Search

Showing results for “Ancient Rome”

Jump to a topic

Ancient RomeAncient Rome left a high water mark on ancient civilization with its pragmatism and administrative prowess, dominating through its efficient military, engineering, and administration. At least 50 million people—a quarter of the world population—inhabited the empire, covering 5 million square miles at its height. Ancient Rome is divided into two political epochs: the Republic (509 to 27 BCE) and the Empire (27 BCE to 395 CE). The ancient settlement of Rome stood at the heart of both the Italian peninsula and the Mediterranean Sea, an ideal location to create networks of migration, trade, and conquest within a vast empire. As its territory grew and became difficult to administer, the empire was split into western and eastern halves in 395 CE. Within a century, the western empire would collapse amid invasion from Germanic tribes, while the eastern Byzantine Empire would endure for another millennium.Explore Ancient Rome

Trusts Opioids Iconic Speeches Vacationing Cheese Mortgages Tariffs Olympics

What we've found

Ancient Rome had an early version of macaroni and cheeseCalled placenta (with a hard "c"), the holiday dish consisted of sheets of rolled-out dough layered with cheese. It is the first recipe documenting the combination of the two elements. While there is debate about whether the dough can be called pasta because it's not boiled, many scholars view the dish as a proto-lasagna. Literary Hub In ancient Rome, toast was added to drinksToasted bread crumbs absorbed the acidity of bitter wine and, in some cases, added flavor. Although the term "toasting" was not yet in use, the practice was common. Some say the Roman Senate decreed in the first century CE that all citizens must drink to the honor of Emperor Augustus before every meal, though scholars debate the validity of that claim. Eventually, the literal toast became associated with the tributes. Ancient Origins A reading of ancient Rome's best graffiti Graffiti has been surprisingly common throughout history, and even the grandeur of ancient Rome's walls wasn't spared. This clever and funny video reads through some of the more notable messages relayed via graffiti in ancient Rome, from tidbits of wisdom like "A small problem gets larger if you ignore it" to more unsavory observations of lovers, friends, and enemies. Fire of Learning In admiration of ancient Rome's Appian WayThe Appian Way is a Roman road built in the 4th century BCE, connecting the capital of Rome to the city of Capua. It is considered an engineering marvel for successfully crossing the dense Pontine Marshes, long an extremely difficult region to traverse. 3 Quarks Daily The tradition of drinking Champagne on New Year's is believed to come from ancient RomeJulius Caesar might not have had sparkling wine, but when the Romans created the now-standard calendar that begins on Jan. 1, they celebrated with a toast. The tradition spread throughout Europe and then the colonies, and so when Champagne became the drink of choice for special occasions, it was only natural that it became the standard New Year’s Eve sip. City Vino Becoming a man in ancient RomeIn ancient Rome, boys between the ages of 14 and 17 underwent a traditional ceremony marking their transition from childhood to adulthood. This article explores what we know about this common practice and its significance. Learn about the ritual celebration, which included a new white toga, sacrifices, and becoming registered as a citizen. World History Encyclopedia The concept of life insurance likely originated in ancient Rome around the year 100 BCEHowever, life insurance policies didn’t reach the Americas until 1759, when life insurance started being used to protect the families of Protestant ministers when said ministers died. This timeline of life insurance’s early history—and how it has evolved since then—provides more details. InsurTech Digital Ancient Rome explainedAncient Rome left a high water mark on ancient civilization with its pragmatism and administrative prowess, dominating through its efficient military, engineering, and administration. At least 50 million people—a quarter of the world population—inhabited the empire, covering 5 million square miles at its height. 1440 When exactly did Mount Vesuvius erupt in ancient Rome?Historians used to point to the summer of 79 CE when talking about the volcano that destroyed part of ancient Rome, claiming it occurred August 24, per the sole eyewitness account. This version of Pliny the Younger's letters survived via medieval manuscripts, and other versions don't mention a date at all or give a different one: October 24. This article explores new evidence that possibly shifts the deadly disaster to that fall. J. Paul Getty Trust How powerful was the volcanic blast that destroyed parts of ancient Rome?This article details how strong Mt. Vesuvius' powerful 79 CE blast may have been. Pompeii lay a bit further from the volcano's slopes than Herculaneum, a smaller seaside city. While Pompeii was mainly destroyed