Otho: Roman Emperor for Three Months
Apparently well meaning, but surely ineffective, Otho – the second ruler in the Year of the Four Emperors – lasted only three months in...
Elite Gladiators – Rock Stars of Ancient Rome
Roman gladiators can be classified in various ways. One such way is by considering their star power.
The gladiators with the biggest draw were considered...
Who Was The Roman Gladiator?
Conscripted to fight in the arena, the Roman Gladiator could be just about anybody from anywhere.
Criminals, prisoners of wars, slaves, volunteers, Britons, Spaniards, Gaels,...
Romans And Barbarians – Part 2
Roman literature contains many instances of barbarians being led by their emotions and not considering the consequences of their action. This is presented as...
The Cult of Isis in Imperial Roman Times
The Cult of Isis, long identified with Egypt, spread through the Mediterranean first through Greek Hellenization and later through the patronage of Roman emperors.
She...
Independent Women of Pompeii
Mt. Vesuvius buried Pompeii, and a chronicle of Roman life frozen in time. Excavations have unearthed a wealth of information on the life of...
Romans And Barbarians – Part 3
Sometimes the freedom enjoyed by the hitherto un-Romanized Britons was valued more highly than the supposed benefits of civilization, especially if that civilization was...
Swords of the Roman Empire
Although many kinds of swords were used by the military, gladiators and civilians of the Roman Empire the best known are the Parazonium, the...
The Battle of Alesia: Julius Caesar’s Siege Warfare Masterpiece
The 52 BC Battle of Alesia was the concluding episode of Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gaul.
Implementing a ruthless, classic strategy of siege warfare at...
Leptis Magna – An Ancient Roman City in Africa
Leptis Magna, a city on the coast of Libya, was a prominent city in Africa in the days of the Roman Empire.
Leptis Magna, located...