Released in the early 2nd century BC, Tacitus’ history of the Principate and the Julio-Claudian dynasty, The Annals, analyzes the benefits to society provided by the emperors as well as the darker sides of society that were brought about by giving a few individuals supreme auctoritas. These histories are written following a period of great…Continue reading The Head of the Snake: Tacitus’ Indictments Against Unjust Rulers (Sammy Sawyer, 2020)

From its inception, the Roman Senate was perhaps the most notable governing body in the ancient world. As the Roman nation progressed, the Senate endured extreme internal division as well as corruption of its members; but through those times it also remained as the primary legislative organization in the ancient world. When the Roman Republic…Continue reading The Role of the Senate During the Reigns of Claudius and Nero: as Seen by Tacitus (Olivia Wyatt, 2020)

In The History of Rome from Its Foundations, the Roman historian Livy recounts the beginnings and subsequent rise of his nation with palpable patriotism, detailing stories of legendary, sometimes godlike kings, courageous and devout military heroes, and eloquent, influential politicians. Despite Livy’s attention to detail, throughout the text, he generally confines women to remaining in…Continue reading Women’s Impact on Early Roman History (Lydia Fantoni, 2020)

Rome, from its institution, was destined to be a male-dominated, highly patriarchal society. This social organization was typical of the period. Men occupied the zenith of the social hierarchy, far above their allegedly inferior female counterparts. This practice is evidenced by the fabled foundation of Romulus’ senate of one hundred fathers, or patres, whose descendants,…Continue reading Mothers, Wives, Sisters, and Priestesses: The Role of Women in a Predominantly Masculine Society (Elise Warren, 2020)

If someone were to offer you a fresh plate of grilled cicadas, more likely than not, you would have a similar reaction to most North Americans and Europeans and vehemently pass on the dish. The food and the cultures associated with it may be considered uncivilized for participating in this taboo, when 113 nations reportedly…Continue reading If Cheese Could Talk: Food Narratives in Antiquity and Today (Marja Graham, 2019)

Throughout books 6, 7, and 8 of his History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides gives a detailed account of the disastrous Sicilian expedition, along with the immediate aftermath following Athens’s defeat in Sicily. One common method that Thucydides uses repeatedly throughout his work to express two opposing viewpoints is to give the reader a set…Continue reading Desperation, Demagoguery, and Fear: The Death of Reason (Tyler Thorne, 2019)

Abstract: In The Histories Herodotus thoroughly develops his Greek centric idea of bravery. To Herodotus bravery is the courage to stand one’s ground in the face of overwhelming odds to protect Greece at any cost. This trait is outlined numerous times throughout his account of the Persian Wars, in which the united Greek forces were…Continue reading Greek Bravery and Cleverness in Herodotus’ The Histories (Jack Forbes, 2019)

Reverence to Ruin: Cultic Fallacy in the Julio-Claudian Dynasty (Nikolas Clark, 2019) Abstract: With condemnatory religious negligence and scant reverence for the traditional Roman pantheon, the imperial rulers Claudius and Nero would seal their own notorious fate. The grim nature of prodigies from the gods during both sovereignties would foreshadow the outcome of years of…Continue reading Reverence to Ruin: Cultic Fallacy in the Julio-Claudian Dynasty (Nikolas Clark, 2019)

God, War, and Roman Nationalism (Nick Ziller, 2019) Abstract: Livy, ever the believer in an innate cultural superiority amongst Romans, sets out to support his intense patriotism with a mythologized account of Rome’s origins. In this text, the historian attributes the city’s undeniable military accomplishments to the a set of overarching values which defined Roman…Continue reading God, War, and Roman Nationalism (Nick Ziller, 2019)