If Emperor Commodus were to be remembered as one thing, it’d likely be a man of many. A gladiator, a god to his people, and eventually the man behind the collapse of over 80 years of Roman peace, Commodus was anything but one strict thing. Commodus, the son of the famous Emperor Marcus Aurelius, lived […]
Emperor Commodus: A Gladiator, A God, and a Despot Read More »
The practice of crucifixion is one of the most infamous and brutal methods of execution in history. However, it’s unclear when and where the first crucifixion occurred. Still, many believe that the practice was first used by the ancient Persians and later adopted by the Romans. “Crucifixion” comes from the Latin crux, meaning “cross.” Crucifixion
The Strange and Brutal History of Crucifixion Read More »
Roman history is full of striking female leaders who opposed Rome’s power. In Britain, for instance, Boudicca led a famous rebellion by the Iceni tribe against the Roman occupation of the south of England in 60 AD. In the mid-third century AD, the Queen of the Palmyrene Empire, Zenobia, invaded the eastern provinces of the
Kandake Amanirenas: The one-eyed African queen who defeated the Romans Read More »
For centuries, the Romans have been known for their remarkable engineering feats and exquisite architecture. From massive arenas where the gladiators fought to beautiful temples, they left their mark from northern Britain to the Black Sea and from the Atlantic coast to the Red Sea. But what about the homes of ordinary Romans? What were
Everything You Need to Know About Roman Homes Read More »
Slavery was an everyday fact of life in the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire which followed it. Although scholars have to rely on approximations and the prevalence of slavery varied over time, it is estimated that upwards of 20% of the population of the Roman Empire were slaves. That would be roughly 15 million
What Was Life Like for a Roman Slave? Read More »
While many people alive today will say that 2020 is the worst year they have ever seen, many precede it on the list of horrific times in human history. In 2020, the world watched in horror as millions of people died from the coronavirus pandemic, whole countries shut down, and nobody knew what to do
Why Was 536 One of the Worst Years to be Alive? Read More »
The visitor to the Louvre Museum in Paris regularly passes statues from the ancient world when the Romans dominated the Mediterranean and much of Europe. Generally speaking, these statues have a uniform look to them, as do the figures depicted on Roman mosaics, like those found in the ruins of Pompeii today. Generally speaking, all
What Kinds of Clothes Did the Ancient Romans Wear? Read More »
Only two things in life are certain, opined the great American statesman Benjamin Franklin, death and taxes. Yet these are two things that we often forget to ask ourselves about in past societies like ancient Greece and Rome. So this is not the forum for discussing how ancient taxes were levied and collected, but rather
What Were the Most Common Causes of Death in Ancient Greece and Rome? Read More »
Undoubtedly one of the things that the Romans were most famous for was their baths. Unlike nearly all earlier civilizations that the archaeological evidence suggests were not overly concerned with personal hygiene, the Romans gave over large spaces in every city and town they built to public spaces where people could go and clean themselves.
What Was Personal Hygiene Like in Ancient Rome? Read More »
The modern world is unusual compared to almost all other societies in its approach to drug use, intoxication, and altered states. Other than those that pharmaceutical companies utilize, most narcotics today are illegal in nearly all jurisdictions. Alcohol, one of the most dangerous narcotics known to humanity, is the only narcotic generally freely available in
What Drug Use Was Like In Ancient Greece and Rome Read More »
