#imperial Rome

[rebeccasreveries]

hermes aesthetic “blood of rome”

misc. male characters masterlist

series: those about to die, 2024

[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

[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.

[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!

[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. 

[kitabasis]

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

[rebeccasreveries]

hermes aesthetic “domitians fuck toy”

misc. male characters masterlist

“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.”

series: those about to die, 2024

[sohannabarberaesque]

Roman Holidays headcannon

Soooo ... picture Gus Holiday and son Groovius on an early-morning bonding-type session at the neighbourhood bath house, working up quite ths sweat in various sorts of games and exercises, including crude versions of handball, racquetball, squash and tennis such as were common in Roman times.

Which, mind you, is more or less the prelude for the bathing session, and Gus has Groovius along to introduce him to its pleasures and significance, especially the mixed-gender bathing of the caldedarium (hot bath), tepidarium (warm bath) and frigidarium (cold bath), in that order; mainly to release sweat and inner toxins, followed by a body rub session with volcanic sand or olive oil and the stigril (which could be compared to a modern cartridge razor, only made with animal bone or ivory) to keep the skin soft and supple.

(And Gus, for his part, wondering if Groovius, considering his youth, will likely have erotic fantasies stimulated by the effects of the bathing procedure.)

[thefollowersofthedivinesnake]

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

[sharkspez]

Tumblr Biography: Julius Caesar 🕊️

Born into an 👑 aristocratic family in around 100 BC, Julius Caesar grew up in ⚠️ dangerous times. But would he ⬆️ rise above the 💥 chaos or be 🍽️ consumed by it?

[the-lunar-library]

wanted: Lucian fans

Is anyone out here a fan of Lucian of Samosata?

The second-century Syrian-Greco-Roman satirist? He's fun, writes about very messy people.

I'm asking because I recently published a fantasy novel based on two of his most famous essays – "A True History" (a journey to the moon) and "Alexander the False Prophet" (Lucian's famous take-down of a cult). The book is written so that the reader doesn't have to be familiar with Lucian to enjoy it – but if you do know Lucian, there are lots of little Easter Eggs and inside jokes you might like.

The book itself isn't a satire, nor is it faithful historical fiction, but I like to think parts of it catch a bit of Lucian's flavor.

I'm really proud of this book and I'm trying to find its audience. So if it sounds interesting to you, go ahead and give it a look.

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Sardonyx cameo portrait of the Emperor Augustus.

Period: Early Imperial, Claudian

Date: ca. A.D. 41–54

Culture: Roman

Medium: Sardonyx