Roman Empire News
Wall Paintings Found Near Ancient Smyrna’s Agora and Theater
Three late-antique rooms with mosaic and marble floors accompany newly reported wall paintings around Smyrna’s agora and theater in modern İzmir.
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Anecdotes, historical facts, fictional stories and news curated from a small team of human writers, fascinated with Ancient Rome and its myriad myths and legends.
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Roman Empire Anecdotes
Marcus Attilius: The Novice Gladiator Who Beat Rome’s Veterans
A novice gladiator known from Pompeian graffiti, Marcus Attilius won two remarkable bouts against far more experienced fighters.
Roman Empire News
Forget Quiet Luxury: A Roman Fashion Exhibition Puts Power in Colour
A pink Tiberius, surviving tunics and imperial boots anchor the Glyptotek’s new exhibition on how Romans used appearance to present authority.
Roman Empire News
A Roman Ritual for Night Lightning Comes to Light at Hadrian’s Villa
An inscribed slab found in place at Hadrian’s Villa points to a Roman lightning rite. Its ancient parallels show what the evidence can – and cannot – tell us.
Roman Empire News
AI Maps the Sights and Sounds of Two Pre-Roman Etruscan Tombs
A study of two painted tombs at Tarquinia combines acoustic measurements and AI models to test how their spaces may have guided ancient visitors.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Scipio Aemilianus: The Roman Who Destroyed Carthage and Numantia
Born an Aemilius and adopted into the house of Scipio, Scipio Aemilianus built his reputation in Spain before becoming the conqueror of Carthage and Numantia.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
The Surprising Roman Roots of Macaroni and Cheese
Cato layered grain dough with fresh cheese centuries before macaroni and cheese. His Roman recipes reveal a surprising backstory, with important differences.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Roman Colonies: How Rome Turned Conquest Into Control
Rome’s colonies were more than new towns. They redistributed land, strengthened control and changed the balance between settlers and existing communities.
Roman Empire News
Lost Roman Town with 8,000-Seat Amphitheater Mapped in Austria
Surveys at Stein in Lower Austria reveal a planned Roman settlement and an amphitheater estimated for 8,000 people. Its identification as Claudivium remains uncertain.
Roman Empire News
Forest Stones in Germany Identified as Roman Temple, Goddess Figure Discovered
Excavations at Kapersburg in Germany’s Taunus reveal a Roman temple, votive stones and a Victoria figure, while later finds raise questions about life beyond the Limes.
Roman Empire News
Ancient DNA Reveals Different Communities in Post-Roman Pannonia
A study of 314 genomes from seven cemeteries in former Roman Pannonia traces migration and shows how neighbouring sixth-century communities differed.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
The Warehouses That Fed Rome
Rome depended on warehouses at Ostia, Portus and along the Tiber to turn seasonal grain arrivals into a steady food supply for the capital.
Roman Empire News
Video: Pula’s Roman City Becomes a Stage for Light Art
Over three September evenings, Visualia brought projections and installations to Pula’s historic centre. The programme reached the Roman Forum and Small Roman Theatre.
Roman Empire News
AI Assists in Finding the Rules of Ancient Roman Board Game
A marked stone from Coriovallum fits several simulated blocking games. The study narrows the possibilities without recovering the exact rules Roman players used.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Rome Recycled More Than We Think
Romans gave old materials surprisingly long lives. Glass, metal, pottery, textiles, papyrus and even buildings could be repaired, reused, sold or remade.
Roman Empire News
Watch: Metal Detectorist Finds 934 Roman Silver Coins Near Cologne
A reported 934 denarii recovered near Wesseling form an unusually large hoard from Hadrian’s era. Archaeologists have not identified who buried them or why.