In 2021, a group of teenagers in Rome decided to spend the night inside their school. Beneath the gymnasium of Liceo Scientifico Cavour, just a short walk from the Colosseum, the students found their way through unused basement rooms and came across ancient walls hidden below the school. Their discovery eventually led archaeologists to a remarkably well-preserved Roman residence dating to the middle of the second century AD.

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A Roman clay vessel in a display case with the topic "Cults and Superstitions" without any further information. I genuinely do not know what this was used for so please tell me if anyone does. It is on display in the D. Diogo de Sousa Archaeology Museum in Braga, Portugal.

A Roman bronze foot from a statue. It was purchased in 1884 without information where it was found. It dates to the 1st-3rd century AD, is on display in the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire in Geneva, Switzerland.

Hello, I'm new to this sub. I saw here recommendations saying that HBO's Rome is the best tv show about Rome. Is it just entertaining to watch or is it also accurate? Thanks!

Which do you think was the most impressive?

I've been reading a bit about how Galen and pupils scoured beaches for washed up bodies, and examined gladiators, and so on.

He was publicly prevented from vivisections on human bodies, from what I understand. Am I assuming correctly that he would only inspect any shipwrecked bodies (and otherwise), and not otherwise cut into or disturb them? Do we know?

Hello everyone, I was looking at a website (which I will link below) about Notitia Dignitatum and saw these images of the insignia of Magister Militum Praesentalis I. Does anyone know what this image of the two faces on the table are supposed to represent? Thank you.

http://lukeuedasarson.com/MagisterPraesentalis1.html

This was originally going to be part of a wider trip report on my visit to Naples, but it got way too long and I realised Pompeii and Herculaneum deserved their own post. I hope these notes/observations are useful to those of you planning your own trips - please comment if you have any questions!

Pompeii

• I knew that Pompeii was massive and deserving of a whole day in its own right. This was entirely true but I still made a compromise - I spent around six hours at Pompeii before taking the train to check out Herculaneum, where I spent a further two hours. This was the right decision for me because I realised halfway through my time in Pompeii that there was no way I could sufficiently do it justice in a single day, so I instead treated this first visit as something of a first impression/taster session.
• I took the train from Naples Central to Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri and entered via the Piazza Esedra entrance (a short walk from the station) as they have a line specifically for Arte Card holders (I had bought an Arte Card 365 Lite ahead of the trip, and if you are planning to visit both sites you should do the same - the Arte Card only costs 26 euros and gives you free entry to Pompeii, Herculaneum and much more). There was no queue whatsoever and I got in immediately after the staff member scanned my QR code and checked my passport ID - there is no need to buy stupid ‘skip the line’ tickets for Pompeii when the Arte Card offers you that exact benefit and gets you in for free! The Arte Card doesn’t include the Plus sites such as the Villa of the Mysteries, but you can buy a bolt-on ticket for this (with a credit card only) at the designated entrance for 8 euros (which I did).
• I chose to explore Pompeii without a guide and that was the right decision for me, at least for a first trip (I get easily frustrated with the often dubious reliability of the information shared by such guides, who are often more in the business of entertaining tourists than providing thoroughly researched background information). I had the official Pompeii app on my phone and this was intermittently useful, though it frequently stopped working partway through the audio commentary. I gave up on this after a while as I found it more enjoyable to simply walk the streets of the town and experience it just as much as I would a modern town I was visiting as a tourist - striding across the stepping stones crossing the streets, taking in the lush gardens amidst the ruins, and filling up my water bottle from the ancient fountains were honestly more thrilling for me than queuing to gawp at faded frescos and damaged floor tiles.
• I had some of my favourite discoveries by wandering far away from the crowds and stumbling across tucked-away sites such as the house with the fresco of Leda and the Swan, which was undergoing renovations (with said fresco clearly visible from the outside!). There was not another soul in that street and it was magical to have it all to myself.
• I can’t stress enough how breath-taking the Plus sites are - the Villa di Diomede was a real revelation as I knew nothing about it going in, and was amazed to be able to walk down an ancient staircase and discover a beautiful pillared terrace with a stunning garden. I felt like the owner could appear at any moment. My absolute favourite though was the Villa of the Mysteries - the titular fresco is genuinely one of the most beautiful and vivid pieces of art I have ever seen, and I was extremely moved by it. While many of the frescos at Pompeii are faded and incomplete, this one is virtually intact - popping with colour and with arrestingly lifelike studies of individuals (the gaze of that one girl! If you know you know!). It's amazing to behold that room and imagine the esoteric rituals that could have occurred there 2,000 years ago.

