Amazon.com description: Product Description: This book tells the story of Ancient Rome from the perspective of a traveler and explains many of the customs and mores of Rome as well as providing an abbreviated history. Much of the history is told by discussing important landmarks and sights. It is a social history and a geographical handbook more than a conventional history. Ancient Rome is the progenitor of Western civilization. The customs, religion, law, technology, architecture, political system, military, literature, languages, alphabet, government and many factors and aspects of western civilization are all inherited from Roman advancements. The rediscovery of Roman culture revitalized Western civilization, playing a role in the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment.