st century AD, and early Christians were persecuted until Emperor Constantine himself was converted. He declared religious tolerance in 313 AD, and founded a shrine at the tomb of St. Peter in Rome, securing Rome's position as a center of Christianity and the home of the papacy. However, in 330, Constantine declared Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) the capital of the Roman Empire. Conflicts between the pope and the Holy Roman Emperor continued for centuries, and foreign invaders left the city poverty-stricken. In 1447, Pope Nicholas V vowed to make Rome fit for the papacy. His successors followed his lead, and they commissioned Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo and Rafael to transform the city. By the 16th century, the wealth of the Catholic Church was legendary, not to mention controversial, as hundreds of ornate Baroque churches and monuments were built to glorify Rome and the papacy.

From the Middle Ages onward, Italy was a collection of city-states, and Rome was under papal authority. Briefly united under Napoleon, Italy was divided again in 1815, but unification efforts continued for decades afterward. Italy was made a kingdom in 1861, and Rome became the capital in 1870. Fascist dictator Mussolini came to power in 1922, determined to recreate the power and grandeur of Imperial Rome. He built a number of monolithic buildings, but fortunately left most of Rome's architectural treasures intact. Italy became a democratic republic in 1948. After a post-war boom, Rome emerged as a highly fashionable city in the 1950s and early 1960s, a period immortalized in movies like "La Dolce Vita." Today it thrives as a center of commerce and a hugely popular tourist destination.

Rome Series

This series of historical fiction novels is set in ancient Rome during the last days of the Roman republic, and chronicles the lives and careers of famous leaders like Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar. Thoroughly researched, the books interweave politics, rivalries and battles with fascinating details of Roman life.

First Man in Rome (110-100 BCE) Buy now
The Grass Crown (97-88 BCE) Buy now
Fortune's Favorites (83-69 BCE) Buy now
Caesar's Women (67-59 BCE) Buy now
Caesar (54-48 BCE) Buy now
The October Horse (48-41 BCE) Buy now
Anthony and Cleopatra (41-27 BCE) Buy now

Hannibal, A Novel

This epic narrative chronicles the adventures of the great Carthaginian general, including his famed conquest of the Alps with men, horses and elephants. Leckie draws on historical sources to create a vivid, first-person profile of a brilliant and bloodthirsty leader. Buy now

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

At the age of thirty-one, Gilbert moved with her husband to the suburbs of New York and began trying to get pregnant, only to realize that she wanted neither a child nor a husband. Three years later, after a protracted divorce, she embarked on a yearlong trip of recovery, with three main stops: Rome, for pleasure (mostly gustatory, with a special emphasis on gelato); an ashram outside of Mumbai, for spiritual searching; and Bali, for "balancing." Buy now

The Christians and the Fall of Rome

Gibbon’s subversive and iconoclastic description of the rise of Christianity and its effect on the ancient Roman empire inspired outrage upon publication. Buy now

Ancient Rome: Monuments Past and Present

Ingenious overlay illustrations set this series of books apart. In this volume, the Colosseum, the Forum, the Capitoline Hill and other monuments are shown first as they look today and next, via overlaid acetate illustrations, as they looked in their heydays. This is a must. Get it stateside or in Rome. Buy now

Ancient Rome for Kids

This stimulating book, filled with stories, anecdotes and watercolor illustrations, will lead young tourists in search of not only the ancient monuments of Rome, but also the hidden corners and little-known details. Buy now

The Rotten Romans

These books make history entertaining for kids by leaving in the gross and gory parts. This volume discusses such nasty topics as why rich Romans needed a vomitorium. Buy now

The Ruthless Romans

This volume focuses on the grim truth behind the great empire, from evil emperors to the massacres at the Colosseum. Buy now

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)

Based on an inspiring true story, Gilbert takes a year-long sabbatical from her job to find herself. She experiences the simple pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of love in Bali. Buy now

Gladiator (2000)

When the beloved Roman general Maximus is chosen by the dying emperor as his heir, the emperor’s son orders Maximus and his family to be executed. Maximus escapes but is unable to save his wife and son. He returns to Rome as a gladiator, vowing revenge. This powerful film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Buy now

Roman Holiday (1953)

A charming romance about a sheltered princess who escapes her guardians and goes off to explore Rome. She meets an American newsman, who sees the opportunity for a major scoop. They spend the day seeing the sights, and gradually fall in love. Buy now

Ben Hur (1956)

Winner of 11 Oscars, this sweeping classic is the story of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince living in Jerusalem. He is happily reunited with a childhood friend, Messala, now commander of the Roman garrison, but when Judah refuses to divulge the names of Jews opposed to Roman rule, Messala condemns him to the galleys. Judah regains his freedom and returns to defeat Messala in a climactic chariot race. Buy now

Cleopatra (1963)

This historical epic follows the adventures of Cleopatra, legendary queen of Egypt. Hoping to stabilize her power, she curries the favor of Julius Caesar and bears him a son, whom she hopes will take his rightful place in Rome. When Caesar is assassinated, she retreats to Egypt. Years later, Caesar’s protégé Mark Antony visits Egypt and is smitten by the seductive queen. They become lovers, but their alliance ends in tragedy. Buy now

La Dolce Vita (1960)

This film depicts seven days in the life of Marcello, a playboy journalist torn between meaningful work and the fleeting pleasures of sex and celebrity among Rome’s elite. Stylish and evocative, Fellini’s satire of modern Italian life contains a wealth of unforgettable images. Buy now

Rome (HBO, 2005-07)

Not meant for kids, this stunning drama provides a juicy, richly layered and often violent look at ancient Rome, from Caesar crossing the Rubicon to Antony and Cleopatra. Violence, sex, nudity, profanity. Buy now

I, Claudius (BBC, 1976)

This acclaimed miniseries tells the history of the Roman Empire through the eyes of the elderly emperor Claudius. Mistakenly thought to be simple-minded, Claudius was a keen observer of the conspiracies and intrigues around him. Buy now

Read the stories behind the legends.