General
Discovered in 1799, this slab of granodiorite was the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, as it featured the same text in three different scripts.
Rosetta Stone
He was the archaeologist who, in the 1860s, revolutionised the excavation of Pompeii by introducing a system of pouring plaster into the voids in the hardened ash left by decomposed bodies, creating haunting casts of the victims.
Giuseppe Fiorelli
These state-owned serfs, or slaves, massively outnumbered the Spartan citizens and worked the land, allowing the Spartiates to focus exclusively on warfare.
Helots
Agrippina the Younger was a direct descendant of this first Roman emperor, both through her father Germanicus (his adopted grandson) and her mother Agrippina the Elder (his biological granddaughter).
Augustus
Who is Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa?
This lifelong friend, loyal general, and son-in-law of Augustus was responsible for many of Rome's most famous public works, including the original Pantheon, and was a key architect of the victory at Actium
This Chinese dynasty, which began in 221 BCE, was the first to unify the country and is the origin of the name "China." Its first emperor is famous for the Terracotta Army.
Qin Dynasty
This pungent, fermented fish sauce was a cornerstone of the Pompeian economy. Evidence of its production, including jars bearing the name of industry leader Aulus Umbricius Scaurus, is found throughout the city.
garum
This was the rigorous, state-sponsored education and training regimen mandatory for all male Spartan citizens, designed to turn them into elite warriors.
Agoge
This was Agrippina's third and final husband. She married him in 49 AD, a politically ambitious move that made her Empress and positioned her own son to succeed him.
Claudius
What is Princeps?
The title meaning "First Citizen" or "First Man of the State," which Augustus adopted to maintain the appearance of republican government while exercising supreme authority.
He was the Carthaginian general who famously led an army, including war elephants, across the Alps to invade Italy during the Second Punic War.
Hannibal Barca
His two detailed letters to the historian Tacitus provide the only surviving eyewitness account of the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius, which killed his famous uncle.
Pliny the Younger
This council of elders, composed of 28 men over the age of 60 plus the two kings, held significant judicial and legislative power in the Spartan state.
Gerousia
Who is Seneca the Younger
This influential Stoic philosopher was recalled from exile by Agrippina to become the tutor for her young son, a strategic move to shape the future emperor's education and allegiances.
What is the First Settlement?
In this constitutional arrangement of 27 BC, Octavian officially returned power to the Senate and people of Rome, in return receiving the titles Augustus and Princeps.
This formidable Greek city-state was known for its militaristic society, where boys were trained from a young age to be warriors.
Sparta
The well-preserved temple dedicated to this Egyptian goddess in Pompeii demonstrates the popularity and integration of foreign mystery cults in Roman religious life.
Isis
Who is Lycurgus?
He was the legendary lawgiver credited with creating the militaristic social and political institutions of Sparta, transforming it into a formidable fighting force.
The ancient historian whose "Annals" provide one of the most detailed, though often hostile and critical, accounts of Agrippina's life and political machinations.
Tacitus
Augustus formed this political alliance with Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus in 43 BCE to defeat the assassins of Julius Caesar.
Second Triumvirate
This early system of law from ancient Mesopotamia, one of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length in the world, is known for its "eye for an eye" principle.
Code of Hammurabi
Essential to Roman daily life, these public complexes included rooms like the apodyterium (changing room), tepidarium (warm room), and caldarium (hot room).
thermae
This major religious festival, held in honor of Apollo, involved dancing, feasting, and choral performances, and once caused the main Spartan army to arrive late to the Battle of Marathon.
Karneia
What is Augusta?
Agrippina's powerful influence is demonstrated by the honorific title bestowed upon her by the Senate, meaning "Mother of the Fatherland," a female equivalent of Pater Patriae.
What is the Res Gestae Divi Augusti
This autobiographical inscription, meaning "The Deeds of the Divine Augustus," was posted on his mausoleum and throughout the empire, serving as a final piece of propaganda about his achievements.