Throughout Rome’s long history, the denarius and sestertius were the longest lived and most widely used currencies in both the republican and imperial eras. This raises the question: how much was a denarius worth? What could it buy? How much would it be worth in today’s money? From 200 BC to 64 AD, the silver …
How Much was a Denarius Worth (& What Could it Buy?) Read More »
Modern Italians live in the same area that was the core of the Roman Empire, and speak a language that is based on Roman Latin. However, a question arises: is that enough to consider Italians to be Romans? Historically speaking, Italians are the direct descendants of Romans but are not Romans themselves. Roman identity in …
Acanthus is a thistle like plant found in warmer climates. According to the Ancient Greeks, the acanthus flower was said to be a nymph loved by Apollo called Acantha, however the god eventually changed her into the acantha flower. The sinuate, notched leaves of two kinds of acanthus in the Mediterranean region provided the pattern …
Adranus, a Sicilian divinity who was worshipped in all the island of Sicily, but especially at Adranus, a town near Mount Aetna. (Plut. Tim. 12; Diod. 14.37.) Hesychius (s. v. Παλικοί) represents the god as the father of the Palici. According to Aelian (Ael. NA 11.20), about 1000 sacred dogs were kept near his temple. Some modern …
Adranus: Ancient Sicilian God Worshipped in Adranum Read More »
Acontius (sometimes Akontius) was a beautiful youth of the island of Ceos. On one occasion he came to Delos to celebrate the annual festival of Artemis (or Diana), and fell in love with Cydippe, the daughter of a noble Athenian. When he saw her sitting in the temple attending to the sacrifice she was offering, …
Acontius and Cyddipe: Marriage Vow Enforced by Artemis Read More »
Acestes, a son of the Sicilian river-god Crimisus and of a Trojan woman of the name of Egesta or Segesta (Vergil, Aeneid. 1.195, 550, 5.36, 711, &c.), who according to Servius was sent by her father Hippotes or Ipsostratus to Sicily, that she might not be devoured by the monsters [Greek invaders], which infested the territory of Troy, …
All about Acestes: Forgotten Greek Mythology Hero in Aeneid Read More »
Acca Larentia (or Larentia), a mythical woman who occurs in the stories of early Roman history. Macrobius (Macr. 1.10), together with Plutarch (Quaest. Rom. 35; Romul. 5) relates the following tradition about her: In the reign of Ancus Martius [the fourth King of Rome] a servant (aedituus) of the temple of Hercules, during days of celebration, invited the …
Acca Larentia: Goddess of Fertility Celebrated on Larentalia Read More »