Why did you choose AD 315, specifically, as the year for your model Rome? On perhaps a slightly relevant note - how did the adoption of Christianity as the state religion soon after change the city? Would there have been immediate, noticeable changes?

What was the research process like for mapping out and modeling the city? And further, how do you feel that your own model compares to earlier attempts, most famously the 1937 scale model now on display at The Museum of Roman Civilization? What have we learned in the intervening 80 years of research and excavation that that model likely got wrong?

How much of the reconstruction is guesswork and how much is based on the archeological and historical evidence?

Dr. Nicholls, Thank you very much for your time!

In your experience, what has been the greatest benefit of teaching about Rome through the use of your virtual tour? What have students been most surprised by? What unforeseen lessons did they learn that even you were unprepared for?

Dear Dr Nicholls,

Just to let you know that you and your colleagues were the best team I could imagine during my studies. I owe you and the department team a great debt.

To anyone considering studying at Reading in the Classics Department; DO IT!!

Your model of Rome is fantastic. I look forward to the course. Apologies for the long post, this is just an exciting topic.

How do you think uncertainty is best modeled? Should models 'fill in the gaps' or show the limitations of the data? Do you see models as being more helpful for public engagement or research? What is the best way to present models especially in a classroom setting?

Hello, and thank you for doing this AMA!

By 315, Rome had been the focal point of a major power for at least six centuries. Were there any parts of the city which had lasted much of that time? How well would they have been preserved?

Also, from the pictures you shared the city appears immaculate. Do we know what condition the average building or street was in, or any areas which were consistently decrepit?

Thank you so much for participating in this AMA!

(1) This is kind of a meta question, but AskHistorians has a lot of grad student and prospective grad student users, so:

Have you/how have you argued for "credit" within your department for the work put into this project? Did it affect your publication rate? Would it be undoable without the safety of tenure? What sorts of grants did you pursue, if any, to fund it? (Not necessarily specifics, unless you want to brag, but more strategies for getting "academic credit" as well as, of course, money).

(2) How should the experience of sound (beyond video game scores, awesome though they often are) and smell play into both our use of the model, and our understanding of Rome?

What surprised you the most about the way Rome is build?

What part of the city took the longest to create?

Have you thought about importing it to a VR friendly engine like Unity or Unreal4, and making it explorable on foot?

Why did you do it? Was it out of passion, or was it because of a planned course?

As a high school Latin teacher, what's the best way to show my students this wonderful project?

I have a question not directly related to the topic, but the field in general.

I have a BS in history and dreamed of going to grad school and becoming a historian/professor. However, I was not convinced that the job market could guarantee me anything but an adjunct position, at best.

What would you say to prospective students who are interesting in pursuing careers in academia? Mind you, I am in the US, but I've considered grad schools from all over the world.

Is there any evidence for organized crime operating successfully and profitably in Rome between (let us say) 200 BCE and the fall of the Roman Empire?

Hello there. In your opinion, which is the most accurate film or TV show about Ancient Rome?

In Rome 315 AD, what timespan of architecture/style could we see? Did they keep structures up to date for the time or would there be buildings dating back much further that would still be in use?

On a personal level, what are a few of your favorite films?

Hello Dr. Nicholls,

I saw a presentation of something similar to your project, if not yours, years ago in California. One of my professors also at that presentation later made a comment to me applicable to your project and that has bothered me for years because I didn't have a good response, so if you don't mind I'll ask you....

The professor said this sort of thing might be interesting for computer scientists, but they doubted if it had research value for Classicists beyond what could be gained from simply walking around the Forum.

Never mind the premise of the question - I can't simply jet off California to Rome and stroll the Forum, whatever the prof might be able to do - does digital modelling of space like this help develop new understandings of history beyond what we might learn from traditional study of geography?

Brilliant work. I cannot wait for the GTA mod.

I remember reading once that stone buildings in ancient Athens were actually painted (in quite bright colours) which of course faded away over time. If that's correct it's strange to think we can only picture what Athens looked like to its citizens by guesswork (and probably unconsciously applying modern aesthetics)...

Was this ever the case in Rome? How much or little do we know about their use of colour and paint?

Salve!

I am a Romanist working not far from you (in Sussex). The archaeology in Italy is generally better preserved and more exciting than in Britain leading to some classicists ignoring the province. I have heard the archaeology of Britannia described as "Two muddy bricks in a muddy field". Is there still that bias in acedemia or have things moved on now?

