My wife and I are looking to take a tour of Italy next year for our anniversary.

I am looking for a tour company that will not only arrange transportation, lodging, etc. but also have guides that are knowledgeable about the history of the Roman Empire. I am interested in aqueducts, ruins, colleseums, etc, and not in night life, clubs, and the like.

Any insight or experiences? I know the History Channel used to sponsor tours of this kind, but I don't think they do any more.

Try this :  http://www.turismoroma.it/?lang=en

I have no tour company recommendations, just a suggestion.

Write down a list of exactly what you want to see, and send it to the tour companies when you shop around.  See which one gets closest to your dream itinerary.

I only went to Rome for a week.  Everything is within walking distance, so I didn't have a tour guide provide lodging.  It seemed most of the popular ruins had audio guide tours that went really in depth.  I got to see just about every famous ruin I could think of and some, I'm not counting churches just because there are way too many.  My hotel provided a tourist map that showed the different ruins.  I did go on a bus tour over to Pompeii, but I don't remeber what company it was.

If you are travelling all over Italy, definitely right down what places you want to see and ask around different tour groups.

Any updates on what you have chosen??

You dont need a tour guide! Go get some books on ancient Rome and get an idea of what you want to see. Most ancient sites are within walking distance in the city. You can take the fast train down to Pompeii and Herculaneum. Outside of Rome you might want to check out Hadrians Villa and the Appian Way. My first trip there I really didnt have a good understanding of what it all was. Two years later I returned with a greater understanding of a lot of the buildings and monuments and what they stood for and enjoyed myself immensely!