Introduction The ancient Romans named the middle part of each month as the “Ides”, and each of these days was dedicated to Jupiter, King of the Gods. Sometimes, these days were marked for holding special celebrations. The Ides of October,… Read More ›
Year: 2020
October 13 – The Fontanalia: The Blessing of the Fountains
Pompeii Street, painted by Eduardo Ettore Forti (1897). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pompeii_Street_by_Ettore_Forti.jpg. By the reign of Caesar Augustus, the city of Rome had a population of a million people. With so many crammed into such a small area, disease was a big problem. Having… Read More ›
October 5 – The Opening of the Pit of the Underworld
Manes, Lares, and Lemures. © Jason R. Abdale (August 21, 2021) “Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that… Read More ›
Today in Ancient Rome: A Reference Guide for Articles on the Ancient Roman Calendar
A scene from the movie The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964). Greetings all. For those who follow this website regularly, you know that ancient history is one of my major academic interests. Beginning in February 2019, I have been… Read More ›
October 1 – The Kalends of October
The Kalends of October, by Jason R. Abdale (October 1, 2021) It is now the month of October in ancient Rome. The weather has begun to cool, the Autumn harvest is ready to be gathered, and the soldiers are preparing… Read More ›
September 13 – Epulum Jovis: The Feast of Jove
There are many so-called “feast days” which are present within religious calendars. Among those that were listed in the ancient Roman religious calendar are the “Ides”. This was a religious holiday held in the middle of each month, and all… Read More ›
The Battle of Teutoburg: A Problem with Dating
September 9 to 11 of the year 9 AD is often attributed in modern sources as the date for the legendary Battle of Teutoburg, more commonly known as the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest – except the battle lasted for… Read More ›
Caturus
This is Caturus, a prehistoric fish which swam in the oceans during the Mesozoic Era. Fossils of this saltwater fish have been found in North America, Europe, northern Africa, and as far as China within rocks spanning from the beginning… Read More ›
News: Brian Franczak, famous paleo-artist, dead at 65
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Brian Franczak, one of the all-time greats of paleo-art, died on August 1, 2020 in New Britain, Connecticut. He was 65 years old. The cause of death is unknown. Brian… Read More ›
Pantosaurus
Hello everyone. Several years ago, I wrote a short article for Prehistoric Times magazine about the Sundance Sea. This was a shallow saltwater sea which covered much of central North America during the middle to late Jurassic Period. One of… Read More ›
DINOSAURS AND BARBARIANS 
