Cassius Dio: The Senator Who Chronicled the Rise and Fall of Rome
Introduction: The Voice of an Empire Among the many historians of ancient Rome, Cassius Dio holds a special place. He wasn’t a writer who read and worked with old records—he …
Who Was Suetonius? The Biographer Who Revealed Rome’s Emperors
Introduction – Meet the man who revealed the emperors’ private lives Long before tabloids, before paparazzi, and even before Tacitus’ sharp political commentary, there was Suetonius. He was Rome’s original …
Blood in the Arena: The Pompeii Gladiator Riot of 59 AD
When Games Turned to Blood The amphitheater of Pompeii once rang with the cheers of eager spectators, the clang of swords, and the cries of wounded gladiators. But in 59 …
Burn the City or Save the Empire: The Nika Riots of 532
On a cold January day in 532 AD, the heart of the Byzantine Empire—Constantinople—was burning. The air was full of smoke from torched buildings, and screams echoed through the streets. …
Exploring Felix Romuliana: How to Visit Serbia’s Hidden Roman Palace
Stepping Into Roman History in Eastern Serbia If you’ve ever dreamed of walking through a forgotten Roman palace, untouched by crowds and surrounded by green hills, Felix Romuliana in eastern …
Ammianus Marcellinus: The Last Great Historian of the Roman Empire
Introduction – Ammianus Marcellinus: A Historian in a Time of Crisis Ammianus Marcellinus was one of the last great voices of classical Roman historiography. A former soldier and eyewitness to …
Tacitus and the Truth of Empire: Rome’s Greatest Political Historian
Introducion Publius Cornelius Tacitus stands among the greatest Roman historians. A man of letters, law, and politics, Tacitus was not just chronicling events—he was dissecting the soul of Rome. Living …
Livy: Rome’s Master Historian and the Crafting of an Empire’s Memory
Introduction Titus Livius, better known simply as Livy, stands among the most influential historians of ancient Rome. Writing during a transformative era—from the collapse of the Roman Republic to the …
The Carthaginians Reimagined: New DNA Evidence Reshapes the Legacy of Rome’s Old Rivals
Who Were the Carthaginians? For centuries, Carthage stood in the imagination of historians and the public alike as the exotic, defiant foe of ancient Rome — a seafaring civilization founded …
Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic – Caesar’s Death
Caesar’s Death The leaders of the conspiracy against Caesar were former Pompey’s soldiers Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, and they were joined by Caesar’s men led by Decimus …
Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic – The Dictatorship
Caesar and Rome During the Civil War Before the dictatorship and even during the civil war, upon entering the city, Caesar began his work on the reorganization of the Roman …
Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic – The Decisive Battle
Caesar in Greece Propaganda in this war brought great results, starting with Caesar’s gentle treatment of prisoners after Corfinium, and the release of the army in Spain, and ending with …
Plutarch: Life, Legacy, and the Lasting Power of His Parallel Lives
Plutarch is even today one of the most influential voices from antiquity, whose work has passed the test of time for nearly two millennia. Best known for Parallel Lives and …
Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic – End of the Triumvirate
Meeting in Lucca While Caesar was in Gaul, the situation in Rome was not calming down at all. Pompey was given the task of supplying the city with grain, and …