The Aeneid is an epic poem by Virgil that tells an origin story of the Romans and was Rome’s national epic. One of the most famous episodes of the work is Aeneas’ tragic affair with Dido, which ends with Dido’s suicide. This essay will argue that Aeneas’ staunch inclination to following his pietas most strongly... Continue Reading →
The Conversion and Journey of St. Hortensius of Toulouse
St. Hortensius was born in Toulouse, southern Gaul, in 334 AD to a wealthy and prominent pagan family. Hortensius always had the light of intelligence, and read the poetry of Virgil, Ovid, and Cicero. Hortensius was full of energy and liked to wrestle. But he was also boisterous and arrogant: as soon as he reached... Continue Reading →
Augustus’ relationship with Aphrodisias and Samos
The document is a copy of a letter that Augustus had given in reply to Samos, inscribed in a marble block from the grand archive wall of the theatre in Aphrodisias, Caria. The date of the letter is not exactly clear: but it was most likely from soon after 27 BC.[1] The Aphrodisian copy may... Continue Reading →
Polybius and the Background of the Second Punic War’s Outbreak
This source is a passage from Book 3, Chapter 30 of Polybius’ Histories on the causes of the Second Punic War. It argues that both sides are to blame for the war, giving reasons why. The Spanish city of Saguntum had placed itself under Roman protection since they had turned to the Romans to solve... Continue Reading →
Caravaggio Short Biography
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian painter who was active in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily between the years 1592 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state with both its physical and emotional parts and a dramatic use of light, greatly influenced the Baroque genre. Michelangelo Merisi da... Continue Reading →