Born into a life of privilege, Julia’s world was sent into a tailspin when Augustus executed her husband, accusing him of conspiring to overthrow his rule. Without the protection and political backing of a husband, Julia was vulnerable; elite women in Ancient Rome were expected to rely on a male guardian or husband to protect their interests and reputations.
The Forgotten Exile: Julia the Younger Read More »
At first glance, it would seem that Medusa, the mortal Gorgon with writhing snakes for hair, wide glaring eyes, and a protruding tongue, is
Mighty Medusa – Ancient Origins Edition Read More »
Everyone wants to lay claim to Medusa—the legendary mortal Gorgon with snakes for hair, whose petrifying stare would turn onlookers into stone. Psychoanalysts argue
The Maligning of Medusa Read More »
Who were the unsung heroes? Seldom seen and rarely heard in the hyper patriarchal ancient world, the only women written about were those who were maligned. Through extensive research and detailed analysis, Mary Naples has unearthed women’s stories chronologically beginning from the dawn of ancient Greece to the last vestiges of the Roman Empire.
Author Event with Mary Naples Read More »
At the legendary nuptials, the aroma of exotic spices and the sound of raucous laughter filled the air as guests were feted on savory
The Madness of Messalina Read More »
History has long been unkind to Fulvia (85/80 BCE-40 BCE)—the notoriously jilted wife whom Mark Antony abandoned for the Queen of the Nile. The
Fulvia: The “Fourth” Triumvir Read More »
The earth turned on its axis the day Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE) died. Notorious for his unrestrained aggressivity and hard drinking, it should have come as no surprise to the Greeks that Alexander the Great would not live to see old age. Yet when the warrior king died at the age of thirty-two, it left a power vacuum the likes of which the ancient world had never seen, resulting in widespread unrest and turmoil throughout Alexander’s vast empire.
“The First War Between Women”: Olympias and Adea Eurydice Read More »
It is no wonder that Alexander the Great (356 BCE–323 BCE) was often mistaken for a god; he modeled his life on nothing less.
Of all the unhappy couples in Greek literature perhaps the unhappiest is that of the Olympian first couple themselves. As the goddess of marriage,
Hera: Suppression of the Native Queen Read More »
The streets of Rome were drunk and riotous with delight in the summer of 29 BCE on the final, most opulent day of Octavian’s three-day-long
Cleopatra Selene: A Dynasty’s Last Breath Read More »
