[3, Roman Forum, Rome] Ancient Rome lasted a thousand years, from 500 BC to AD 500. It grew for 500 years, peaked for 200, and fell for 300 years. Actually, it's a bit more complicated than that. But ancient Romans, with their vast empire, gave Europe its first taste of a common culture, and left an enduring legacy of great art.

[4] We'll start with Rome's legendary beginnings, then see how it rose to conquer its neighbors and win them over with engineering smarter and mightier than the world had ever seen. At its peak, Rome enjoyed unprecedented luxury, huge arenas for entertaining the masses, monuments to egotistical emperors, and temples with glorious domes…all with a fine eye for beauty. We'll see how the pragmatic Romans came to embrace both Greek gods and the Christian one. Finally, we'll watch as the glorious empire fell, leaving a foundation for the rise of today's Europe.