When I visited the forum, the temple of Vesta seemed really small, especially given its importance to the city, and the fact they the virgins lived there. Were there separate living quarters for them, kitchens, servants, etc?

I can't fathom the amount of work involved. Thank you for doing this. Which area is your favorite or that you spent a lot of time perfecting?

Thank you for coming, it's a pretty neat model you have!

A few questions, first and perhaps most simple, was your choice of 315 CE as your date influenced by Mussolini's famous model of Rome under Constantine?

Second, I wonder how you might have thought of how to represent the non-monumental buildings. Did you mostly go off of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia, etc or did you try to make them a touch grander (and higher!) to reflect the greater density and size of Rome?

Finally, for Trajan's Market, I've heard some criticism of the current reconstruction of Trajan's Market and the whole "shopping mall of Trajan" interpretation applied to it (I think from Holleran's Shopping in Ancient Rome but it has been a while and I'm not super knowledgeable about the topic). What interpretation did you go with? And how did you deal with areas where there might be heated disagreement?

Sorry to have missed your AMA, Dr. Nicholls!

If I recall correctly, UCLA had a fairly similar project called Rome Reborn a while back. (Early 2000's? I'm not a Classicist! I just remember seeing it as a map layer in Google Earth.) I think it predates yours. What inspired you to create your own similar project, rather than working with the pre-existing models that were created for Rome Reborn?

I have been wanting to visit Rome since I was a child and finally purchased a ticket for me to visit in August!

• How would you compare the efficiency of utilities, infrastructure, or city layout in modern-day Rome with that of ancient Rome?

• What little-known facts can you tell me about the Colosseum so I can revel in the history whilst I am there?

:) Thanks in advance!!

Which building do you think would be the best to replicate as a usable building or living/interactive history exhibit? And what is your favourite building of ancient Rome?

Dr. Nicholls,

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. I am an archaeologist looking to get my masters and eventually doctorate in Roman archaeology, which most likely necessitates a move to the UK from the US. What universities in the UK do you feel provide the highest quality of education in this field, and what can I do to make myself a better candidate for admission?

As for an actually on topic question: A. what was the impact of the crisis of the third century on Roman architecture? I'm curious as to how the lack of stability and increased localism of the Empire during this period affected Rome herself.

And

B. did you account for different soil depths during the construction of the model? For instance, parts of the Roman arches were partially buried in layers of accumulated sediment until the 1800's. Would the forum and such have been maintained to the original depth during the fourth century? Or would sedimentation have occurred over time to cover parts of the city?

Which period of architectural design in Rome is your personal favorite, and why?

Additionally, which dynastic era of the Roman Empire do you find the most fascinating to study?

Are there any plans to make the model "walkable"? - A virtual-reality-layover showing the buildings at their prime was exactly what I wished for while walking around at Forum Romanum.

On behalf of /r/italy we thank you for your great and admirable effort in such work.

When and how did you discover a love of classical history?

What percentage of Rome inhabitants in 315 AD were born outside of Italy?

Hi!

1- What's your best advice to someone who wants to write a historical novel set in Rome? (Still haven't decided the period, whether in the Republic or in the Empire).

2- Why did you choose to make it free? (It's so great!)

Thanks for your time, God bless!

It's a huge endeavor, but would you ever consider modeling other periods? There's a dearth of maps (that I've seen) of the founding, early to mid republic, and late antiquity. Constantinople would be incredible too.

What modelling software did you use for this?

I'm looking forward to diving into this model, to say the least. This looks beautiful.

I've got two questions. First: During your work on Rome, what has surprised you the most? Or if surprised is the wrong word: What about the city are you most fascinated by?

Second: Do you know if other cities of the antiquity are being digitally reconstructed in a similar manner as your work? Like Ravenna, Milano, Konstantinopel, Alexandria, Jerusalem etc?

What are the most notable things that happened to Rome after the capital was moved to Constantinople?

Thank you so much for your work and the link to your course! I look forward to exploring Ancient Rome.

How does a 3D model help our understanding of the city of Rome exactly? If we have information from building footprints and accounts of the city, does a 3D model add much to our knowledge or is it for visualizing the City as it once was?

Is your model referenced to a geographic coordinate system?

What would it take for you to make the model Creative Commons? I would love to see more things like this made free.

