While Rome Burns, The Locals Have Gone A-roaming

Deserted piazzas and civic-minded winos weren't quite what Kate Holden had in mind as she entered Byron's "city of the soul".

Emperor Hadrian Conquers The British Museum In Blockbuster Display

TWO years ago, Thorston Opper, one of the British Museum's most creative and passionate curators, unearthed from its immeasurable collections an ancient Roman memorandum that showed a unit of Iraqis once occupied Britain. Dr Opper, a specialist in the Department of Greece and Rome, clearly savoured history's wonderful tendency to repeat itself and evocatively described the snippet: "Call it an exchange of peacekeepers," he said.

Great And Gay Caesar's Ghost

An assemblage of rare artefacts reflects the life and death of Hadrian - arguably Rome's most enigmatic emperor. Hadrian: Empire And Conflict British Museum, London, until October 26