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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
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'1440 Explores,' Episode 2: Why We Drink and What It Does to USAlcohol is the world's most popular drug—a molecule that can calm or excite and bond communities or tear them apart. We trace alcohol's journey from ancient rituals to modern hangovers, uncover how it shaped civilizations, and dive into the neuroscience of how it affects your brain and body. With insights from leading experts, we ask: Given all that we know, why do humans continue to drink? 1440 ExploresNail art can be traced back to 5,000 BCEArchaeologists discovered Egyptian mummies with nail art and henna-tinted fingertips. The trend would continue informally for centuries until Revlon introduced modern nail polish in 1932. the GuardianHuman records of influenza stretch back more than two millenniaAccounts of flu-like illness appear as early as 412 BCE, when Hippocrates described a sudden wave of cough and fever. Centuries of recurring outbreaks culminated in the first clearly documented pandemic in 1580, spreading from Asia into Europe and Africa. OMG Medical HistoryView a map of the world’s major earthquakes from 1956-2022Such maps can help identify tectonic plate boundaries. The most significant earthquakes are characteristic of converging plates, such as those in the Circum-Pacific Belt and the Alpine-Himalayan Belt, where the Himalayas continue to grow. Visual CapitalistUnique ingredients and preparations differentiate burrito stylesExamples include California burritos, which wrap french fries in with the other ingredients, and chimichangas, an Arizona specialty in which the burrito is deep-fried prior to serving. Michael Sandberg's Data Visualization BlogClassical mechanics describes the motion of and forces on everyday objects Newton's laws form the core of classical mechanics, suitable for everyday objects and speeds. The term is relatively new, distinguishing the branch of physics from quantum and relativistic mechanics. Live ScienceThe ancient invention of the water clockThe water clock, or clepsydra, is one of the earliest timekeeping devices. It was invented to overcome the limitations of sundials, which only worked in sunlight and could not measure time consistently. The oldest known water clock dates back to around 1400 BCE, and it was found in the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Ancient OriginsMaya civilization explainedThe Maya built vast jungle cities that could accommodate up to 50,000 people, developed advanced mathematics—including the concept of zero—and created one of the Americas’ earliest writing systems. Though many cities later declined, their scientific and cultural achievements continue to shape our understanding of the ancient world. 1440Explaining the rich heritage of the ancient GreeksThough only a unified empire for a decade under Alexander the Great, the ancient Greeks left lasting cultural influence throughout the modern world. Curious about ancient Greece? 1440's got your breakdown of the ancient civilization. 1440Watch Mediterranean power shift over millennia with this animated mapThe ancient Mediterranean holds a vast amount of history; from Egypt to Rome, the coasts of this sea are home to some of the most advanced ancient civilizations. This video displays on a map the many different civilizations that rose and fell around the fertile region, from the year 2500 BCE to 0 BCE. Frisco DojeniaThe 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. SmarthistoryMapping the shifts in ancient Greek territoriesThe jagged coastlines and many islands of the eastern Mediterranean peninsulas cultivated a seafaring civilization, which helped the Greeks colonize and trade in the Middle East, North Africa, and the rest of Europe. See the evolution of their territory with this quick animated map video. The Map As HistoryHikers can walk through Maya routes on Mexico’s first long-distance trailThe Camino del Mayab is a 68-mile trail west of Cancún that follows ancient Maya paths and modern railways. Built in collaboration with local Maya communities, it promotes Indigenous culture, preserves heritage, and supports community-based tourism along the route. National GeographicWho were the mirror-bearers of ancient Mayan civilization?The Mirror-Bearer is a remarkable example of Early Classic Maya art, one of many discovered that were crafted from solid hardwood around 500 CE. The male figure is adorned in a knee-length woven skirt and shawl and once held a removable plaque, likely a mosaic mirror. It is a model of an actual Mirror-Bearer, likely a royal court dwarf, and depicts typical Maya courtly scenes. Learn more about the sculpture and its inspiration here. The Metropolitan Museum of ArtExplore the roughly 190 Egyptian pharaohs across 31 dynasties The meticulous records kept by scribes in ancient Egypt allow contemporary historians the unusual ability to list the civilization's hundreds of monarchs, from the quasi-legendary Egyptian unifier Narmer (also known as Menes) all the way to the Roman emperors 3,000 years later. PharaohSEReconstructing an average day in ancient EgyptEgyptologists can reconstruct the intimate details of everyday life in the ancient civilization by studying the archaeological material preserved in tombs, monuments, and partially intact neighborhood layouts. Watch a comprehensive tour of the daily habits and lifestyles of ancient Egyptians with expert Dr. Joann Fletcher. Timeline
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