Dangerous Days in the Roman Empire


Book Description

DANGEROUS DAYS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE is the first in a new adult series by Terry Deary, the author of the hugely bestselling Horrible Histories, popular among children for their disgusting details, gory information and sharp wit, and among adults for engaging children (and themselves) with history. The Romans have long been held up as one of the first 'civilised' societies, and yet in fact they were capable of immense cruelty. Not only that, but they made the killing of humans into a sport. The spoiled emperors were the perpetrators (and sometimes the victims) of some imaginative murders. DANGEROUS DAYS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE will include some of the violent ways to visit the Elysian Fields (i.e. death) including: animal attack in the Coliseum; being thrown from the Tarpeian Rock - 370 deserters in 214 AD alone (or if the emperor didn't like your poetry); by volcanic eruption from Vesuvius; by kicking (Nero's fatal quarrel with the Empress Poppea); from poison mushrooms (Claudius); by great fires; torturous tarring; flogging to death; boiling lead (the invention of 'kind' Emperor Constantine); or being skinned alive by invading barbarians. DANGEROUS DAYS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE looks at the back-story leading up to the victims' deaths, and in doing so gives the general reader a concise history of a frequently misunderstood era.







Ancient Roman Holidays


Book Description

Ancient Roman Holidays is a remarkable book that explores the ancient seasons and religious observance practices of the ancient Romans. Mab Borden’s meticulous research paints a vivid picture of the interconnectedness between mankind and the Gods. This book is invaluable for those interested in the religious traditions of ancient Rome. Ancient Roman Holidays invite readers to embark on a captivating journey into the enchanting realm of sacred days, months, and seasons, unearthing the profound significance of these ancient observances. Immersed in meticulously detailed accounts, as each sacred day unfurls, this book reveals the venerated deities and the intricacies of the accompanying social and ceremonial practices. Within the pages of Ancient Roman Holidays, the reader will discover comprehensive explanations of the ancient Roman calendar, forging a deep understanding of the interplay between celestial rhythms and religious rituals. The appendices provide a treasure trove of knowledge, mapping deity holidays to their corresponding months. This added layer of insight offers a panoramic view of the intricate spiritual tapestry that was interwoven throughout ancient Roman society. The reader will embark on a mesmerizing expedition through festivals dedicated to revered Gods and Goddesses such as Jupiter, Minerva, and Bacchus, delving into the wisdom encapsulated within the rites, ceremonies, and beliefs that molded ancient Roman spirituality. The reader will be transported to a world where every day bores a sacred connection to the divine. Witness the solemnity of religious processions and partake in the jubilant revelries of harvest festivals, as the ancient Roman holidays spring to life in vivid detail. These ancient traditions allow the reader to introspect upon their own spiritual practices, finding resonance in the timeless wisdom of the past. Inviting the reader to rediscover the exquisite beauty of these spiritual observances, Ancient Roman Holidays unveil the secrets and traditions that shaped the Roman calendar. The immersive journey through the vibrant tapestry of ancient Roman spirituality will invite the reader to renew their appreciation for the sacred rhythms that once resonated throughout the lives of these remarkable people.




The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic


Book Description

The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic is a book by William Warde Fowler. It serves as an introduction to the study of early Roman religion and the surrounding traditions.




The Roman Wedding


Book Description

This is the first book-length examination of Roman wedding ritual.







Greek and Roman Calendars


Book Description

The smooth functioning of an ordered society depends on the possession of a means of regularising its activities over time. That means is a calendar, and its regularity is a function of how well it models the more or less regular movements of the celestial bodies - of the moon, the sun or the stars. Greek and Roman Calendars examines the ancient calendar as just such a time-piece, whose elements are readily described in astronomical and mathematical terms. The story of these calendars is one of a continuous struggle to maintain a correspondence with the regularity of the seasons and the sun, despite the fact that the calendars were usually based on the irregular moon. But on another, more human level, Greek and Roman Calendars steps beyond the merely mathematical and studies the calendar as a social instrument, which people used to organise their activities. It sets the calendars of the Greeks and Romans on a stage occupied by real people, who developed and lived with these time-pieces for a variety of purposes - agricultural, religious, political and economic.This is also a story of intersecting cultures, of Greeks with Greeks, of Greeks with Persians and Egyptians, and of Greeks with Romans, in which various calendaric traditions clashed or compromised.




A Manual of Roman Antiquities


Book Description

Reprint of the original, first published in 1876.




Ancient Roman Sports, A-Z


Book Description

 Chariot races. Gladiatorial combat. Fishing. Hunting. Swimming. The ancient Romans enjoyed these sports--sometimes with fanatical enthusiasm. This reference book contains more than 100 entries covering sporting events and activities of the era, and the Romans who sponsored, competed in and attended them. Charioteer Appuleius Diocles, in a career spanning 24 years, competed in 4,257 races, winning an astounding 1,462 of them. Alypius, the young friend of St. Augustine, was both drawn to and repulsed by gladiatorial battles and struggled to shake his mania for the spectacle of blood sport. Brief abstracts of the entries are included for quick reference, along with an expansive glossary and biographical notes on the ancient authors cited.