By the 4th Century BC, Romans had moved into the area of Lazio. You can visit Roman ruins in the city of Ostia Antica which was an important Roman port. Near Tivoli, you can view the palace built by the Roman conqueror, Hadrian
During the 3rd Century BC, the Romans were controlling territory as far north as Sienna and as far south as Sicily. In the Sienna area, on the shores of Lake Trasimeno, you can view the remnants of the bloodiest day for the Roman army where Hannibal killed 16,000 Roman soldiers.
The Roman territory included places to the east of Rome. The Roman poet, Ovid lived in the town of Sulmona, where the ruins of his villa can be seen. In the town of L'Aquila, you can visit a roman theater and ampitheather.
To the south of Rome, there are many Roman sights. In Terracina, there are remnants of Roman temples, part of the famous road, the Appian Way, and an old Roman forum. In Sperlonga, the palace of the Emperor Tiberius has been excavated.
The most famous of the outlying Roman towns are Pompeii and Herculaneum. Along the Amalfi Coast there is a Roman villa. In Benevento, you can see the Arch of Trajan.
As you head further south, the Roman ruins are mixed with remnants of the Greeks whom they conquered. Near modern Gerace is Locri Epizefri, a Greek settlement later occupied by the Romans where you can see temples, a theater and tombs and visit a museum with interesting artifacts. A larger museum of Greek and Roman items is in the city of Reggio di Calabria.
The island of Sicily was held by numerous conquerors before the Romans seized it in 227 BC. Near Marsala, you can see Lilybaeum, a Phoenician settlement and the remains of a ship used in the First Punic war. A Trojan town is being excavated nearby in the town of Segesta. Travel from Agrigento to the Valley of the Temples and you can see Greek and Roman temples and tombs. Near Pizaaz Armerina, you can tour the 3rd century villa of the emperor Maximianus Herculeus. On the northeaster coast, close to the peninsula, are some of the greatest Roman ruins--Tyndaris, a Greek city rebuilt by the Romans with a basilica, houses and theater, and Taormina, which has a theater, a large hall for musical performances and, perhaps most interesting, a man-made lake used for mock naval battles that spectators could watch.
By the 2nd century BC, Romans controlled the peninsula as far north as modern Genoa and Verona. Though fewer signs of the grand lifestyle of the empire are found in northwest Italy in what were basically outposts and settlements (while the south was home and places to vacation) in the north. Albium Ingaunum (modern Albenga) was an important Roman seaport and a Roman ship from the 1st century BC is now in their Roman Naval Museum.
It wasn't until the 1st century BC that the Roman had control of all the territory we now consider Italy. But eventually, Caesar Augustus pushed the Gauls back and an arch in the Emperor's honor still exists in Susa. In Turin, there is the Porta Palatina which also commemorates the success of Caesar Augustus. The most interesting Roman ruin is in the city of Aosta. Again, you enter through the Arch of Augustus and then can visit a theater, a forum with a large underground gallery, and an amphitheater.
To the east, the town of Aquileia, was a major city during the era of Augustus. Here he met King Herod. There are temples, baths, markets and villas that tell of the Roman era and a 4th century basilica that reflects the conversion of this area to Christianity. In Cividale del Friuli, you can tour a museum which has interesting Roman artifacts. Forum Iulii Carnicum, modern Zuglio, has baths, a forum and a basilica that are worth visiting. A trip to Verona should include the town's Roman theater and reconstructed Roman bridge.
The city of Milan was founded by the Romans as the empire began to crumble. It Roman history has been eclipsed by the Renaissance and modern citizens. But in the town of Monza, you can see a crown worn by the Emperor Constantine (who made Christianity a legal religion in the Roman Empire) that is claimed to be made with one of the spikes that held Christ to the cross.
The Romans built a framework of roads, aqueducts and knowledge in which modern Italy still finds strength and pride. You can see the physical remains of the empire in many places throughout Italy, but the greatest legacy of the Roman is found in the spirit of the Italians themselves.
Learn about the Emperors of Rome
Famous Names from the Roman Empire
Lots of information about ancient Rome and a link to a Roman role-playing game on the net