Roman Life

Discover the life and society of the Romans with this collection of articles on all aspects of Roman life. Learn about their food and drink, social structure, politics, government, military, warfare & colonization, housing and architecture, arts, trade & economy, and more. Delve into the cultural practices and traditions of the Roman people to gain a deeper understanding of their way of life.

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...

Reconstruction drawing of the communal latrines at Housesteads Roman fort (Vercovicium) on Hadrian's Wall. This site is now in the care of English Heritage (2010).

12 July, 2015 - 14:30 Bryan Hill

Money Does Not Stink: The Urine Tax of Ancient Rome

The ancient Romans have passed many traditions on to modern day society, but they certainly had a different perspective on urine. It was seen as much more useful than today. They used it as a...

Various photos of the statue of a man holding a large phallus. Source: Noonans

2 March, 2023 - 17:59 ashley cowie

For Sale In Britain: A Small Ancient Man With A Colossal Penis

While metal detecting in a field, a British couple thought they found an ancient cart wheel piece, but it turned out to be a small human figure with a large bronze, hinged penis. Noonans auction...

An aerial view of the 2,100-year-old Roman camp of Lomba do Mouro at Melgaço, Portugal. Source: University of Exeter

29 June, 2021 - 01:56 ashley cowie

Oldest Roman Camp of Northern Hispania Found in Portugal

A vast 10,000-man Roman camp has been discovered in northern Portugal. Not only is it one of the biggest ever discovered, but it’s also the oldest ever discovered in northern Hispania (the name of...

Right; A large-area elemental map of a 2 cm fragment of ancient Roman concrete showing a calcium-rich lime clast (in red), which is responsible for the unique self-healing properties in this ancient material. Left; The archaeological site of Privernum, Italy where the sample was collected. Source: Masic et al./MIT News Office

6 January, 2023 - 21:55 Nathan Falde

Why Was Roman Concrete So Durable? Scientists Say It Could Heal Itself

Materials scientists have been working with archaeologists and historians for many years, attempting to unlock the fascinating secrets of Roman Empire concrete-making technologies and techniques,...

The coffin of the high-status elite Roman Britain clan leader, who may have also been a major maker of illegal silver that the Romans couldn’t tax. Source: Pre Construct Archaeology

21 February, 2022 - 21:29 ashley cowie

Massive Illegal Roman-era Silver Site Discovered In Britain

Archaeologists in England have discovered a monumental ancient building. Not only was this the burial site of a powerful female clan leader, but it represents the largest illegal silver production or...

8 October, 2020 - 17:58 Saurav Ranjan Datta

10 Fierce But Often Forgotten Enemies of Rome

Rome, this very name conjures up images of an ancient empire so vast that experts from different ages have been spellbound by the unprecedented magnanimity of its reaches. Ancient Rome defined the...

14 October, 2022 - 18:45 Molly Dowdeswell

The Galli: The Cross-Dressing Cybele Cult Priests Who Castrated Themselves

The galli were priests who formed the cult of the goddess Cybele (Magna Mater in Rome) and her consort Attis. Because of the galli’s adoption of women’s clothing and jewelry, self-castration, and...

These knucklebones from the Hellenistic period, from roughly 2,300 years ago, were recently unearthed in central Israel in an area closely connected with the First Temple period. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority

17 August, 2022 - 14:58 ashley cowie

2,300-year-old Knucklebones Used for Divination Found In Israel

Scientists in Israel have discovered ancient animals' knucklebones used to foretell the future and as a form of spiritual protection in the wild and unpredictable ancient world. They were also the...

A Roman Ring with Linked Hands – this was a popular design for Roman wedding rings.

3 March, 2017 - 13:57 dhwty

Roman Engagement and Wedding Rings: Joining Hands and Hearts

The use of engagement rings and wedding rings are common in Western culture to indicate a person’s relationship status. This tradition may be traced back to ancient times, in particular, to the Roman...

30 November, 2020 - 20:28 MartiniF

Marcus Tullius Cicero: Family Man, Friend and Father

In modern times, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 - 43 BC) is remembered as the greatest Roman orator. A prolific thinker, his writings include books on rhetoric, orations, philosophical and political...

Archaeologists in the Netherlands have discovered a rare Roman canal and Roman road near Nijmegen. Source: RAAP

2 August, 2021 - 14:59 Nathan Falde

Buried Roman Canal and Road Unearthed in the Netherlands

Archaeologists from the Dutch consultancy firm RAAP have unearthed a 2,000-year-old Roman highway and canal not far from the city of Nijmegen in the Netherlands . The buried highway and Roman canal...

