Emperor Augustus boasted about how his rule left Rome ' a city of marble ' while historical accounts said it glittered . Historians at the University of California Los Angeles have reconstructed ancient Rome using architectural software . They found that Roman buildings were built on top of natural rock formations, and they discovered evidence for an underground water system in some areas. Those that were made from marble would have been difficult to see from many parts of the city , say the researchers .
Emperor Augustus boasted about how his rule left Rome ' a city of marble ' while historical accounts said it glittered . Historians at the University of California Los Angeles have reconstructed ancient Rome using architectural software . They found that most of the buildings were built mainly from brick and only a few temples were made from marble . Those that were made from marble would have been difficult to see from many parts of the city , say the researchers .