Running the Family Business of the Roman Empire: Augustus the Founder
Over three and a half centuries the Roman Empire - as seen through the lives of 10 of the most important emperors - gained in splendor and territory, then lost both. Over the ages the emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Read More
Achieve Your “15 Minutes of Fame” & Ancient Lessons on How to be Famous: Celebrity Culture in the Ancient World
An early third century CE Greek inscription recovered from the ancient town of Oinoanda in southwest Turkey reveals that the Roman army relied on the services of Lucius Septimius Flavianus Flavillianus, a champion in Read More
Seers, Women of Action: The Sibyls of the Ancient World
Virgil, in his Aeneid, describes Deiphobe, better known as the Sibyl of Cumae, as coming from “a hundred perforations in the rock, a hundred mouths from which the many utterances rush” (43-5, 163). He further describes “her terrify...
The Unusual Life and Death of Julia: A Woman Trapped in the Empirical Intrigues of Ancient Rome
Although they could not officially hold public offices, there were many women who were able to influence the course of Roman history from a position behind the scenes. Julia, the only daughter of Emperor Augustus, was not one of them. In fact...
Germanicus and Agrippina: The Golden Couple, Parents of the “Mad” Emperor Caligula
Roman Emperor Caligula fell severely ill six months into his rule. When he recovered, he abandoned the toga for silk gowns and often dressed as a woman. He also declared himself as a living god. Caligula’s illness was widely credited by contemp...
