Tag: Roman Empire

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The Punic Wars is the generally used term for the lengthy conflict between the two main centres of power in the western Mediterranean, Rome and Carthage. Carthage was originally a Phoenician colony. The Latin name for a Phoenician is 'Poenus' which leads to our English adjective 'Punic'. Carthage Th...

The Roman Empire in A.D. 69 was in a state of chaos. The previous emperor, Nero, had committed suicide in June of that year, and four different men had claimed the throne in the months that followed. The first to claim the throne was Galba, the governor of Hispania. He was proclaimed emperor by his ...

The year 12 CE might not be the flashiest moment in Roman history, but it offers a fascinating snapshot of a powerful empire in its prime. We're not quite at the reign of Trajan, the period of maximum extent, but let's delve into what the Roman world looked like in this specific year.Augustus: Stil...

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The Roman civilization was one of the most influential in world history, and its impact can still be felt today in areas such as politics, architecture, language, and law. The Roman Republic, which was established in 509 BCE, was the first known republic in the world, and it laid the foundation for ...

ConsulDictatorPontifex MaximusCensorPraetorAedileQuaestorThe Roman republic was led by two Consuls who were joint heads of the Roman state and commanders-in-chief of the army. They were elected only for one year and thereafter could not be re-elected again for 10 years, in order to prevent any form ...

When in 64 BC Pompey descended from Cappadocia into northern Syria he needed little more than assume sovereignty on behalf of Rome. Ever since the collapse of the kingdom of the Seleucids sixty years previously, Syria had been ruled by chaos. Roman order was hence welcomed. The acquisition of Syria ...

The Battle of Zama in the summer of 202 BC marked the end of the power of the great Hannibal Barca.With its greatest son, also Carthage should be at a virtual end. True, it should limp on for some time, but with its defeat at the end of the Second Punic War it no longer was a significant power.Zama ...

Crassus grew up as the son of a consul and distinguished general.His career to fame and phenomenal wealth began as he started purchasing the houses of Sulla's victims. Had Sulla confiscated all their belongings he sold them off cheap. And Crassus bought and made sensational profits when selling them...

In 118 BC the king of Numidia, Micipsa, died, leaving the crown to his young sons Hiempsal and Adherbal jointly with a much older nephew, Jugurtha, who was an experienced soldier.Jugurtha arranged the assassination of Hiempsal, whilst Adherbal fled for his life and appealed to the senate. The senat...

The atrocities of the First Slave War were anything but forgotten when in 103 BC the slaves of Sicily dared to revolt again. That after the cruelty in the aftermath of the first conflict they dared to rise again, hints how bad their conditions must have been.They fought so stubbornly that it took Ro...