Ancient Rome 2.0: Antiquity Brought to Virtual Life

Not only was Rome not built in a day, but a digital model took 10 years to construct. A team of archaeologists, architects and computer specialists from Italy, the United States, Britain and Germany has just unveiled a sprawling 3D digital simulation of the ancient city as it appeared at the height of its development as the capital of the Roman Empire.

They are calling it the largest, most comprehensive simulation of a historic city ever created.

"Rome Reborn 1.0," based at the University of Virginia, shows almost the entire city within the 13-mile-long Aurelian Walls in 320 A.D., when Rome was the multicultural capital of the Western world. Visitors can navigate through key sites such as the interiors of the Roman Senate House, the Colosseum, or the Temple of Venus and Rome, the ancient city's largest place of worship.

The $2 million simulation, which is aimed at students, scholars, travelers and anyone else interested in history and urban planning, can be easily updated to reflect the latest knowledge about the ancient city. In future releases, the project will include other phases in the evolution of the city, from the late Bronze Age in the 10th century B.C. to the Gothic Wars in the 6th century A.D.