Roman Empire Historical Facts
Guarding the Word: Speech, Censorship, and Power in Ancient Rome
How were the Republic and the Empire treating freedom of speech? How did the emperors censor perceived threats?
Roman Empire Historical Facts
How did Romans Flood the Colosseum for Naval Battles in the Arena?
Were naumachiae actually held in the Colosseum? How did the Romans flood the arena to stage a naval battle?
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Villa Jovis: The Secret Lair for the Dark Pleasures of an Old Emperor
A luxurious villa in Capri is said to be the place where an emperor spent the last ten years of his reign, involved in sexual activities that would satisfy his disturbed imagination
Roman Empire Historical Facts
Caesarion: Was the Last Pharaoh, the Son of Julius Caesar?
Caesarion was born in 47 BCE, and his mother Cleopatra claimed that he was Julius Caesar's son.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
Was Commodus Truly the Megalomaniac Gladiator Emperor?
Commodus was largely seen as capricious, self-indulgent, and more interested in personal pleasures than in governing the empire.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
Cicero: Orator, Statesman, and Unintended Historian of the Roman Republic
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BCE) was widely regarded as one of Rome's greatest public speakers and prose stylists. His contributions span politics, law, philosophy, and literature, making him a key figure in Roman intellectual history.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Pompey the Great: The Partner and Rival of Julius Caesar
Pompey the Great, or Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, was one of the most prominent Roman military and political leaders during the late Roman Republic.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Bacchanalia: Rome’s Forbidden Festival
The Bacchanalia, also known as Bacchanal or Carnival, were Roman festivals honoring Bacchus, inspired by elements of the Greek Dionysia.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
How Romans Viewed the Greeks: From Conquest to Cultural Fusion
The relationship between Romans and Greeks was complex, shaped by admiration, imitation, and a degree of tension.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Was Divide and Conquer a Julius Caesar Invention, or Not?
Julius Caesar knew how to eliminate enemies and how to "read" military intelligence, two of his most important traits.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
The Chains of the Empire: Slavery in Roman Society
Slavery in the Roman Empire was a complex institution deeply embedded in the social, economic, and political systems of the ancient world.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
From Octavian to Augustus: The Making of Rome’s First Emperor
Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, was the most successful ruler of the Roman Empire.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Trajan’s Bridge: World’s First to Surpass 1km, 2,000+ Years Ago
Trajan's Bridge, also called Bridge of Apollodorus over the Danube, was a Roman segmental arch bridge, the first bridge to be built over the lower Danube and considered one of the greatest achievements in Roman architecture.
Roman Empire News
Is Zuckerberg Just a Roman Empire Nerd, or Augustus’ Descendant?
Mark Zuckerberg’s fascination with the Roman Empire, from wearing Latin slogans like “Aut Zuck Aut Nihil” to references to Augustus, is more than just symbolic. Could his obsession hint at a deeper connection to the ancient ruler himself?
Roman Empire Historical Facts
Titus Livy: The Story of the Roman Celebrity Historian
Titus Livius, commonly known as Livy, was a Roman historian famous for his work Ab Urbe Condita ("From the Founding of the City"), a monumental history of Rome that spanned from its legendary founding in 753 BC to Livy's contemporary period in AD 9.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Testudo: The Military Formation that Lasted from Ancient Rome to Today
The testudo was a type of shield wall formation, commonly used by the Roman legions during battles.