When the citizens of Rome ousted their last king in 509 BC, power was divided between the magistrates, the Senate, and the assemblies of the people. This partition of authority, which characterized...
The Pantheon of Agrippa , erected in 25 BC during Marcus Agrippa's consulship, exemplifies ancient Roman architectural ingenuity. Initially featuring a grand porch leading to a rotunda, its...
The Pax Romana, a remarkable era of relative peace in the Roman Empire from 27 BC to 180 AD, marked a pivotal period that shaped the empire's trajectory. Emerging from the political turmoil of the...
Strabo, a prominent Greek geographer, historian, and philosopher born around 64 BC, left an undeniable mark on ancient geography with his magnum opus, " Geographica ." This monumental work,...
In 29 AD, Livia, the Empress of Rome and the widow of Emperor Augustus, died at the age of 86. Although she was the mother of Tiberius, the current Emperor of Rome , and an Empress through her own...
By the first century AD, papyrus paper was available throughout the Roman Empire, a market that consisted of the area stretching from Hadrian’s Wall in the northern wilds of Caledonia, east to the...
Born Gaius Octavius and ascending to become the inaugural Roman Emperor, Augustus left an indelible mark on history. Roman sculpture of his era, marked by its devotion to realism, conveyed not only...
Like many ancient cities, and some modern, Augustan Rome was a combination of public magnificence and private squalor. There were the temples, the aqueducts, the basilicas, and other grandiose public...
The popular conception of the Romans, mainly fostered by movies and television, extends to their all-conquering dominance, their armies, gladiators, blood and gore, sex and violence, mad emperors,...
Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh of an independent Egypt, had four children: Caesarian (with Julius Caesar), twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene, and Ptolemy Philadelphia (the latter three...
The Battle of Actium proved to be a catastrophic blow to the hopes and dreams of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony. With unwavering confidence, the renowned duo had nurtured the belief that they were...
The ancient Roman gladiator games were a spectacle of blood and brutality that captivated audiences for centuries. While we may imagine sword-wielding gladiators fighting to the death in the arena,...
Ancient history is replete with remarkable leaders who played pivotal roles in the expansion and growth of civilizations across the globe. Among them, Hammurabi , the sixth king of Babylon, left an...
The history of the classical Roman State spanned more than 12 centuries. It extended from the foundation of Rome in 753 BC to the fall of the western part of the Empire in 476 AD. The rich legacy...
The annals of history are filled with tales of great leaders who have left their mark on the world, shaping the course of human events through their actions, decisions, and vision. From conquerors...
The title of “emperor” is commonly seen as superior to that of “king”. But that has not always been the case. Ironically, what is now translated as “emperor” started out not as a title at all but as...
When word of his younger brother’s life-threatening illness reached him, Roman General Tiberius (later Emperor Tiberius Caesar Augustus) who was in Pavia at the time, crossed the Alps like a man...
The victory of the Parthians over the Roman General Marcus Licinius Crassus at Carrhae in 53 BC is perhaps the single most significant event in Rome's engagement with Parthia. The loss of Roman...
The Thracians were an ancient people inhabiting parts of modern day Bulgaria and Greece. The lands of the Thracian tribes were home to several significant ancient cities, important landmarks and...
While Caesar and Cleopatra have been remembered as the ultimate power couple, Cleopatra and Octavian are among the most famous enemies of ancient history. Both inextricably linked to Caesar,...
The massive tomb of Augustus, will reopen in March after a 10-million-euro ($12.25 million) project, which includes a virtual reality plug-in and has restored the ancient building to its former glory...
The Romans left behind remarkable monuments and their influence on architecture cannot be overstated. Many of their public monuments commemorated a military victory and sought to legitimize their...
Polish archaeologists have uncovered several skeletons of monkeys that were pets of ancient Greeks and Romans who lived in Egypt in the first and second century AD. The remains of these pet monkeys...
A team of scientists in Turin, Italy , have claimed the alignment of one of the city streets marks the day Roman Emperor Octavian (“Augustus”) was titled “father of the country” - but not everyone...