A new exhibition that transports visitors back 2,000 years to one of the most epic, technologically significant times in the history of humankind will open at the Museum of the Great Southern on Saturday 13 April.

Ancient Rome: The Empire that Shaped the World will provide visitors the opportunity to learn about the military genius of Julius Caesar, admire the disruptive innovations that held the Roman Empire together for centuries, and marvel at the awe-inspiring technology used to construct Rome, which became known as the Eternal City.

“Our artisans have meticulously reconstructed ancient Roman technology to scale from drawings using the same materials and techniques that the Romans used thousands of years ago,” said Thomas Rizzo, exhibition director for tour company The Artisans of Florence.

“Many of the machines are interactive. The entire family will be able to get hands-on with these creations to learn about the fascinating history of ancient Rome, the lives of fearsome gladiators, and the innovations that set the Roman Empire apart from the rest of the world.”

Ancient Rome is touring WA following hugely successful showings in Rome, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hong Kong, China, Taipei, Macao, Korea and regional New Zealand. It is being shown in WA for the first time thanks to sponsorship from SEW Eurodrive.

Museum of the Great Southern Manager Catherine Salmaggi said Ancient Rome provides a unique way to appreciate and experience ancient history.

“Visitors of all ages and backgrounds will be able to fully immerse themselves in the everyday life of Roman citizens through spectacular clothes, jewelry, art and entertainment with this interactive exhibition. We will also have some exciting Rome related school holidays activities that will run alongside the exhibition,” Ms Salmaggi said.

“As a Museum we are committed to bringing the world to the regional communities of Western Australia and we’re thrilled that the Artisans of Florence-International and The Niccolai Group are helping us achieve this.”

Ancient Rome features group activities, short documentaries, computer animations, the armour and weaponry of Roman centurions and gladiators, traditional Roman mosaics, frescoes, games and a sample of original artefacts.