For those of us who are passionate about ancient Rome, and if you are reading this then you are likely among that group, finding the most authentic sites can sometimes become a quest. We may have been disappointed when we first learned that many buildings in Pompeii have been restored over the years. Yet deep down, I imagine every one of us has [...]
Like many settlements of the more remote Roman provinces, Carnuntum originated as a military outpost. Built sometime around the turn of the millennium, historical documents first mention the fort as the headquarters of Tiberius in his northern campaigns. A civilian city later developed alongside the fort. It quickly became a major trade hub with the Baltic regions and eventually the capital of the [...]
Right in the very heart of London, amidst the hustle and bustle of banks and businesses and the incessant rattle of the underground rails, an ancient mystery cult once convened to worship their god. This is the story of London’s Mithraeum. The Curious Case of Ancient Londinium’s Underground God Today, London is the UK’s largest city. Two thousand years ago, the situation was [...]
In the late to mid-40s A.D. Sarmizegetusa became the capital of Dacia under King Burebista. Perhaps the word fortress is more apt for the site. It consisted of six citadels, constructed on the top of a 1200 meter high mountain. The main fort lay on five terraces at the peak of the mountain. Civilian lodging spread across further systems of terraces below. It [...]
When the Romans first invaded Britain in 43 AD, they remained hesitant to push on northwards. The area north of the Humber River was kept in check by the Brigantes, a client Kingdom of native Celts who were initially friendly to their island’s invaders. Sometime in the early 70s AD however, a new leader of this kingdom adopted a hostile attitude to the [...]
The ancient ruins in the city of Acaunum, now modern day Saint-Maurice, are not extensive. Yet their display is beautiful, and they are steeped in the legend of the Decimation of the Theban Legion. Begun in the Bronze Age or before, it was around 30 B.C. that Acaunum fell under Roman rule. Traditional Christian accounts tell of the martyrdom of an entire Roman [...]
Despite being so close to Rome, few tourists visit Ostia. For those that do, it’s a relaxed suburban train ride from Ostiense (near the Piramide Metro station) and a leisurely 5-minute walk to an archaeological site that recreates the past in a way that Rome cannot. Where the grand temples and monuments of the ancient Roman capital have undergone centuries of modification, and [...]