The Roman Colosseum’s architecture remains awe-inspiring today, with more still to be learned. Source: daliu / Adobe Stock

16 October, 2022 - 22:50 Robbie Mitchell

The Mind-Blowing Architecture and Engineering of Rome’s Colosseum

The Roman Colosseum is one of the most famous and impressive ancient sites still in existence today. Every year, millions of tourists flock to see it, and it has been dubbed one of the ‘New Seven...

The Egyptian emeralds would have looked this these (from Brazil) when taken from the ground. (Géry Parent / CC BY-ND 2.0)

6 March, 2022 - 18:00 ashley cowie

Vast Roman-Period Emerald Mines Revealed in Egyptian Desert

A topographic scan of emerald mines in Egypt’s Eastern Desert has revealed scores of time locked chambers, tunnels and sacred spaces dating to the Graeco-Roman and Byzantine periods. Emerald mines...

The Roman Army employed whistling stones as an effective terror weapon. Source: James Steidl / Adobe Stock.

16 August, 2021 - 22:59 Bipin Dimri

Whistling Sling Stones: Psychological Warfare and the Roman Army

1800 years ago, Roman troops carried a very unusual kind of missile weapon for defeating their enemies. Those weapons were “whistling” sling bullets, and new research suggests these were employed as...

Top image: Romans believed that gladiator blood cured epilepsy. Source: Mariyana M / Adobe Stock

26 June, 2022 - 14:48 Sahir

Romans Drank Gladiator Blood as an Epilepsy Cure!

The ancient Romans were known for enjoying violent forms of entertainment - public executions, animal hunts, chariot racing, and gladiatorial games. However, the blood and gore didn’t stop with the...

15 July, 2020 - 22:05 dhwty

Gladiators: Ancient Romans Loved Their Deadly Games

The ancient Romans were known for many things – their engineering marvels, road networks, and the establishment of Roman law. They were, however, also renowned for their war-like nature. After all,...

Decimation was the cruelest punishment in the Roman army. Source: vukkostic / Adobe Stock

14 August, 2022 - 15:01 Mark

Roman Decimation: The Cruelest Form of Punishment in History?

The Roman army was one of the fiercest armies ever assembled. It was disciplined, well trained, and well equipped. This combination meant the Roman army played a crucial role in Rome’s expansion from...

Montage of Roman Empire imagery including statue representative of Livy. Source: Freesurf/Adobe Stock

19 December, 2022 - 21:53 Robbie Mitchell

Has Livy’s History of Rome Skewed Our View of the Early Empire?

Titus Livius, or just Livy for short, was one of the most famous historians in all of history. One of the three great Roman historians, his masterpiece, Ab Urbe Condita, made him a legend in his own...

The remains of the Roman marching camp were uncovered during building work. Source: GUARD Archaeology Ltd / Fair Use.

28 May, 2019 - 17:10 ashley cowie

Evidence Of New Route Into Scotland For Roman Invasion Attempt

A school playing field in Ayrshire , in the west of Scotland, has provided archaeologists with multiple layers of archaeology topped with a Roman marching camp used in the Roman conquest of Scotland...

Alexander driving off elephants with war pigs and musical instruments in a detail from a French illuminated manuscript from 1420’. Source: The British Library / CC BY 4.0)

22 August, 2022 - 18:51 Sahir

War Pigs: A Flaming History of Nature’s Cutest Creations in Battle

Throughout human history, animals have been effectively domesticated and used as an extension of the territorial desires of human beings. While dogs and cattle became effective elements in the...

Three gold coins on the seabed. Source: Copyright University of Alicante.

26 September, 2021 - 14:44 Sahir

Divers Find Huge 1,500-Year-Old Roman Coin Hoard off The Spanish Coast

Two amateur divers cleaning trash from the seabed of Alicante while holidaying off the coast of Spain have uncovered a cache of 1,500-year-old gold Roman coins. Numbering 53 in total, the gold coins...

31 March, 2017 - 18:54 Kerry Sullivan

Were Catapults the Secret to Roman Military Success?

The Roman Empire conquered the known world in large part due to its army. The Roman Army was a formidable force of training and discipline led by military minds who established organizational and...

What was daily life like in ancient Rome?

14 February, 2021 - 12:38 John S. Richardson

Dawn to Dusk: The Highs and Lows of Daily Life in Ancient Rome

Living in the Mediterranean, daily life in ancient Rome revolved around the climate. Unlike the more northern Europeans of the past and today, the ancient Romans started their days early in the...