“Augustus preferred no one to Herod besides Agrippa, and Agrippa made no one his greater friend than Herod besides Augustus.” - Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews In 23 B.C., a series of curious events took place. Despite their long and close friendship, Octavian, now known as Augustus, sent Agrippa away to govern the eastern province of Syria. It was an assignment that to [...]
Augustus once famously said that he “found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble.” Much of that work was accomplished through the deputation of Marcus Agrippa. When Augustus came to power, the city of Rome was not how we imagine it today. Having grown too large, too fast, it was a messy, ever-growing collection of brick and wooden [...]
Having proven his naval prowess against Sextus Pompey as well as his unwavering loyalty, Agrippa was the natural choice for Octavian when the constant tension with Antony led to another nautical war. Shortly after the Battles of Mylae and Naulochus, Octavian had successfully ousted the third triumvir, Lepidus. As a result, he held sole control of the western half of Rome with Antony [...]
Despite Julius Caesar’s complete defeat of Pompey the Great, Pompey’s children continued to fight in his name even after Caesar’s murder. The most successful was Sextus Pompey, who collected an armada of pirate ships and continually harassed Roman shipping. In 37 B.C., young Octavian suffered a shameful defeat against Sextus Pompey, and once again turned to his old friend, Marcus Agrippa, for help. [...]
“Agrippa, who was the closest friend of Octavian”. Appian, The Civil Wars History of Sipious (Sipous) Located on the western coast of Italy, ancient Sipious (Sipous) began as a Greek city. It was a colony founded by Diomedes according to legend, but likely established by Daunians, an Iapygian tribe consisting of a mixture of Illyrians from the west coast of Greece and Apulians from southern Italy, [...]
The ancient city of Aquincum, known today as Budapest, hosts one of the most beautiful archaeological parks of the Central Europe. The Museum of Aquincum and the eponymous Archaeological Park feature a marvelous array of artifacts, including the restored House of Painter and, more recently, a beautifully restored Mithraeum. It was opened for visitors in 2018. History of the Aquincum city Originally a [...]
The island of Capri and its main city of the same name boast a long and illustrious history. Virgil’s Aeneid claims that Greek colonists from Teleboi settled the island, but evidence suggests that it held earlier inhabitants. The Romans themselves made the initial discovery. Suetonius recorded that during excavations for one of Augustus’s villa getaways, workers discovered stone weapons and giant bones. Modern [...]
The Revolt of Carausius, Ancient Londinium, and the split from Empire
Placed at the West end of the Forum Romanum, leaning against the substructures of the Tabularium at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, the temple was dedicated to the goddess Concord, personification of harmony among men. The temple has been renovated several times, the last renovation being held under Tiberius. The exterior of the temple was then entirely covered with marble, making the [...]
An early city situated in the Marche region of Italy, Sentinum became a focal point in Rome’s wars with other Italian tribes. In 295 B.C., the Battle of Sentinum decided the outcome of the Third Samnite War and placed the city under the rule of the Roman Republic. It would remain an important city during the transition from Republic to Empire, eventually becoming [...]