UNRV Ancient Roman Empire History

Thanks to community member ‘Decimus Caesar’, we have added another review… “Although I know their names well, I won?t mention them at all?they only lived a short while?and as a result accomplished nothing worth mentioning.” So wrote the Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea of the last emperors of Rome. His opinion has been shared by [...]

Community member Pantagathus provides an addition to our growing stable of ancient subject reviews… “If you?ve ever tried to put together a decent bibliography on Carthage and Punic culture & history you know that it?s no easy task. The combination of the seeming monopoly the French had over North Africa archaeology for much of the [...]

The reign of Marcus Didius Severus Julianus is largely insignificant and unremarkable except for the nature in which it began, and its direct influence on the outbreak of civil war. It was Didius Julianus who bought the throne from the very same praetorians who assassinated Pertinax, his imperial predecessor. Didius Julianus was born January 29, [...]

Community member The Augusta provides an an interesting look at the classic BBC television program. Good drama never dies ? it is digitally re-mastered and marketed a generation later. Nor does good literature ever die ? reprints are constant for canonical works that have stood the test of time against more modern rivals that may [...]

As of Saturday 3/31/07, we are in the process of updating our Roman history discussion forum. We don’t expect the upgrade to take long, but please forgive any inconvenience. We hope you like the new look. UNRV.com

With a very hearty thank you to all of our participants, we are pleased to announce 3 winners in our soon to be regularly occurring essay contest. We received a respectable total of 12 entries with varying subject matter, academic approach and presentation. From studies in the Roman army and government to overviews of societal [...]

Another review has been completed for our Roman Books section, thanks to community member Ursus. Psychotic leaders. Conflict and conquest. Back stabbing and intrigue. Extremities of wealth and power. The rise and collapse of empires. Are we talking about Ancient Rome? No, just another day in the life of a large corporation. Any Romanophile who [...]

Another review has been completed for our Roman Books section, thanks to community member Ursus. As I trudge about Romanophilia in my own amateur way, I have discovered that books written in bygone eras offer an enthralling Old School view whose charm is seldom replicated in modern times. They are often dated, but not always [...]

Another review has been completed for our Roman Books section, thanks to community member Pertinax. This is not one of those attention grabbing titles that will appeal to the sword and combat enthusiast, nor to the afficionado of heavyweight power politics and great personages. It is however a piece of subtle, steady and scholarly discourse [...]

In the spirit of the site’s intended goal of inspiring continuing education in the ancient world. UNRV.com is pleased to announce a Historical Essay Writing Contest. In addition to publication on the site, first, second and third place winners will receive gift certificates to Amazon.com or Vcoins.com. Contest Details

Following the assassination of Commodus on December 31, AD 192, Publius Helvius Pertinax, as both a revered elder member of the Senate and a chief lieutenant of the former emperor, was chosen to replace him. The reign of Pertinax is intriguing for its short length and related tragic turn of events which led to the [...]

The second season of the HBO “Rome” television series premiered on Sunday, January 14, 2006 in the US. Join us and discuss the exciting second season opener on our very own ‘Rome’ subforum! UNRV members offer both praise and disappointment for the new season, and debate the historical accuracy. Discuss the series in general: UNRV [...]

At some point in the third-century a hitherto unknown group of people appeared around Rome’s Danube frontier. These people would come to be known as the Goths. They began their history during one of Rome?s darkest periods as one of many but grew to become an entity of their own. In 378 they destroyed the [...]