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Suetonius: Ancient History or Ancient Gossip? Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Feb 1, 2017
Salvete Omnes! Today, let’s take a look at some of the most popular and sensational sets of biographries that have survived since the time of the Romans. That would be the 12 books of the De vita Caesarum (literally “About the Life of the Caesars”) compiled and written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, usually known as Suetonius. Suetonius’…
Fitness in Ancient Rome Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Jan 18, 2017
Salvete Omnes! With the start of the new year there are plenty of us who have made some New Year’s Resolutions. One of the most popular resolutions people make today is the resolution to either lose weight or to spend more time on fitness. So, while this subject is on some of our minds, let…
Janus: Gates to the Past and the Future Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Jan 11, 2017
Salevete Omnes! Right now, as the new year kicks back into full swing a lot of us are probably thinking about what the new year has to offer. We are thinking about time; the time ahead of us and the time that has just passed. As we reflect on 2016 we are all looking forward…
The New Years in March Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Jan 4, 2017
Salvete Omnes! I hope everyone’s New Years passed with cheer and hope! I hope 2017 calls in more happiness and joy for us all.. The Ancient Romans, before 153 B.C.E. and Julius Caesar’s changes, used to celebrate the new year in what we consider early March. This was a very ancient tradition. The very first…
6 Ways to Celebrate the Winter Solstice like an Ancient Roman Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Dec 21, 2016
The week surrounding the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, marked the beginning of Winter for the Ancient Romans and so, like any other important time of the year, was brought in by revelry and extravagance. The is the week-long celebration of Saturnalia. Today, let’s look at some of the traditions that we…
You in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Dec 15, 2016
Historians and Classics enthusiasts often pay close attention to the history surrounding the great and legendary figures of Ancient Roman politics, philosophy, and mythology. However, today, let us take a look at the people who made up what was one of the greatest and largest cities in human existence. After all, such a city was…
“Roman Fever”: Did Malaria Bring Down the Roman Empire? Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Dec 7, 2016
A newly published study has just provided compelling genomic evidence in 2,000 year old human bones to show that malaria was, as many have guessed and speculated, present in Rome. For Latin-learners you could see the Medieval Latin roots behind the infamous disease: Malaria = mal + aria = “bad” + “air”. Although the disease…