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
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 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
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 Anecdotes
Nannies of the Empire: The Wet Nurses Who Raised Roman Children
Roman wet nurses did far more than feed infants. They could shape a child’s speech, habits and earliest education, while sometimes remaining part of their lives for decades.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Edicta Munerum: How Romans Advertised Gladiator Games
Painted across houses, baths and tombs, edicta munerum advertised gladiator games with dates, sponsors, fighters and extra attractions.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Aulus Gellius: The Roman Who Wrote Down Everything He Found Interesting
Aulus Gellius filled the Attic Nights with notes on books, conversations, language, philosophy, law and the curious details he wanted to remember.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
The Battle of Pydna: How Rome Broke the Macedonian Phalanx
At Pydna in 168 BC, Aemilius Paullus defeated Perseus after the Macedonian phalanx lost cohesion and Roman troops entered the gaps in its line.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Roman Astronomers: The Men Who Studied the Stars in Ancient Rome
Roman astronomy was shaped by soldiers, statesmen, poets and natural philosophers who studied eclipses, stars, planets, calendars and comets.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
How Did Romans Do Math?
How Romans handled arithmetic without modern numerals, from finger reckoning and abaci to fractions, interest, multiplication, division and engineering calculations.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Tiberius Claudius Nero: Caesar’s Officer, Livia’s Husband, Tiberius’s Father
Tiberius Claudius Nero served Caesar, opposed Octavian, fled Italy with Livia, and became the father of Rome’s second emperor.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
A Roman’s Manual for Survival
What if one man, standing at the twilight of Rome, believed that the fate of peace depended on the art of war? His words, written more than 1,500 years ago, became the backbone of medieval strategy and echoed in the training grounds of emperors and knights alike.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Exile in Ancient Rome: What Happened When Rome Sent You Away
Exile in ancient Rome could mean escape, punishment, isolation or political survival. From Cicero to Ovid, Seneca and imperial prisoners, Roman exile took many forms.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
The Social War: Why Rome’s Italian Allies Took Up Arms
Rome’s Italian allies had fought in its armies for generations. In 91 BCE, disputes over citizenship, equality and Roman power led them to revolt.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
How Romans Proved Who They Were
Romans had no single identity document. Names, census records, birth declarations, seals, witnesses and military diplomas could establish identity and legal status.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Rome’s Client Kings: How the Empire Ruled Without Annexing
Rome often governed through allied kings rather than annexing their territories. The reigns of Massinissa, Deiotarus, and Herod show how this system operated.