Rome

Roma (English: Rome) was a major city in Renaissance Italy, capital of the Papal State, and headquarters to the Italian sect of the Templar Order.

Renaissance era
The defacto capital of the Italian peninsula, as well as its largest city, Rome had been the headquarters of the Knights Templar for an unknown amount of time by the late 15th Century. In 1476, Rodrigo Borgia, Grand Master of the Knights Templar and a powerful figure in Vatican politics briefly left the city to discuss his Order's plans before returning to get Papal approval.

In 1492, Rodrigo Borgia became Pope Alexander VI, and head of the Papal State and Catholic Church. Ruling from Rome, he was left alone by the Assassins for the most part until 1499, when Ezio Auditore da Firenze learned that the location of The Vault was in Rome, beneath the Sistine Chapel. During his journey through Rome, Ezio did not visit any of Rome's shops, landmarks of notable locations, heading directly for his confrontation with Borgia, and then leaving.

Following the assault of Cesare Borgia on the Assassin headquarters of Monteriggioni, Ezio Auditore returned to Rome to exact his revenge, assuming control of Tiber Island. Rome in this time had fallen far behind its fellow cities of Florence and Venice, and had stagnated in terms of development under the thumb of the Borgia. The Borgia maintain oppression over the city with the Borgia Towers located throughout Rome which prevent shops from opening. In order to free Rome of the Borgia's influence Ezio must kill the overlords in the towers and then burn it to the ground. Though it is more corrupted than Florence and Venice, it is four times larger than Venice ( the largest city in the game) in Assassin's Creed II. In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Ezio's apprentices are sent to different countries in Europe and join Ezio in Rome. Also it is revealed that instead of renovating one villa like in Assassin's Creed II, you will be able to renovate all five districts of Rome.

Landmarks
Landmarks in Rome included the Pantheon, the Colosseum , the Passetto di Borgo, Castel Sant'Angelo and Sistine Chapel.

During Assassin's Creed II
The city of Rome is accessible in AC2, the city however only appears in the last mission strand. Once you have completed the game it is not accessible again.

Trivia

 * The city of Rome will be the largest city ever seen in an Assassin's Creed game. It will be three times larger than Florence, which features in Assassin's Creed II.

Assassin's Creed II

 * Rodrigo Borgia; Pope Alexander VI (DNA Sequence 14: The Vault)