I know you put a lot of effort into it and may (rightfully) want something in return. I, personally, would donate to a Kickstarter (or something) to make it free.

What lesser-known city infrastructures or technologies did ancient Rome use and/or develop? Which ones still exist today, and which ones do not?

Hello Dr Nicholls,

Thank you for this AMA. Given the current state of the technology and the amount of data scientists can extract from samples; on subjects as studied as ancient Roma, do you think there's still a lot of room for new discoveries ? Will there be a day where people will stop researching and say, "okay, we have what's as close as possible as a reality model" ?

Ave, Dr. Nicholls! Mirabile visu! Thank you so much for creating this and for offering a free course. I did my undergrad in Classics (Latin concentration--particularly fond of elegiac poetry and social history), and have not been able to make it back for further studies. I am also not sure my original plan of teaching at the university level would suit me now, though I do love philology...I would so like to use my knowledge in an academic way, though I am unsure how (my other great interest is environmentalism/ecology). I have several questions for you:

1. Are Classics students now expecting a more tech-oriented approach?

2. How do you (or classicists in general) keep up and encourage philological study (in your students)?

3. Were you not to have pursued philology, what else would you have done?

How did the city of Rome change during the rise of Christianity and the subsequent iconoclasm?

Hi Dr. Nicholls! In 2012 it was determined that the temple area at Largo di Torre Argentina was also the curia area of the Theater of Pompey. It was also concluded that the area behind Temple B was the exact spot where Julius Caesar was assassinated. It is mentioned in a tiny spot on a plaque at the square, but it isn't a well-advertised historical spot. My question:

Is the Curia Pompey area at Largo di Torre Argentina truly confirmed as the assassination spot, or is there continuing debate about it?

I was under the impression that our idea of Roman structures as white or mostly white was a result of the paint washing away and not getting replaced. Were the buildings/structures mostly white back in their day, or did you choose to keep it white since there's not really a way of knowing what color most things were?

SketchUp is my favorite app of all time! So you modeled all the columns and everything? Amazing. How did you create the topography?

I know I'm way beyond late, but...
Pfft, you didn't use the proper calendar system in your proof. /s

Thank you for your 3D modeling! I'm a Classics student and these sorts of things make me incredibly happy -- classics isn't dead, and the digital humanities can be pretty awesome.

Edit: Also, I'm eagerly awaiting Life of Rome - thanks for your help in this project!

What have we learnt in the MOOC we are also turning the model.

Hello, thank you for doing this, it's really nice to see.

My question isn't about your stunning and mind boggling model, but about your field. I'm an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin, and I'm planning on switching majors into archaeology or history (with a focus on ancient history). I was wondering what you think the best path is to find a good career in ancient history? If at all possible I'd prefer not moving to Europe, but that's still a possibility if it's unavoidable.

Another question I have is twofold. What were the most common/essential buildings and institutions for a generic Roman city, and what were there views on foreigners?

Thank you so much for partipating in this AMA! Regarding uncertainties, are there certain gaps in the model with provisions to fill them later? In case one notices the presence of errors, is it possible to rectify them? Is the software used intuitive and manages to take proactive action?

Thank you so much for partipating in this AMA! Regarding uncertainties, are there certain gaps in the model with provisions to fill them later? In case one notices the presence of errors, is it possible to rectify them? Is the software used intuitive and manages to take proactive action?

What do you think the world would be like today if the Roman Empire never fell?

What did Romans hate about Rome? I mean any specific problems they thought about, something they thought to be unique disadvantage of Rome?..

Did you ever have to go back and correct anything in the model due to new archaeological discoveries being made during your project.

Bit simple of a question, but still something I'm curious about.

What would the commute of a normal Roman have been? Was there an "average commute" at all?

Do you have any plans to license this under an open source or creative commons license so that other educators or researchers can expand on this work?

Perhaps not immediately, but at some point in the future. You could limit the licensing to non-commercial projects if you wish to make some coin from commercial licenses.

How did. Augustus convert Rome into a city of marble and granite? Did they just demolish wooden buildings and erect stone ones in a widespread continuos construction process, or was it a build here and a building there type situation?

With the rise in popularity of virtual reality systems, have you thought about, or started discussions into converting your 3d model into a full scale virtual landscape? I would imagine changing the building sizes would be harder than just shrinking the virtual avatar. I enjoy going into 360 landscapes and touring ancient Rome one day would be a blast. Especially, if you added NPCs.