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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
Unique 2,000-Year-Old Roman Road Accidentally Uncovered in Worcestershire
26 October, 2022 - 18:21 Sahir

Unique 2,000-Year-Old Roman Road Accidentally Uncovered in Worcestershire

What is thought to be a Roman road, potentially dating back 2,000 years, has been uncovered in a field in Worcestershire in the UK. An expert has assessed it to likely be a cobbled ford, and the...
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...
Dacian draco, symbol of Dacia, the warrior realm who attached the Romans. Source: Craitza / Adobe Stock.
3 May, 2020 - 14:09 dhwty

The Wolves of Dacia Take On the Roman Empire

In ancient times, Dacia was the name given to the area of Central Europe bounded by the Carpathian Mountains . This area corresponds roughly to the modern countries of Romania and Moldovia...
Drone shot of the last Roman amphitheater ever unearthed in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland. Source: Canton of Aargau
27 January, 2022 - 18:00 Sahir

The Last Roman Amphitheater Ever Built Found Near Basel Switzerland!

An archaeological team accompanying construction workers building a new boathouse for the Basel Rowing Club in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland in December last year unexpectedly stumbled upon the remains of...
Remains of the Roman toy dog reveal its tiny stature and a healthy diet similar to its owners. Source: Martínez Sánchez / University of Granada
26 March, 2020 - 22:01 Ed Whelan

Ancient Remains Reveal the Romans Had ‘Toy Dogs’ Too

Research in Spain reveals that the Romans loved miniature or toy dogs. In antiquity, many members of the elite had pampered pets. Just as today, many celebrities have ‘toy dogs’ such as chihuahuas...
A gladiator stands before an arena filled with spectators. Source: Justinas / Adobe Stock.
19 April, 2023 - 01:55 Joanna Gillan

What Being a Spectator at the Rome Colosseum Was Like (Video)

From the thunderous roar of the crowd to the heart-stopping battles between gladiators and exotic beasts, this YouTube video takes you on a journey back in time to experience the jaw-dropping...
Roman executions at the Colosseum were a gruesome affair, as depicted in The Christian Marturs' Last Prayer by Jean-Léon Gérôme. Source: Public domain
28 May, 2021 - 19:01 Mauro Poma

Roman Executions in the Colosseum: The Stories of Laureolus and Androcles

Public order in ancient Rome was a priority for the elite, who contrived a range of gruesome punishments for purportedly serious crimes deserving the death penalty. As a result, a day of fun and...
Boudicca, the Celtic Queen, (www.emilyhare.co.uk)
1 June, 2021 - 19:38 Joanna Gillan

Boudicca: The Celtic Queen Who Unleashed Fury on the Romans

We British are used to women commanders in war; I am descended from mighty men! But I am not fighting for my kingdom and wealth now. I am fighting as an ordinary person for my lost freedom, my...
The helmet of a gladiator
26 April, 2018 - 14:02 dhwty

Gladiator Helmets: Fit for Purpose, Not Just Protection

The gladiator is most likely the first image one calls to mind when thinking about entertainment in ancient Rome. As most would already know, gladiators fought either each other or wild animals, in...
The bronze plate pieces of the Roman military diploma found in the ancient Anatolian city of Perre or modern-day Adiyaman, Turkey. Source: Anadolu Agency
4 January, 2022 - 18:00 Sahir

1,898-year-old Roman Military Diploma Gives Citizenship Rights

Archaeologists have found an ancient Roman military diploma dating to 123 AD in Turkey’s ancient city of Perre (modern day Adiyaman). The latest round of excavations, which have been carried out...
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...
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...
The Cartagena amphitheater. Source: eddy007 /Adobe Stock
16 January, 2020 - 22:53 ashley cowie

Cartagena Amphitheater Dig Unearths Gladiator Chamber

Archaeologists digging at the Roman Cartagena amphitheater have discovered artifacts and a pre-gladiatorial holding chamber, shedding more light on that side of the city’s history. The archaeological...
A Pompeii brothel mural.
15 October, 2022 - 22:58 Riley Winters

