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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
Built to Last: The Craftsmanship that Enabled Roman Roads to Withstand the Passage of Time
10 February, 2017 - 18:53 dhwty

Built to Last: The Secret that Enabled Roman Roads to Withstand the Passage of Time

The Romans were renowned as great engineers and this is evident in the many structures that they left behind. One particular type of construction that the Romans were famous for is their roads. It...
English archaeologists have stumble upon a once-in-a-lifetime Romano-British settlement near Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire. This skeleton and a caltrop, a Roman era area denial weapon, similar to police spikes used to stop cars today, were unearthed at the Grange Paddocks site. Source: East Herts District Council
11 May, 2022 - 22:38 Nathan Falde

Archaeologists Stumble Upon Key Romano-British Trade Center

Archaeologists performing excavations near Bishop’s Stortford, an historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, have uncovered the ruins of a Romano-British settlement that served as a commercial...
Inside view of the Pula Arena - Croatia
15 February, 2016 - 03:42 dhwty

Pula Arena: Exceptional Roman Amphitheater in Croatia Still Alive and Kicking

The Pula Arena is a Roman amphitheater located in Pula, on the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, north-western Croatia. It has been estimated that there are around 230 Roman amphitheaters that...
‘The Roman Festivals of the Colosseum’ by Pablo Salinas shows people of different Roman social classes. Source: Public Domain
6 November, 2020 - 21:19 John S. Richardson

The Strict Rules Dividing Ancient Roman Social Classes

Ancient Rome was both a class-conscious state as well as strictly hierarchical. However, this did not rule out the opportunity for people to move between ancient Roman social classes. Before the 2nd...
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...
Top Image: Speleologists explore the Aqua Augusta, a Roman aqueduct that was previously the least-documented aqueduct in the Roman world. Source: Associazione Cocceius
4 February, 2023 - 21:55 ashley cowie

Uncharted Section of Augustan Aqueduct Discovered Beneath Naples

Built in the early first century BC during the Augustan era in Naples, Italy, the “Aqua Augusta” is one of the largest and most sophisticated aqueducts in the Roman Empire. Now, a previously unknown...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
Sex and love were major themes in classic erotic art, as they remain today. (Public Domain/Deriv)
5 February, 2021 - 23:40 ancient-origins

The Erotic Art of Ancient Greece and Rome

Craig Barker / The Conversation Rarely does L.P. Hartley’s dictum that “the past is a foreign country” hold more firmly than in the area of sexuality in classical art. Classic erotic art, erotic...
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...
Part of the Novae Roman military camp. (Kleo73 / CC BY-SA 3.0) Insert: Ancient Roman fridge found at the site. Source: P. Dyczek / PAP
10 October, 2022 - 22:53 ashley cowie

Ancient Fridge Unearthed at Roman Military Camp in Bulgaria Kept Food Cool

Polish archaeologists excavating a Roman military camp in Bulgaria expected to discover some coins; and they weren’t really surprised by the hoards of day-to-day tools and the expansive ancient water...
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...

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