News
Pet Monkeys Were Popular in Ancient Rome, Burials Reveal
The recent archaeological discovery also deepens our understanding of trade networks between India and the Roman Empire.
Sarah Bond
Sarah E. Bond is an associate professor of history at the University of Iowa. She blogs on antiquity and digital humanities, and is the author of Strike: Labor, Unions, and Resistance in the Roman Empire (Yale University Press, February 2025).
News
Nearly Intact Roman Shipwreck Rests Just Six Feet Beneath Mallorca’s Waters
Discovered in 2019, the 1,700-year-old merchant ship reveals details about early Christian trade.
Opinion
The Arch of Trump’s Triumph and Downfall
Triumphal arches have been used for imperialistic ends since Roman antiquity, and the president’s latest proposal is no exception.
Features
Our Enduring Fascination With Ancient Roman Baths
From a mosaic of flip-flops in Sicily to Cicero's possible sauna, new discoveries prove that bathing has always been about more than getting clean.
Features
An Ancient Roman Guide to Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook
The authors of a new anthology argue that we can understand and counter authoritarianism’s rapid expansion today by looking at culture in the time of Julius Caesar.
Opinion
Why Does Elon Musk Have Such a Straight View of Antiquity?
Musk and other conservatives often omit the role of queer soldiers in ancient military successes when extolling the virtues of Greek warriors.
Book Review
Why Are We Still Obsessed With Pompeii?
In The Buried City, the director of the archaeological park brings a more humane and soulful version of the site to life.
Features
New Research Shows Slavery’s Outsized Role in Pompeii’s Economy
It was the violent profitability of slavery as an exploitative labor system that allowed for the region to prosper, the study demonstrates.
News
Archaeologists Reconstruct the Scents of Ancient Mummification
A new study underscores the ubiquity of pleasant smells attached to commonly displayed objects, like sarcophagi and wrappings used in mummified remains.
Art
The Revisionist History of the Nazi Salute
Elon Musk’s defenders were quick to claim that his hand motion was actually an ancient “Roman salute” — but that gesture never existed.
Art
Uncovered Medieval Tattoos Flesh Out a Misunderstood Practice
Archaeologists discovered the second known example of Medieval Nubian tattoos in Sudan, bringing us closer to unraveling the art form’s longer history.
Art
Top 10 Archaeology Stories of 2024
From nationalist ancient bread and unearthed cities to protecting cultural heritage, archaeologists brought a wealth of stories to light in what has been a dark year.