

ABANDONED INFANTS
Miriam tells us about the Phoebe’s origins in THE DEADLIEST LIE: Phoebe was the Greek foundling my mother rescued. Finding her wrapped in...


WHAT ABOUT EPPIA?
I wrote about Sergius in the past two blogs. He was that outlandish ex-gladiator who fled to Alexandria with Eppia, the senator’s wife...


THE EXOMIS
The garment, dating back to the fifth century BCE Greece, encircled the torso and was pinned at one shoulder and girded at the waist....


A ROMAN COOKSHOP
Roman cookshops had a wide counter opening onto the street so that customers could be served on the go. The charcoal-burning furnace was...


ETRUSCAN VASES: ENJOY YOUR MORNING COFFEE IN THIS RARE MUG
Assimilated into the Roman Republic during the 4th century BCE, the Etruscans were an early wealthy and powerful civilization that...


CONDEMNED TO THE ARENA
In last week’s blog, Binyamin tries to convince Miriam that his being a gladiator is his chance to earn a place of honor in society. But...


THE LIFE OF AN AUCTORATUS, A VOLUNTEER GLADIATOR
In THE DEADLIEST SPORT, Binyamin tells Miriam about his life as a volunteer gladiator. But Miriam is not convinced the life is so...


THE STOA
The stoas in Alexandria’s first-century CE agora were constructed to resemble those in the agoras of Ancient Greece. Let’s join Miriam in...


PHOEBE’S MANUMISSION
The Romans had a unique legal process called manumission in which an owner could free his or her slaves. Upon becoming freedmen, they...


NOAH’S SCRIBE, DRAKON
Scribes could read and write and made their living drafting, translating, and copying documents. They may have worked as secretaries and...