Pompeia Plotina – ideal of Roman empress?
Pompeia Plotina was the only wife of emperor Trajan. Faithful and loyal. History has produced a beautiful portrait of this Roman empress. But is it real?
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Articles
Roman state existed for nearly thirteen centuries, repeatedly exerting a profound influence on the course of history. I present the history of ancient Rome in the individual articles below, which not always refer solely to the Eternal City itself but encompass the wider world of the Roman Empire.
I encourage you to submit your own articles and to report any corrections or factual inaccuracies.
Emperor who was chosen by gods
During the Second Punic War, a new kind of religious belief began to develop among the Romans. One of the types of these beliefs became the cult of living heroes, which were undoubtedly the great Roman commanders. This type of belief was different from the cult of legendary ancestors such as Aeneas or Romulus.
Genesis of development of Eastern cults in times of Roman Empire
Starting from the 2nd century CE Imperium Romanum began a process of intense religious changes. Oriental religions, such as Mithraism began to play an increasingly important role in the Roman state. One of the reasons for the development of these cults was the serious crises that the empire experienced in the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. Events such as the civil war of 193-197, or the difficult internal situation during the so-called crisis of the 3rd century, favoured the emergence of religious phenomena, the roots of which dated back to earlier epochs.
Propaganda of Emperor Septimius Severus during civil war
The civil war of 193-197 was an extremely important event in the history of ancient Rome. After the death of Commodus, several candidates competed for the imperial purple. The ultimate winner of this conflict was to be Septimius Severus. In achieving political and military success, he was undoubtedly helped by a well-thought-out and effective propaganda program.
“Let him sleep in peace…” or about ancient belief about similarity of sleep to death
Many people visiting the graves of their loved ones have come across tombstones informing that the deceased “slept forever” or “sleeping in the Lord” – few know that these phrases come directly from the world of ancient Romans and Greeks.
Pontius Pilate – some interesting facts about most famous prefect of Judea
Probably each of us has heard of Pontius Pilate, the most famous Roman prefect of Judea and one of the most famous in the entire history of ancient Rome. However, outside the NT, few people know that there are other sources about this character.
Zeno and decision of millennium
When delegations from Western Europe arrived in Constantinople in 476, Emperor Zeno was fresh from the civil war that had left him in power for more than a year. The deputies represented two conflicting sides, one demanded the support of Julius Nepos, the overthrown emperor of the west, and the other asked for recognition of Odoacer’s power and granting him the title of patrician. Solomon’s decision of Zeno determined the fate of Europe, so it is worth looking at the geopolitical and dynastic conditions that the emperor had to consider.
Treasure of the Roman Gardens of Sallust – “The Dying Daughter of Niobe”
In this magnificent statue, which we can admire in the Roman museum in Palazzo Massimo Alle Terme, the sculptor masterfully captured both the drama of the moment and the movement of the dying woman. However, in order to fully appreciate this work, one must remember the context in which it was created. The myth of Nioba and her children was a very popular motif in ancient art.
Policy of Roman Empire towards Manicheans
In the 3rd century CE, a new syncretic religion – Manichaeism – penetrated the areas of the Roman Empire from the Persian State. Its founder was the prophet Mani, and the doctrine itself combined elements of other religions: Gnosticism, Christianity, Mithraism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Sopianae – early Christian cemetery from Roman times in Pécs (Hungary)
Hungary is not a country that in the minds of the average European is associated with the Roman Empire and the monuments of antiquity. However, the entire western part of Hungary, on the right bank of the Danube, was from the reign of Augustus until the 4th – 5th century under Roman rule, in the province of Pannonia.
