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Lucius Cornelius Sulla: Guardian or Enemy of the Roman Republic?
For centuries, Lucius Cornelius Sulla has been reviled as a maniacal tyrant who defiled the Roman constitution and instituted bloody purges, but some modern historians assert that he has been judged too harshly. They present him as a republican...
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Hanno: Carthaginian Explorer
In the 5th century BCE, the Carthaginian explorer Hanno sailed beyond the Pillars of Hercules, out of the Mediterranean and into hitherto unknown territory down the Atlantic coast of Africa. In his search to find new resources and trading...
Article
Elephants in Hellenistic History & Art
Elephants were thought of as fierce and frightful monsters in antiquity, very real though rarely seen until the Hellenistic period. They were deployed on the battlefield to strike terror into the enemy, however, since fear was considered...
Article
Legions of the Rhine Frontier
After Julius Caesar’s (100-44 BCE) conquest of Gaul, Roman legions pushed the borders of the Roman Empire’s frontier to the banks of the Rhine River. Augustus (r. 27 BCE - 14 CE) divided the newly acquired region into three provinces: Gallia...
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The Eastern Hemisphere, 100 BC
A map showing the major empires, kingdoms, tribes, and ethnic groups of the Eastern Hemisphere in 100 BC.
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Arch of Caracalla in Volubilis
The triumphal arch at Volubilis (Morocco) was erected sometime between December 216 and April 217 CE by the council of Volubilis in honour of the emperor Caracalla who bestowed Roman citizenship on its inhabitants and exempted them from paying...
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The Civil Basilica of Volubilis
The civil basilica (court of law and seat of the magistrates) lies on the eastern side of the forum of Volubilis (Morocco) and was built during the Severan dynasty between 193 and 235 CE. This imposing building is 42.2m long and 22.3m wide...
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Volubilis
Overview of the ruins of Volubilis located in the middle of a fertile plain about 33km north of Meknès in northern Morocco, near the heights of the Atlas Mountains. Volubilis developed from the 3rd century CE onwards and became an important...
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Archaeological Site of Volubilis (UNESCO/NHK)
The Mauritanian capital, founded in the 3rd century B.C., became an important outpost of the Roman Empire and was graced with many fine buildings. Extensive remains of these survive in the archaeological site, located in a fertile agricultural...
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Family Tree of the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt (305-30 BCE)
This infographic illustrates the royal lineage of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, which ruled Egypt during the Hellenistic period (305–30 BCE). Founded by Ptolemy I Soter, a companion of Alexander the Great, the dynasty is notable for elevating royal...