Rome’s Bloodiest Battle – Teutoburg Forest, 9 AD

The Battle of Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD was one of the worst military defeats of Roman times and had a long-lasting and far-reaching influence on the fledging Empire. Today, it is often called “the beginning of German history” and is recognised as one of the most glorious examples of German unification.

Titus Livius’ History of Rome Summary [Bk1Ch7]

I haven’t done of these summaries in a long time, so I decided I would read over chapter 7 again and write down a brief overview of the happenings so far. Hopefully this helps you in some way.

Apollo, Greece’s Most Loved God

As god of the sun, music, health, knowledge, agriculture and much more, Apollo was an ideal mix of the perfect Ancient Greek morals, intellect and physical appearance. He appears with the same name in both Greek and Roman religion.

Why was Tarentum so important?

Tarentum, recognised as the strongest capital of Magna Graecia in the South, was founded by Palanthus of Sparta in 706 BC. Featuring an excellent harbour, it was a huge commercial centre and connected Rome and Etruria to Greece.

The Ancient Roman City Of Ostia

The port city of Ostia, built at the mouth of the River Tiber, was home to between forty and sixty thousand residents during its peak. Attracting merchants, traders, farmers, patricians and builders, Rome’s central naval base proved significant in its overseas operations and enabled it to conduct widespread trade between its many provinces, notably during […]

Roman Coins “Pecunia”

The archaeological find you see above is called an “aureus” and is one of the most valuable and high-quality coins that were issued, minting and distributed during the late Roman Republic and Empire, up until the about the 4th century.

Castor and Pollux – Mythology and Religion

The twin boys, Castor and Pollux, are often associated with Roman pagan religion. Merchants and sailors would pray or make sacrifices to them to ensure a safe voyage.

Five (More) Commonly Asked History Questions

1. Did the Romans really control a quarter of the world? No, they didn’t. They conquered the majority of Europe, a slice along the North of Africa and mostly dominated the east. This map shows the extent of the Roman Empire in the year 117AD, at around the height of its landmass and power. It […]

Titus Livius’ History of Rome Summary [Bk1Ch5]

In the fifth chapter of Livy’s work, we see Romulus escape capture, Remus taken for punishment to the King, and the assassination of the treacherous usurper Amulius. Here is my brief summary of chapter 5 of the first books – enjoy 🙂 Romulus and Remus were celebrating the festival of Lupercalia – founded by Evander, […]

A brief history of Christmas through the ages…

In the oldest, darkest of Ancient Times, there existed a period of great celebration stretching from around late December to the first days of January, known to the pagans and druids of the cold and icy North.

Titus Livius’ History of Rome Summary [Bk1Ch4]

It’s getting a little bit more interesting here; we’re almost at the founding of Rome. Here is the brief summary of chapter 4…

Meet the Romans – What did they eat? [Ep2]

The food of Ancient Rome is often called the “most rounded and balanced diet of the ancient world”. And if you know the variety of different meats, vegetables and cheeses they ate, it’s not hard to see why. Although it is debatable whether they were better fed than their surrounding Mediterranean neighbours, we can be […]

Meet the Romans – On the march [Ep1]

During the Imperial Period, the Romans constructed hundreds of thousands of miles of paved and unpaved roads to connect provinces, towns and ports and enable widespread military mobilization within and outside the Empire’s borders.

Titus Livius’ History Of Rome Summary [Bk1Ch3]

In the past few days, I’ve been reading far into Livy’s History of Rome. But as I do not want to clog my blog up with constant summaries, I’m taking it slow. Hope the summary of chapter 3 helps you….

Titus Livius’ History of Rome Summary [Bk1Ch2]

I’ve read a few more chapters of Livy’s great work, the History of Rome. Here is my simple summary of the second chapter of the first book:

How did Caesar cross the Rhine?

In an attempt to intimidate enemy Germanic tribes and gain support and admiration from the Senate back in Rome, Caesar constructed a genius wooden bridge to the cross the Rhine, the greatest border between the Romans and Germans.

What did the Romans even do for us?

Doubtless we all know the Romans – the huge Empire, magnificent buildings and incredible works of literature. But it is often hard to discern how much of Ancient Roman civilisation has been carried on into modern day life, and whether they’ve benefitted us in any great way.

Article Updates #2

Some more work has been done on the article Take a tour of Ancient Rome, and I hope you enjoy the additions. If you yourself have something to contribute to the article, let me know!

Take a tour of Ancient Rome….

… and much more in the rise of this glorious Empire. This is The Augustus, and today we’ll be talking about the industrialisation of a small Latin community into an thriving urban superpower, and what it was like to live in the “city of marble”.

Titus Livius’ History of Rome Summary [Bk1Ch1]

Titus Livius’ incredible work, The History of Rome, details everything from the inhabitation of Italy by Trojans until the rise of Augustus as the first Emperor. I’ve only just started reading this mammoth work – and here is a quick summary of the first chapter of the first book which I’ve already finished:

Addition To “Why Did Rome Fall?” [UPDATE]

This section was added to the article “Why Did Rome Fall?” on 8th November 2018: The security of the Roman Empire led leading figures to believe that they controlled the most advanced civilisation.

Why Did Rome Fall?

Eventually, the sun set on the Roman Empire in 476 AD when Odoacer entered Rome and deposed Romulus Augustus, the last Latin Emperor. Reasons for why Rome fell are still being debated today – but here are the most important factors for its dissolution.

Addition To Hadrian’s Wall Post [UPDATE]

This addition to the post Constructing Hadrian’s Wall And Why Was It There? was made on the 6th November 2018: Also, the Emperor was particularly interested in architecture, which probably inspired his organised design of the wall. Other walls built during the slow decline of the Roman Empire didn’t match to Hadrian’s Wall.

Research On Roman Britain From 55 BC Onwards

This is a documentation of my personal research on Caesar’s invasions, Claudius’ conquest and the romanization of England starting from 55 BC, but it will also serve as a general topic article about England, Wales (and part of Scotland) in the Ancient times. I hope my learning helps you in some way.

Battle of Cannae – Second Punic War

Carthage – the crucial Mediterranean trading city in Tunisia – has, for a short period of time, had peace with its Roman enemies. However, this is only a playful grace period, as neither side intends to continue this truce. Hannibal, the greatest warrior in all of Europe, is no exception. Vowing to never forgive the […]

How Evil Really Was Emperor Nero?

Most of us are familiar with the terrible Emperor Nero, but I want to show some reasoning for why he might not have been any worse than other Emperors!

The Organization Of A Typical Roman Army Explained [SIMPLIFIED]

Much confusion surrounds the organisation of the Roman Army and in my opinion that is mainly down to the fact that it is so advanced and there are so many roles to play on the battlefield, and while on the march. Not to mention that the army would have undoubtedly evolved over time, relative to […]

Rome Was Founded By Two Kids – Here’s The Story

The most commonly known theory/myth the existence and founding of Ancient Rome holds that it was created by two children named Romulus and Remus who had the intention of building a new Troy – the plan of remaking the most glorious city in all of the known world.

I Visited Exeter’s Incredible Roman Walls

Behind the hustle and bustle of every city in the UK, there is a hidden heritage that can only be seen to those who seek it specially. Exeter, in South West Devon, is no exception.