History of Rome

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Rome: Ruins of the Forum, Looking towards the Capitol (1742) by Canaletto

Population of Rome

A simplified plan of the city of Rome from the 15th-century illuminated manuscript Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.

The history of Rome spans more than two-and-a-half thousand years of the existence of a city that grew from a small Latin village in the 8th century BC into the center of a vast civilization that dominated the Mediterranean region for centuries. The population of the city fell in the Late Empire after Rome ceased to be the capital of the Empire, and remained far lower than its ancient peak until Rome became the capital of a reunited Italy in the late 19th century. This assured the survival of very significant ancient Roman material remains in the center of the city, some abandoned and others continuing in use. For most of the centuries in between, the Papacy was the ruler of the city and Rome became the capital of the Papal States, which grew to include large parts of central Italy. Although economically weak, Rome remained a center of pilgrimage and also tourism.

Rome is one of the oldest named cities in the world. Its political power was eventually replaced by that of peoples of mostly Germanic origin, marking the beginning of the Middle Ages. Rome became the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of a sovereign state, the Vatican City, within its walls. Today it is the capital of Italy, an international worldwide political and cultural center, a major global city,^[1] and is regarded as one of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world.^{[2] ( 204 words) )}

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