More than 170 Roman cultural relics arrived in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Wednesday night for an exhibition later this month, Ma Zhenzhi, deputy curator of the provincial museum, said Thursday.

The exhibition will open on April 20 and last for three months.

The museum will also stage an exhibition of cultural relics of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24) excavated in Xi'an, which served as national capital in the period.

Ma said it will be the first time cultural relics from oriental and western civilizations are displayed for exhibition at the same time in a Chinese city.

"It's a good chance for the Chinese people to glimpse the past glory of these two ancient civilizations and feel their differences," Ma said.

Rome and Xi'an were two flourishing capitals on the ancient Silk Road.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2005)