Hello and welcome to antiquity! Tonight, for your edification and amusement, we collect a number of heretofore unheard and unseen mysteries, and attempt to unlock the secrets of the ages! Get ready to expand your mind from the comfort of your couch, as we delve into time itself. Pre-history Ever chewed gum in class and […]

Today’s post collects interesting articles on the subjects on ancient texts. From high-tech reading of ancient Roman scrolls to medieval books made now available (and down to some really pissed-off bronze age customers), we have an amazing selection for lovers of words. Protect yourself! First, let’s start with a bit of fun. Every author these […]

Did you know that the word “trivia” originates in Latin? Trivia is based on trivial, which in turn comes from trivialis. That pertains to trivium — three roads, or a crossroad, as something very commonplace that can be found anywhere. Of course, Trivia was also an epithet of Diana, goddess of the hunt, wild animals, […]

I’ve blogged recently about a collection of Roman coins, but let’s examine some of the flip side of Roman economy: roads and pollution. In this post I want to present you with several resources about the far-reaching effects of the far-reaching effects of the empire, from unusual angles.

Ancient Greeks and Romans had pretty advanced science – and we know quite a bit about it. The two pieces referenced today will expose you to both what we know and how we do. First an article about how we know what we know about Roman legions. This is extracted from Adrian Goldsworthy’s excellent The Complete […]

Some exciting reviews of underwater Roman ruins. First, a discovery almost 50 acres of ruins off the coast of Tunisia. The North African city of Neapolis is believed to have been submerged after a tsunami in the 4th century AD destroyed most of it, as recorded by Roman soldier and historian  Ammianus Marcellinus. The natural […]