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.

An AI generated Roman Legion, representative of Legio X Fretensis. Source: Noel Cook/ Adobe Stock

30 May, 2023 - 22:57 ashley cowie

Coins Dug Up in Georgia Expose Dirty Work of Legendary Legio X Fretensis

Archaeologists in Georgia have discovered a hoard of ancient coins, which had symbols punched into their faces long after they were created. When the researchers learned the nature of the symbols,...

Roman ship ramming a Carthaginian ship. Naval battles were key in the First Punic War. Source: Massimo Todaro/Adobe Stock

22 May, 2023 - 22:56 Robbie Mitchell

Rome vs. Carthage: The First Punic War and the Birth of a Superpower

The First Punic War was a brutal conflict that pitted two of the greatest powers of the ancient world against each other. With the might of Rome on one side and the naval supremacy of Carthage on the...

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...

The Battle of Cannae was a major battle of the Second Punic War that took place on 2 August 216 BC in Apulia, in southeast Italy. The army of Carthage, under Hannibal, surrounded and decisively defeated a larger army of the Roman Republic

16 August, 2017 - 13:58 Theodoros Karasavvas

Analysis of Roman Coins Proves Roman Empire Got Rich on Iberian Silver

An analysis of Roman coins has revealed information about the defeat of the Carthaginian General Hannibal and the rise of the Roman Empire . The scientists who examined them suggest that the defeat...

5 September, 2020 - 13:54 Aleksa Vučković

The Roman Legions: The Organized Military Force Of The Roman Empire

There is no doubt that the magnificent and long history of Rome was to a large extent dependent on its strong and highly developed army . From its earliest emergence, through the Roman Kingdom,...

Marble body lines of young naked Roman women of Renaissance Era Source: Neurobite / Adobe Stock)

28 July, 2022 - 14:59 Robbie Mitchell

A Guide to Exploring Love, Sex, and Homosexuality in Ancient Rome

When people think about love and sex in ancient Rome, it tends to be pretty scandalous: orgies here, there, and everywhere! But the truth is rarely black and white. Were the Romans more sexually...

A boy holding a platter of fruits with a bucket of crabs, in a kitchen with fish and squid, on the June panel from a mosaic depicting the months (3rd century)

7 April, 2017 - 15:23 victor labate

Eating Like a Roman: Healthy Greens, Gritty Bread and Fish Paste – The Evolution of Ancient Roman Cuisine

While the reputation of ancient Roman dining features decadent drinking and feasting to a point of excess – leading to notorious purges in the vomitorium – those stories were largely anecdotal, or...

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...

Roman Empire in its splendor. Source: Artcuboy/Adobe Stock

24 April, 2023 - 22:58 Robbie Mitchell

The Roman Empire: A Story of Power, Glory, and Tragedy

For centuries, the Roman Empire stood as a formidable superpower, spanning vast territories, and leaving an indelible mark on Western civilization. The Roman Empire was a powerhouse of innovation,...

27 November, 2016 - 21:49 Natalia Klimczak

A Shining Example of Roman Craftsmanship: Unveiling the Superb Berthouville Treasure

A remarkable silver treasure discovered in France in 1830 is one of the most impressive collections of extremely well-preserved Roman artifacts. Even though almost two centuries have passed since it...

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...

An excavation trench showing a pillar of the unfinished Roman aqueduct now mapped out in Armenia by researchers from the Armenian-German Artaxata Project hosted at University of Münster.

17 November, 2021 - 21:56 Sahir

Roman Empire’s Eastern-most Aqueduct Found Half Finished in Armenia

“The most easterly arched aqueduct of the Roman Empire” was found in the Hellenistic royal city of Artashat-Artaxata, the large, commercial capital of ancient Armenia between the 2nd century BC and...

Example of Roman coins from a hoard at Llanvaches, Monmouthshire, Wales in 2006. Roman coins have been found in a few locations across Scandinavia as well.

22 August, 2017 - 01:56 Riley Winters

Making Money Divine: Roman Imperial Coins had a Unique Value in Scandinavian Cultures

"My fleet sailed from the mouth of the Rhine eastward as far as the lands of the Cimbri to which, up to that time, no Roman had ever penetrated either by land or by sea, and the Cimbri and Charydes...

20 February, 2023 - 17:57 Robbie Mitchell

Sodales Augustales: Rome’s Elite Imperial Cult Dedicated to the Emperor

The Sodales Augustales were a religious organization in ancient Rome dedicated to the worship of the emperor. Composed of prominent citizens, they served as ambassadors and reinforced the emperor's...

Replica Roman slave collars, after Zoninus. Source: nikhg / Adobe Stock.

4 September, 2021 - 18:33 B. B. Wagner

“Hold Me Or I Will Run!” Roman Slave Collars Came With A Warning

Slavery was a large part of the Roman Empire. Military expansion brought captives, to compliment the material wealth taken back to Rome. And there is strong evidence that these slaves were not always...

Skeletons from a vaulted chamber in Herculaneum. Source: L. Fattore, Sapienza University of Rome / Sciencemag

28 August, 2021 - 14:27 ashley cowie

Roman Diets Exposed: Who Ate Best? Elite Roman Men, Or Women?

Archaeologists in Italy have discovered significant ‘dietary gender differences’ in an exclusive pocket of the ancient Roman Empire. Skeletons found at Herculaneum have provided new insights into the...

The Emperor Commodus Leaving the Arena at the Head of the Gladiators by American muralist Edwin Howland Blashfield. Source: Public Domain

27 July, 2022 - 14:58 Mark Brophy

5 Celebrity Gladiators of Bloodthirsty Ancient Rome

Fierce fighters, enslaved and forced into a world of violence and brutality, Roman gladiators provided gruesome entertainment to the Roman public, training for months in specialized schools managed...

Modern-day legislation has been heavily influenced by Roman law. Source: Anneke / Adobe Stock

12 June, 2021 - 02:03 John S. Richardson

Roman Law and Its Lasting Influence On the Legal System of Europe

During the creation of the mighty Roman Empire, between 753 BC and 1453 AD, the Romans not only created the political institutions of Roman governance, but they also set up a series of legal...

28 October, 2022 - 22:58 ashley cowie

Take Heed Of The Jovial Roman Skeleton

We’re back in Turkey for the second time this week. Having told the story of the excavation of the oldest church in the world, now we are covering the ancient Roman “Jovial skeleton”. Earlier this...

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...

This 2,000-year-old villa had luxurious ancient Roman underfloor heating. Source: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa

6 November, 2022 - 13:50 ashley cowie

2,000-Year-Old Roman Villa Found in Germany had Luxurious Underfloor Heating

In 15 BC the Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, and his brother Tiberius attacked, subdued, and destroyed a Celtic settlement and founded the city of Cambodunum. Today, the foundations of...

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...

The Classis Britannica was an important fleet in the Roman Navy. Source: RadoJavor/Deviant Art

29 July, 2020 - 13:59 John S. Richardson

Powerhouse of the Roman Navy: The Classis Britannica

The Roman Empire is perhaps best known for its legions, which were famous for their ability to overcome even their greatest defeats. However, while the legions of Rome were the all-conquering land...

29 October, 2020 - 23:49 B. B. Wagner

The Graveyard Prostitutes of Rome and Beyond

Ancient regulars of the world’s oldest profession may have grown bored with the “usual” items on the coitus menu. That may be why ancient Rome enjoyed a thriving sexual ecosystem with robust variety...