360 Virtual tour of Ancient Rome

The private garden of the palace, the stadium of Domitian served as a lush, secluded space for the emperor. Similar in shape to a Roman circus, this was the perfect place to ruminate on the expansion of your empire, or recite love poems.

Overlooking the Circus Maximus. In this reconstruction one can imagine the Emperor leaning against the marble balustrade, looking over the cheering crowds and the racetrack of the Circus Maximus at dusk.

The most impressive venue for games, the Circus Maximus exceeded all other Roman circuses in length, width, and capacity. Note the variety of monuments placed in course's center and the implicit message of Rome's dominion indicated by their presence.

A View Over the Roman Forum. Here, from the porch of one of the Palatine hill imperial complexes, you can take in a sweeping view of the Roman Forum. Unlike today, much of the forum was obscured from view by the many monumental buildings that crowded one of the most important places in Rome.

The via Sacra. The Basilica of Maxentius is the centerpiece of Maxentius' building program following a fire that destroyed many buildings on the west of the forum. After Maxentius' death, Constantine rededicated the basilica to himself, and re-sculpted the colossal statue within to match his own appearance.

In the Basilica of Maxentius. The ornate interior of the Basilica of Maxentius is a testament to the splendour of Roman decoration. The colossal statue of Constantine, in bronze and marble, is believed to have first depicted Constantine's rival and predecessor, Maxentius, before Constantine had it re-sculpted in hid own image.

The Temple of Peace. Vespasian's Temple of Peace was a repudiation of his predecessor Nero's legacy made in stone. While Nero scoured the empire for the finest artworks to add to his private collection, Vespasian would relocate these prized masterpieces to a place of peace and learning for all Romans.

The Basilica Aemilia. The Basilica Aemilia was constructed under the patronage of Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus, brother of the triumvir Marcus Lepidus, and supporter of Julius Caesar. Along the attic were colossal statues of Parthian prisoners, the heavily damaged remains of which are today stored for preservation.

The Temple of Divine Caesar was constructed by Augustus who honoured his adoptive father with apotheosis. The Roman historian Suetonius reported that four months after Caesar's assassination, a comet burned brightly for seven consecutive days, and was revered as the soul of Caesar entering heaven.

Here can be seen monuments to two faces of Roman culture: the ancient religious order of the Vestal Virgins, keepers of the fire of Vesta; and the Triumphal Arch of the Parthians, a monument to the glory of Roman conquest, and expansion of its eastern territories.