Ancient Romans once valued literature and public reading, yet over time, access to books declined dramatically. This video ...

If you were to visit a bookshop in the ancient world, what would it be like? You don’t just have to imagine it. The ancient Roman writer Aulus Gellius, who lived in the 2nd century CE, gives us a ...

The figure of the Roman emperor still conjures up an array of familiar images, monuments and (often sordid) tales. These bygone rulers feature in our films; their portraits line our museums; and ...

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. There’s an often-stated, invented fact that men think about sex ...

The classicist Mary Beard examines the excesses and tedium of imperial rule, sorting fact from gossip and tall tales. By Jennifer Szalai When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our ...