The ancient Romans are important for Italy: they are part of its history and heritage, a symbol of unity, and a constant presence in the collective imagination of the country. We like to read about them, discover what they used to do and how they used to spend their time;

what they believed in, what they ate and what they wore. We are curious about their daily lives, we imagine them going about their daily routines, just like we do, perhaps imagining them just there, in the very squares and streets we walk through today while we go to work or bring the kids to school. Proof of our interest in our most famous ancestors is the success of popular literature dedicated to them, such as the series on ancient Rome by Alberto Angela, each installment of which never fails to reach bestseller status.