Ancient Rome's Dark Side: Ghosts, Murders & Imperial Blood
Description
Uncover the darker side of Ancient Rome on this ghost-filled walking tour through the city’s bloodstained past. From the assassination of Julius Caesar to haunted imperial palaces and cursed streets, you’ll explore the stories history books prefer to forget. Hear of emperors murdered by their own guards, empresses executed in scandal, and traitors left to rot on the Gemonian Steps. Walk through the old Suburra — once home to brothels and riots — and end with a chilling view of the Colosseum, where death became public entertainment. Led by expert storytellers, this tour blends real history with eerie legends from Roman writers and ancient accounts. It’s not about costumes or gimmicks — just strange tales, violent ends, and the lingering presence of the past. If you’re looking for a Rome ghost tour that’s smart, spooky, and steeped in truth, this is it.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Stand above the very site where Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE. Hear the story of his brutal murder, the chaos that followed, and the chilling legends of his ghost returning to haunt the men who betrayed him.
View the ruins of Rome’s oldest surviving theatre and learn about Livia, the empress accused of eliminating rivals — including her own stepson — to secure the throne for her son. Discover how imperial ambition may have been laced with poison.
Look out over the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, once home to emperors like Caligula. Hear how his descent into madness ended in assassination — and how his ghost was said to haunt the palace halls long after his death.
Stand beside the infamous steps where traitors and enemies of the state were executed and left to rot. Visit the entrance to the Tullianum prison, where powerful prisoners were strangled underground and denied a proper burial.
Walk through the area of Domitian’s forum and hear how he tried to escape a prophecy about his death — only to be murdered at the predicted hour. Discover how his name was erased from history and his ghost feared by the servants who survived him.
Enter what was once Rome’s seediest district, the Suburra. Hear the scandalous story of Messalina, the emperor’s wife who allegedly walked these streets at night — and whose ghost is still said to linger in the shadows.
Visit the staircase near the ancient Vicus Sceleratus, where a Roman princess drove her chariot over her murdered father’s body. Learn how the Romans believed acts of violence could curse entire streets.
Finish the tour with a dramatic view over the Colosseum. Hear how this arena was built from conquest, filled with blood, and possibly haunted by the countless gladiators and prisoners denied burial and peace.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(21)
Guide was very knowledgable about the history of Rome and had a quirky sense of humour
Thank you, Shelah. We’re so glad you enjoyed Ancient Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Murders & Imperial Blood. Knowledge and a slightly quirky sense of humour is exactly the right combination when discussing emperors, murders, betrayals, and other Roman hobbies. We’re very pleased it landed well.
Great tour and the guide was very knowledgeable and kind. Small group which was really great. Highly recommend.
Thank you, Nicole. We’re delighted you enjoyed Ancient Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Murders & Imperial Blood. Small groups do make it easier to appreciate imperial paranoia and historical bloodshed properly. We’re very glad the tour felt kind, informative, and worth recommending.
We loved Ben! He was very knowledgeable & answered any & all questions you had. He had visual aids to assist, too! He knew so much about Rome and its history. You truly learn so so much on this tour. We would highly recommend if you’re interested in learning about Rome and the dark side of the history!
Thank you, Alexandra. We’re so glad you enjoyed Ancient Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Murders & Imperial Blood with Ben. Rome’s ancient past is much more entertaining once someone points out the murders, betrayals, and imperial dysfunction properly. Delighted the visual aids, the questions, and the darker history all landed so well.
It was great! The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Worth the experience!
Lots of information and great photo opportunities. Perfect time of day to explore the city. Recommend comfortable shoes.
Thank you, Jamie. We’re very pleased you enjoyed Ancient Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Murders & Imperial Blood. It’s an excellent time of day to see the city, especially when the crowds thin out and the imperial bad behaviour starts to feel more plausible. And yes, comfortable shoes are wise. Rome was not built with mercy in mind.
Our guide Ariell was GREAT! I highly recommend! Love from Croatia! AQUA TOFANAAAAA! 💪💪
Thank you so much. We’re thrilled you enjoyed your tour with Arielle. And yes, Aqua Tofana does tend to stay with people. Rome had a remarkable talent for making its scandals memorable. Sending our love right back to Croatia, and thank you for the recommendation!
Ivana is a lovely storyteller and engaging guide, weaving tales of Rome’s dark history that kept us delighted the whole night. With a cafe stop for hot cocoa and a multitude of historical sites, it was one of our favorite experiences of the trip: book now or regret it !
Thank you so much. We’re delighted you enjoyed Ancient Rome’s Dark Side: Ghosts, Murders & Imperial Blood with Ivana. Rome does provide excellent material if your tastes run to imperial bloodshed, suspicious deaths, and the occasional hot chocolate break. Very pleased it became one of your favourite experiences. Sensible advice, too. Regret is such an untidy souvenir.
It was great learning the dark side of history. Ben our tour guide was friendly and very knowledgable.
Thank you, Juan. We’re very glad you enjoyed the Ancient Rome’s Dark Side tour. It’s the Roman history that tends to be a little less polished than the statues suggest, so we’re pleased Ben could bring it to life with the right balance of knowledge, warmth, and imperial-level bad behaviour. He does know his way around the darker corners of ancient Rome rather well.
Due to me being temporarily navigationally embarrassed, we very nearly missed the start of the tour. I messaged the tour operator in a bit of a panic, but our guide Ben replied quickly and kindly said not to worry — he’d wait for us. That level of customer service immediately set the tone. After arriving a few minutes late, we jumped straight into the darker side of Rome’s history — murders, ghosts, political intrigue, and even the lengths some mothers would go to in order to make sure their sons ended up on the throne. The storytelling was brilliant and really brought the history to life. There was also a well-timed stop for a beer along the way, and we were shown the cursed steps where the king’s daughter famously rode her chariot over him. Ben was funny, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable, and he made the whole experience engaging from start to finish. I would thoroughly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Rome — just make sure you know where you’re going… or hope you get a guide as patient as Ben!
First of all, congratulations on overcoming temporary navigational embarrassment - not everyone manages it in Rome’s streets. We’re delighted you made the tour and enjoyed the journey through ancient Rome’s more murderous and politically complicated side. Ben will be very happy to hear his storytelling helped turn the evening into a memorable one. Rome’s imperial past is full of drama, betrayal and the occasional very determined mother, which is exactly the kind of history we love to explore on our Ancient Rome dark history tour.
My family (two adults and two teens) really enjoyed this tour. It was a fantastic and engaging way to learn Roman history and our guide (I believe Ben was his name) was very personable and also gave us advice on restaurants and other sights.
Thank you for spending an evening of your family holiday with us. Two adults, two teens and a lot of imperial crime is a pretty good mix. We’re very happy to hear the tour worked as a fun way to absorb Roman history without anyone having to suffer through a textbook. Ben will be pleased to know his stories and restaurant tips both landed well. If you’re ever back in Rome and up for more ghosts, murders and slightly unhinged emperors, we’ll be here.
