The rise and fall of Rome and America.

• Position: Government

Rome, like the U.S., overcame a monarchy to become a republic. Long after the fall of ancient Rome, its heroes and legends continued to influence future generations. From the battlefields of the revolution to the chambers of Congress, Rome became a part of America's foundation. Through marble sculptures, paintings, jewelry, coins, and ceramics, "Ancient Rome & America" draws striking comparisons between Roman and U.S. culture, from theories of government to slavery and civil war, to continental expansion and worldwide influence.

"The connections between these two cultures separated by millennia and continents are startling and captivating," notes David Eisner, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center. "Visitors to this exhibition will never think of either the lost world of ancient Rome or the founding values of America in the same way."

The exhibit features more than 300 artifacts from Italy's leading archaeological collections in Florence, Naples, and Rome, paired with objects from over 40 lending institutions in the U.S. Highlights include:

* Roman busts of Scipio Africanus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero. American busts of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, each portrayed in togas.

* Two eagles depicting this classic symbol shared by ancient Rome and the U.S. The American eagle is carved from gilt wood. It was made in 1804 by Samuel McIntire, an important early American architect. Of the Roman eagle, only the bronze head remains. It likely originated from the top of an army military standard.

* Helmets of gladiators and football players. The helmet of former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Harold Carmichael is on display with a gladiator helmet and four original pieces from the gladiator barracks of an amphitheater in Pompeii--a "greave" (shin guard), two spearheads, and a dagger.

* Excavated remnants from Pompeii, including silverware, a preserved piece of a wall fresco, and the cast of a man who did not escape the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

* A selection of classical works belonging to the Founding Fathers that helped shape their political thought during the early years of the American republic, including John Adams' personal copy of Plutarch's Lives, John Dickenson's personal copy of the works of Roman historian Tacitus, and John Quincy Adams' personal copy of Cicero's De Oratore.

* Two letters from August 1776 exchanged between John and Abigail...