About: Katherine Smyth

Written by Katherine Smyth, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom The story of Perseus and Andromeda is well known from the hero’s side, but who really was the woman he saved? No one seems to know. For eons scholars and bards alike have argued and debated. Artists have studied her, represented her in statues, music, and paintings.

Written by Katherine Smyth, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Imagine, if you will, that it’s the year 165 AD. There are two Emperors of Rome, Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who have been ruling together for four years, and day-to-day life is good. The new emperor’s permit free speech, they’re popular with the Roman military, and

Written by Katherine Smyth, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Throughout history, civilization has overcome natural and manmade challenges and adversities. Our histories are riddled with accounts of famines, wars, pestilences, and of course, plagues. One such instance was the Plague of Athens, and now as the Coronavirus sweeps through our cities and countries, it is perhaps

Written by Katherine Smyth, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Parthian Attacks With barely enough time to get comfortable in the Emperor’s seat, Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus’ minds were turned to a ghost that haunted their predecessor. As Emperor Antoninus Pius lay dying, his mind was often consumed by the actions of foreign kings. Such worries

Written by Katherine Smyth, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom One Empire, Two Emperors Life changed drastically for Marcus Aurelius, and Rome in 161 when Antoninus Pius died, leaving Marcus effectively as the new Emperor. However, although he was granted the name Augustus and the title imperator, and was elected Pontifex Maximus, Marcus appears to have taken