Rome and Beyond

Che bello! A Roma piove (ma ovviamente non nevica).

Villain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy part 1 Podcast Episode · Instant Classics · 22/01/2026 · 41m

Born of the coupling of Leda and the Swan, then hatched from an egg There’s more to Helen of Troy than the most beautiful woman in the world - as Charlotte and I discuss in our 4 part Instant Classics mini series podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...

#FrescoFriday - A real favourite! The paintings from the Fullonica of Veranius Hypsaeus, Pompeii (VI.8.20), showing the stages of the laundry process, with an owl (symbol for the Fullers) atop the 'viminea cavea'. #Pompeii #Archaeology 🏺

Image: MANN (9774). Link - mann-napoli.it/numismatica/...

Enamelled copper alloy flask in hexagonal shape, featuring intricate geometric patterns in turquoise, red, and gold against a green patinated surface, with visible cracks.

This beautiful #Roman enamelled copper alloy flask in hexagonal shape was found in Welzheim.
The small vessel was a product of a workshop in Britain or Gaul and was presumably used to hold perfume.
Dating 2. century AD.

#findsfriday 🏺

📷 @almbawue.bsky.social

Colosseum's Commodus Passage reopens after extensive restoration work The passage, constructed somewhere between the years 90 and 98, allowed emperors to get to their seats without having to use the main entrances, the vomitoria, through which the masses would spew fort...

Colosseum's Commodus Passage reopens after extensive restoration work
www.euronews.com/culture/2026...
#Rome #archaeology
@euronews.com

Villa Farnesina Cubiculum B fresco depicting the Nymphs of Mount Nysa caring for the infant Dionysus.
The baby is shown being nursed or tended to by female figures in a lush setting. It is painted in a "Neo-Attic" or "lekythos" style, which mimics the look of 5th-c. BCE Greek pottery.
#FrescoFriday

Fantastic job, thanks for sharing!

A further reading interprets this central figure as the Pax Augusta, which the altar takes its name from.

For #ReliefWednesday, the Saturnia Tellus relief from the Ara Pacis, #Rome.
It depicts Mother Earth, or, according to a different interpretation, Venus, divine mother of Aeneas and progenitor of the Gens Iulia, to which Augustus himself belongs.
📸 Chris Nas
#archaeology #history

The tablets

The Pyrgi tablets are three golden plates inscribed with a bilingual Phoenician–Etruscan dedicatory text. They date to c. 500 BC. They record the foundation of a temple and its dedication to the Phoenician goddess Astarte. The work is attributed to Thefarie Velianas, ruler of Caere #EpigraphyTuesday

A battered brown stone slab featuring a Latin inscription, which identifies it as the tombstone of Roman soldier Ammonius.

This is the tombstone of a Roman soldier named Ammonius, son of Damio, a centurion in the first Cohort of Spaniards who probably came from North Africa or the Eastern Mediterranean. He died after 27 years service and was buried at Ardoch in Perthshire, Scotland. #TombTuesday

This inscription, dating to the 4th century, reveals that the cemetery found in the area during excavations in 1924 (together with a basilica) was established through the initiative of Faltonia Hilaritatis herself, a wealthy freedwoman, who dedicated it to fellow Christians.

Inscription to Faltonia Hilaritatis, a wealthy freedwoman

This inscription, on display at Museo Archeologico di Velletri, bears a dedication from a mother to her daughter, Faltonia:
"To Faltonia Hilaritatis, mistress and dearest daughter who, at her own expense, built this cemetery and destined it for this faith."
#EpigraphyTuesday #Rome #history

Eboracum 🤩

Sevilla es una maravilla!

Floral mosaic decoration in the Ninfeo della Lucchina

Hidden beneath the #Rome Ring Road (GRA) lies the Ninfeo della Lucchina.Originally constructed in the 3rd century CE as a tomb, it was transformed in the 4th century into a nymphaeum with stunning mosaics and frescoes.It was likely part of a grand villa owned by the Ottavi family
#MosaicMonday
📸 MiC

Fossanova Abbey - Front view with Rose window

Fossanova Abbey - Interior (main nave)

Fossanova Abbey is one of Italy's most significant examples of Cistercian Gothic architecture. Located in the town of Priverno, the abbey is famous for its austere beauty and is a major pilgrimage site because it is where St. Thomas Aquinas died in 1274.
#MedievalMonday #art
📸 alessiodisilvestro

Description from the Hull Museums Collection: “The mosaic panel at the bottom is unique in Britain and shows an eventful chariot race. The racecourse is indicated by the 'spina' or central island, and the 'metae' or turning posts. The four chariots may represent the four factions in the Roman racing world, each conventionally distinguished by the colour of the charioteers' tunics. The scene is laid out rather like a comic strip. One chariot has lost a wheel and overturned, pitching out the charioteer. An attendant dismounts to rescue him, while another lassos runaway horses. The charioteer who has successfully rounded the end of the 'spina' on the left gives his horses free rein, while the team approaching the other end are reined in for the turn. This scene, so full of action, movement and drama has to be one of the most engaging yet found in Romano-British art.”

