DONATIVUM The name (plural, donativa) given to the gifts of money or largesse distributed to the soldiers of the LEGIONS or to the PRAETORIAN GUARD by the Emperors. The purpose of a donativum varied as some were tokens of gratitude for favors received, and others bribes for favors expected. Donativa were normally rendered at the start of IMPERIAL DONATIVA TO THE […]

Rostra This is the tribune of the orators d the name derives from the rostri the latin boats, which were prey of Romans after the battle of Aetium 1 BC. Moved here by the Comi ~m, for Caesar’s will, they were then larged by Augustus. The monument .5 a curved part of blocks of tufa, […]

Bronze Doors to The Senate of Rome Commissioned by Julius Caesar The doors were removed from the Curia during the middle ages and used in the construction of the church of St Latern in Rome where they remain to this day. To the right, is a detail photo of the handles on the inside of […]

Curia Julia The Curia Julia was the building within the Forum that corresponds to the room in which the Senate of Rome met. It was founded by Julius Caesar in substitution of the Curia Ostiha. The Curia was left unfinished at the time of Caesar’s assassination, but it was eventually completed by Augustus in 29 […]

Library of Alexandria The Library of Alexandria was one of the greatest and most legendary libraries in the history of mankind. The Great Library contained the total sum of ancient Egypt’s knowledge and lore as well as most works of various Ancient scholars. It was founded sometime after the birth of the Egyptian sea port […]

Julia Born 83 BC – Died 54 BC Daughter of Caesar Wife of Pompey the Great Julia was born circa 83 BC the daughter of Julius Caesar and his first wife Cornelia (daughter of Cinna). She was originally betrothed to Servilius Caepio, who had been a trusted ally of her father. However, for obvious political […]

The Cataline Affair Catiline was a ruinously debt-ridden patrician with a dangerously unstable character yet possessed considerable magnetic charm, to which aristocratic women and youths were as susceptible as proletarians. Catiline had been Sulla‘s agent and his record was questionable, to say the least. He held the governorship of Africa and his administration of that provence was […]

Lucius Cornelius SULLA Dictator, 82-79 B.C. Born 138 – Died 78 B.C., age 60 LUCIUS CORNELIUS SULLA began his career serving as Quaestor, a judge of criminal cases, and State Treasurer. In 107 BC, while serving under General Gaius Marius (155-86 B.C.), Sulla captured Jugurtha in the Jugurthine War. In the period 104-101 BC, two […]

CORNELIA First Wife of Julius Caesar CORNELIA (1st century BC) was the 1st wife of Julius CAESAR. She was the daughter of the four-time Consul Cinna. The dictator Sulla opposed the marriage and demanded that Caesar divorce her. When Caesar refused, Sulla stripped him of his priesthood and her dowry. She bore Caesar a daughter, […]

Personal letter written by Augustus to his beloved nephew Gaius. The ninth day before the Kalends of October [23 September]. Greetings, my dear Galus, my dearest little donkey, whom, so help me! I constantly miss whenever you are away from me. But especially on such days as today my eyes are eager for my Gaius, […]