Hello fellow history enthusiasts! 

I hope this message finds you well. I am excited to announce that I am in the process of building a website dedicated to Roman history (https://romanempirehistory.com/), and I am in search of some engaging and intriguing topic ideas to feature on my platform. Since this community is filled with individuals who share a passion for history, I thought it would be a great place to brainstorm some ideas and get your input.

Here's a little background on my website project: I've always been fascinated by the rich and complex history of ancient Rome. From its legendary founding to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, there are countless aspects of Roman history that deserve exploration and discussion. My goal is to create a platform that not only educates but also sparks curiosity and discussion about this incredible civilization. As some of you might have seen in the news lately, a recent surge of interest in the Roman Empire seems to have emerged, and I would love to take part in bringing it to the fore. 

So, what I'm looking for are suggestions for topics, themes, or specific subjects within Roman history that you find particularly fascinating or believe would captivate a broader audience. Whether it's a lesser-known event, a remarkable figure, or a unique aspect of Roman culture, I want to hear your thoughts!

To get the brainstorming started, here are a few ideas that have crossed my mind:

1. The Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar: A Tragic Hero's Journey
2. Daily Life in Ancient Rome: Uncovering the Secrets of Roman Civilization
3. The Roman Colosseum: Gladiators, Spectacles, and Engineering Marvels
4. Women in Ancient Rome: From Empresses to Everyday Life
5. The Roman Republic vs. The Roman Empire: A Comparative Analysis

Of course, these are just starting points, and I'm open to any and all suggestions. Whether it's a topic that's been explored extensively or one that's rarely discussed, I believe that every facet of Roman history has its unique story to tell.

So, if you have any ideas, questions, or insights related to Roman history that you'd like to share, please don't hesitate to respond to this post. Your input will be invaluable in shaping the content of my website, and I'm truly grateful for any contributions you can provide.

Thank you in advance for your help, and I can't wait to embark on this exciting journey of uncovering the wonders of Roman history together!

Best regards,
Frode Osen

Hello Frode. I like your website! 

If you’re looking for further topic ideas then I notice that you mention ‘infrastructure’ a couple of times on the site such as in the What Was the Roman Empire Known For? section when you mention ‘its vast network of roads and advanced infrastructure’. The infrastructure part is certainly something which could be developed as a topic. The civil engineering achievement which went into building any one of the many aqueducts around the empire, for instance, was simply phenomenal and wouldn’t be replicated for well over 1000 years.  As a child I was taken on a trip to see the ruins of the Aqueduc de Gier at Chaponost near Lyons in France and was thrilled to think just how old they were. On reflection it was probably that which sparked my interest in history. Little did I know then that there are other much better preserved Roman aqueducts elsewhere in France and also in Iberia, Italy and the Balkans etc. Some of them were still serving purpose in the 19th Century and some even into the 20th Century. 

So, yes, Roman infrastructure – roads, aqueducts, baths and sewers etc - would be a great topic. Best of luck with the site!

I did Latin at school and university, but it is so long ago now I don't remember much of it. But I am sure there was plenty of Latin literature you could find. Poetry and prose. Catullus is one example. And Ovid.

Vizzer wrote:

Hello Frode. I like your website! 

If you’re looking for further topic ideas then I notice that you mention ‘infrastructure’ a couple of times on the site such as in the What Was the Roman Empire Known For? section when you mention ‘its vast network of roads and advanced infrastructure’. The infrastructure part is certainly something which could be developed as a topic. The civil engineering achievement which went into building any one of the many aqueducts around the empire, for instance, was simply phenomenal and wouldn’t be replicated for well over 1000 years.  As a child I was taken on a trip to see the ruins of the Aqueduc de Gier at Chaponost near Lyons in France and was thrilled to think just how old they were. On reflection it was probably that which sparked my interest in history. Little did I know then that there are other much better preserved Roman aqueducts elsewhere in France and also in Iberia, Italy and the Balkans etc. Some of them were still serving purpose in the 19th Century and some even into the 20th Century. 

So, yes, Roman infrastructure – roads, aqueducts, baths and sewers etc - would be a great topic. Best of luck with the site!

Indeed, I fully agree that infrastructure would be an interesting topic to cover in more detail, especially the Roman baths, aqueducts, and roads. Thank you very much for the suggestion, Vizzer!

Caro wrote:

I did Latin at school and university, but it is so long ago now I don't remember much of it. But I am sure there was plenty of Latin literature you could find. Poetry and prose. Catullus is one example. And Ovid.

Ah, Latin literature is an interesting one! I was thinking of going into primary sources, but featuring some other texts will also make up for some nice articles. From a history class, I remember there was actually a Roman novel about a man who turns into a donkey, and then he has this epic journey or something, haha. Maybe that could be a starter!

Frode, if you are considering infrastructure, I seem to recall we had a short discussion on this site some time back regarding vending machines.  I was surprised to learn there were such machines in Ancient Rome.