by ash and lapilli—glassy fragments of lava ejected during volcanic eruptions—Herculaneum was first hit by a scorching pyroclastic cloud of volcanic gas and other matter. The Guardian The history of ancient Rome: an extended deep diveAncient Rome was founded by a pair of twins reportedly nursed by a wolf and adopted by a farmer—but then what? The legend actually starts with the fall of Troy and a refugee prince who fled to the shores of Italy, where he married into a local Latin tribe and ultimately welcomed the twins who would go on to found the city of Rome. This 11-minute podcast episode starts a nearly 200-episode series that details Ancient Rome. Apple Was the concept of government disaster relief born in ancient Rome?When did governments start stepping in to help their citizens survive and recover from disasters? This article explores how the birth of government-assisted disaster relief may go back to ancient Rome. In 17 CE, Roman Emperor Tiberius sent money to help with rebuilding efforts after one of the Empire's Asian provinces was hit by a severe earthquake. During the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE, Emperor Nero opened temporary housing, assisted with firefighting efforts, and implemented the city's first fire codes. The Ohio State University Urban planning in ancient RomeAncient Rome represents one of the earliest examples of coordinated urban planning from a central government for which researchers have access to contemporary records. This review from MIT showcases ancient Roman cities built on various types of grids, from rectangular outlines to those shaped around two intersecting axes, with several examples and maps provided for each. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Child mortality rates since ancient RomeOne of the great achievements of modern humanity has been the sea change in child mortality rates—the chance that a newborn eventually lives past puberty. For thousands of years, children had a 50% chance of not entering adulthood. About 300 years... Our World in Data Synchronized swimming dates back to Ancient RomeKnown for gruesome gladiatorial contests, ancient Rome's aquatic spectacles may have been even more over-the-top. This article dives into the art of synchronized swimming in ancient Rome. Lakes were dug and amphitheaters flooded to provide space for aquatic reenactments of naval battles and artistic performances. Swimmers playing the role of water nymphs would create elaborate shapes, including ships with billowing sails. Smithsonian Magazine What do you mean ancient Rome had 'Five Good Emperors?'Between the first and second centuries CE, Rome was ruled by five emperors who reversed the civilization's sprint toward civil war. By the end of the fifth emperor's reign, the Roman Empire had achieved a level of stability and power it would never hold again. This article details the reign of the Five Good Emperors—Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius—who were chosen based on their abilities instead of their bloodlines. TheCollector Visualize ancient Rome in 3D with this aerial viewResearchers have compiled meticulous representations of ancient Rome in this video game-like depiction of the Eternal City from the air. For eight minutes, viewers can take in what Rome looked like two millennia ago, from the terracotta-topped homes to the Forum and Colosseum. History in 3D Mark Zuckerberg has named all three of his daughters after Roman emperorsZuckerberg studied Latin in high school and became interested in ancient Rome. He and his wife, Priscilla Chan, went to Rome on their honeymoon. His daughters—August, Maxima, and Aurelia—are all named after Roman emperors. CNBC A look at what was on the menu for ancient Romans"Delicious Italy" is a website exploring the food culture of various Italian cities and regions, and in this article, the editors explore what is known about the diet of ancient Romans. Olives (and their oil) were a key daily essential, alongside grains like barley, millet, and spelt flour. Where meat was found it was most often ox, pork, deer, lamb, and even pigeons. Middle Eastern fruits like cherries and peaches could last long enough to travel to Roman cities around the Mediterranean, and candy-friendly dates were sourced from Africa. Explore this and much more at Delicious Italy. Delicious Italy See a collection of ancient Roman coins used on the Silk RoadsAs ancient Rome's appetite for eastern luxuries grew, long-distance trade routes linking the Mediterranean to Asia emerged along what became known as the Silk Road. Without shared language or legal systems, merchants could use the reliable Roman coins to exchange with other cultures. This exhibit features gold and silver pieces bearing the portraits of emperors and Latin inscriptions. American Numismatic Association Mardi Gras blends pagan celebrations with Christian traditionsThe holiday has its roots in pagan celebrations, like ancient Rome's Saturnalian and Lupercalian festivals, which celebrated spring and fertility. Rather than abandoning these