In 439 B.C.E., the Romans turned their attention to the region of Etruria, which was north of the Tiber. The target was Veii, again. Veii was the most important city in Etruria. It was about ten miles north-northwest of Rome. In 438 B.C.E., the Roman colony of Fidanae revolted Read more…
In 463 B.C.E., a devastating plague weakened Rome and the Volsci and Aequi took advantage to do some plundering. Rome won the deciding battle so the crisis was overcome. In 459, the Aequi attacked Tusculum, an ally of Rome. Rome sent an army to lift the siege. It sent another Read more…
Long before Benedict Arnold, there was Gaius Marcius Coriolanus. Gaius grew up in a patrician family. When he reached adulthood he became an officer in the Roman army. In 493 B.C., a Roman army was laying siege to the Volscian city of Corioli. A relief army arrived and at Read more…
In 295 B.C.E., Rome was faced with the chilling prospect of four peoples combining against it. The situation was so dire that Rome had five men who were given imperium. In other words, the Romans had five armies in the field led by five generals. Quintus Fabius and Publius Read more…
Publius Clodius Pulcher was one of the most notorious Roman politicians. He was born in 93 B.C. to an important patrician family. In 73 B.C., he accused Cataline of sex with a Vestal Virgin. Cataline was found innocent and Clodius was forced to leave Italy. He went to join Read more…
Cato the Elder was a famous Senator in Rome. His famous demand that “Carthage must be destroyed” led to the Third Punic War and the fulfillment of his dream. One day a friend remarked to him: “It’s a scandal that no statue has been erected to you in Rome! I Read more…