#imperial Rome

[wishesofeternity]

"Marcia may be remembered as the most powerful of imperial [Roman] concubines, since multiple sources record not only her influence on politics but also her participation in the successful assassination of an emperor and the choice of his replacement. In many ways, she appears indistinguishable from a Roman empress: she had a political faction, exercised influence, and enabled her chosen heir to succeed. However, Marcia still fell into the role of the concubine due to her lack of a powerful family or official status, as well as, in particular, her lack of children [...] The discourse about her is ultimately ambiguous and confusing; she protects Commodus and supports the Empire, yet also brings about the end of his dynasty and overthrows the social order entirely. Marcia does not fit into any of the prescriptive molds offered by our elite male ancient historians, which may be one major reason for her comparative neglect in both ancient and modern scholarship."

-Anise K. Strong, "Powerful concubines and influential courtesans," Prostitutes and Matrons in the Roman World.

[thegarden-ofeden]

hermes moodboard “blood of rome”

series: those about to die, 2024

[thefollowersofthedivinesnake]

(Full view plz)

Some historical characters that will be making an appearance in the webcomic I'm developing!

[sepulchrypha]

Imperator Caelus (Caelo), formally "Adored by Heaven." Incumbent ruler of the metropolis of Clara Lucerna and her imperial claims. Enjoys the exotic and expensive furnishings afforded by his blossoming empire.

[burningvelvet]

“A woman’s face with nature’s own hand painted / Hast thou, the master-mistress of my passion”

Lines from the poem Sonnet 20 by William Shakespeare (1609) one of his texts most noted for the theme of sexual ambiguity, and the sculpture Sleeping Hermaphroditus, an Imperial Roman copy of a Hellenistic original by Polycles (circa. 155 BC) rediscovered during the early 1600s and subsequently accented with a marble pillow sculpted by Bernini in 1620; now housed in The Louvre, Paris.

[clepysdra]

Plotina Hair and Veil

This hair set was inspired by the busts of Pompeia Plotina Augusta, Roman empress from 98 to 117 AD, the wife of Emperor Trajan and the adoptive mother of Hadrian. Plotina was notable for her interests in philosophy, balancing her glowing reputation as a modest, virtuous wife with her active political engagement. It is the perfect hair for a Roman matron.

Plotina Hair:

Base game compatible

24 EA hair swatches

Disallowed for random

No hat chops

Imperial Veil:

Hat category

Base game compatible

24 swatches (10 patterned, 14 solid)

Disallowed for random

Hair Tie Recolors:

Nose ring (left) category

Base game compatible

20 swatches

Disallowed for random

Meshes and textures are from Maxis.

HAIR DOWNLOAD - Dropbox (no ads)

VEIL DOWNLOAD - Dropbox (no ads)

HAIR TIE RECOLORS - Dropbox (no ads)

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MERGED DOWNLOAD - Dropbox (no ads)

[dailyhistoryposts]

On This Day In History

January 16th, 27 BCE: The Roman Empire begins.

[merovingian-marvels]

Dorestad Key

Keys are a surprising artefact from the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties. Roman keys are short and rounded and are of high quality. Merovingian keys are longer, thinner and sometimes very weirdly and irregularly shaped.

Carolingian keys become shorter again and are distinguishable by their rounded handles which usually have an openwork cross decoration in them.

Merovingian era keys were in the possession of women, who would wear them from chatelaines down their belts. Wearing keys along with jewelry signified that the woman in question was in charge of the household. She was a free woman and was head of the family house. It would also mean that when the husband left for trade/pillaging, she would be left in complete charge rather than the oldest son or the man’s father.

Keys are closely associated with locks and protecting valuable things from others. Everything a family had: a house, kettle, lands, trade goods, … were under the guard of a woman.

RMO Leiden, the Netherlands

Museum nr: WD 984

Found in Dorestad (Merovingian Era) - Utrecht, The Netherlands

[midwesternartlovertraveler]

I, Claudius is one of the greatest shows I have ever seen on television. True it was filmed on a sound stage and it looks it today, but the writing and the acting are superb!

