A thousand years earlier, a pagan emperor had burnt Christians alive and crucified St Peter. But their martyrdom had helped keep the flame of Christianity alive in Rome. Constantine had taken an underground religion and staked all of Rome's glory on its success. Now the ambitions of a pope had brought ruin on the Holy City. The popes were to abandon Rome altogether, and seek the protection of the kings of France. It seemed like the end. After 2,000 years as head of the world, the capital of emperors and popes, the very definition of sacred power, the city blessed by God was now cursed by invasion, intrigue and depravity. Its sanctity debased. Holy no more, time had run out for the Eternal City. Next time, Rome rises from the ashes. How the debauchery and avarice of the Renaissance transformed Rome into the city we see today.


一千年以前，异教徒皇帝活焚基督徒，并将圣彼得钉死在十字架上。但是他们的殉难把基督教的火种保留在了罗马城里。康斯坦丁大帝成立了一个秘密教派，并把罗马城的荣耀全部押在了这个教派的成功上。现在教皇的野心已经给圣城埋下了祸根。教皇打算抛弃罗马城，并寻求法国国王的庇护。看起来一切都完了。2000年以后，作为世界的中心，皇帝和教皇之都，圣权定义之所在，上帝保佑之城现在受到了侵略，阴谋和堕落的诅咒。罗马城之圣洁受到了玷污。罗马城不再神圣了，永恒之城已经不复永恒了。罗马城再一次从灰烬中崛起。文艺复兴的放荡和贪婪把罗马城变成了我们今天看见的这个模样。