Democracy - Men of Pompeii

The Influence of Greek Philosophers at the Roman Court

Explore how Greek philosophers like Seneca shaped Roman politics, ethics, and leadership through Stoic philosophy at the Roman court.

Roman Political Exiles: Stories of Survival and Comeback

Explore Roman political exile as punishment and survival, with stories of adaptation, law, and Cicero's remarkable comeback.

Senatorial Families: How Dynasties Maintained Power for Centuries

Explore how Roman senatorial families maintained power through wealth, alliances, and influence from Republic to Empire.

The Secret Police of Ancient Rome: Safety or Surveillance State?

Explore Ancient Rome's secret police, the Frumentarii and Agentes in Rebus, balancing safety and surveillance in imperial control.

Roman Adoption as a Political Tool: Creating Heirs for Power

Explore how Roman adoption shaped political power, succession, and dynastic stability through strategic heir selection in ancient Rome.

The Role of Freedmen in Shaping Imperial Roman Policy

Explore how freedmen shaped Imperial Roman policy, rising from slavery to key government roles under Emperor Claudius.

The Crisis of the Third Century: Emperors Who Tried to Save Rome

Explore the Crisis of the Third Century and meet the emperors who fought to save a collapsing Roman Empire.

Aurelius vs. Commodus: Contrasting Father and Son Emperors

Explore the contrasting reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, their leadership styles, and impact on Rome’s empire and legacy.

Roman Espionage: How Spies and Informants Shaped the Empire

Discover how Roman spies and informants shaped the empire through covert missions, intelligence, and military tactics.

Roman Diplomats: Negotiating Peace and War Across the Empire

Discover how Roman diplomats shaped peace and war through strategic negotiations across the empire in Late Antiquity.

Roman Exiles: Stories of Power Lost and Regained

Explore Roman political exile, power loss, and restoration through key figures and the Avignon Papacy's unique papal exile.

Fathers and Sons: Family Dynasties That Changed Rome’s Course

Explore how Roman family dynasties and father-son bonds shaped political power and leadership in ancient Rome.

Roman Lawgivers: The Men Who Wrote the Rules of an Empire

Explore how Roman lawgivers shaped legal systems with the Twelve Tables, magistrates, and lasting impacts on modern law.

The Role of the Princeps: Balancing Republican Traditions with Imperial Power in Early Rome

Augustus’s role as princeps blended republican forms with imperial power, preserving legitimacy while centralizing authority — the Principate’s defining paradox.

The Secret Lives of Roman Senators: Power Beyond the Senate

Explore how Roman senators wielded power beyond the Senate through networks, rhetoric, religion, and social status in ancient Rome.

The Rise of the Plebeian Politicians: Rome’s Self-Made Men

Explore how plebeian politicians rose in Rome, challenging aristocracy and shaping a more inclusive Republic through key reforms.

Scandal and Intrigue: The Juiciest Roman Political Rivalries Explained

Explore the fiercest Roman political rivalries, scandals, and key figures that shaped the Republic's turbulent history.

Roman Graffiti Decoded: Political Satire on Ancient Walls

Explore how Roman graffiti in Pompeii used political satire to reveal ancient urban life and local election tactics.

Augustus: From Orphaned Heir to Architect of the Roman Empire

A shy teenager unexpectedly named heir to...

Livia, Rome’s First Lady and Architect of Imperial Power

A statesman’s wife who became the quiet...

The Gracchi Brothers: When Rome Discovered Social Revolution

How Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus transformed the late Roman Republic: agrarian reform, grain laws, rise of populares, and the turn to political violence.

Tribunes of the Plebs: The Defenders of the People

How Rome’s tribunes transformed politics: sacrosanct veto, popular legislation, and the revolutionary careers of the Gracchi, Saturninus, and Sulpicius.

The Roman Senate: Six Hundred Men Who Ruled the World

The Roman Senate: how SPQR, auctoritas vs. imperium, and figures from Cato to Cicero and Caesar shaped the Republic, its fall, and the Senate’s lasting legacy.

The Struggle of the Orders: How Plebeians Gained Political Rights

How Rome’s plebeians fought for political equality: secessions, the Plebeian Council, Twelve Tables, tribunes, and lasting legal reforms.

The Hidden Constitution: How Rome’s Republic Survived 500 Years While Modern Democracies Struggle

Discover the forgotten constitutional mechanisms that powered Rome's 500-year republic and continue to influence modern governance. Learn how the balance between patricians and plebeians created a remarkable system of checks and balances that modern democracies still emulate today.

Tag: Democracy