[charlesreeza]

Mosaic emblema from the “House of the Mosaic Columns” in Pompeii depicting a boxer and a rooster, 1st century, Roman

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

[babymgs26]

The Mystery of Laocoon and His Sons

I just find it interesting how in the 500+ years since its excavation, scholars STILL can't decide on when this thing was made. I mean that genuinely. We don't know. There's theories, but it's a whole spiderweb with contradictions, and so much has been lost to history that we just can't be sure of anything.

The first and one of the most widely accepted theories is that it can be dated to around the 1st cent. B.C.E. due to textual evidence as well as some decisively dateable statue groups found in Sperlonga in the late 1950s in Tiberius's Grotto (~125ish B.C.E.), but this is debatable for a variety of reasons as well.

Pliny the Elder, in his text from Natural History, XXXVI, 37 describes a statue group VERY similar to this one that was immediately thought of upon excavation (so quickly, in fact, that it's been brought under suspicion, more on that later). The text reads:

“This is the case with the Laocoön in the palace of the emperor Titus, a work superior to any painting and any bronze. Laocoön, his children and the wonderful clasping coils of the snakes were carved from a single block in accordance with an agreed plan by those eminent craftsmen Hagesander, Polydorus and Athenodorus, all of Rhodes.”

It is important to note that the Sperlonga Groups (fig.2) are associated with the Laocoon Group because they are inscribed with the names of the sculptors that are listed here in Pliny (i.e. Hagesander, Polydorus and Athenodorus).

However, this text is drawn into question for several reasons:

The statue group was not found in the palace of Titus, it was found in a room (not buried like the vast majority of statues thought to be this old), in a vineyard. Yeah, statues can be moved, but you'd think that if one were to move such a big piece into this literal room, it wouldn't have been kept so quiet? smuggling? sure? maybe? but then buyers aren't just gonna keep this thing hidden, would they? idk

The Laocoon Group found in 1503 that is on display in the Vatican Museum today is crafted of 7 pieces (at least) and the one Pliny describes is carved in the round. It can be said that Pliny may not have gotten a close enough look and only thought that it was in the round, but the construction of 7 pieces and the detail that can be involved comparatively, eh, again, idk...

The marbles and carving/detailing styles of the Laocoon statue group and the ones found in Sperlonga are also different. The Laocoon Group is Parian marble (paria lithos) and the one's found in Sperlonga were a Rhodian variety that was also used in the Pergamon reliefs (2nd/3rd cent. B.C.E. [another theorized dating for the Laocoon group]) known as lithos larticos.

(fig.1) Laocoon and His Sons as seen in modern day at the Vatican Museum in Vatican City, Rome, Italy. Photo is property of the author, taken 12 Jan 2024.

(fig. 2) Reconstruction of the Tiberian Cave in Sperlonga: A) Group of Ulysses dragging the body of Achilles, B) Sculptural group of Scylla, C) Sculptural group of the blinding of Polyphemus, D) Sculptural group of the kidnapping of Palladium, E) Ganymede kidnapped by Zeus' eagle.

This is just a bite-size version of my larger research that I found interesting, I will definitely continue adding to it in a type of series because there are so many theories (including that it may be a Michelangelo forgery), and I want to go into mythological significance as well as reconstruction efforts.

[tmarshconnors]

"You could die right now. Let this fact guide the rest of your life."

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher. 

[thegarden-ofeden]

hermes moodboard “domitians fuck toy”

series: those about to die, 2024

“Cause I knew too much, there was danger in the heat of my touch. He saw forever so he smashed it up. Oh, my boy only breaks his favorite toys.”

[thefollowersofthedivinesnake]

My webcomic characters ft. the historical characters they were close to!

[kitabasis]

god what I wouldn't do for agrippina the younger's memoirs.

[rubicon-crossings]