Posted inAncient Rome, Art

The Mosaic of the House of the Birds in Italica is the Most Complete and Varied Avian Representation in the Roman World

Located in the archaeological site of Itálica, in Seville (Spain), the so-called House of the Birds houses one of the most unique mosaics of Roman Hispania. This work of art, dating from the second half of the 2nd century AD, is a reflection of both the artistic virtuosity of the time and the fascination the […]

Posted inAncient Rome

The Syriac Sanctuary of the Janiculum: An Enigma of Lost Cults and Deities in Trastevere, Rome

Nestled in the heart of the Trastevere district, at the foot of Villa Sciarra and on the historic Janiculan hill, lies one of Rome’s most enigmatic archaeological discoveries: the Syriac Sanctuary. This 4th-century AD structure, built over remnants of earlier buildings dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, reveals a microcosm of religious […]

Posted inAncient Rome, Geography

The Legacy of the Roman Empire in Germany: A Surprising Study Reveals How It Influences the Current Well-Being of Regions

A recent study published in Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology has shown that Roman rule, which occurred over two thousand years ago, continues to leave deep marks on regions in southern Germany. The work, led by Martin Obschonka and an international team of researchers, analyzes how Roman occupation shaped the psychological traits and […]

Posted inAncient Rome

Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus: The Rivalry of Two Roman Centurions as Told by Julius Caesar

We know the names of very few Roman centurions and legionaries, mostly those found on inscriptions and commemorative steles, along with a few mentioned in written sources. However, there are two whose names are so well-known that they even appear as characters in several television series and historical novels about ancient Rome. Their names were […]

Posted inAncient Rome, Science

Lead contamination caused a generalized decline in the IQ of Europeans during the Roman Empire

Lead contamination has long been recognized as a significant public health hazard, even at low exposure levels. A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) sheds light on the extensive environmental and cognitive impacts of lead pollution during the Roman Empire. Researchers at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) utilized Arctic […]

Posted inAncient Rome

The First Internal Rebellion of the Eastern Roman Empire Happened Because a Goth Was Not Received with Proper Ceremony in Constantinople

In the early 4th century AD, the newborn Eastern Roman Empire became the stage for a shadowy plot involving numerous figures from various spheres. Two of them, Romanized Ostrogoths, managed to threaten imperial security through a cunning double-sided scheme that provoked a rebellion, using the excuse of an improper official reception at court. They toppled […]

Posted inAncient Rome

Cannae, the Catastrophic Defeat That Left Rome Defenseless Against Hannibal

The last human sacrifices carried out in Rome—beyond considering the ludi gladiatorii as an acceptable adaptation of the concept—took place in 216 BC. It was during a colossal catastrophe that shook Rome to the point of desperately reviving those ancient practices. The same disaster that caused tens of thousands of deaths, the loss of many […]