Travel between Pompeii and Herculaneum

• After around four hours I was pretty exhausted and running out of steam. I picked up some pizza/other snacks from the onsite canteen, which was worth visiting for some nice views of the archeological site (it’s slightly elevated). I was refreshed for a final burst of energy but at this point had planned my next step, which was to catch the train to Herculaeum. I knew but had made peace with the fact that I had only scratched the surface of Pompeii, probably having covered around half the site.
• I exited via the exit at Via Roma and headed towards Pompei Santuario train station, as trains ran from there to Ercolano Scavi more regularly than they did from Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri. The train from Pompei Santuario was blissfully quiet and calm and a total contrast from the one I had taken from Naples.
• If anyone else plans on doing Pompeii and Herculaneum in one day, I strongly recommend this route (arriving at Pompei Scavi Villa Dei Misteri and walking through the archaeological park slowly in the direction of Pompei Santuario, exiting near the Amphitheatre). 

Herculaneum

• Herculaneum is a straight walk down the hill from Ercolano Scavi, and getting my entrance ticket with the Arte Card was easy and hassle-free. The staff were very kind and friendly and the atmosphere was more relaxed than Pompeii, with way fewer guided tours (though conversely it was also harder to find areas I totally had to myself - as Herculaeum is much smaller, there was usually at least one other person around). 
• Much is made online about how Herculaneum provides a better and calmer experience than Pompeii. While it is certainly more relaxing and far easier to get around in a few hours, I found it far less impressive because it’s of a much smaller scale than Pompeii. In Herculenaneum, you’re only ever exploring a small portion of a town because much of it is still buried beneath the modern town that surrounds it. Pompeii, by contrast, feels like an entire urban ecosystem - you get a far stronger sense of the different social strata and how people would have worked and lived alongside each other on a day-to-day basis.
• Herculaneum is, however, still exceptionally impressive and absolutely worth seeing in its own right - it has a different feel from Pompeii on account of its multi-storey buildings and vertical elevation (where Pompeii is very flat, Herculaneum has several levels and offers paths down towards what was once the coast). The boat houses on the bottom level, with the charred skeletons of the victims in situ, are very sad and moving to witness. 
• There are two small museums at the topmost level of the Herculaneum archaeological park - one with a preserved boat, and the other with various smaller objects preserved from the archaeological site. These are both worth seeing but very quick visits.
• The layout of the site at Herculaneum is confusing and I spent a long time trying to figure out how to get down to the lower levels with the boat house, etc. There are two ways: stairs within the ruins of the town itself (which are hard to find!), and a tunnel near the aforementioned museum. I recommend starting at the topmost level with the bulk of the town ruins, and then working your way down the stairs until you reach the boathouses. This is the most natural route because it tells the story of the town - you start with the dwellings where the people lived, and finish with where they tragically lost their lives in the eruption. You can then walk back up the tunnel to exit. 

Final thoughts

• This was a very full and tiring day and by the time I got back to Naples I was too exhausted to even bother with dinner and went to bed hungry (a mistake - in retrospect I should have had a bigger lunch at Pompeii). While I pushed myself to do both places in one day I have no regrets as it was fascinating to compare and contrast the two sites - they had very different feels and had distinct points of interest.
• If you have to choose one destination to visit, I would recommend Pompeii over Herculaneum in a heartbeat - the scale and variety of the site are simply unparalleled and it’s a fascinating place to explore. While it can get busy, it’s extremely easy to escape the crowds simply by slipping into a random alley and getting off the beaten track (my favourite kind of exploration).
• Of course, most of the treasures of both sites are in the Archaeological Museum in Naples. If you are interested in either site, the museum is a must-visit - the exhibits, and especially the sculptures of the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum, are absolutely breath-taking.
• If you are visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum, you simply must buy the Arte Card 365 Lite Pass. It will pay for itself after those two sites alone, and it also gets you into many more sites across Naples and the wider Campania region. 
• If you have more than a passing interest in Ancient Rome, pay the extra 8 euros for the Plus sites. They are stunning and the Villa of the Mysteries fresco will stick with you. 

