Three apps transform Rome's ruins into augmented reality experiences

Three mobile applications offer innovative ways to experience ancient Roman ruins through augmented reality. Atavistic, a free app for iOS and Android, uses GPS, azimuth, and device orientation to let users take photos or selfies that overlay 3D reconstructions of ancient Roman splendor onto present-day ruins, allowing sharing on social media. La Mappa Parlante di Roma, also free (with a €9.90 paper map), is designed for parent-child use, combining a physical map with digital storytelling about nearby monuments. Virtual Romans, created by the University of Leicester and free for iPad, shows the Roman ruins of Leicester (Ratae Corieltauvorum) in 210 BC via AR, with a scientific committee including Richard Buckley from Leicester University, historians from De Montfort University, and the Jewry Wall Museum. The apps aim to educate and entertain, though the article playfully objects to calling ancient remains 'ruderi' (rubble).