Roman Empire

Welcome to our website's section on the Roman Empire, one of the most fascinating and influential civilizations in world history. For over a thousand years, the Romans ruled a vast territory stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea, leaving an indelible mark on art, culture, language, law, and politics. The Romans were masters of engineering, building roads, aqueducts, and monumental structures that continue to impress us to this day. But the Roman Empire was not just about conquest and military might; it was also a complex society with a diverse population, a rich mythology, and a unique worldview. In this section, we invite you to explore the many facets of the Roman Empire, from its founding myths and legendary heroes to its decline and legacy. Whether you are a history buff, a student, or just curious about the ancient world, we hope you will find this section informative, engaging, and inspiring.

View of the Etruscan burial chamber. In the foreground bowls and animal remains and towards the back the deceased. Source: Roland Haurillon, Inrap

27 April, 2020 - 19:16 ashley cowie

Rare Etruscan Tomb of Treasures Excavated in Corsica

Over the last few months as the world was slowly shutdown with the prevailing pandemic, a team of archaeological and anthropological researchers led by Franck Leandri, head curator of the French...

One of the Roman slave skeletons alongside a pot found at the burial site in Somerset, England. Source: Wessex Archaeology

19 January, 2020 - 19:05 Ed Whelan

50 Roman Slaves Found Buried with ‘Care’ in England

A Roman slave burial ground has been found near what was once a great ancient villa in Britain. Many of the graves are very unusual, and they provide a glimpse into the impact of Rome on the local...

Roman leader and his soldiers. Credit: vukkostic / Adobe Stock

18 January, 2020 - 14:01 dhwty

Lucius Verus – The Outshone Roman Emperor Governed by his Vices

Lucius Verus was a Roman emperor who lived during the 2nd century AD. Unfortunately for Lucius, he is often forgotten by history, as his reign is overshadowed by that of Marcus Aurelius, his co-...

The Roman Empire’s Crisis of the Third Century. Source: Luis Louro / Adobe Stock.

2 January, 2020 - 19:01 Aleksa Vučković

The Roman Empire’s Crisis of the Third Century

The history of the Roman Republic , and subsequently, the Roman Empire, is vast and rich, full of intrigues, conflicts, and incredible conquests. But no empire is without weaknesses, and history is...

The amphorae cargo found at the Roman shipwreck off Kefalonia. Source: Ionian Aquarium

12 December, 2019 - 14:02 Ed Whelan

Savvy Sonar Tech Uncovers Enormous Roman Shipwreck Off Greece

Sonar technology has been used to identify one of the biggest Roman shipwreck ever found in the Mediterranean Sea. It is believed that the vessel lay at the bottom of the seabed for 2000 years. The...

Some of the oak planks unearthed in the foundations of the portico. These planks are an example of those used for building Rome. Source: Soprintendenza Speciale Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma, Italy

6 December, 2019 - 02:21 Ed Whelan

Imported Timber is the Newly Discovered Secret to Building Rome

An analysis of some 2000-year-old planks of wood has provided amazing insights into the Roman Empire . Experts have been able to establish that timber found in the heart of Ancient Rome was imported...

Detail of the manuscript which Queen Elizabeth I is believed to have translated. (Lambeth Palace Library) Insert: Detail of the Sieve Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (1583) by Quentin Metsys the Younger. (Public Domain)

1 December, 2019 - 14:00 ashley cowie

Queen Elizabeth I Unveiled As ‘Messy’ Translator of Roman Text

A famous 16th century work from the reigns of Tiberius through to Nero (14-68 AD) has been preserved at Lambeth Palace Library for over 400 years at the official London residence of the Archbishop of...

Augustus. Source: Ded Pixto / Adobe Stock.

15 November, 2019 - 14:06 T.P. Wiseman

Understanding Augustus: A Historical Detective Story

The first subject of our enquiry must be Caesar Augustus himself. He is often described as the first Roman emperor, but that is a wholly misleading description. What causes the misunderstanding is...

Roman genetics has revealed the ancestral origins of the Romans. Source: serpeblu / Adobe Stock

8 November, 2019 - 15:43 ancient-origins

Genetic Study Reveals Exactly Who ‘The Romans’ Were

Scholars have been studying Rome for hundreds of years, but it still holds some secrets - for instance, relatively little is known about the ancestral origins of the city's denizens. Now, an...

Running the Family Business of the Roman Empire: Augustus the Founder

16 August, 2019 - 00:51 Barry Strauss

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...

Roman emperor

10 August, 2019 - 22:43 Aleksa Vučković

Emperor Justinian the Great: The Life and Rule of a Visionary Roman

From the numerous emperors in the long and exciting history of Rome and Byzantium, one manages to stand apart – Justinian the Great. His rule marked a turning point, an opening of a new era filled...

