Arles: How Rome Turned a Gallic Settlement Into a Miniature Rome
Situated on the banks of the Rhône River in southern France, the ancient city of Arles, known to the Romans as Arelate, became one of the most important urban …
Trier: The Ancient Roman City That Survived the Fall of an Empire
Modern Trier, in western Germany, is a city where the ancient Roman world remains remarkably visible. Medieval streets, modern buildings, and university campuses stand alongside enormous Roman monuments, including the …
Tiber Island: The Ancient Roman Island That Became a Center of Healing
In the heart of Rome, where the Tiber River winds through the historic city, lies a small island with an extraordinary history. Known as Tiber Island (Insula Tiberina), it is …
Marcus Atilius Regulus: The Roman General Who Chose Torture Rather Than Break His Oath
Marcus Atilius Regulus became one of the most enduring figures of Roman moral tradition. A Roman consul and military commander during the First Punic War (264–241 BC), he was remembered …
The Pantheon: How Ancient Rome Built the World’s Largest Concrete Dome
More than 2,000 years after its construction, the Pantheon remains one of ancient Rome’s most remarkable architectural achievements. Its enormous concrete dome, monumental granite columns, and ingenious use of natural …
Rome in 4 Days – Day 2
Rome in 4 Days – The Day We Became Saints After our first day in Rome, you might think we would wake up early and immediately continue exploring the Eternal …
Exclusive: Archeologists explain a recently discovered 4th-century Roman imperial bath
In an exclusive interview with Roman-Empire.net, the archaeologists behind the discovery reveal how a search for a possible imperial tomb led instead to the remarkable discovery of a private Roman …
The Basilica Cistern: How Ancient Roman Engineering Created an Underground Water Reservoir That Survived for Centuries
Beneath the busy streets of Istanbul lies one of the most remarkable surviving examples of ancient hydraulic engineering. The Basilica Cistern, a vast underground reservoir dating to the sixth century …
Hadrian’s Love Life
Hadrian ruled one of the most powerful empires the ancient world had ever known. He travelled farther than almost any Roman emperor, commanded armies, transformed the appearance of Rome, and …
The Thermopolium: How Rome’s Ancient Fast Food Industry Worked
Long before modern fast-food chains, takeaway restaurants, and street-food markets, Roman cities had an extensive network of establishments selling ready-to-eat meals and drinks. Known as thermopolia (singular: thermopolium), these ancient …
The Mystery of York’s Beheaded Romans: Gladiators, Executions, and a Possible Lion Attack
Archaeologists investigating a Roman cemetery in York, England, uncovered an extraordinary collection of human remains that raised questions about violence, public entertainment, and the treatment of the dead in Roman …
Beneath the Vatican: The Ancient Roman Necropolis, Secret Passages, and Hidden History of St. Peter’s Basilica
Beneath the magnificent dome of St. Peter’s Basilica lies a remarkable archaeological landscape that tells a story spanning nearly 2,000 years. Hidden beneath one of Christianity’s most recognizable landmarks …
Didius Julianus: The Roman Emperor Who Bought the Throne at Auction
In AD 193, the Roman Empire witnessed one of the most extraordinary episodes in its political history. Following the assassination of Emperor Commodus and the subsequent murder of his successor, …
How Roman Investors Built Wealth Through Banking and Trade
The Roman Empire was not a capitalist economy in the modern sense. Its wealth depended overwhelmingly on agriculture, landownership, and the labor of millions of enslaved people. Most economic activity …