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Whether it be the lofty ideals of the Republican era, or the debauched madness of crazed emperors like Caligula or Nero, Ancient Rome has offered a source of fascination throughout history. From systems of government to empire building strategies, architecture to the art of politics, the Roman world has provided us with the cornerstone of modern society.  Through this project, I aim to explore not just the great figures of Roman history, but also some of the lesser known facets of the period. Ultimately through looking at topics such as Caesar, Cicero, piracy and peasantry (and everything in between), I hope to chart not just the rise and success of Rome - but also its eventual downfall and collapse.

Whatever part of Roman history keeps you interested, this blog should have you covered - and with a little luck, we will hopefully learn something along the way.

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Mob Rule in Ancient Rome

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As the chaos unfolded on Capitol Hill last week, it quickly became apparent that we were watching history in the making. An enraged mob, encouraged by the president, storming the home of American democracy and attempting to vent their political frustrations, left many aghast at the scenes unfolding on their television screens. As the dust settles on Capitol Hill, the search for historical precedent is already underway — with the riots marking the first time that the Capitol has been breached  since the War of 1812 . However, we can look even further into the past to see examples of violent mobs seizing control of political institutions. The Roman Republic was no stranger to violence and disorder, and the years before its collapse into civil war and autocracy offer a stark warning for modern day democracies. In the last years of the free republic, Rome saw an uptick in domestic conflict and civil strife — with violence often spilling out onto the streets. Just as last week saw r...
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Party Politics and the Death of Rome

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The Death of Marcus Porcius Cato has long served as one of the defining moments of Roman history. Having seen the republican forces defeated at Thapsus (in north Africa) by a Caesarian army in 46 BC, Cato found himself holed up in the port town of Utica, a short distance from the battlefield.  On the night  of his death, Cato calmly retired to his bedroom and began reading Plato’s “On the Soul” — before plunging a sword into his stomach. As his attendants burst into the room and tried to save him, Cato continued to injure himself — and finally succumbed to his wound. For many, Cato died as he had lived. Known for his deeply conservative views and traditional values, Cato embodied the Roman belief in personal responsibility and civic duty. At the height of a civil war that would engulf the Roman Republic, and faced with certain defeat, Cato chose to take his own life over living under the dictatorship of Caesar. In death, Cato would display the values that he had espou...
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The Catilinarian Conspiracy

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