Ancient Rome | Classical Wisdom Weekly - Part 2

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Tag Archives: Ancient Rome

Death, Funeral Rites and Burial in Ancient Rome

Written by Lauren Groff, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom The Romans had an enormous reverence for their ancestors and for death itself. What were their beliefs and customs surrounding the passing and burial of their loved ones?  Belief In the Afterlife It was exceedingly important for the Romans to leave an enduring memory of themselves behind

From Roman Sarcophagi Comes The Gospel of Bacchus

Written by Barry Ferst, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Serving as a “billboard” for the faithful, images sculpted on Roman-era marble coffins offer a visualization of the Gospel of Bacchus, a graphic stone bible especially meaningful to devotees contemplating death’s doorway. Since much about the cult of Bacchus remains a mystery, a beautifully-carved frieze on a

Searching For Sarcophagi: Barry Ferst’s 10-Year Quest

Written by Barry Ferst, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom From 125 to 450 C.E. Romans thought it fashionable to buy stone coffins in which to inter their dead. The coffin was an oblong stone box approximately six feet by three feet and three feet in height with an interior cavity for the deceased. On the front

Beware the Ides of March

“Beware the Ides of March.” You may hear that phrase today because the 15th of March is referred to as the ‘Ides of March’ and marks the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general, Consul, statesman, and notable author of Latin prose. He was both

What Newly-Found 2,000-Year-Old Celtic Coins Tell Us About Boudica

Written by Tom G. Hamilton, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom As of this writing, news of the largest hoard of early Roman-era Celtic gold coins ever found— unearthed by a bird-watcher in Britain—are making headlines. The coins are reported to be Boudica-era gold “stater” Iceni coins. There is an understandable excitement all across the land, the

The Caduceus: Magical Staff of Hermes

Written by Ed Whalen, Contributing Writer, Classical Wisdom Hermes was the messenger of the Olympian gods. Hermes, or Mercury, had a powerful staff known as the caduceus, which was considered a magical symbol of his inviolability. The staff became a very potent symbol in the ancient world. We are still familiar with it in the