Exploring the Roman World
Around 2,000 years ago the Romans occupied and ruled, albeit briefly in some regions, over a vast area that centred on the Mediterranean Sea. Still today this area has some of the most extraordinary remains of ancient architecture and art. People travel from far and wide to see their ‘bucket list’ sites. From the Colosseum in Rome to Hadrian’s Wall in northern England. Others dedicate much of their leisure travel to visiting as many Roman related points of interest as they can. Whatever your level of interest, this continually developing guide aims to be the definitive guide to the many Roman sites and museums you can visit.
5 Must See Roman Sites
Colosseum
Maison Carrée
Hadrian’s Wall
Pompeii
Volubulis
About Our Travel Guide to the Roman World
This is not a history of Ancient Rome. Rather, it is a travel guide to the Roman world. A guide to the many and varied Roman ruins, landmarks, towns and museums to be found in countries in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Whether you want to visit a few of the more spectacular sites or are planning a more extensive trip to a specific area, you are sure to find what you need here. From recommendations for the best sites and museums to visit to thematic lists. From suggested itineraries to tools to create your own itinerary and travel lists. As well as many other resources, travel tips and ideas. The guide is produced by Thomas Dowson, an archaeologist and the founder of Archaeology Travel, along with contributions by other authors and researchers on this website. Read more about the authors and this website, as well as our mission and vision.
Featured Destination
Roman Cologne - Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium
Who Were the Romans?
Although there is earlier evidence of prehistoric occupation in the area of around the Tiber River, the first substantial habitation was that of the Latins. They were one of a number of Iron Age Italic tribes, which archaeological evidence suggests moved into the Italian peninsular in the late Bronze Age (between 1200 and 800 BC). What was a typical settlement for the 9th century BC was the most powerful city in 3rd century BC Italy. By the start of the 2nd century AD, the Roman Empire ruled over large parts of Europe and the Near East, as well as the coastal fringe of North Africa.Â
Initially, after Rome became a republic in 509 BC, Roman citizenship was restricted to the Latins of Rome. As Romanisation expanded geographically, citizenship was increasingly extended to all new, free subjects of the Roman Emperors. This ability to integrate new people is part of the character of Rome that can be seen in city’s foundation myths, since the beginning Rome was a city with a mix of different peoples. Â
Given the geographic extent and chronological depth of Ancient Rome, there is no simple definition of what it meant to be Roman. Indeed, what it meant to be Roman included considerable regional and ethnic diversity. Social difference in Rome was determined by class or rank not physical features. Slaves, for instance, were not enslaved because of their ethnicity. Romanness was conferred through citizenship, keeping with Roman tradition and serving the Roman state.
The Archaeology of Ancient Rome
The Romanisation of large parts of Europe, the Near East and north Africa was not only a complex process, it also differed from region to region. It was not simply a matter of Romans defeating a local population, then replacing native customs and traditions with their own. Throughout the Roman world there were different reasons for and processes of acceptance and resistance; resulting in significant differences in the provinces. Britain, for example, does not seem to have been Romanised to the same extent as Gaul was.
A product of Romanisation, and one we can still enjoy today, are similar remnants and ruins of material culture and architecture spread throughout this vast area surrounding the Mediterranean. The very meagre remains of the amphitheatre in the basement of the London Guildhall Art Gallery are nothing in scale compared to the Colosseum in Rome. But the similarities between these two ancient structures, and the 200 plus other examples of Roman amphitheatres, are striking. Not all aspects of Roman culture were transposed identically. Temples outside of Rome, for example, often incorporated Roman and native features. And the Romans added new gods and goddesses to their pantheon: Isis in Egypt, or Epona in Gaul. While regional differences exist, the similarities in Roman archaeology across a vast area is unmistakeable.
Explore our Interactive Map of Monuments and Ruins across the Roman World.