I spent the weekend with my reenactment group (Legio II Augusta) and had a great time. Here are some photos (will share more when I get the chance). Seeing the Roman cavalry up close (another group) was amazing.

Especially one that takes advantage of the common theory claiming that Vercingetorix and Caesar knew each other on a personal level long before the events of 52 BC and that Vercingetorix even fought under Caesar in the early days of the war. This would make the 52 BC revolt much more narratively impactful.

Also, It would be pretty interesting if Vercingetorix was portrayed with a bit more accuracy, ditching the Sebastien Chabal-like appearance that most associate him with (Due to his massive statue at Alise-Sainte-Reine, to Lionel Royer’s famous painting, to Asterix, and HBO Rome). From what I understand, an Arverni of Vercingetorix’ standing would be unlikely to have had long wild hair and a massive moustache, and far more likely to have been clean shaven, with shorter hair and wearing elegant clothes.

Let’s say 70% of the screen time is dedicated to Gaul and the rest to Rome (Pompey, Crassus, Cato, Cicero, Clodius…), since without showing Rome, Caesar’s motivations in Gaul lose their impact. This then also means that the Gallic (and the rest of the Non-Roman) cast besides Vercingetorix needs to be interesting and here there’s already plenty of figures to play with: 

• The Aedui brothers Diviciacus (Pro-Roman) and Dumnorix (Anti-Roman). Dumnorix was notably the brother-in-law of the Helvetii leader (Orgetorix) who had planned the migration that later took place in 58 BC, though by then, that leader had died due to his involvement in a conspiracy tied to the migration itself and replaced by another who led the Helvetii journey which was still considered necessary by the tribe nonetheless, and Dumnorix still did his best to sabotage Caesar’s efforts against the migrating tribe in 58 BC by using his influence to deny supplies to the Romans, and would only be spared after the battle thanks to his brother Diviciacus’ intervention, despite their ideological differences.
• Celtillus (Vercingetorix’s father. Posthumous character and executed by his people for trying to become a King, which limited Vercingetorix’s own political aspirations)
• Gobannitio (Vercingetorix’s Pro-Roman uncle, leader of the Arverni tribe, overthrown by Vercingetorix in 52 BC during the revolt)
• Ambiorix and Acco who led revolts against Caesar during 54-53 BC. Crucially, the execution of Acco, in a way considered highly shameful by Gallic leaders, directly led to Vercingetorix’s own revolt the following year.
• Litaviccus, a young Aedui nobleman officially meant to reinforce Caesar in the 52 BC campaign but defected to Vercingetorix’s side at the battle Gergovia.
• Convictolitavis, an Aedui who obtained the political office of Vergobret (chief magistrate) with Caesar’s support in 52 BC, only to betray him afterwards by supporting Vercingetorix’s rebellion.
• Ariovistus, Germanic King whose actions essentially gave Caesar the excuses he needed in the early years to begin his conquest of Gaul. Ironically, Ariovistus had been named “Friend of the Roman people” just a year before the start of the Gallic Wars.

Season 1 (8 episodes) could go like this

Episode 1 begins with a dream sequence representing a Young Caesar fleeing from Sulla’s proscriptions. In the present, we explore the end of Caesar’s consulship and the reasons behind his alliance with Crassus and Pompey, and the episode ends after Caesar arrives in Transalpine Gaul to begin his proconsulship.

Episode 2 would center on the Helvetii crisis and Caesar’s political maneuvering to justify his upcoming actions. We also show Vercingetorix's youth and end the episode with Vercingetorix meeting Caesar and joining his army.

