The Sex Lives of the Caesars
From Augustus' serial adultery to Nero's maternal incest, read on for a fun, factual exposè into the scandalous sex lives of the Caesars.
Alexander Meddings
Based in Rome, Alexander Meddings is a published writer and historian. After completing his Roman History MPhil at Oxford University, he moved to Italy to pursue his passion at the source.
What is Sharia Law?
Sharia – شريعة in Arabic – roughly translates into English as the ‘path to the watering hole’, the watering hole being Allah. The imagery is simple and clear. Sharia represents a moral code, a sacred system of principles; in a less…
The Sacred Chickens that Shaped Rome’s Foreign Policy
Some would name Julius Caesar as the most influential figure in Roman history. Others might nominate Brutus, the man who drove out the last of Rome’s kings, or Augustus, who 700 years later essentially went on to become one. But…
Tapping the Admiral: The Posthumous Pickling of Horatio Nelson
Celebrated national heroes are rarely treated unceremoniously after shaking off their mortal coil. It’s rarer still that such treatment might befall someone so beloved as to have a 50-meter-tall column dedicated to them in the center of London’s Trafalgar Square.…
All is Fair in Love & War: Sex on the British Frontlines of World War One
It should come as little surprise that while away from the carnage on the Western Front, soldiers would seek out whatever carnal pleasures they could. During the bloodiest phase of the First World War, the average lifespan of a British…
The Weird and Wonderful World of Victorian Dating
Ah, the Victorian Age… You may have thought being named after and presided over by a strong female monarch like Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901) might have softened the rampant masculinity of the time. But you would be wrong. This was…
Phryne – The Sex Symbol of the Ancient World
Picture an ancient Greek beauty contest. If you’re au fait with your Greek mythology (or you’ve done your homework on Homer), the first thing that comes to mind might be the Judgement of Paris. Helen of Troy came out tops in this…
History’s Most Unflattering Portraits
Every historical age has produced its fair share of hilarious portraiture. From the hapless Habsburgs (sorry again Habsburgs) and the demonic Danish Royal Family to former president George Bush's woeful rendition of Vladimir Putin (so bad it's a miracle it didn't trigger World War Three), here are 10 of the most heinously unflattering portraits in history.
Rome’s Ancient Bridges
Spanning the River Tiber are several ancient bridges, each of which preserves its own fascinating story. Read on to find out all about them.
Hidden Rome: the City Beneath the Streets
When the Roman Empire fell, the city of the Caesars fell with it—its pagan monuments mainly destroyed, converted into churches, or simply built over. We’ve uncovered but a fraction of the ancient city that underlies the modern metropolis. And while some monuments, like the Pantheon, have survived haphazardly many of the Eternal City's monuments lie hidden. Until now.
