Latest Posts
The builders of Roman Ostia: Organisation, status and society
Direct documentary evidence for the organisation of the ancient Roman construction industry, and for the social and economic status of builders and their place in society, is very limited compared with what is available for the Renaissance and later periods.
The Pen and the Sword: Writing and Conquest in Caesar's Gaul
Julius Caesar was remembered in later times for the unprecedented scale of his military activity. He was also remembered for writing copiously while on campaign.
"Nuptiae Iure Civili Congruae": Apuleius's Story of Cupid and Psyche and the Roman Law of Marriage
Social historians, despite showing great interest in Apuleius’s Metamorphoses, have tended to ignore the novel’s embedded tale of Cupid and Psyche on the grounds that it is purely imaginary.
Greece in the Late Roman Period
What effects had the events in the Late Roman Empire on the people living in the Greek cities? And what on the people living in the countryside? What effects had the situation in the Greek cities on the countryside, and vice versa?
Why Did Nebuchadnezzar II Destroy Ashkelon in Kislev 604 B.C.E.?
The significance of the discovery of a destruction layer at Ashkelon, identified with the Babylonian assault in Kislev, 604 B.C.E, can hardly be overestimated.
The socio-economic impact of the Pax Romana and Augustus' policy reforms on the Roman provinces
The reign of Augustus represents the most pivotal period of all Roman history.
The Periclean Citizenship Law of 451/0 B.C.
I will then examine a variety of reason why Pericles may have chosen to implement this measure and why it might have been accepted by the existing citizenship body, as well as considering the various objectives that the law may have intended to achieve.
Testing the Waters: The Role of Sounding-Weights in Ancient Mediterranean Navigation
The sounding weight was the most widely used and critical piece of navigational equipment in the Mediterranean cultures from at least the sixth century B.C. until the appearance of the compass in this region in the eleventh or twelfth century A.D.
Can One Believe the Ancient Sources That Describe Messalina?
One of the primary sources that discusses Messalina in the most depth is The Annals, by Tacitus. However, Tacitus?s account of Messalina is questionable in several ways. First, Tacitus seems to have distinct motives for writing about Messalina that call into question the accuracy of his depiction.
TravelAll posts
EXHIBITS – Defining Beauty: The Body in Ancient Greek Art
My review of the British Museum’s – Defining Beauty: The Body in Ancient Greek Art which explores daily life, gender, sexuality, athleticism, heroism, and the social and political ideologies the Greeks espoused through their views on the human form.
NewsAll posts
Basel papyrus is an ancient medical text, researchers find
Since the 16th century, Basel has been home to a mysterious papyrus. With mirror writing on both sides, it has puzzled generations of researchers.
Research network sheds new light on drinking and eating habits in the Roman world
The landmark 50th issue of the journal Internet Archaeology is featuring pioneering research that is investigating new ways of analysing millions of Roman artefacts associated with the consumption of food and drink.
Ancient human remains and a medieval mystery unearthed in southern England
Excavation of a Bronze Age burial mound in south west England leads to the discovery of an intact 4,000 year old human cremation as well as evidence of unaccountable activity from the medieval period on the same site.
2,100-year-old ‘hawk’ mummy actually a stillborn baby, scan reveals
A tiny Egyptian mummy long believed to be that of a hawk is actually a rare example of a near-to-term, severely malformed fetus
BooksAll posts
BOOKS: Hot New Ancient History Releases!: January
If improving your reading is your goal for 2016, you’ve come to the right place! Here are our hot new ancient history releases for January!
New Releases: Ancient Books for the Holiday Season!
A few new releases for the historian on your shopping list!
The Death of Caesar: New Light on History’s Most Famous Assassination
Barry Strauss talks about his new book The Death of Caesar: The Story of History’s Most Famous Assassination.
The Tears of Re: Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt
In these four videos, Gene Kritsky, author of The Tears of Re, talks about beekeeping in Ancient Egypt
New Open Access Book on Vergil’s Political Commentary
Leendert Weeda examines Vergil’s political views by analyzing the whole of the poet’s work and introduces the notion of the functional model, which suggests that the poet does not primarily have a literary objective, but a functional one.
Fall of Roman Empire can be explained by biology, researcher says
Forget the Vandals – the fall of the Roman Empire can be explained by biology, according to a new book.