Oh Fortune! Posted by kunthra on Sep 19, 2010
Have you heard of “O Fortuna” (Oh Fortune) by German composer Carl Orff? My guess is you have, but you may not have realized it. Take a listen to this little tune : You’ve probably heard this song in commercials, and definitely in some movie soundtrack. “O Fortuna” is a song that is part of…
New Man Posted by kunthra on Sep 13, 2010
Homo Novus which is the Latin term for “New Man”, refers to a Roman citizen who becomes the first man in his family to be elected as a consul. Normally the office of consul was restricted to patrician men. There were special cases when men of plebian rank obtained the rank of consul. The term…
Kings of Ancient Rome Posted by kunthra on Sep 7, 2010
Before Rome was ruled by an emperor, Rome was ruled by seven kings. The first king was Rex Romvlvvs or King Romulus. Historians debate whether there ever was a King Romulus, but to the ancient Romans, he was real and was considered the founder of Rome. Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, also known as Tarquin the…
Ancient Roman Temples Posted by kunthra on Sep 4, 2010
The ancient Romans were religious and built temples to honor the gods. Not all of the temples have survived in mint condition, and the ones that have, remain as ruins, but at least tourists can still go and see the former glory of the Roman Empire. The Temple of Divus Romulus was built by Emperor…
The Year of the Six Emperors Posted by kunthra on Sep 1, 2010
The Year of the Six Emperors was a period of political instability in ancient Rome. This was a year where a total of six emperors jockeyed for power, and often through brutal means. Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus was a commoner who rose through the ranks as a soldier. Historians believe he had a complex about…
Centurion Posted by kunthra on Aug 28, 2010
Centurion is the title of a film released this month in the U.S.. The film is a U.K. production and was inspired by the story of the Ninth Legion. Historically speaking, the Ninth Legion was scheduled to march into present day Scotland, but the record of the legion disappeared. The film gives a possible explanation…
Famous Ancient Roman Suicides Posted by kunthra on Aug 25, 2010
In some societies, suicide is considered an act of cowardice, but in ancient Roman society, suicide was one of the means to restore one’s honor and dignity. There are countless examples of notable ancient Roman men and women who choose to die by their own hand, rather than suffer the humiliation of defeat by the…