Filicide in ancient Rome One of the main characters in my novel is Marcus, the errant son of a proud Roman. Twenty-three-year-old Marcus is far from home and the clutches of his controlling father. Unfortunately for him, this doesn’t mean that he can do whatever he likes. In antiquity, the paterfamilias, the head of the Roman
The omnipotent paterfamilias Read More »
Etiquette in Xerxes’s court Trigger warning: This post contains graphic descriptions of punishment and mentions genocide. Persian kings liked to impale their enemies, including those at court. The simplest faux pas, like failing to honour a superior, could see you skewered. Someone with irreverent humour and who can’t be bothered with formalities, like me, would
Queen Esther and the Persians Read More »
Fighting Roman oppression Trigger warning: this post includes graphic depictions of the Roman occupation of Jerusalem, war and suicide. The Roman oppression of Judea and the surrounding lands isn’t an inherently funny topic, but hey, let’s try to find a joke or two in my research about it. After all, when life gets rough, a
The road to Masada Read More »
Fashion faux pas in ancient Rome Fashion trends are increasingly embracing all genders, but one or two conservative monocles might still pop out at the sight of a Western man strutting around without his trousers. Conversely, in ancient Rome, one or two monocles (rock crystal lenses?) might have popped out at the sight of a
The very short tunic Read More »
Birth control in antiquity Trigger warning: This post discusses abortion which may be distressing for some readers. It also contains some gory details about surgery and the effects of medicines, and might therefore not be for everyone. My maternal grandmother wanted to be an architect. Post WWII, she became a housewife and mother; I never
The empty clay uterus Read More »
Ritual sacrifice in Second Temple Jerusalem I want to preface this post about Jerusalem’s second temple, one of the greatest in antiquity, by saying that I’m not a reverent person. Two thousand years ago, I might have thought “Ooh, a fashion parade!” as the High Priest changed vestments five times on Yom Kippur. I might
Eating in ancient Rome Whenever people talk about reincarnation someone is convinced that they were Cleopatra. They’re thinking: All the signs are there – I like diadems, powerful Romans, and will exit this world with dramatic flair by engaging the bitey services of a massive cobra. (Hear me out, I’ll get to Roman food in
The cured sausage is almost immortal Read More »
