Italy should do this

I lived in Italy for several years. I know your suggestion was made with tongue in cheek, but it really ain't gonna ever happen, mainly because there's a simmering resentment in areas outside Rome about the power and influence of the city while the main economic powerhouse of the country is in the north.

On the topic of the greatness of the Roman empire at its peak, if you ever visit Rome be sure to look out for four large maps engraved in stone slabs that are mounted on an ancient wall near the Coliseum and show the expansion of the empire. Mussolini had those made and put up as part of his programme to try to inspire national pride. Originally, there was a fifth map which showed his planned expansion into a new empire which would include the Balkans, Greece, and eastern north Africa. Strangely, that was taken down at the end of WWII and it's in storage somewhere.

There's a photograph of Il Duce showing off the maps to a somewhat dubious-looking Hitler on one of his visits his Italian allies. It has always seemed to me that, rather than using the maps to brag about the glories of the long-dead Roman empire and boast about its (completely unrealistic) new form, it would have been far more educational and possibly better for a lot of people if Mussolini had included maps showing the collapse and contraction of the Roman Empire.

Rome is a city. There are plenty of cities in Italy outside of Rome, and the residents of those cities would hate for something as pointless as you described to become reality.

Cool idea.