Plastico di Roma imperiale at the Museum of the Roman Civilization. Source: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC BY-SA 2.0.

14 July, 2019 - 23:05 Sarah P Young

The Plastico di Roma Imperiale Wasn’t Built in a Day: Accurate Mini Rome Model Took 35 Years

The Roman Empire dominated most of Europe and parts of Africa and the Middle East for over thousand years, evolving from a monarchy to a democracy and finally a militaristic dictatorship. The empire...

Goths cross a river by Évariste-Vital Luminais.

15 February, 2019 - 14:02 ancient-origins

How Ancient Rome Dealt with the Barbarians at the Gate

Cavan W. Concannon / The Conversation A caravan of Goths – the Thervingi and the Greuthungi – were massing along the Danube river, at the border of the Roman Empire. This was not an invading army,...

The Council of The Gods.

23 January, 2019 - 01:49 dhwty

The Roman Pantheon Had A God for All Seasons - And Then Some

The Romans were a polytheistic people who worshiped a great number of gods. Nevertheless, the most important gods in the Roman pantheon are the twelve gods and goddesses of the Dii Consentes , who...

Roman soldiers and their general (vukkostic / Adobe Stock)

19 January, 2019 - 22:58 dhwty

The Roman Republic – Was It Truly A Republic?

The Roman Republic was the period in ancient Roman history that superseded the Roman Kingdom and preceded the Roman Empire. Traditionally, the founding of the Roman Republic is dated to 509 BC, when...

Coronation of Louis the Pious as King of Aquitaine.

3 December, 2018 - 14:01 dhwty

The Troubled Reign of Louis the Pious, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire

Louis I (byname the Pious, the Fair, or the Debonair) was a King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor belonging to the Carolingian Dynasty. He lived between the 8 th and 9 th centuries AD and reigned...

Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (ca.245-313), Roman Emperor Diocletian. Marble bust, XVIIth century, Florence, Italy. On display at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, France.

13 November, 2018 - 01:50 dhwty

Emperor Diocletian: The Stabilizer of Rome Had a Green Thumb

Diocletian was a Roman emperor who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. Prior to his ascension to the throne, the Roman Empire was going through the Crisis of the Third Century, a period...

A set of four ‘hipposandals’ or Roman horseshoes found at Vindolanda.

15 August, 2018 - 23:00 Ed Whelan

Ironclad Hoof: Unique Roman Horse Shoes Found on Hadrian’s Wall

The BBC is reporting an exciting find on the famous Hadrian’s Wall in the North of England. Four Roman era horseshoes were unearthed during a planned dig at the site of the ruined Vindolanda fort...

Tigranes the Great, King of Armenia

5 July, 2018 - 23:15 dhwty

The Rise and Fall of Tigranes the Great, King of Armenia

Under King Tigranes II the Great, from 95 to 55 B.C. Armenia thrived, and became the strongest state in the Roman east for a time. In the millennia leading up to Roman rule, the Armenian Plateau...

Gladiators after the fight, José Moreno Carbonero (1882)

1 July, 2018 - 15:44 Julia Huse

Gladiators: Were any of them Christian?

The persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire is no secret. Christians posed a dangerous threat to the security of the Empire by refusing to worship the pagan gods, whose favor was seen as...

Theatrical masks of Tragedy and Comedy. Mosaic, Roman artwork, 2nd century CE. Capitoline Museums, Rome, Italy

29 June, 2018 - 19:58 MartiniF

The Black Sheep of the Empire: Actors and Actresses in Ancient Rome

The ancient Greeks loved the theater and ancient Greek actors enjoyed a position of eminence and respect. In contrast, although entertainment and drama were similarly adored in Ancient Rome, theater...

1,500-Year-Old Graffiti reveals Gladiator Battles

16 June, 2018 - 02:17 Mark Miller

1,500-Year-Old Graffiti reveals Gladiator Battles

The Italian word graffiti dates only to 1851, online sources say, but the practice of drawing and scribbling on walls and surfaces in public places dates back millennia. In fact, a Professor from...

A relief of Epona, flanked by two pairs of horses, from Roman Macedonia, foruth century C.E.

5 June, 2018 - 22:11 Riley Winters

The Celtic Goddess Epona that Rode Swiftly Across the Ancient Roman Empire

The protector of horses, mules, and cavalry, Epona was one of the only non-Roman goddesses to have been wholly adopted by the Roman Empire . Often depicted astride a horse, Epona resonated in the...

Hannibal crossing the Alps on elephants by Nicolas Poussin

1 June, 2018 - 03:33 Mark Miller

2,200-Year-Old Moat with Artifacts Linked to Hannibal Unearthed in Spain

Spanish university students trying to retrace Hannibal’s war march through northeastern Spain found a huge buried moat with ancient objects in it. The moat may have been meant to protect the ancient...

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