Rome, tradition holds, was founded in 753 BC by Romulus on the Palatine Hill, growing from a small city-state into the capital of an empire that at its height stretched from Britain to the Persian Gulf. The city’s surviving monuments trace this long history, from the Republic through the Empire, the Christianization of the Roman world, and beyond. This section covers several of Rome’s landmark sites and museums, including the Colosseum, the great amphitheater built for gladiatorial games; the Ara Pacis, Augustus’ altar of peace; Rome’s ancient fora, the civic and religious heart of the city; the Vatican Museums, home to one of the world’s great collections of classical sculpture; and the Villa Farnesina and Villa Giulia, showcasing Renaissance and Etruscan art and architecture respectively.