Roman Towns & Cities
Romans not only developed existing settlements, they also established many of their own towns and cities for citizens and veterans. Most of these cities have a distinct grid patter, with the two main roads, the cardo (running north-south through the city) and the decumanus (east-west) intersecting at the forum. The forum was not just the centre of commercial activities, it also served as a social and political hub. The wealth and status of the town, and its inhabitants, determined what other infrastructure the town, which would include public bath houses, amphitheatres, theatres, and of course temples. A number of cities were fortified, and in many cases sections of these ramparts survive to this day, as at Exeter (England) and Autun (France).
The ruins and remains of Roman towns and cities varies enormously, depending on a number of factors. Roman cities that were abandoned early on, such as Timgad in Algeria, have much that is intact for visitors to explore. Other cities that were not abandoned but continued to be inhabited through the medieval period, such as Cologne, London or Paris, have few surviving remains.
Roman Villas: Urbana & Rustica
One the edge of some towns and cities, the residences of wealthy individuals have been excavated. Perhaps the most well known of these villae urbanae are the grand houses outside the walls of Pompeii, such as the Villa of Mysteries, and the Stabiae villas. The villa rustica is found in a more more rural, agricultural setting, where the residence serves as a residence for the wealthy landowner and the functions of the agricultural enterprise, a vineyard for example. The wealthier the owner, the more spectacular the decoration of the residential parts of these villae. Romano-British villas are known for their extraordinary mosaic floors. The Boscoreale villas were involved with the production of wine and olive oil. Here the walls of the domestic buildings have some of the most exceptional Roman frescoes.
Roman Roads & Bridges
Although the Romans did not invent roads, they created a network of roads across the entire empire. The reason for this, the movement and supply of soldiers. Where these roads crossed rivers, the Romans built substantial, permanent bridges. These routes were followed for centuries, and this is still the case today. In some areas, the via Belgica from Cologne to Rimburg, the Via Agrippa from Cologne to Dahlem, or the via Domitia along the French coast from Nice to Spain, following the route of the Roman road is a popular activity.
Roman Necropoli & Tombs
For the Romans, burial of the dead did not take place inside the city. Rather, tombs mausolea were situated on the sides of the main roads leading into the city. Alongside the via Appia in Rome are a collection of important Roman, early Christian and Jewish catacombs. Many of these are decorated with frescoes, telling us much bout early Christian art and Jewish culture from the 2nd century onwards. In many cities, as in Rome, these necropolises have been overtaken by the urban sprawl, the tombs are situated in what is now a residential or commercial area. The Weiden Roman Tomb in suburban Cologne is said to be the best preserved tomb north of the Alps.Â
Roman Limes & Military Camps
At its greatest extent, the Roman frontier (limes) was over 5,000 km, from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain, through Europe from the Netherlands to the Black Sea, to the Caspian Sea, to the Persian Gulf, and from there to the Red Sea and then across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The border was never entirely fortified. And solutions for the fortification of the border varied depending on local circumstances. What we can see today includes the remains of roads, forts, fortresses, walls and ditches, and civilian settlements at military sites (vici). One of the best preserved section along the Roman frontier is Hadrian’s Wall, which runs between Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west just south of the border between England and Scotland. North of that border is the Antonine Wall.Â
Regional Guides to the Roman World
Temporary Exhibitions with an Ancient Rome Theme
- Origins and Splendours of the Farnese Collection in 16th Century Rome Villa Caffarelli, Capitoline Museums, Rome – 1 December 2024 – 31 May 2025
Recommended Books on Ancient Rome
The above history is intentionally brief to provide some context to the rise of Rome and the Republic, the shift to the Empire, and the expansion of Rome throughout the Mediterranean. The following three books are a good place to start to learn more about the Roman world, from its early beginnings to the shift of the political centre from Rome to the east.
- Kathryn Lomas, 2018, The Rise of Rome: from the Iron Age to the Punic Wars. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. (Available on Bookshop.org, and UK Bookshop.org).
- Greg Woolf, 2022, Rome: an Empire’s Story. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Available on Bookshop.org and UK Bookshop.org)
- Judith Herrin, 2007, Byzantium: the Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire. London: Penguin Books. (Available on Bookshop.org and UK Bookshop.org)