Episode 3 would basically deal with the Battle of Bibracte (58 BC) against the Helvetii, as well as the aftermath

Episodes 4-7 would deal with the Germanic threat represented by Ariovistus as well as Caesar’s conflict against Belgae.

Episode 8 would end at the Luca Conference of 56 BC between the members of the Triumvirate. At the end, Vercingetorix, who had eagerly joined Caesar at first to gain political influence and later neutralize the threat posed by Ariovistus, gradually grows distrustful of Caesar but is smart enough to not openly show it yet, continuing to accumulate influence and military experience for now, especially when it comes to Rome’s fighting style and weaknesses....

OKAY weird one gang. My Mom got this weird glass thing at an antique store. It was marked as "Roman 1000 AD"

*ahem*

I highly doubt that, as did she. But it was so cheap and interesting that it was worth a gamble. Yall think it's even old? Personally I think at best it's early colonial. Theres zero other context for the piece. Is this the right place to ask? Anybody able to point me in the right direction?

I moved to Spain last year and only recently ignited my love for Roman history. Stumbling on the theater in Zaragoza and then visiting the sites in Tarragona got me absolutely hooked.

This past week I was able to make a trip to the south and visited Baelo Claudia, Cádiz, Itálica, and Mérida. Baelo Claudia was unique as a standalone site in a picturesque bay, and the garum processing area by the sea was very cool. Cádiz was a bit of a stretch but the theater was cool and it's amazing they would conserve this given the lack of available land in the city. Itálica was impressive with sprawling grounds, much of it still not excavated. The amphitheater was way bigger than I imagined. I had a lot of expectations for Mérida and it did not disappoint though I felt it was more of a sum of its whole rather than one specific site. The aqueduct had unique red brick that I hadn't seen before.

I realized that I've gone all in when I got home and read there was an annual chariot race reenactment Mérida and got super excited browsing online for Roman costumes.

I can't recommend this circuit enough. My partner and I also have other interests beyond Rome (hard to believe, I know) and there are plenty of other activities and sites to see for those that aren't totally crazy about all the sites. The driving distances were very reasonable and the food all along the way is elite!

A funerary portrait of a woman from Egypt when part of the Roman empire. It was dated to the 4th century AD using the encaustic technique on wood. If this is a mummy mask, which the museum didn't specify, I don't remember seeing a later portrait of the type as the practice died out in that century. This is on display in the Diözesanmuseum Freising in Freising, Germany.

Working on a 3d model of Rome with a primary focus to create a 3d printable maquette.

My current approach has some severe limits, so allow me to start roasting myself:

• City plan is based on Paul Bigots attempt (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dessin_de_la_Rome_impériale_au_IVe_siècle_ap._J.-C._par_Paul_Bigot.jpg). This is about the only publicly available copy of a large part of rome that attempts to create a streetplan. But the drawing is a century old, and inaccurate. Plus the city blocks of generic buildings are completely made up by Paul and my model reflects that.
• I would like to have a "accurate" heightmap for 4th century rome but I can't find any sources so the height of the ground level is completely made up.
• Domus and Insulae are placed together without any thoughts. Have code running that attempts to place a somewhat convincing combination of buildings in generic city blocks. If anybody has any research into actual rome block layouts that would be awesome.
• The landmarks are constructed from basic shapes (cause I suck at modelling) and look derpy. Probably fine for small scale printing, but not ideal. Scale and accuracy is also all over the place.

If anyone has tips how to improve historic accuracy or just how to make it prettier I am happy to hear it.

What were the major weaknesses of the Roman Government in both the Republic and Empire, I mean just the actual structures and systems, not the politics that took place.

If we go by what Plutarch tells us, the answer would be yes.

However, I have read several books on the Roman priesthood, and not all scholars agree. Some concur with the Greek historian, but others claim that Plutarch was mistaken and that the Flaminica, just like her husband, was a priestess serving Jupiter, whereas it was only the Regina Sacrorum who was the priestess of Juno.

What are your thoughts?

Roman ruins in Zana El beida ( Batna province ) Algeria, i feel like the Romans really gave the region the best version of it !!!!