Roman civilization has left an astounding legacy in the modern world, manifesting itself in everything from language and legal systems to roads and buildings. Rome: Splendours of an Ancient Civilization celebrates the diversity and extraordinary riches of this great culture in some of the finest photographs ever taken of Roman monuments, art treasures, cities and landscapes. Illustrated throughout this lavish volume are breathtaking frescoes and mosaics, remarkable statues and delicate, intricate metalwork and jewelry. Specially taken aerial photographs provide original perspectives on familiar structures, highlighting often unseen or inaccessible details. Large-scale colour reconstructions and clever cut-away sections restore cities and such buildings as the Colossesum, the Pantheon, and Diocletian's Palace at Split to their former glory. Rome's history, from its founding by Romulus to the fall of the Empire, is thoroughly explored in the book's authoritative text. The authors examine every facet of everyday Roman life, from housing and clothing to entertainments in the circus and amphitheatre. Finally, the reader is taken on a tour of the major sites and conquests of the Empire, from Hadrian's Wall on the northern frontier to the caravan towns of the Near East and the marble cities of north Africa. Numerous site plans, maps and a chronological table complete this magnificent survey of the astounding achievements of one of the greatest and most influential of all civilizations.