Rome, Marble, Power and Martyrs: The rise to the City of Emperors

The documentary series “Rome, Marble, Power and Martyrs” presents the history of Rome and wishes to establish a connection between viewers and modern archaeological research.

This episode describes the charismatic personality of Julius Ceasar, his imperialistic policy and the consolidation of the Roman Empire as a universal kingdom. Then it presents the Pax Romana of emperor Augustus and the transformation of Rome into a majestic city made of marble.

The extended road network connected the capital with the most remote areas of the empire, promoting commercial and cultural exchanges. The plebeians lived in small apartment houses with no kitchen, because of the threat of fire; they mostly ate and drunk in taverns.

The amphorae discovered in Testaccio provide important information about the origins and the range of Rome’s imported products, such as oil from Spain and North Africa.