Ridley Scott’s sword-and-sandals epic is rightfully regarded as the movie that rekindled Hollywood’s love for the classics. Gladiator has all the ingredients for the perfect historical drama: a stellar cast, groundbreaking special effects and a soaring Hans Zimmer soundtrack. More…
Of their many ingenious feats of engineering, it was the aqueducts in which the Romans took most pride. As the encyclopaedist Pliny the Elder reflected in the first century CE: If we only take into consideration the abundant supply of…
Rome Tour Guide Explore Rome with Alex Private Tours — Tailored to Your Interests I’m a British historian with an MPhil in Roman History from Oxford University. For 11 years I have been living in Italy, working as a travel…
Weaving through Venice’s side streets. Promenading its Grand Canal. Losing yourself — often rather literally — as you try to navigate its historical centre. Everyone visiting Venice should set aside time to explore La Serenissima at their leisure, but if…
The House of the Vestals was the residence of Rome’s most important priesthood, and the only permanent residence in the Roman Forum. It was home to Rome’s six Vestal Virgins, priestesses entrusted with keeping the sacred hearth fire burning in…
You often hear that ancient sites like Pompeii and Herculaneum offer valuable windows into the past. More than windows, I think of them as glass-bottom boats. Constantly moving, constantly changing, and, for those who want to dive in and explore…
The reign of the emperor Domitian (81 – 91 CE) is one characterised by infamy. Domitian comes down to us as the runt of the Flavian family: a tyrannical leader who purged the Senate, revelled in degeneracy, and was rumoured…
Some regard him as the greatest leader France has ever had. Others as a warmongering tyrant. Few historical figures polarize public opinion like Napoleon Bonaparte. On the one hand, he can be credited with upholding some of the best ideals…
It’s hard to describe how bad an ancient city would have smelled. You’d be amazed how much graffiti from Pompeii is pleading with people to stop shitting in public. “Who keeps shitting outside my house?” “Dumping shit by the wall?…
Did the Romans spend much time at the sea? Did they have party resorts to rival Ibiza, rife with sex, booze, and late night music? Did provincial towns have any infrastructure to cope with a sudden influx of tourists? The ancients do in fact tell us. Read on to see what they say.
