Unraveling Ancient Roman Art

It can be challenging for the modern mind to wrap itself around ancient Roman art. It all starts to blend together into a homogeneous blur of white marble. The marble, including the statues, would have actually been painted, making Rome look very different from the version we see both in ruins and fictional media today. … Continue reading Unraveling Ancient Roman Art →

When most people think of a monarchy, it is probably of a hereditary or primogeniture monarchy; that is to say a monarchy where the successor was chosen based on the first born male to the standing monarch. The Roman Empire, while for all intents and purposes monarchical, selected successors in a different manner. For the … Continue reading →

Assassination Aftermath: Marc Antony after Caesar’s Death

It was a chaotic and uncertain time after the assassination of the larger than life Julius Caesar, ultimately culminating in another civil war with the eventual first emperor of Rome, Augustus, consolidating power and effectively wiping away the Republic for good. However, what was it like immediately following the assassination? Here, we take a look … Continue reading Assassination Aftermath: Marc Antony after Caesar’s Death →

Julius Caesar: One Man Propaganda Machine

Julius Caesar’s writings on his involvement in the Gallic War are one of the most valuable primary sources in all of history. Recently, when reading what we now know as Caesar’s Commentaries, I was thinking about lessons to take from his writings. It must be understood that Caesar was writing for public consumption. It could … Continue reading Julius Caesar: One Man Propaganda Machine →

The Remarkable Speed and Endurance of Julius Caesar

There were many characteristics that made Julius Caesar one of the most dynamic, fascinating people in history. However, what may have set him apart from many other movers of history might be the speed at which he lived his life. His ability to complete the tasks at hand created an almost unstoppable force for those … Continue reading The Remarkable Speed and Endurance of Julius Caesar →

Caesar’s Persuasiveness

Julius Caesar was many things, but what may have been his greatest gift of all was the way he could read the attitudes and desires of those with him. Sure, you could argue that he ultimately met his demise by appearing as a little bit too much of a dictator to his fellow senators, but … Continue reading Caesar’s Persuasiveness →

Caesar’s Pirate Adventure – 75 B.C.

As the Roman Republic expanded into an empire, it left many of the people in its newly acquired provinces feeling disenfranchised. While I think the famous snarky Tacitus quote from about 100 years later that Rome "creates a desolation and calls it peace" when referring to the Pax Romana (Roman peace) is a little bit … Continue reading Caesar’s Pirate Adventure – 75 B.C. →

Roman Triumphs : Celebrations Like No Other

Aristocratic Romans during the age of the Republic were highly incentivized by military glory in the name of Rome. With military success came prestige and money, and there was no greater source of prestige and riches than through the Roman triumph. Triumphs were the highest honor for an individual's military successes, with ovations being the … Continue reading Roman Triumphs : Celebrations Like No Other →

Julius Caesar was not an Evil Dictator and Blog Intro

"Usus est rerum omnium magister." - Julius Caesar INTRODUCTION I am intending this blog to be a repository for my thoughts and/or ideas relating to history, so as to not torture those around me with endless talking about it. My two main historical interests are Ancient Rome and World War I, but am always open … Continue reading Julius Caesar was not an Evil Dictator and Blog Intro →