author
Rodolfo Amedeo Lanciani
1847–1929
A pioneering explorer of ancient Rome, he helped turn the city’s buried past into something readers and scholars could picture clearly. His work joined archaeology, engineering, and storytelling in a way that still shapes how Rome is understood.
1 Audiobook
Pagan and Christian Rome
by Rodolfo Amedeo Lanciani
About the author
Rodolfo Amedeo Lanciani was an Italian archaeologist, engineer, and topographer best known for his work on ancient Rome. Reliable sources describe him as a leading authority on Roman antiquities and topography, and as a key figure in the modern study of the city’s ruins.
Trained as an engineer, he brought a practical, methodical eye to archaeology. He took part in important excavations in Rome, including work in the Roman Forum, and became especially admired for mapping and documenting the city across ancient, medieval, and modern periods. His large-scale Forma Urbis Romae remains one of his most celebrated achievements.
Lanciani also wrote for a broader reading public, helping travelers and non-specialists imagine the Rome beneath modern streets. That mix of scholarship and vivid description gives his books an enduring appeal for anyone fascinated by the layers of the Eternal City.