Lucilla – daughter of Marcus Aurelius, who has been inspiring filmmakers for years
Anna Aurelia Galeria Lucilla is a character whose fate strictly intertwines with the political intrigues of imperial Rome.
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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.
Sulla and gods. Religiosity and prophecies in life of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (born 138 BCE., died 78 BCE) – leader, politician, dictator and favorite of the gods. He honestly believed that the grace of deities was resting on him and that he was endowed with Felicitas – happiness. This was evidenced by numerous prophecies, dreams and extraordinary events appearing in his life. Sulla had many divine patrons who supported him from the beginning of his career, leading him to the heights of power. This article is designed to trace the most important events in Sulla’s life, related to divine patrons and unusual signs.
10 fascinating curiosities about ancient Roman theater
Roman theater is an amazing phenomenon in the history of culture, combining Greek influence and original engineering solutions of the Romans. Although initially modeled at the Greek theater, he quickly gained his own unique character. Here are ten curiosities that will bring the fascinating world of Roman theater performances closer.
The legendary history of Rome in the light of ancient coins
The rise of Rome and the origins of its history have always excited and fascinated people. Of course, our perception of Roman history differs significantly from the views of the ancient inhabitants of the Eternal City. Nowadays, we make some distinction between its legendary history and actual historical events, which scholars try to reconstruct on the basis of critical analysis of ancient sources. For the Romans, the stories about the origins of their state were not just a collection of legends, but a widely accepted version of actual events. Nevertheless, some of Rome’s founding myths have become a permanent part of the way we think about the city today. The most famous example, of course, is the Roman she-wolf (lupa romana), which remains one of Rome’s symbols to this day, and whose image can be found in many corners of the city.
Faustina the Younger: Companion of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher on throne
In Roman forums, monuments once stood, immortalizing her likeness: a beautiful face, a proud profile, hair carefully braided into an intricate hairstyle. Faustina the Younger, the wife of Marcus Aurelius, was a figure who went down in history not only as an empress, but as a woman who managed to find harmony between duty and passion in difficult times. Some adored her, others whispered, attributing numerous scandals to her. Who was she really?
Who struck the fatal blow? Revisiting Julius Caesar’s wounds
Two of the most well-known and often repeated aspects of Caesar’s assassination are the number of conspirators involved in the conspiracy and the number of wounds he received. Most of the ancient sources agree that there were sixty or so conspirators involved and that Caesar ended up with twenty-three stab wounds. As such, it is not uncommon to hear it said that a group of Senators killed Caesar, or that he was killed after being stabbed twenty-three times. Usually, the ancient sources and modern writers group all of the assassins, referring to the murder of Caesar as one collective action, his death the result of his many stab wounds. However, the reality may be different.
“Meditations” of Marcus Aurelius: philosophy of stoicism in everyday life of emperor
Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor who reigned from 161 to 180 CE, went down in history not only as a just ruler but also as one of the greatest philosophers of antiquity. His work Meditations is a collection of reflections that he wrote mainly for himself, to cultivate his inner life. It is an extremely intimate record of thoughts that refer to everyday struggles, and reflections on the nature of man and the world and the meaning of life. Meditations are deeply rooted in Stoic philosophy, and at the same time constitute a practical guide to ethics and morality.
10 non-obvious myths about history of ancient Rome
Ancient Rome is a fascinating era, full of both achievements and controversy. Many common beliefs about this period are not always consistent with historical facts. Here are 10 non-obvious myths about ancient Rome.
Review: “Those About To Die” – to what extent is series true to history?
“Those About to Die” is the latest series that takes the viewer to the world of ancient Rome, namely 79 CE and the reign of Emperor Vespasian. The premiere of the series, which can be watched on the Amazon Prime platform, took place on July 18, 2024. What can we say about the series from a historical perspective? To what extent has it been consistent with scientific knowledge and ancient sources?
Did ancient Romans ever meet Chinese?
The history of the world is full of meetings – and sometimes even clashes – between completely different civilizations. The most famous examples of such interactions are the colonization and conquest of the so-called New World, i.e. both Americas by Europeans, starting from the very end of the 15th century, invasions of nomadic Mongols from the 13th century, reaching as far as Central Europe and the Balkans, or the long expeditions of the Vikings approximately 1000 CE, which took them as far as North America, where they encountered natives – skraelings.
