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The Romans were one of the most successful imperial powers in history. They grew their state from a small town located near the Tiber River in central Italy into a vast empire containing more than 50 million inhabitants. Key moments in Rome's development include: the founding of the city of Rome in 753 BC; the establishment of the Roman empire in 27 BC; and the fall of the Roman empire in the west in the 5th century AD. Find out everything you need to know about the Romans here…
A brief guide to ancient Rome and the Romans, plus 9 fascinating facts
Exploring Britain’s Roman roads with historian Dan Jones. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Was the story of Jesus inspired by Emperor Augustus? The clever trick early Christians used to convert ancient Rome
Ancient Rome's founding fathers: the extraordinary stories of the city's first kings
These are the 12 most underrated Roman sites in the world – how many have you visited?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
MembershipaudioRoman kings: myth, memory and the making of power. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
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Life in ancient Rome
What was daily life like for people living in ancient Rome? How did they dress, what did they eat and drink, and what kind of relationships did they have? Here's everything you need to know…
25 wild facts about Roman emperors – from fish semen to lethal parties. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Religion in ancient Rome: what did they believe?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
What did they wear in Ancient Rome?
On the edge of catastrophe: life in Pompeii as Vesuvius was about to erupt. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
MembershipaudioDavid Attenborough and the evolution of nature documentaries. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
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Roman rulers
Ancient Rome is known for its colourful cast of political leaders, from Julius Caesar (c100 BC-44 BC) - whose victory over Carthage in the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) made Rome a paramount power in the Mediterranean basin - to the popular emperors of the Roman empire: Augustus, Nero, Titus, Hadrian, and more…
Julius CaesarYour guide to the Roman dictator
The worst Roman emperors: 8 of the bloodiest from ancient Rome's history
Roman emperors and women through the ages. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
The death of Caesar: do we know the whole story?
The Roman empire
The Roman empire - established by the emperor Augustus (63 BC-14 AD) in 27 BC following the reign of Julius Caesar - was home to more than 50 million inhabitants at its height in the second century AD. It spanned a vast territory that encompassed the Mediterranean world, much of western Europe and parts of Africa and Asia. So how much do you know about it? Here we bring you the facts…
Your guide to the Roman empire: when it was formed, why it split and how it failed, plus its most colourful emperors
“The Roman empire cannot have been governed by a series of psychopaths. It would not have survived”Mary Beard on Roman Emperors
Mary Beard on why Rome ruled the world. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
What was the Roman Empire's greatest defeat? It might be Teutoburg Forest in AD 9
Bread and circuses: what happened in the amphitheatres of the Roman empire?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
ThinkpieceThe long death of the Roman republic. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Gladiators
How much do we know about the lives of Roman gladiators? Who were they, how did they live, and did they really fight to the death?
Bread and circuses: what happened in the amphitheatres of the Roman empire?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
What were the lives of gladiators like in ancient Rome?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Could you have survived in ancient Rome? (Probably not for very long, according to our expert). This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
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The fall of Rome
In 476 AD, the emperor Romulus Augustus was deposed by a Germanic prince named Odovacar, marking the end of the Roman empire in the west. More than 200 modern explanations have been put forward to explain the fall of Rome, ranging from the rise of Christian monks to the impotence brought on by too many hot baths. Here, we bring you the facts…
MembershipvideoEpisode 6Zenobia: The queen who challenged the Roman empire. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
MembershipaudioA worker's eye-view of ancient Rome. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
How did the Romans conquer Britain? You might be surprised by what our expert has to say. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
These Iron Age bodies were all buried in the same bizarre way. What does it mean?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
MembershipvideoInside Pompeii with Tom Hiddleston: the hidden detail that most people miss. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
The ancient Romans thrived on consumerism. Here's what was on their shopping lists
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Pompeii
Pompeii, located southeast of Naples, Italy, is one of the world's most fascinating archaeological sites. The ancient city was destroyed - and its inhabitants killed - when the volcano Vesuvius erupted in August 79 BC. The ruins of Pompeii were first discovered in the late 16th century by the architect Domenico Fontana, but work to excavate the city did not begin until the mid-18th century. Today the site is a popular tourist destination
Your ultimate guide to Pompeii, plus 8 fascinating facts about the ancient Roman city
Pompeii: a remarkable window into ancient Roman life. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Ye olde travel guide: Pompeii 79 Ad. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
What was life like in ancient Pompeii? Mary Beard shares an A-Z guide
Roman Britain
Why did the Romans invade Britain? How long did they stay for? And why did they leave? Here we bring you the facts…
Everything you wanted to know about Roman Britain – but were afraid to ask
What happened to Britain’s lost Roman legion?
HistoryExtra Academy Roman Britain quiz – week four. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
MembershipvideoLeaving the Roman empire. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Caesar's British gamble. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Caratacus: Roman Britain’s greatest rebel. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Roman women
What is known about the lives of Roman women? Did women have any power in the Roman empire? Were Roman girls allowed to be educated? And could women divorce their husbands in ancient Rome?
MembershipvideoThe people of Roman Britain. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