Spintriae, The Roman Sex Coins That Showed What Was on The Menu

There is a curiosity that belongs to ancient Roman history which historians are yet to solve; there exists a collection of Roman brass coins or tokens that depict sexual acts on one side and a...
A representation of naumachia. 1894 painting by Ulpiano Checa. Source: Public Domain
18 April, 2023 - 18:51 Robbie Mitchell

The Spectacle of Naumachia: Rome's Brutal Naval Gladiator Battles

For centuries naval gladiator battles, known as naumachia , enthralled crowds with their realistic recreations of famous sea battles, complete with all the chaos, bravery, and brutality of the...
15th century the basement of a "market house" used as a prison
25 October, 2015 - 13:21 dhwty

Prisons and Imprisonment in the Ancient World: Punishments Used to Maintain Public Order

One of the most well-known forms of punishment today is imprisonment. One could argue that for any society to function properly, public order has to be maintained. This is an important function of...
When a 2,000-Year-Old Iberian Settlement was Unearthed, The Remnants Confirmed a Tragic Story of Bravery, Death, and Suicide
17 February, 2017 - 23:03 Natalia Klimczak

When a 2,000-Year-Old Iberian Settlement was Unearthed, The Remnants Confirmed a Tragic Story of Bravery, Death, and Suicide

A legendary battle which remains one of the most iconic accounts of the brave struggles of native Iberian people took place in a small village in 134 BC. Faced with a powerful Roman legion, even...
Roman glass (not the legendary flexible glass). Landesmuseum Württemberg, Stuttgart.
18 January, 2018 - 01:50 dhwty

An Unbreakable Story: The Lost Roman Invention of Flexible Glass

Imagine a glass you can bend and then watch it return to its original form. A glass that you drop but it doesn’t break. Stories say that an ancient Roman glassmaker had the technology to create a...
The ruins of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, Italy
13 September, 2020 - 22:49 Ed Whelan

When in Rome, Even the Christian Pilgrims Enjoyed the Baths of Caracalla

When we think of the city of Rome, we can easily picture the wealth of ancient monuments from its imperial past. The Baths of Caracalla are perhaps as popular today as they were when they were used...
Modern painting of Mehmed and the Ottoman Army approaching Constantinople with a giant bombard, by Fausto Zonaro
12 May, 2017 - 15:37 Cam Rea

Orban: The Man Whose Cannon Brought Down the Walls of Constantinople – Part I

For 53 days, starting on Friday, 6 April, the forces of the Ottoman Empire shook what was left of the Eastern Roman Empire (known as Byzantium, or the Byzantine Empire ) until they were able to...
Mithras and the bull, fresco from Temple of Mithras, Marino, Italy, dated 2nd century AD. Source: Public Domain
31 August, 2020 - 18:45 John S. Richardson

Mithras, the Persian God Championed by the Roman Army

Mithras the god originated in the east, in Persia (modern day Iran) where he was first worshipped. When soldiers of the Roman Empire came back to the West they brought this cult with them and in time...
A bust of emperor Caligula. Source: Aaron Rutten / Adobe Stock
3 May, 2022 - 01:59 Joanna Gillan

The Mad Emperor Caligula Declared He Was God

Caligula was one of Rome’s most tyrannical emperors. His reign from 37-41 AD was filled with murder and debauchery at levels even his infamous nephew Nero could not reach. He was also mad. Aside from...
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...
Thebes, A City Formed by The Warriors Who Sprang from a Dragon’s Teeth
16 February, 2021 - 21:57 dhwty

Thebes, A City Formed by The Warriors Who Sprang from a Dragon’s Teeth

In ancient times, Thebes was one of the major Greek city states, and a rival of Athens. Later on, however, Thebes fell to the Macedonians, and was eventually conquered by the Romans. The post-...

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