Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome—first a republic and then an empire led by rulers such as Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, Caligula and Nero—was a vast and powerful domain that gave rise to the culture, laws, technologies and institutions that continue to define Western civilization.
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These rulers were often as innovative and ingenious as they were brutal and corrupt.
Their lives and value were defined almost solely in relation to men: their fathers and husbands. But some women found ways to claim their own power.
Find out why one of history's most legendary empires finally came crashing down.
Roman citizens could enter the arena for free to watch gladiator fights, mock naval battles, wild animal hunts—and plenty of death.
The Colosseum
Games in the Colosseum
The Roman Coliseum was an engineering marvel designed to seat close to 75,000 people.
3 Architectural Wonders of Ancient Rome
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Of the original Seven Wonders, only one—the Great Pyramid of Giza—remains intact.
The Colosseum had a massive retractable awning that helped shield thousands of spectators from Rome’s scorching summer sun.
The iconic Roman structure stood as the largest and most complex permanent amphitheater in the ancient world.
Evidence of powerful earthquakes linked to the Vesuvius eruption adds to the story about why so many people perished at Pompeii in 79 A.D.
Pompeii and Herculaneum were flourishing resorts on the coast of Italy until Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79.
Who were the most renowned Roman gladiators? From slave rebel Spartacus to debauched emperor Commodus, they varied widely.
Built on the ruins of Rome, Nero’s Golden House became a symbol of imperial excess—and a source of bitter resentment.
Incredibly, there are roads dating back millennia that are still in use.
The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved monuments of ancient Rome. Completed circa 128 A.D., the structure features a rotunda with a massive domed ceiling.
The famous Roman writer was also a military commander who sailed across the Bay of Naples during the disaster.
Ancient Romans blamed the deadly 'breath of Cerberus' for the mysterious deaths at Pluto’s Gate.
Built in 70 A.D., Rome's Colosseum has been the site of celebrations, sporting events and bloodshed. Today, the amphitheater is a major tourist attraction, playing host to 3.9 million visitors each year.
First erected as freestanding monuments in ancient Rome, triumphal arches have long projected glorified narratives of history and power.
From mosaics to biblical passages, the ancient Roman world heeded warnings of cantankerous canines.
War elephants were designed to break enemy formations and deliver the ancient world’s version of ‘shock and awe.’
The baths of ancient Rome weren’t just for bathing. They were bustling civic hubs.