traditions, Catholic leaders in Rome incorporated their spirit into a celebration that would expel citizens' debauchery in preparation for the sacrifices they'd endure during the Lenten season. Around the world, this holiday season is called Carnival, though the New Orleans version is usually called Mardi Gras. HISTORY Congress meets and legislates in the US Capitol buildingThe United States Capitol reflects neoclassical ideals drawn from ancient Greece and Rome. First opened to Congress in 1800 and repeatedly expanded over time, it remains the symbolic and functional home of both The House and The Senate. Architect of the Capitol The 'Book of Judith' is a noncanonical Hanukkah story of deliveranceThough the text was not considered a core part of the Hebrew Bible, the medieval Jewish tradition placed her tale within that of the broader Hanukkah story, integrating it into the story of the Maccabees. Scholars view her more as a legendary, inspirational figure. HISTORY Saturnalia was a Roman festival that helped shape ChristmasAncient Romans celebrated Saturnalia in mid-December, honoring Saturn, the god of agriculture, with week-long street festivals. These celebrations featured gift exchanges, lavish meals, and gambling, which was prohibited in public at the time. Academus Education With the exception of Earth, the planets are named after Roman gods and goddessesMercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are named after the messenger of the gods, the goddess of love, the god of war, the king of gods, the god of agriculture, the god of the sky, and the god of the sea, respectively. "Earth" comes from Old English and Germanic words meaning "ground." HISTORY A particle accelerator allowed researchers to noninvasively examine a mummyThe mummy hailed from the Faiyum oasis, where Egyptian and Roman cultures intersected, and was analyzed using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. The device used high-energy X-rays to probe the material composition of numerous objects embedded deep inside the mummy without damaging its remains. PBS News Wildlife use Rome's sprawling archaeological sites as urban havensThe Italian capital features some of the world's most famous monuments as the inheritor of ancient Rome's grandeur. This photo essay explores the city's vibrant collection of wildlife, including long-concealed native crabs, peregrine falcons, and the beaver-like nutria. bioGraphic Bad Ancient: a site to fact-check claims about the ancient worldPeruse popular questions about ancient Rome, Egypt, Greece, and more, from whether Greek boxers were ripped or to what extent Alexander the Great conquered the world. Bad Ancient Georges Cuvier used his knowledge of anatomy to prove extinction had occurredExtinction had been viewed as impossible because a divine plan for the world would not rationally involve the loss of any of God’s creations. However, mammoth and mastodon bones differed from elephants’, and it seemed impossible that such creatures could be hiding elsewhere on Earth. UC Berkeley View the first photos ever taken from the Martian surfaceNASA's Viking 1 landed on Mars on July 20, 1976, with Viking 2 following on September 3, 1976. The two captured 4,500 images of Mars as the first spacecraft to land and transmit data from the Red Planet successfully. History The political ideology of fascism originates in ItalyFascism—first named by Benito Mussolini in 1919—derives from the Italian word fasci, linked to the Roman fasces, symbolizing authoritarian unity. Mussolini adapted this term to represent his autocratic, ultranationalist movement. TIME Ancient Romans took trips to the coast to beat the heatWhen the weather grew too hot in Rome, the city’s elite traveled to coastal spots like the Gulf of Naples, where they’d eat oysters, drink wine, and bathe in thermal pools. DW The ancient Greeks were known to take vacationsHistorians trace the vacation back to at least ancient Greece, where many people traveled to festivals and athletic events, including the Olympic Games. BBC Bitesize The western Roman Empire fell in the 5th century CE amid invasions, weaknessA mix of over-expansion, political instability, a weak military and economy, and the broad invasion of the Eurasian Huns prompted the downfall. Its eastern half, the Byzantine Empire, would last for another millennium. HISTORY Ancient Romans helped develop modern cheese production techniques The ancient Romans loved cheese and experimented with different processes to elevate its flavor, like aging. Some of their innovations, like Pecorino Romano, you can still find today. Others, like the smoked goat-milk Caseus, we only know about through historical records. UNRV.com The high-tech mechanisms of the Roman ColosseumThe Roman Colosseum is one of the most iconic amphitheaters in the world and still partially stands today. Aside from its sheer size, the arena was equipped with some of the most high-tech engineering from the classical world, including sophisticated lifts, a huge retractable awning, and an underground network of tunnels, elevators, and