Ancient Rome

The Roman Empress Who Willed Herself to Power Amid Chaos

Galla Placidia was the only member of the imperial family who remained in Rome in 410 AD when the Visigoths approached the city. Her role in what happened next has been misrepresented or ignored by historians for centuries. 

What Americans Might Learn About Political Collapse from the Classical Greeks and Romans

by Daniel Noah Moses

The right traces political turmoil in the US to the supposed abandonment of the classical canon. But reading those works might not teach the lessons they want about hierarchy, authority, and political collapse. 

Erasing History? Um, History is Full of Torn-Down Monuments

According to historian Sarah Bond, the practice goes all the way back to the ancient world.

Complete Roman City Mapped Using Advanced Ground-Penetrating Radar Technology

The technology used in this project could "revolutionize" archaeological studies of ancient urban sites.

Immigration: How ancient Rome dealt with the Barbarians at the gate

by Cavan W. Concannon

Roman border security was historically effective, not because of massive barriers, but because they knew how to manage the flow of migration.

Ancient Roman Infanticide Didn't Spare Either Sex

A new look at a cache of baby bones discovered in Britain is altering assumptions about why ancient Romans committed infanticide.

How Ancient Romans Created Social Media

by Tom Standage

And there was no better social media manager back in the day than Marcus Tullius Cicero.

"Secret" Labyrinth of Tunnels under Rome Mapped

To predict and prevent the collapse of streets in Rome, geoscientists mapped high-risk areas of the quarry system.

Archaeologists uncover secrets of Portus, once gateway to Rome

University of Southampton team finds evidence explaining why opulent Roman empire port was dismantled in 6th century.

Hi-tech aqueduct explorers map Rome's 'final frontier'

These urban explorers are mapping Rome's subterranean secrets.

Roman eagle found by archaeologists in City of London

The 1,800-year-old sculpture of the imperial symbol is regarded as one of the best pieces of Romano-British art ever found.

Fish sauce: An ancient Roman condiment rises again

That Southeast Asian classic actually has a history in Europe.

Social Media: It's So First Century BC

by Tom Standage

Cicero would have had a Twitter account.

Roman-era tombs found in Alexandria

Cisterns, pottery remains, and a headstone were recovered from the old Roman city.

Discovering Hadrian's buried treasures

Spelunkers are increasingly finding ancient Roman artifacts in Italian caves.

Italian archaeologists have grape expectations of their ancient wine

Archeologists in Italy have set about making red wine exactly as the ancient Romans did, to see what it tastes like.

Rome’s start to architectural hubris

Granted that Rome was not built in a day, the unresolved question among scholars has been just how long did it take. How early, before Julius Caesar came, saw and conquered, did Romans begin adopting a monumental architecture reflecting the grandeur of their ambitions?Most historians agree that early Rome had nothing to compare to the sublime temples of Greece and was not a particularly splendid city, like Alexandria in Egypt.Any definitive insight into the formative stages of Roman architectural hubris lies irretrievable beneath layers of the city’s repeated renovations through the time of caesars, popes and the Renaissance. The most imposing ruin of the early Roman imperial period is the Colosseum, erected in the first century A.D.

2,000-year-old Roman ship found off Genoa

The discovery was made by police divers off the coast of Porto Maurizio, Liguria, Il Secolo XIX reported.At least 50 Roman vases were found in the ship, 50 metres below sea level, which remains completely intact.“This is an exceptional discovery,” Lieutenant Colonel Francesco Schilardi told the newspaper.“Now it’s a matter of protecting the ship and keeping the grave...

Nixon slams "All in the Family," ancient Roman rulers for being gay in White House tape

An audio recording of former U.S. President Richard Nixon spouting off an anti-gay rant has surfaced.CNN published an excerpt from the tape, which was apparently recorded sometime during Nixon's time in the Oval Office from 1969-1974. In the clip, Nixon accuses the popular TV series "All in the Family" (which he initially mistakes for a movie) of "glorifying homosexuality,""The point that I make is that...I do not think that you glorify, on public television, homosexuality," Nixon proclaims. And the president doesn't stop there -- claiming that homosexuality "destroyed the Greeks," he notes, "Aristotle was a homo, we all know that. So was Socrates ... Homosexuality, immorality in general...these are the enemies of strong societies."...

Road through Roman history creates colossal headache

ROME — Via dei Fori Imperiali, a multilane artery running through the heart of Rome, is typically a frenzy of swerving Vespas, zipping Smart cars and honking Fiat taxis.But Mayor Ignazio Marino is seeking to transform the avenue to something calmer, where Gucci loafers and sensible sneakers would rule.Mr. Marino’s plan to ban private traffic on the roadway, which bisects a vast archaeological site, from the central Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum, has prompted grousing and histrionic debate over a project that conservators say would solidify the world’s largest urban archaeological area.This being Rome, the first high-impact initiative of his seven-week-old administration, which goes into effect on Saturday, has provoked its share of unfavorable comparisons with the overweening ambitions of emperors past. “The mayor’s job is not to pass into history, but to work for his citizens,” said Luciano Canfora, a professor of classics at the University of Bari. “We already had Nero, that’s more than enough.”...