1 April
A prominent general of the Late Roman army, Majorian deposed Emperor Avitus in 457 and succeeded him. Majorian was one of the last emperors to make a concerted effort to restore the Western Roman Empire. Possessing little more than Italy, Dalmatia, and some territory in northern Gaul, Majorian campaigned rigorously for three years against the Empire’s enemies. Continue reading “457 – Majorian is acclaimed emperor by the Roman army”
27 November
Maurice Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus 539 – 27 Nov 602 was Byzantine Emperor from 582 to 602. Maurice was murdered on this day in 602. It is said that the deposed emperor was forced to watch his six sons executed before he was beheaded himself. Empress Constantina and her three daughters were spared and sent to a monastery. Continue reading “602 – Emperor Maurice is executed”
There appears to be a direct connection between the Roman goddess Juno and Roman coinage, Continue reading “The goddess Juno and the currency of Rome”
4 October – On this day
The first full modern English bible was published in 1535 Continue reading “1535 – First full (modern) English language Bible published”
21 September – On this day
Publius Vergilius Maro, better known as Virgil died in Brundisium harbour Continue reading “19 BC Virgil Dies”
18 September – On this day
Nerva was an interesting choice of emperor, an aged senator it seems likely that he was chosen to take over as his life expectancy wasn’t long Continue reading “AD 96 Nerva becomes emperor”
Domitian was drawn into a war against the Dacians, who inhabited the area of modern day Romania. The Dacians who had been in Rome’s cross-hairs since the time of Caesar had crossed into the Roman province of Moesia and killed the Moesian governor Oppius Sabinus. Continue reading “Domitian’s Dacian War”
Domitian was said to have been desperate for military glory. Continue reading “AD 82/83 Domitian’s War against the Chatti”
14 September – On this day
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington born 1 May 1769 died on this day in 1852. He was a soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of 19th century Britain. His defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 put him in the top rank of Britain’s military heroes. He was Duke of Wellington in Somerset, United Kingdom. Continue reading “1852 – Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington”
An opportunity for anyone who is interested in the search for fossils to take part in an exciting new project Continue reading “New online fossil finding project”
Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network (CITiZAN) is a community archaeology project Continue reading “Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network looking for volunteers”
Mummies can be found all over the world and Papua New Guinea is no different. Continue reading “Papua New Guinea cliffside mummies”
1 September – WWII
Adolf Hitler, the great gambler, invades Poland ostensibly to recover territory lost to Germany after the Great War and in doing so begins the Second World War. Continue reading “1939 – Germany invades Poland”
31 August – On this day
Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus, better known as Commodus was born in Lanuvium the son of the warrior-philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius. Continue reading “AD 161 – Commodus born”
