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Ancient Rome

Welcome to Ancient Origins section on Ancient Rome, one of the most fascinating and influential civilizations in human history. From its legendary founding in 753 BC to its collapse in 476 AD, Rome left an indelible mark on Western culture, politics, law, and architecture, shaping our modern world in countless ways.

Whether you are a student, a history enthusiast, or simply curious about this ancient civilization, this section has hundreds of articles that will take you on a journey through the rise and fall of Rome, its legendary emperors, its iconic landmarks, and its enduring legacy.

Explore the stories of Rome's legendary figures, marvel at the grandeur of its monumental buildings, and learn about the customs, beliefs, and achievements of the Romans, who created one of the most enduring and influential civilizations of all time. Join us as we delve into the world of Ancient Rome, where the past meets the present and the legacy of Rome lives on.

History & Chronology of Ancient Rome

The Roman Kingdom

The Roman Republic

The Punic Wars

The Roman Empire

The Fall of Rome

Byzantium

Roman Figures

Roman Emperors

Other Roman Leaders

Roman Gods & Religion

Other Roman Figures

Roman Places

Roman Cities

Roman Temples & Monuments

Roman Baths & Villas

Roman Entertainment Venues

Roman Life

Roman Society & Culture

Roman Entertainment & Leisure

Roman Politics, Government & Law

Roman Art, Music, Literature

Roman Architecture & Engineering

Roman Colonization & Expansion

Roman Military & Warfare

Roman Economy & Trade

Roman Artifacts

Roman Technology

Roman Writings

Other Artifacts
Bloody gladiator sports at the Colosseum ( Gasi/ Adobe Stock)
13 February, 2023 - 23:09 Scott Williams

Are You Not Entertained? A Take On Professional Sports, Philosophy and Wargames In Ancient Rome

The poet Juvenal berated the Roman people for allowing themselves to be seduced by slimy politicians who bought their votes with free wheat and expensive circus games: “Already long ago, from when we...
A 1593 edition of the Corpus Juris Civilis.
22 November, 2018 - 22:41 Mark Miller

Corpus Juris Civilis Law: Created by a Byzantine Emperor and Still Relevant in Courts Over 1,500 Years Later

By the time of Byzantine Emperor Justinian’s reign in the 6th century AD, the Western Roman Empire was kaput, lost to waves of Germanic invaders from the North. Justinian was determined to recapture...
The Velsen I Roman fort in the Netherlands. Source: Graham Sumner / Livius.org
27 December, 2021 - 18:00 Sahir

Roman Fort Used During Conquest of Britain Found in the Netherlands

Between 43 AD and 410 AD, large parts of Britain were under Roman occupation. Part of the Roman empire’s eastwards occupation, these conquered territories had the status of a Roman province. The...
2000-Year-Old Bronze Toy Provides Clues on How the Best Roman Chariots were Constructed to Win Races
15 January, 2017 - 00:48 Mark Miller

2000-Year-Old Bronze Toy Provides Clues on How the Best Roman Chariots were Constructed to Win Races

Toy models have fascinated kids since ancient times and the more realistic they look, the better. One rich kid in ancient Rome had a very special model toy chariot made of bronze. The model was found...
Ruin of a second-century public toilet in Roman Ostia.
20 November, 2015 - 00:50 ancient-origins

Rats, Exploding Toilet Seats and Demons of the Deep: The Hazards of Roman Sewers

I have spent an awful lot of time in Roman sewers – enough to earn me the nickname Queen of Latrines from my friends. The Etruscans laid the first underground sewers in the city of Rome around 500 BC...
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...
Aerial view of the Pergamon Acropolis and huge Pergamon Amphitheater, Izmir Province, Turkey. Source: Tarik GOK / Adobe Stock
27 September, 2021 - 22:54 Sahir

Excavations Reveal Pergamon Amphitheater Had Reserved ‘Box Seats’

Which sports and entertainment fan today hasn’t yearned for box seats or VIP seating for their favorite concert? Despite the needle of time ticking away through these centuries, some things don’t...
Roman Law and Homosexuality
17 September, 2013 - 07:54 aprilholloway

Roman Law and the Banning of ‘Passive’ Homosexuality

In ancient Rome, there was no vocabulary to distinguish between homosexuality and heterosexuality. Sexuality instead was defined by behavioural mannerisms , whether active or passive, in both gay and...
Remains of healthy snacks have been found at the Colosseum, Rome. Source: Amith/Adobe Stock
26 November, 2022 - 18:00 ashley cowie

Romans Snacked on Nuts and Melons While Enjoying Colosseum Bloodbath

Over the last year archaeologists excavating the Colosseum in Rome have unearthed animal bones and coins. Now, they’ve discovered “snacks” that were consumed by the bloodthirsty spectators. Dating...
The discovery of the first ditch of the Roman fort. Source: Exeter City Council.
27 September, 2019 - 22:53 Ed Whelan

