Situated around 11 miles northwest of Central Athens, the industrial, oil-refinery town of Elefsina captures little of what used to be one of the Ancient World’s most important cultic centers. For nearly 1,000 years, between the early seventh century BC and the late fourth century AD, it was the site of the annual Eleusinian Mysteries: a strange rite revolving around the grain and [...]
Written for TimeTravelRome by Kieren Johns. All roads lead to Rome, or so the old proverb goes. For those of us with an interest in the ancient world, it’s a saying that still very much rings true to this day. Whether it’s a chance to explore the remains of the ancient city itself in the Forum, or the opportunity to get up close [...]
Author: Marian Vermeulen No archeological tour of Italy would be complete without a visit to Tibur, modern Tivoli. The city has a long history, dating back to the 13th century B.C., when colonists from Alba Longa settled on the site. Tibur held a tumultuous relationship with Rome before it fell to its southern neighbors. Rome granted citizenship to Tibur in 90 B.C., after [...]
“Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophize, that is, until political power and philosophy entirely coincide…cities will have no rest from evils, nor, I think, will the human race.” - Plato, Republic A note from Marian Vermeulen (author): I am a longtime lover of Marcus Aurelius. His picture is on the [...]
Exploring the Edges of Empire As a part of the Empire for over 350 years, from annexation by the emperor Claudius in 43 AD to the full Roman retreat in 410, Britain today is scattered with remains of its ancient, Classical past. For a long time, the island was ignored: although Julius Caesar is known to have landed here as early as around [...]
In 1776, Edward Gibbon published his massive, six book, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. In it he popularized Niccolò Machiavelli’s classification of the “Five Good Emperors.” Though a subjective opinion, the five emperors who took power via adoption stand out as wise and just rulers. Their reigns marked the Golden Age of Rome. This post offers a short history [...]