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Roman Literature
The Roman Empire and its predecessor the Roman Republic produced an abundance of celebrated literature; poetry, comedies, dramas, histories, and philosophical tracts; the Romans avoided tragedies. Much of it survives to this day. However...
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Basement halls of Diocletian's Palace
The basement halls of Diocletian's Palace were originally the supporting structures of the Roman emperor's residential quarters. They reflect the layout of the upper floor halls. Diocletian's Palace (Split, Croatia) was built at the turn...
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Portrait of Diocletian
Portrait of Roman emperor Diocletian (284-305 CE) from Brest village, Pleven region, Bulgaria, late 3rd to early 4th century CE.
National Archaeological Museum, Sofia.
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Egyptian sphinx from Diocletian's Palace
Diocletian's Palace was decorated with numerous granite sphinxes originating from the site of Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. Only three have survived the centuries. This one is still located on the Peristyle of Diocletian's Palace.
Definition
Emperor Taizu of Song
Emperor Taizu (960-976 CE), formerly known as Zhao Kuangyin, was the founder of the Song (aka Sung) dynasty which ruled China from 960 to 1279 CE. Taizu settled for a territorially smaller but more unified and prosperous China than was seen...
Definition
Emperor Wuzong of Tang
Wuzong of Tang (also Wu-Tsung, formerly Li Yan) reigned as emperor of China from 840 to 846 CE. He is best remembered today for his persecution of Buddhists, the worst such attack in all of China's history, and his early death by insanity...
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Plan of the Baths of Diocletian
The floor plan of the Baths of Diocletian in Rome, completed in c. 305 CE.
Definition
Roman Egypt
The rich lands of Egypt became the property of Rome after the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BCE, which spelled the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty that had ruled Egypt since the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE. After the murder of Gaius...
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The Ideology of the Holy Roman Empire
"The Holy Roman Empire was in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire," wrote Voltaire, and this interpretation still dominates the popular imagination, so the Holy Roman Empire is treated as a bad joke, a pale parody of the glory of Rome...
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Gold Ring and Coin of Diocletian
This is a gold ring with an aureus (gold coin) of the Roman Emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305 CE). The reverse of the coin (not shown here) shows four soldiers sacrificing in front of a camp. Roman period, 4th century CE; the coin is a modern...