Roman Fort Discovered Hidden Beneath English Bus Station

A long-lost Roman fort has been uncovered during a construction project in the British town of Exeter. The discovery stunned archaeologists as there was no record to indicate that there was a...
A Roman Swiss Army Knife? 200-300 AD.
15 June, 2018 - 22:51 Carly Silver

The Original Swiss Army Knife: Check Out This Must Have Gadget for Guys on the Go

The modern Swiss Army Knife didn’t make its debut until the nineteenth century, revolutionizing convenient tools on the go. But, as with so many other things, the ancient Romans did it first! Meet...
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...
Holding Cell Where Roman Gladiators Awaited Death Found in Britain
29 October, 2021 - 22:52 Sahir

Holding Cell Where Roman Gladiators Awaited Death Found in Britain

A Roman “carcer” is a holding cell for criminals and Roman gladiators awaiting their moment in the amphitheater, where bloodthirsty crowds eagerly anticipated the spectacle of their deaths. One such...
A portrait of the Severan family, with the face of Geta removed due to the damnatio memoriae ordered by Caracalla
8 November, 2019 - 17:47 dhwty

Damnatio memoriae: Purging People from Public Memory

In the United Kingdom, Remembrance Sunday is observed annually on the second Sunday of November. This solemn occasion is meant to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and...
Arde Lucus Gladiatrix
30 January, 2016 - 03:48 Natalia Klimczak

Gladiatrix: Female Fighters Offered Lewd Entertainment in Ancient Rome

Female gladiators (gladiatrix) were just a thing of legend for many years. However, decades of research have made it possible to finally confirm their existence and importance in the Ancient Roman...
The Pillar of Eliseg is just one monument that bears witness to the Romanitas of early medieval Wales. Source: Public domain
4 December, 2021 - 13:57 Meagan Dickerson

Romanitas in Early Medieval Wales: The Evidence of Latin Standing Stones

There are very few texts that survive from early medieval Wales, an era spanning the moment when the Romans left Wales until the Normans arrived. This is one of the reasons that historians have...
Remote Sensing Technology Uncovers 66 “Hidden” Roman Bases In Spain
31 December, 2020 - 14:04 Nathan Falde

Remote Sensing Technology Uncovers 66 “Hidden” Roman Bases In Spain

Utilizing advanced aerial imaging and state-of-the-art remote sensing techniques, a team of historical and archaeological researchers have been able to chart the location of 66 previously...
Roman defensive spikes found at Bad Ems. Source: Frederic Auth/Aktuelles Uni
1 March, 2023 - 13:49 ashley cowie

Caesar’s Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort

Was this German silver mine really defended by two Roman forts and a line of "spike defenses”? Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? Having spent several months in...
King Shapur of Persia Humiliating Emperor Valerian (Public Domain) Background: court of the emperor Valerian, painting circa 1450. (Public Domain); Deriv. By Martini Fisher
14 August, 2017 - 15:34 MartiniF

What Really Happened to Valerian? Was the Roman Emperor Humiliated and Skinned at the Hands of the Enemy?

The death of Valerian is traditionally known as one of the most dramatic and unfortunate of all the deaths of the Roman emperors. The widely accepted story is that Valerian wanted to end the war with...
Roman gladiators lived fascinating, brutal, lives
25 September, 2020 - 21:23 Fiona McCoss

The Real Lives of Roman Gladiators

Roman gladiators are some of the most iconic characters in history and have defined how we think of entertainment in ancient Rome. Their portrayal in films and stories has turned them into archetypal...
Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. Source: dbvirago / Adobe Stock.
7 July, 2019 - 01:40 Sarah P Young

Pompeii: The Ancient Roman City Frozen in Time

In the Campania region of Italy near the modern day city of Naples , there was once a prosperous Roman city - Pompeii. As a thriving center for trade, the inhabitants of the city were a mixture of...
The discovery of the Visigoth sarcophagus in an abandoned Roman villa in the Murcia region of Spain.
19 July, 2021 - 19:00 Sahir

1,500-year-old Visigoth Sarcophagus Found at Roman Villa Site

The Visigoths, the so-called barbaric tribe that would ultimately defeat the Romans and bring down the Roman Empire, were an early Germanic warring people. The course of their wars would ultimately...
The Hagia Sophia, an iconic work of architecture that housed many iconic works of art.
23 November, 2018 - 13:56 Mark Miller

How Byzantine Art and Architecture Captivated the Known World

The rich, beautiful art and opulent architecture of the Byzantine Empire glorified Jesus, the saints, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the emperors. Byzantine art motifs, the mosaics, paintings, and...
Painted ceiling in Waltham Abbey parish church, depicting Janus facing both past and future.
5 January, 2021 - 18:29 dhwty

How Janus Became the Doorkeeper of Heaven and God of the Gods

Janus is a deity found in the religion and myth of ancient Rome. The Romans believed that Janus was the god of doors, beginnings and endings, and transitions. In accordance to the role he played,...

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