The White Queen, the Life of Elizabeth Woodville
The Wars of the Roses produced some spectacularly divisive characters. Elizabeth Woodville belongs near the top of the list. As befits the era, she was beautiful, ambitious, and politically astute.
Category: History
Tarquin the Proud: Rome’s Last King and the Birth of the Roman Republic
Rome had seven kings. The last one was so awful that Romans spent the next 500 years treating monarchy like a contagious disease. Tradition blamed one man above all: Lucius
Infamous Murders of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty
Rome was a beacon of power, law, and civilization. It was also a place where people happily watched gladiators butcher each other, packed public executions, and generally had a fairly
Caracalla and Geta: Rome’s Most Infamous Fratricide
Mommy knows best. Julia Domna thought a private meeting might finally force her sons to make peace. Instead, Geta died in her arms. Roman emperors killed plenty of relatives. Sons,
Power Women of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty
Roman history is packed with important figures. The men usually get all the glory. But the women? Just as interesting, and often for very different reasons. Some operated behind the
Was Claudius’ Rise to Power a Coup?
Caligula was dead. The Senate was scrambling to decide Rome’s future. Meanwhile, the Praetorian Guard found Claudius hiding in the palace, acclaimed him emperor, and marched him off to their
Who Killed Germanicus? The Mysterious Death of Rome’s Golden Prince
Germanicus was the most dashing young man in Rome. He was enormously popular, heir to Tiberius, and destined to become the next emperor. He and his wife Agrippina the Elder
Livia Biography: Was Empress Livia Really a Murderer?
How much of the woman we think we know is actually Livia, and how much is I, Claudius? Was she the great spider at the center of the Julio-Claudian web, quietly
Otho: From Nero’s Drinking Buddy to Roman Emperor
Otho looked like exactly the wrong man to save Rome from chaos. He was a pampered court dandy, Nero’s drinking buddy, and a man who seized the throne through murder.
Elagabalus: Rome’s Most Scandalous Emperor
Falling rose petals. Extravagant banquets. An oversexed teenage emperor who was determined to shock Rome at every turn. Almost overnight, Elagabalus upended religious convention. Temples were stripped of sacred relics.