Roman Culture Articles

Although it has been commonly accepted that cats were first domesticated in Egypt 4000 years ago, their history among human beings goes back much further. Wild cats are now known to have lived among the people of Mesopotamia over 100,000 years ago and to have been domesticated there approximately 12,000 BCE at about the same time as dogs, sheep, and goats. Archaeological... [continue reading]

WARNING: This article contains sexually explicit language that might not be appropriate for children or teenagers. The Roman town of Pompeii was preserved in metres of volcanic material following the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. Often, we may experience the ancient past only through the second-hand interpretations of historians... [continue reading]

The 2nd and 1st centuries BCE offer a timeline in which contact with Greece had a noticeably important effect on the cultural development of Rome; directly, and as an indirect spur to differentiate a Roman, and not Greek, Mediterranean ‘culture’. This topic is utterly vast in its scope, and as such this article acts as an introduction to... [continue reading]

This dissertation applies the principles of fiscal dissertation to the study of the Roman Republic. I argue that the creation of a profitable empire allowed the ruling elite to end their reliance on domestic taxation to fund state activity, and that Rome’s untaxed citizens were effectively disenfranchised as a result. They therefore lacked the bargaining... [continue reading]

Umami is the taste of foods that are rich in glutamic acid and 2 ribonucleotides, 5#-inosinate and 5#-guanylate. This distinctive taste of modern Eastern cuisine, which is finding a receptive audience in the Western hemisphere, characterized many dishes that ancient Romans consumed 2000 y ago. Romans enjoyed numerous foods that are identified today... [continue reading]

Inscribed on Augustus’ mausoleum after his death in AD 14, the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, the Achievements of the Divine Augustus, includes an extensive description of Augustus’ monumental building in the city of Rome. Monumental building provided a means of converting economic capital into a symbolic reminder of one’s success. Augustus... [continue reading]

Although slavery was a widely accepted practice throughout the ancient Mediterranean, the Roman system was distinctive for its high rates of manumission and grant of citizenship to slaves manumitted through official channels. This dissertation sheds new light on the role of ex-slaves in Roman society by examining the cultural exchange that took place between... [continue reading]

In this dissertation, I examine the magical practices of Roman farmers, primarily through the Latin farming manuals; topics include the magical practices which the Roman agronomists recommend to farmers, the relationship of this material to other genres of magic such as curses and amulets, and how its inclusion in technical handbooks is part of the authors&rsquo... [continue reading]

Rome’s dependence upon slaves has been well established in terms of economics and general society. This paper, however, seeks to demonstrate this dependence, during the end of the Republic and the beginning of the Empire, through detailed examples of slave use in various areas of Roman life. The areas covered include agriculture, industry, domestic... [continue reading]

Life in a Roman city, whether in one of the Italian regions or in the provinces, was intrinsically connected with cults, divination, and religion. Proper observance of rituals throughout the year at various festivals and holidays, both public and private, and including various rites of transition, but also during catastrophes or wars, ensured the protection... [continue reading]