One of the greatest cities of the ancient world has been rebuilt using 3D computer graphics, for 10 years an international team of archaeologists, architects and computer specialists from the University of Virginia and UCLS, as well as research institutes in Italy, Germany and Britain have been working on “Rome Reborn”.

The digital reproduction of Rome is the biggest computer simulation of an ancient city ever made, and it is an almost complete reproduction of the city at its peak in 320 AD.

The team have rebuilt almost the entire city within its original 13 mile-long wall (21 km). Some 7,000 buildings at the time of emperor Constantine, and even the interiors of about 30 buildings, among them the Senate, the Colosseum and the basilica built by the emperor Maxentius.

But according to Bernard Fricher of the University Virginia, who led the project, they will not stop there, the plan is to eventually show the evolution of Rome from its mythical founding in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus and up to the “Sack of Rome” in the 5th century AD and the devastating Gothic Wars.

"This is the first step in the creation of a virtual time machine, which our children and grandchildren will use to study the history of Rome and many other great cities around the world," said Frischer.

The simulation of Rome has cost about 2 million dollars, and can be used as an excellent tool to learn more about ancient Rome by students and tourists alike. The simulation will also be used by scientists to run experiments on practical details like, ventilation, capacity and acoustics.