Rome has been a major city for longer than most other European capitals have existed. First the centre of the Roman Empire, a few centuries later it emerged as the centre of the Roman Catholic faith and finally, in 1870, it became the capital of the newly united Italy. In Rome's museums you can see artworks and artefacts from well over 2,000 years of history - exquisite ancient sculptures, delicate early Renaissance and opulent baroque paintings and much more. Sightseers' Rome breaks into two sections, ancient and Renaissance-baroque, but wherever you are you're likely to suddenly come across some remnant from centuries earlier than its surroundings.