In Rome, Mourning Clothes as Political Resistance
In Ancient Rome, swapping one’s regular toga for the dirty, drab robes associated with mourning could request mercy, or communicate resistance.
Latin Literature’s Problem with Invisibility
Ancient Romans saw the rituals of professional sorcerers as foreign and suspicious. But how else were you supposed to become invisible?
Healing and Memory in Ancient Greece
The goddess Mnemosyne helped bards remember what to sing and was the mother of the Muses. But she also played a role in healing sanctuaries.
The Archaeological Mystery of Tel Kedesh
Was a well-preserved set of game pieces and other childhood items buried by a young woman before she got married?
Fixing the Aqueduct from Hell
The Roman engineer Nonius Datus thought the project was in good shape when he left Saldae. He would return.
Slave Collars in Ancient Rome
The objects purported to speak for the wearer: "Hold me! I have run away."
Library Fires Have Always Been Tragedies. Just Ask Galen.
When Rome burned in 192 CE, the city's vibrant community of scholars was devastated. The physician Galen described the scale of the loss.