Roman

A calendar

Q&A Where do the names for days of the week come from?

Marble statue of a young Roman girl playing Knucklebones, also known as Fivestones or Jacks, 2nd Century AD (Photo by Getty Images)

Everything you ever wanted to know about Roman Britain, but were afraid to ask

Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene: why do people want to believe she was a sinner and prostitute?

The Resurrection of Jesus

Easter eggs, Jesus Christ and the Easter bunny: the history and origins of Easter

Engraving of emperor Commodus's death

Cheese, angry gods and shoddy surgeons: the unlikely deaths of Roman emperors

An open Bible on an altar

General ancient history

A history of the Bible: who wrote it and when?

Illustration of Boudica, victorious over the Romans

What if… Boudica had defeated the Romans?

Pompeii wall painting depicting an erotic satyr and nymph

In bed with the Romans: a brief history of sex in Ancient Rome

Greg Jenner. (Photo by Frank Monks)

Books interview Fame, fortune and falls from grace: Greg Jenner on the rise of celebrity culture

ancient rome quiz

Ancient Rome quiz

Though green dominates the celebrations today, the colour blue was first associated with St Patrick. The earliest depictions of the saint show him in blue garments, as in this 13th century folio, La Vie des Sains. ( Image ©The British Library Board/Leemage / Bridgeman Images)

Your guide to the history of St Patrick’s Day

The reconcilliation between Thomas Becket and Henry II. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

From the handshake to the high-five: a brief history of gestures

A painting by Vincenzo Camuccini depicting the death of Julius Caesar in the Roman Senate. (Photo by Leemage/Corbis via Getty Images)

The death of Caesar: do we know the whole story?

Engraving depicting the assassination of Julius Caesar

Q&A What are the Ides of March?

Once he gained control of the entire Roman Empire, Constantine set about an ambitious programme of reform. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Constantine the Great: the emperor who created Europe