trapdoors. Deconstructed Death taxes have helped fund wars since the 1860sDeath taxes date back to 700 BCE and were used in Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt. In the US, they've been used to finance wars since the Civil War, and have been levied on both the estate and beneficiary. The estate tax created during WWI to help finance war efforts is still in effect today. HowStuffWorks Ancient ghost stories appeared in texts like 'The Odyssey'Sharing ghost tales has been around for centuries. Ancient Mesopotamia, Rome, and Greece each had their own chilling stories about encountering spirits. Find mentions of specters in some of history’s most famous writings like the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and "The Odyssey." TheCollector The ancient Games at Olympia ended after 1,500 years due to economic issuesThe ancient Olympics came to an end in 393 CE, and some historians point to Christian Roman emperor Theodosius I's ban on celebrating pagan festivals. This article explores an alternative theory: a bad economy. The writers cite the Theodosian Code, which makes no mention of the Olympics, and multiple records that mention the Olympics after Theodosius' death. The Conversation The term “Middle Ages” was invented by Renaissance thinkers to belittle the eraThe label “Middle Ages” reflects Renaissance writers’ admiration for ancient Greece and Rome, not medieval reality. They frame the post-Roman centuries as a cultural backslide—a view later reinforced by Edward Gibbon and modernized as the “Dark Ages” myth. History Wealthy patricians and poorer plebeians struggled for power for centuriesDuring the Roman Republic, the plebs sought political protection, more access to power, and freedom, while the patricians looked to protect their elite status and wealth. Plebeians regularly "seceded," or effectively went on strike and did not fight for the patricians. History Skills Roman roads have lasted for millennia and were key to its military mightKnown for their almost absurd straightness, Roman roads connected the empire's armies, messengers, and traders as imperial administrators sought to keep down rebellion and build up Roman wealth. Rome's highways were expertly engineered, well-patrolled, and easy to navigate. History The Etruscans laid the foundations for Roman civilizationWhen we put aside the myths and legends about Rome's founding, one group takes center stage: the Etruscans. This now-vanished, Greek-like culture laid the foundations of Rome's alphabet, art, and more. Etruscan culture dominated northern Italy in the centuries before the Roman Republic. Smarthistory Wealthy Egyptians slept on woven beds to allow air circulation in hot climates The history of beds is a fascinating look at economics, social science, and cultural beliefs around what takes place during sleep. This brief survey of the history of bed-making begins roughly 5,000 years ago and runs through ancient Egypt and Rome to modern Europe. Take a look here. BBC News Roman terror was key to its centuries-long dominanceHistorians like Polybius recorded Rome's violent tactics in detail, including the enslavement of entire populations and the mass killing of whole cities. Even as terror and violence proved effective in war, many Romans came to view the tactics with skepticism. The New Criterion Rome's legendary founders Romulus and Remus were raised by a she-wolfRomulus and Remus escaped slaughter by drifting downriver in a basket. Once ashore, the two were nurtured by a wolf and woodpecker, growing strong enough to build Rome. This story may date back to the fourth century BCE and contains Roman and Greek elements. Encyclopaedia Britannica Twelve centuries of Roman history in 20 minutesThe Roman Empire may have been the world's first example of globalization, covering thousands of miles and crossing language barriers armed with Latin and short swords. Its legacy is nearly unparalleled in contemporary Europe, with nearly 50 Romance languages deriving from Latin. Arzamas Six 'Vestal Virgins' kept the fire burning at Vesta's temple in RomeAncient Rome's Vestal Virgins were priestesses of the goddess Vesta and keepers of her eternal flame, tasked with keeping the sacred torch lit as a symbol of Rome's endurance. Children from well-connected aristocratic families would be selected for the role for decades of their lives. TED-Ed Estimate the costs of an ancient Roman vacationThanks to a sophisticated system of roads, Romans could travel great distances for their Roman holidays. This interactive resource from Stanford allows you to create fictional journeys around the empire, seeing approximate routes, costs, and time. Stanford University Eleven aqueducts funneled water to Rome's 1 million inhabitantsThe Roman Empire's capital city was home to about one million people at its peak and managed to provide running water to many of its homes, fountains, and public baths. This was made possible by the 11 aesthetically grand aqueducts that poured into ancient Rome from the countryside. Discover

Try another search?