Theatrics and excesses seem to run in the family of Nero, the emperor of Rome – that is, according to ancient authors such as Tacitus and Suetonius. Nero’s grandfather, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus,...
The narrative of history often celebrates male rulers, warriors, and thinkers, yet the annals of ancient times are also adorned with the tales of formidable women who wielded significant power and...
Nero’s relationship with his mother wasn’t what you’d call healthy. Agrippina, a woman of remarkable political acumen in a society where women were typically excluded from political roles, played a...
In 49 BC, Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero sent a letter to his friend Atticus informing him about the current gossip in Rome. This time, the big news involved the famous Mark Antony. “ Marcus...
Poison was always the silent killer. Kings and emperors fell prey to it as easily as an unsuspecting servant. Throughout medieval and classical history, poison and those who knew how to prepare it...
Nero (in full Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) was a Roman emperor who lived during the 1 st century AD. He was the fifth and last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, which had been...
Caligula was Rome’s most tyrannical emperor. His reign from 37-41 AD is filled with murder and debauchery, to levels even his infamous nephew Nero could not reach. The great-great grandson of Julius...
For centuries, the Roman emperor Nero has been well chronicled for his cruelty. Stories about his madness include divorcing his first wife before having her beheaded and then bringing her head to...
Roman Emperor Caligula fell severely ill six months into his rule. When he recovered, he abandoned the toga for silk gowns and often dressed as a woman. He also declared himself as a living god...