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 …
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 …
Africans in Ancient Rome: From Terence to Septimius Severus
The history of Africans in ancient Rome is not a single story of migration, slavery, or imperial ambition. It is a history of writers, soldiers, merchants, freedmen, provincial aristocrats, …
Elagabalus and Hierocles: Rome’s Scandalous Imperial Romance
The reign of Elagabalus (218–222 CE) remains one of the most controversial episodes in Roman imperial history. Ancient writers described a young emperor who challenged religious traditions, elevated personal favorites, …
Manumission in Ancient Rome: How Slaves Could Gain Their Freedom
In ancient Rome, slavery was a legally entrenched institution, but Roman law also developed formal mechanisms through which an enslaved person could become free. The most important of these was …
What Was Life Really Like for a Roman Slave?
Slavery was not a marginal institution in ancient Rome. It was deeply embedded in Roman agriculture, households, commerce, mining, manufacturing, public administration, and entertainment. Enslaved people were legally treated as …
Roman Wedding 101: Ancient Rituals and Secret Details Exposed
Imagine a wedding day in ancient Rome. The house is busy from early morning. Relatives and friends have gathered, preparations are underway, and the bride is dressed in clothing that …
Poena Cullei: Rome’s Penalty of the Sack
Poena cullei, or the “penalty of the sack,” was one of the most severe punishments in Roman law. It was associated primarily with parricidium, especially the murder of a parent …
Roman Houses 101: Where Did the Wealthy Romans Live?
Step Inside a Roman Home Like today, Roman houses also represented the difference between the people who lived a luxurious life and those who weren’t that lucky. These Roman houses …
How Rome Conquered and Governed Its Vast Provinces: The System That Built an Empire
Why were the Roman provinces important? At its height, the Roman Empire stretched across three continents and ruled tens of millions of people speaking dozens of languages. From Britain to …
Why Were So Many Roman Emperors Born in Today’s Serbia?
An Imperial Paradox At first glance, it seems made up. How could a relatively small area in the heart of the Balkans, far from Rome itself, produce seventeen Roman emperors? …
Ancient Rome: Myth vs. Reality – The Dangerous Life of Ordinary Citizens
Many people picture ancient Rome as a city of shining marble buildings, grand feasts, and powerful leaders. Movies and popular culture have strengthened this image, but life for most residents …
How Ancient Romans Stayed Cool Without Air Conditioning
Life in ancient Rome demanded clever ways to stay cool under the intense summer heat. Without modern air conditioning, the Romans relied on design, nature, and water to make their …