Many historians assumed ancient Roman farm women were housekeepers. A closer look suggests female managers oversaw wine production and other profitable processes.
Articles on Roman Empire
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Ancient furnace workers experimented with heating the ends of glass tubes to rework them. One day, someone blew into that tube and changed history.
Will Donald Trump’s Washington arch celebrate the American republic’s independence from Britain in 1776, or its subsequent ascendance as an imperial power in its own right?
Depictions of the eccentricities of Roman leaders were (and remain) interesting. But such leaders were often also dangerous, unpredictable and frightening.
This has re-written our understanding of how Romans manufactured concrete.
A new book, Goliath’s Curse, will reset everything you thought you knew about the rise and fall of civilisations – with worrying implications for our world now.
Roman author Pliny the Elder wrote that ‘There are two liquids that are especially agreeable to the human body: wine inside and oil outside.’
The statue, titled Kneeling Before Iran, shows the emperor grovelling before Persian king Shapur I. Where did this imagery come from? And why now?
A new comprehensive map reveals the true scale of the ancient Roman road network – but it is still incomplete.
Nero, Rome’s emperor from 54 to 68 C.E., rose to power at a young age and remained focused on himself, letting the needs of citizens fall to the wayside.
Fermented fish sauce was a staple of the Roman diet, but its origins were even more ancient.
We can probably safely assume Rome, in many areas, was likely pretty dirty and rank-smelling. That said, there’s evidence of perfumes, incense and even deodorants.
Public baths also often featured gymnasiums, libraries, restaurants and exercise yards. Archaeological evidence suggests even dentistry was performed at the baths.
‘No kings’ would effectively be the watchword through the Roman republic’s entire history. ‘Rex’ was a word the Romans hated. It was short-hand for ‘tyranny’.
While Roman emperors dominated the institutions of state, they were still constrained by them.
If Canada allows inequality to rise unchecked, it risks ending up where hundreds or ancient societies have: plagued by widespread unrest, violence and even complete collapse.
Cardinals play an important role, whether in serving as papal ambassadors or in shaping public opinion, and they have done so over the centuries.
Inflation today is daunting but in third century Rome it was rampant. It eroded the pay of the soldiers whose loyalty was the basis of the emperors’ authority.
Research shows that 536AD was not the worst year to be alive.
A new Netflix biopic has resurfaced arguments over whether Jesus, a Jewish man, was Palestinian. Was he? Or are these claims cultural and political appropriation? A historian of religion explains.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor in Ancient History, Macquarie University
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Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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Honorary Fellow, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne
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Senior Researcher, Historian and Complexity Scientist, University of Toronto
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Gale Research Fellow in Ancient Glass and Material Culture, Macquarie University
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Professeur d'histoire ancienne, Université de Lorraine
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Professor of Classics and Head of the Centre for Classical Studies, Australian National University
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Professor of Archaeology, Durham University
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Professor of Ancient History, Macquarie University
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Head, Public Engagement, Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney
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Teaching Fellow, School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester
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Professor of Roman Archaeology, University of Glasgow
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Senior Lecturer in Ancient History, University of Leicester
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Lecturer in Ancient History, Cardiff University
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Senior Lecturer of Archaeology, University of Exeter