Rome celebrates its 2,775th birthday on 21 April 2022. Known as Natale di Roma, the annual birthday celebration is based on the legendary founding of Rome by Romulus in 753 BC. This year sees a return of the historical re-enactments such as costumed parades and gladiator fights which were held online for the last two years due to Italy's covid-19 restrictions.

The events are centred in the Circus Maximus, from 21-24 April, and include gladiator fights and the trench-digging ritual, known as the tracciato del solco, which recalls the founding of ancient Roman towns when a trench or mundus was dug and offerings thrown into it to encourage the gods to watch over the inhabitants.