[1] As part of the Archéologie series, Moatti discusses the remnants of the Roman civilisation, including the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Baths of Diocletian, and its twenty centuries of pillage.

In the Renaissance era, while Columbus was exploring the New World, artists, scholars, princes, adventurers and popes were searching through the soil of Rome for the remains of its former splendour.

145–199): 1, The city under threat (La ville menacée); 2, Piranesi, the archaeologist (Piranèse archéologue); 3, The journey to Rome (Le voyage à Rome); 4, Parker the photographer (Parker photographe); 5, Tales of excavations (Histoires de fouilles); 6, Christian archaeology (L'archéologie chrétienne).

"[5] Robert Ginsberg also gave the book a positive review: "A handy illustrated volume on the changing attitudes toward the ancient city of Rome, with a valuable section of documentary sources.

"[6] An anonymous reviewer of the Belgian weekly magazine De Voorpost opined that "in this book one finds a perfect description of all that greatness [of Rome].