Was Livia the ultimate evil stepmother?
Livia comes with something of a negative reputation. But was she really such a fiendishly evil power broker?
Did most Roman gladiator fights end in death?
Gladiatorial contests are often depicted as bloody and brutal battles to the death, with only the most valiant fighters allowed to survive. But how true is this?
Was ancient wine more alcoholic than modern wine?
Because the ancient Greeks and Romans mixed their water with wine, it is often assumed that their wines were considerably more alcoholic than modern ones. Is this notion correct?
Were thumbs-up/thumbs-down gestures used to mean life and death in Roman gladiatorial arenas?
Popular portrayals of the gladiatorial games always present the Emperor presiding over them, gesturing with his thumb to offer his judgement: thumbs-up, the defeated gladiator may live; thumbs-down, he should die. But is there any actual evidence to support this image?
Did Roman phallic carvings “point” towards brothels?
Phallic imagery is not in short supply at the ancient site of Pompeii, including carved versions under foot. But did they really direct people to the brothel?
Were there any Roman survivors at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest?
In AD 9, three Roman legions under the command of Publius Quinctilius Varus were ambushed and destroyed in the Teutoburg Forest in Germania. Were there any survivors?
Was Julius Caesar the First Emperor of Rome?
It is sometimes claimed that Julius Caesar was the first emperor of Rome. While this was not the case, defining who was the first emperor of Rome is no easy task.
Was the date for Christmas decided at the Council of Nicaea (AD 325)?
The Roman emperor Constantine the Great convened the first Council of Nicea, where it was decided that 25 December would be the official date for Christmas. Is this notion correct?
Did Jesus steal Mithras' birthday?
Christmas time often brings with it the claim that early Christians stole the story and date for Jesus’ birth from the cult of Mithras. There is no ancient evidence that confirms this.
Were pigs set on fire to fight elephants?
The idea that ancient armies would set a pig on fire sounds like the fantasy found in computer games, but the claim it is not as ridiculous as it may first appear.