The History of Rome in 12 Buildings

Any travel guide to Rome will urge visitors to go the Colosseum, but none answers a simple question: Why is it called the Colosseum?

The History of Rome in 12 Buildings: A Travel Companion to the Hidden Secrets of The Eternal City is compelling, concise, and fun, and takes you behind the iconic buildings to reveal the hidden stories of the people that forged the Roman Empire.

Typical travel guides provide torrents of information but deny their readers depth and perspective. In this gap is the really good stuff--the stories that make the buildings come alive and vividly enhance any trip to Rome.

The History of Rome in 12 Buildings will immerse you in the world of the Romans, one full of drama, intrigue, and scandal. With its help, you will be able to trace the rise and fall of the ancient world's greatest superpower:

• Find the last resting spot of Julius Caesar.
• Join Augustus as he offers sacrifices to the gods.
• Discover the lie on the façade of the Pantheon.
• Walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
• And so much more.

Phillip Barlag is an executive director at World 50, which initiates and facilitates the most interesting and influential business conversations in the world. He is the author of The Leadership Genius of Julius Caesar: Modern Lessons from the Man Who Built an Empire (Berrett-Kohler, 2016), and his writing has been published in a variety of publications and blogs, including Fast Company and MIT Sloan Management Review. He lives in the Atlanta, Georgia, area with his wife and three children.