Rome is the capital city of Italy and of the Lazio region, as well as the country's largest and most populous city. The eternal city of Rome, constructed of ruins and in whose name the Caesars sought to claim the world, opens for the visitor as a living museum.
Roman history begins in a small village in central Italy; this unassuming village would grow into a small metropolis, conquer and control all of Italy, southern Europe, the Middle East, and Egypt, and find itself, by the start of AD time, the most powerful and largest empire in the world. They managed what no other people had managed before: the ruled the entire world under a single administration for a considerable amount of time. This imperial rule, which extended from Great Britain to Egypt, from Spain to Mesopotamia, was a period of remarkable peace. The Romans would look to their empire as the instrument that brought law and justice to the rest of the world; in some sense, the relative peace and stability they brought to the world did support this view. They were, however, a military state, and they ruled over this vast territory by maintaining a strong military presence in subject countries. An immensely practical people, the Romans devoted much of their brilliance to military strategy and technology, administration, and law, all in support of the vast world government that they built. Rome, however, was responsible for more than just military and administrative genius. Culturally, the Romans had a slight inferiority complex in regards to the Greeks, who had begun their city-states only a few centuries before the rise of the Roman republic. The Romans, however, derived much of their culture from the Greeks: art, architecture, philosophy, and even religion. However, the Romans changed much of this culture, adapting it to their own particular world view and practical needs. It is this changed Greek culture, which we call Graeco-Roman culture, that was handed down to the European civilizations in late antiquity and the Renaissance.
Spring and summer are great times to visit the city of Rome, as the weather is warm and generally quite sunny. In a good year the mild weather many continue right up to December, with only occasional cold winds, but in a bad year, heavy rain can start in October. July and August are usually very hot.
Rain showers are possible any time of year. The weather can prove unpredictable from November to February, although it is generally fairly mild, there can be heavy rain and occasional icy winds.
Modern day Rome has a dynamic and diverse economy with thriving communications, technologies and service sectors. Rome continues to grow at a higher rate in comparison to any other city in the rest of the country. Tourism is inevitably one of Rome's chief industries, with numerous notable museums including the Vatican Museum, the Borghese Gallery and the Musei Capitolini. Rome is also the hub of the Italian film industry, thanks to the Cinecitta studios. The city is also a centre for banking as well as electronics and aerospace industries. Numerous international headquarters, government ministries, conference centres, sports venues and museums are located in Rome's principal business districts: the Esposizione Universale Roma (EUR); the Torrino (further south from the EUR); the Magliana; the Parco de' Medici-Laurentina and the so-called Tiburtina-valley along the ancient Via Tiburtina.
Rome is a nation-wide centre for higher education. Italy's largest institution is a University of Rome. Founded in 1303, the university confers many degrees in international relations and communications. Due to an extraordinary wealth of art, Rome is a major center for studies in creative dance, dramatic arts, music, and art restoration. The oldest university in Europe was founded in Bologna in the twelfth century.
Due to its location in the centre of the Italian peninsula, Rome is a principle railway node for central Italy. Rome main train station, Termini is one of the biggest train stations in Europe. The historic centre of Rome is compact and manageable on foot and most of it is closed to normal traffic. Driving in Rome is an experience to be avoided so if arriving by car it's best park it and use public transport to get around. The network of buses, trams, metro and trains covers the whole city. The metro only has two lines, but is the easiest and fastest way to get around and is convenient for several attractions. The bus service is cheap and reliable, albeit slow due to traffic congestion. Taxis are notoriously expensive and display a list of surcharges; they are difficult to find on the streets or even at taxi stands. The 110 Open is a bus service that stops at all the city's main sights, departing from Termini Station square every 20 minutes.
Capitoline Hill or Capitol, highest of the seven hills of ancient Rome, historic and religious center of the city. The great temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, on its southern summit, was dedicated in 509 BC; it was foremost among the temples and altars of Rome. Destroyed three times by fire, it was last rebuilt by the emperor Domitian.
The Colosseum, this enduring symbol of ancient Rome, tenaciously clings to its foundations as the site of former gladiatorial conquests. Its architecture boasts an impressive array of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns and an underground network of cells, corridors, ramps and elevators that were used to transport animals from their cages to the arena. The magnificence of the original structure has been eroded through the years of pillaging and earthquakes so that only a skeletal framework remains.
RomaEuropa is an annual, international cultural event that features performances and concerts of theatre, dance and music. Although the focus is on classical music, the festival is famous for its diversity of musical styles and artists. Every year the birth of Rome is celebrated with numerous events around the city, including the Roman Forum and Campidoglio. Celebrations include a fireworks display over the Tiber River, parades, gladiator shows and traditional banquets.
