UNRV Ancient Roman Empire History

Hibernia, Ancient Ireland as it was named by the Romans, existed as a relatively isolated corner of Celtic culture during the Roman era. Hibernia, however, had a long standing pre-Celtic culture dating back to 6000 BC. A race of what some relate to the Pictish tribes of Scotland, called the Fir Bolg, dominated the island [...]

Caesar’s Heir On March 15, 44 BC, the Roman world was shaken to it?s foundation with the assassination of Julius Caesar. Though the effect would prove to be staggering, (ie the plunge into yet another devastating civil war), no Roman was as profoundly effected as Gaius Octavius. Nearly 19 years old, Octavian was studying in [...]

The central Asian province known as Cappadocia was rich in history, being the original home of the ancient Hittite culture. It was an inland territory, bordering several eastern provinces such as Armenia in the east, Mesopotamia, Cilicia and Syria to the south, Galatia to the west and Pontus to the north. The eastern region was [...]

Octavian Gaius Octavius was born on September 23, 63 BC, and though of distant relation to Caesar, his eventual rise to prominence was unexpected. He was the son of a ?new man? bearing the same name from Velitrae in Latium. His father had reached the rank of praetor before dying when Octavian was a boy [...]

King Caesar At the onset of 44 BC, the honors heaped upon Caesar continued and the subsequent rift between he and the aristocrats deepened. He had been named ?Pater Patriae? or Father of the Country and Dictator Perpetuus or Dictator for Life. This title even began to show up on coinage bearing Caesar?s likeness, clearly [...]

Roman Republican Legion OrganizationThere were 3 principal infantry classes within the Republican system, augmented with the basic skirmishing class, and a small detachment of cavalry. The Republican legion was generally comprised of between 4,000 and 6,000 men, in various levels of infantry, with 4,200 apparently being the optimal number….

Battle of Munda In Spain, the sons of Pompey, Gnaeus and Sextus, along with Caesar?s former legate Titus Labienus had continued to resist Caesar?s dominance of the Roman world. The loyalty of the local tribes was mixed, but the Republican forces had little difficulty in raising new armies. In total, the Pompeian forces had recruited [...]

The final two entries to our Roman Writers have been updated. Virgil Vitruvius

Caesar the Dictator Caesar arrived back in Rome in July of 46 BC, this time with the task of settling both the political and social situations. Though many, like Cicero, tried to persuade Caesar to return the Republic to its previous form of government, Caesar had no intention of giving up his hard fought gains. [...]

Roman Republican Legion Prior to the reforms of Marius in the late 2nd and early first century BC, the Republican Roman Legion had a completely different organization than that which is commonly illustrated for the Imperial period. The earliest Roman army was based originally on the Greek Phalanx system, and the legion continued to evolve [...]

Caesar in Africa Caesar left Sicily and for the shores of Africa with 7 legions totaling about 30,000 men and 2,600 cavalry in late December 47 BC. Initially landing with only 3,000 and a handful of cavalry, some contemporary writers have suggested that Caesar suffered a number of minor defeats while waiting for the bulk [...]

Caesar in Rome After Caesar?s victory at Zela over the Pontic King Pharnaces, Caesar sailed for Italy, arriving in September of 47 BC. With little time left in his dictatorship, first given to him either just before or just after his arrival in Egypt, Caesar had a lot of work to do. Citizens in Rome [...]

Two more entries have been updated in the Roman Writers section: Varro Vegetius