The Roman road between Boulogne-sur-Mer (France) and Cologne (Germany) is nowadays called Via Belgica. However, it was never known by this name in Roman times. The name appeared in the early 20th century as archaeologists were trying to reconstruct the Roman road system in the province of Germania Inferior. The construction of this road is generally credited to Marcus Agrippa, who was then [...]
"There are two wayward daughters that I have to put up with: the Roman commonwealth and Julia." - Emperor Augustus Julia Augusti filia, or Julia the Elder, daughter of the Emperor Augustus, was a fascinating wild card in an era and culture where the ideal woman was quiet, steadfast, and even-tempered. Her personality was neither uniquely good nor bad, and like many famous [...]
“Agrippa, favoured by the winds and the gods leads his towering column of ships, his brow shines with the beaks of the naval crown, his proud battle distinction” Virgil, Aeneid. Book VIII (translation by A.S. Kline) Agrippa is one of the greatest men of Ancient Rome. His lifetime accomplishments were spectacular and his heritage is incredibly rich even two thousand years after his [...]
“Such was the end of Agrippa, who had in every way clearly shown himself the noblest of the men of his day.” - Cassius Dio Although ancient writers accepted the rumors that Augustus sent Agrippa away due to rising jealously between Agrippa and Marcellus, the nephew of Augustus, the long standing loyalty and esteem between the two men, from their earliest years together [...]
“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, [...]