Ancient Rome with an Archaeologist: From Legends to Empire

Introduction to Rome's history: we'll talk about the twins and the city's foundation, what came before and after Romulus. We'll get to know the Circus Maximus and see a church linked to that great monument.

We'll explore the ancient Velabrum, the valley where the shepherd Faustulus found the twins Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf. We'll discuss legends and history, welcomed here by two Roman arches and a medieval church.

A walk at the foot of the Palatine, the hill where Romulus founded the city and where the emperors lived. We'll discover what Rome became after its fall, especially its Byzantine period: the Greek church of San Teodoro.

We'll leave behind the chaos of Via dei Fori Imperiali to view the Roman Forum away from the usual tourist routes. From the outside, we'll discover the temples, buildings, and this great square, the political and economic heart of the Urbs.

Dark legends blend with history on Capitoline Hill, the religious center of antiquity. Here stood Rome's most important temple, and here atrocious crimes were committed.

We'll end our route with views over the Theatre of Marcellus, the temple of Apollo and Bellona, and the sacred buildings of Minerva and Hercules. We'll be at the foot of the Capitoline and beside one of central Rome's major roads. Finally, we'll return to the city's chaos and murmurs.