LadyinRetirement wrote:

Frode, if you are considering infrastructure, I seem to recall we had a short discussion on this site some time back regarding vending machines.  I was surprised to learn there were such machines in Ancient Rome.

Oh wow, that would be a fun one to delve into, haha! It's pretty insane how many of our modern appliances were invented in some form back in the days. Thanks for mentioning this one! :)

I remember a discussion on the lack of technological development within the Roman Empire and that the empire was at about the same level of technological development at the demise of the Western Empire c475AD as at its foundation c25BC.

By comparison there were very significant technological developments during the period of late medieval Europe c1000AD to c1500AD - for example, gunpowder, printing and oceanic voyages.

Frode, on the 'World's Oldest Beer Factory' thread, Vizzer alludes to mention of one of the Plinys made to making beer in Roman times (I know that Pliny would have had a difficult time mentioning it in any other era of time!!).

LadyinRetirement wrote:

Frode, on the 'World's Oldest Beer Factory' thread, Vizzer alludes to mention of one of the Plinys made to making beer in Roman times (I know that Pliny would have had a difficult time mentioning it in any other era of time!!).

Haha, that's fascinating!    We hear a lot about the Romans' penchant for wine, but BEER, that might be a nice topic to research and write on. Thank you very much for the suggestion!  

Frode Osen wrote:

LadyinRetirement wrote:

Frode, on the 'World's Oldest Beer Factory' thread, Vizzer alludes to mention of one of the Plinys made to making beer in Roman times (I know that Pliny would have had a difficult time mentioning it in any other era of time!!).

Haha, that's fascinating!    We hear a lot about the Romans' penchant for wine, but BEER, that might be a nice topic to research and write on. Thank you very much for the suggestion!  

In Rome at the time of Pliny beer was half the price of even bad wine and so was generally only drunk by the poor or by immigrants who perhaps hankered after a taste of home - anyone with the slightest pretensions towards sophistication drank wine. Beer, typically brewed from barley or rye, had of course been widely drunk in Egypt and the Near East for millenia before the rise of Rome. The Ancient Egyptians had similarly been making wine from dates for a long time. The Romans were also familiar with mead brewed from honey, which they called aqua mulsa, although they generally considered this a drink of the rural countryside, better suited to the rustic honey god, Liber, than to the sophisticated and urbane wine-drinking Bacchus. However I don't think they had much experience of cider or other tree-fruit wines before Caesar's conquest of Brittany (Armorica) in 44BC (I think he mentions it in his 'Conquest of Gaul').

Lady in Retirement wrote:

Frode, if you are considering infrastructure, I seem to recall we had a short discussion on this site some time back regarding vending machines.  I was surprised to learn there were such machines in Ancient Rome.

The Greeks at about the same time, when they were part of the Roman Empire or maybe a bit before, also had pay-by-distance taxis and hire-cars, that is carts that could be hired (with or without a driver) containing a mechanical system linked to the axel that dropped a token from one box into another for each mile travelled. At the end of the journey the boxes were opened and you were charged depending on how many tokens had been transferred. A thread about surprisingly "new" ideas that in fact were already in use in ancient Rome might be worth pursuing.

Meles meles wrote:

Frode Osen wrote:

LadyinRetirement wrote:

Frode, on the 'World's Oldest Beer Factory' thread, Vizzer alludes to mention of one of the Plinys made to making beer in Roman times (I know that Pliny would have had a difficult time mentioning it in any other era of time!!).

Haha, that's fascinating!    We hear a lot about the Romans' penchant for wine, but BEER, that might be a nice topic to research and write on. Thank you very much for the suggestion!  

In Pliny's time beer was half the price of even bad wine and so was generally only drunk by the poor or by immigrants who perhaps wanted a taste of home - anyone with the slightest pretension towards sophistication drank wine. Beer, typically brewed from barley or rye, had been widely drunk in Egypt and the Near East for millenia before the rise of Rome. The ancient Egyptians had also made wine from dates. The Romans were also familiar with mead brewed from honey, which they called aqua mulsa, although this was more suited to the rustic honey god, Liber, than to the sophisticated wine-drinking Bacchus. However I don't think they had much experience of cider or other tree-fruit wines before Caesar's conquest of Brittany (Armorica) in 44BC (I think he mentions it in his 'Conquest of Gaul').

Lady in Retirement wrote:

Frode, if you are considering infrastructure, I seem to recall we had a short discussion on this site some time back regarding vending machines.  I was surprised to learn there were such machines in Ancient Rome.

The Greeks at about the same time, when they were part of the Roman Empire or maybe a bit before, also had pay-by-distance taxis and hire-cars, that is carts that could be hired (with or without a driver) containing a mechanical system linked to the axel that dropped a token from one box into another for each mile travelled. At the end of the journey the boxes were opened and you were charged depending on how many tokens had been transferred. A thread about surprisingly "new" ideas that in fact were already in use in ancient Rome might be worth pursuing.

Thank you very much! I didn't know this about Roman-time taxis, haha!