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Articles

The Roman state existed in practice for XIII centuries, being the power which was impacting the history. Therefore, I decided that I would tell the history of ancient Rome in the articles below, which will not necessarily cover only the Eternal City.

I encourage you to send articles and point out any corrections or inaccuracies.

Roman provinces in Asia Minor

When reading about events in the history of the Roman Empire, you sometimes come across geographical names that cannot be intuitively defined on the map of modern countries. Names of lands, such as: Pont, Bithynia, Cilicia, Phrygia, Galatia, Lydia, Pamphilia or Paflagonia are not to be found on the maps of contemporary school geographic atlases.

Location of the geographic lands of antiquity on the Asia Minor peninsula

Shield of Achilles, Shield of Aeneas

In the 18th book of the Iliad, there is a description of Achilles’ shield, made for him by Hephaestus at the request of the hero’s mother – Tethys. Virgil, the entire “Aeneid” modelled on both epics of Homer (“Iliad” and “Odyssey”), did not fail to include in his work (in book VII) an analogous description of the shield Aeneas. The differences between them illustrate well the different goals and characters of the works of the two poets.

The scene where Achilles was handed the shield

Fortune telling in ancient Rome

For centuries, people have tried to find out what the future holds. Hence, it was common to refer to all kinds of fortune-tellers or priests – augur or haruspices who they foretold from the entrails of animals. Special attention was also paid to all kinds of fortune-telling, which, as it was believed, were not a coincidence, but were interfering with the gods.

Publius Claudius Pulcher, ordering the chickens to be thrown into the water

Romans in the Baltic Sea?

The Baltic Sea is not far from the former theatre of Roman military campaigns and research expeditions. How did the Romans imagine its location and coastlines? Have they ever influenced the reservoir over which present Poland lies?

Classis Germanica

Bulla Felix – Roman Robin Hood

Bulla Felix was the Roman version of Robin Hood. He robbed the rich and helped the poor. His activity was reportedly in the years 205-207 CE, the reign of the emperor Septimius Severus. His group consisted mainly of runaway slaves, imperial freedmen, and even former praetorians. At its peak, he had 600 robbers under his command.

Scene from the movie "Rome"

Origins of ancient Rome

Origins of ancient Rome were one of the most discussed historical problems of the second half of the 20th century. Recent years and efforts of scientists in the field of archeology and the interpretation of historical monuments of ancient Rome, brought a lot of new material and prompted a change of perception, especially when it comes to the chronology of the early history of Rome.

Historic seven hills of ancient Rome

Greece – birth of city

Unlike most civilizations of the ancient East, developing in the valleys of great rivers, the subjugation and use of which was associated with the emergence of great states, the fate of Greece, devoid of this factor, turned out differently.

Greece - the birth of the city

Was there a middle class in Ancient Rome?

This question causes us some trouble at the outset. The ancients of course did not know the term “middle class”, which does not mean that there was no social group situated between the social elite and the urban poor. However, its definition is not easy.

Mask seller, Cesare Mariani

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