Ancient Rome - Blog Posts

I’ve been here before, and it was amazing. There’s also the remains of an Ancient Roman bath house and the foundation of the barracks that would have housed the soldiers.  

Caerleon Roman Amphitheatre Photo Set 2, Caerleon Roman Fort, South Wales, 22.9.18.

LOL. 

marcus aurelius really out here saying “sex is cool and all but have you tried philosophy”

LOL=Leaping off lanista

Is Your Child Texting About Ancient Rome?

OMFG= oh, my fire's gone! (thanks Crassus)

WTF=where's the flammeum? (seriously, I'm about to get married here)

SMH= Someone marry her (off)

IDC= I'm dating Cleopatra

IDK=I'm dating Kleopatra (but spelled in the original Greek way)

BTW= Bring the wine (they're probably texting a slave)

LMAO= let's murder an official

GTG= get the garum

IKR- I killed the republic

Thought I’d share this with Floralia being upon us, which also overlaps with Beltane. 

Flora, the goddess of flowers and the season of spring, Roman artwork from the Imperial period with some modern alterations, from Hadrian’s Villa, Palazzo Nuovo, Capitoline Museums. Photo by: Carole Raddato, 2014 via Wikimedia Commons (X). License: CC BY-SA 2.0

He’s past the point of nooo return!

On this day: January 10, 49 BCE

Julius Caesar led a single legion south over the Rubicon from Cisalpine Gaul to Italy. In doing so, he broke the law on imperium and ignited civil war.

This is so accurate!

me *submitting a paper 5 minutes before the due date without proofreading it *: alea iacta est

Bad Ancient Rome Joke

Lissa Dragomir: So what do Mark Antony, Julius Caesar, and Cleopatra have in common?

Rose Hathaway: Threesome!

Lissa Dragomir: Can you honestly not take ANYTHING seriously?!

Rose Hathaway: It wouldn’t be as fun if I did. 

Julius Caesar after bailing Antony out of jail for the tenth time: You seriously can’t stay out of trouble for five fucking minutes?! This is the last time I’m paying. 

Mark Antony: You just keep telling yourself that. 

It’s Annia!

Portrait of young Faustina Minor 

147-148 A.D.

Marble

Capitoline Museums, Rome

This is awesome!

My recreations of ancient Roman hairstyles for my Roman Society project! Julia Domna (portrait bust style 2) and Faustina the Younger.

Nero ordering the death of her half-sister Claudia Octavia probably was the deciding factor for refusing to marry him. He also possibly suspected she had knowledge of the Pisonian Conspiracy of 65 C.E. 

A statue depicting Claudia Antonia (30-66 CE), daughter of emperor Claudius and Aelia Paetia (adoptive sister of Sejanus).

I was actually surprised to discover that  she lived that long -  but then again Claudia’s descent made her a very attractive bright candidate for ambitious politicians. If Tacitus & co are to believed among the suitors were for example Cornelius Piso and emperor Nero. Latter also had her executed after Claudia refused emperor’s proposal.

© Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons

She was totally ok with Antinous, unlike the rest of Rome. 

One strange roman “family” (from left to right): Antinous (two on the left side), Hadrian, Sabina

Best game idea ever!

re-skinning Monopoly to be about ancient Rome

instead of going to jail, you get exiled to Scythia

passing Go represents the bribes you collect every election season

instead of owning property on city blocks, you own land in various provinces

Boardwalk and Park Place ==> Egypt and Syria

Baltic and Mediterranean ==> Britannia Prima and Britannia Secunda

instead of houses and hotels, villae and latifundia

instead of railroads, just roads 

water works ==> bathhouse

electric company ==> amphitheater 

free parking ==> forum

income tax ==> wealth tax

re-skinned Chance and Community Chest cards:

“You have been elected Aedile – pay each player 50 denarii”

“Get out of Exile Free”

“Saturnalia Fund Matures – Collect 100 denarii”

“Greek Theater Night – collect 50 denarii from every player for opening night seats”

“Land Tax Refund – collect 20 denarii”

“Receive 25 denarii in bribes”

I agree wholeheartedly.

Roman history is like a bottomless well, interesting but very exhausting

When I see this statue, I can’t help but remember Kate Quinn’s Empresses of Rome series. 

Roman statue of empress Vibia Sabina, wife of Hadrian (r. 117-138 CE). Marble. 

LOL.

The Romans When They're Drunk

Caesar: He doesn't get drunk, and no one encourages him to. They don't know what he's like drunk, and they don't want to know

Antony: Is a really happy drunk. Cuddles with everyone and impulsively buys all kinds of nonsense. When he wakes up in the morning he's surrounded by his drunk purchases but has no idea who drained his bank account.

Brutus: Sobs hysterically, an absolute wreck. Tells you his whole life story and you'll find him throwing up in the bathroom later, Cassius holding his hair back while he has to listen to him cry about his past for the millionth time.

Octavian: Starts giving speeches to everyone while standing on the table. He thinks they're motivational, but they're complete gibberish.

Cassius: A bold, angry drunk. Will fight anyone and can make literally anything into a weapon.

Pompey: Calls everybody beautiful and suddenly is under the impression that he can sing and dance.

Yes. 

Octavian: Do y'all ever get pre-annoyed? Like you already know somebody is about to piss you off