Strip the City

Ancient City: Rome (1x6)

: 26, 2013

Ancient Rome is the prototype of all modern cities. 2,000 years ago it was the biggest in the world - home to a million people. It has survived better than any ancient city on earth and today is home to 3 million citizens. How did Rome become the "Eternal City?" This film strips its most famous icons bare to reveal their secret inner workings and the ingenious technology that allowed engineers to build the Pantheon, Coliseum, Trevi Fountain and Via Appia. Roman engineers' mastery of constructing buildings, roads and viaducts set the city on course to become the greatest Empire the world had ever seen. By exploring deep underground we reveal the crucial role volcanoes played in the city’s growth. We descend into a cavern of tunnels that runs under most of Rome, abseil into an ancient aqueduct and explore how Rome's new Metro is being built. This film explores the volcanic geology that shaped the city's past and challenges its future, from the ash that is a key ingredient of concrete to the lava flows that underpin its roads.