PinnedSPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldHarpastum — ancient Roman prototype of soccer and rugbySoccer is perceived by many as a modern invention, but in fact various ball games have been known since ancient times. Not surprisingly…Feb 22, 20232Feb 22, 20232
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldHow much were Roman legionaries paid?Initially, Roman legionaries were conscripts who served without pay. Only full-fledged adult male citizens were drafted, and only for the…2d ago2d ago
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldWhy did Roman soldiers insult Caesar during his triumph?Imagine the following scene: the summer of 1945, the Victory Parade in New York. Riding in an open car, General Eisenhower leads the parade…2d ago22d ago2
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldWhat were the survival chances of a legionary fighting in the front row?Battles of ancient armies in movies are often depicted as one chaotic crowd clashing with another. Even if soldiers are initially lined up…3d ago13d ago1
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldWhy did the ancient Romans eat while reclining?Like the ancient Greeks, the Romans preferred to recline during meals rather than sit at a banquet table. Why did these two great…3d ago23d ago2
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldBreaking Stereotypes about Ancient RomeWhen people talk about the population of ancient Rome, they often imagine an ideal Roman, represented by figures like Julius Caesar…4d ago14d ago1
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldThe Last Battle of SpartacusIn 71 BC, Spartacus’s army faced off in Bruttium, at the very tip of Italy’s “boot” — a peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides. The…4d ago4d ago
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldHow King Pyrrhus Lost the War to the Romans Without Losing a Single BattleIn the 3rd century BCE, Rome actively expanded its territories in Italy. After defeating the Samnite tribes, the central part of the…5d ago5d ago
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldHow Pompey the Great Eradicated Piracy in the Mediterranean SeaAs maritime trade became more active in ancient times, both the Greeks and the barbarians on the coasts and islands turned to piracy. These…6d ago6d ago
SPQR | Ancient Rome and the Ancient WorldWhy Did Caesar Leave Power to His Adopted Heir, Octavian, Instead of His Son with, Cleopatra?On July 30, 48 BCE, Julius Caesar landed in Egypt. He arrived in pursuit of his enemy and rival in the civil war, Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey…6d ago16d ago1