Description from the Hull Museums Collection: “The mosaic panel at the bottom is unique in Britain and shows an eventful chariot race. The racecourse is indicated by the 'spina' or central island, and the 'metae' or turning posts. The four chariots may represent the four factions in the Roman racing world, each conventionally distinguished by the colour of the charioteers' tunics. The scene is laid out rather like a comic strip. One chariot has lost a wheel and overturned, pitching out the charioteer. An attendant dismounts to rescue him, while another lassos runaway horses. The charioteer who has successfully rounded the end of the 'spina' on the left gives his horses free rein, while the team approaching the other end are reined in for the turn. This scene, so full of action, movement and drama has to be one of the most engaging yet found in Romano-British art.”

Description from the Hull Museums Collection: “The mosaic panel at the bottom is unique in Britain and shows an eventful chariot race. The racecourse is indicated by the 'spina' or central island, and the 'metae' or turning posts. The four chariots may represent the four factions in the Roman racing world, each conventionally distinguished by the colour of the charioteers' tunics. The scene is laid out rather like a comic strip. One chariot has lost a wheel and overturned, pitching out the charioteer. An attendant dismounts to rescue him, while another lassos runaway horses. The charioteer who has successfully rounded the end of the 'spina' on the left gives his horses free rein, while the team approaching the other end are reined in for the turn. This scene, so full of action, movement and drama has to be one of the most engaging yet found in Romano-British art.”

Description from the Hull Museums Collection: “The mosaic panel at the bottom is unique in Britain and shows an eventful chariot race. The racecourse is indicated by the 'spina' or central island, and the 'metae' or turning posts. The four chariots may represent the four factions in the Roman racing world, each conventionally distinguished by the colour of the charioteers' tunics. The scene is laid out rather like a comic strip. One chariot has lost a wheel and overturned, pitching out the charioteer. An attendant dismounts to rescue him, while another lassos runaway horses. The charioteer who has successfully rounded the end of the 'spina' on the left gives his horses free rein, while the team approaching the other end are reined in for the turn. This scene, so full of action, movement and drama has to be one of the most engaging yet found in Romano-British art.”

✨The Chariot Race✨

This chariot race is part of the famously large mosaic found in Britain called the Horkstow mosaic. Featuring all the thrill of chariot racing including the spina (central island) and the metea (turning points). Happy #MosaicMonday indeed!

#AncientBluesky

美味しそう！

Giorgio de Chirico, Mistero e malinconia di una strada, 1914, New Canaan (Connecticut), Private collection
#art
A copy of this work (right) by de Chirico himself can be found at Museo Bilotti in #Rome
www.museocarlobilotti.it/it/opera/mis...

✨ An Evening with National Trust Archaeologists

Ever wondered what archaeology looks like behind the scenes at National Trust places? Join us and @nattrustarch.bsky.social for a free online evening exploring community digs and hilltop enclosures to Roman gold mining.

Book here 👉 shorturl.at/85Avq

Lovely!

A section of the Roman Wall at St. Albans which was built between AD 265 to 270 to defend the Roman city of Verulamium. The surviving sections are located in Verulamium Park which is a short walk from the city centre. 📸 My own. #RomanSiteSaturday #RomanBritain #StAlbans

The Canopus at Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli. Inspired by Egypt and adorned with Greek-style Caryatids, this 120-metre reflecting pool served as the Emperor’s ultimate summer dining spot. Hadrian and his guests would recline on a stibadium (a semi-circular couch) to dine.
#RomanSiteSaturday #history #Rome

Beautiful

If you aren't already subscribed to our YouTube channel, we're so close to hitting 400k subs, so if you consider yourself a friend of the show, give the channel a sub today: www.youtube.com/@restishisto...

Que maravilla!

A depiction of Aurora by Guido Reni

Guido Reni, L’Aurora, 1612-14 circa, Casino dell’Aurora Pallavicini, #Rome
#FrescoFriday #art

YouTube video by Lillo F. Guadalupi Eugenio Montale parla del suo incontro con Dylan Thomas

Montale talks about his encounter with Thomas in this video.
youtu.be/2jkaj0iM72Y?...
According to Montale he was so drunk he locked himself up in a wardrobe and refused to come out to meet him 😅

Head of Lucius Verus - Front

Head of Lucius Verus - Right side

Head of Lucius Verus - Left side

Portrait of Lucius Verus, 160-170 CE, Museo Archeologico di Palestrina.
#FindsFriday
#archaeology #history