Roman Empire Anecdotes
The Enemy Kings Rome Paraded in Chains
They once ruled kingdoms and commanded armies. Then Rome paraded them before cheering crowds. But what awaited these captive rulers after their humiliation?
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Pertinax: Eighty-Seven Days Before Rome’s Imperial Auction
An experienced commander took over after Commodus’s murder. His programme for Rome soon brought him into conflict with the men guarding the throne.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
Gaius Fulvius Plautianus: The Man Who Became Almost as Powerful as the Roman Emperor
He was not an emperor, yet his wealth and influence rivalled those of Rome's rulers. How did Gaius Fulvius Plautianus rise so high, and what threatened his position?
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Petronius Probus: One of the Most Powerful Men in the Roman Empire
He was one of Rome’s wealthiest and most influential aristocrats, admired for his generosity but accused of ruthless ambition. Petronius Probus left behind two very different reputations.
Roman Empire News
Rome’s Pantheon Reveals Its Design from Above
Aerial footage puts the Pantheon’s dome and oculus in view, revealing the geometry behind one of Rome’s best-preserved ancient buildings.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
Emperor Julian the Apostate: The Philosopher Who Became Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor
He loved philosophy more than power, yet became one of Rome's most unusual emperors. Julian's ambitions would put him at odds with the world around him.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
The Battle of the Milvian Bridge: Constantine, Maxentius and the Fight for Rome
On 28 October AD 312, Constantine confronted Maxentius outside Rome in a battle that ended with a disastrous retreat toward the Tiber. Ancient accounts describe fierce fighting, broken bridges and the drowning of an emperor, but disagree over how the final moments unfolded.
Roman Empire Historical Facts
Aurelius Victor: The Roman Historian Whose Greatest Work Was Lost
Born into a modest family in Roman Africa, Sextus Aurelius Victor rose to high imperial office and wrote a history of Rome's emperors. His career, sharp observations and the mystery of his lost historical work offer a fascinating glimpse into the fourth-century Roman world.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Maxentius: The Forgotten Emperor Behind Some of Rome’s Greatest Buildings
Maxentius ruled Rome for just six years, yet commissioned some of its most impressive monuments, including a colossal basilica, a restored temple, and an imperial complex with its own circus and mausoleum. After his defeat, several of his buildings became associated with Constantine.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
What Happened When a Roman Tenant Couldn’t Pay the Rent?
Rent was a familiar worry in ancient Rome, even for people who were far from poor. When the money was not there, what could a tenant expect—and how much depended on the landlord?
Roman Empire Anecdotes
The Roman World After the Last Emperor
The last western emperor was removed in AD 476, but Roman life did not end with him. Across the former empire, new rulers inherited Roman institutions, laws and communities, reshaping them in different ways.
Roman Empire Anecdotes
Horace: The Roman Poet of Friendship, Wine and Knowing When Enough Was Enough
Horace rose from the son of a freedman to one of Rome’s most celebrated poets, writing about friendship, wine, ambition, ageing and the difficult art of knowing when enough was enough.
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
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 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.