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On this day in AD306 the emperor Constantius I died in York

His troops, rather than await a new leader to be appointed for them, hailed the emperor’s son Constantine as Augustus but it was not until 324 that he would gain control over the entire empire.

Tonight in AD64 the Great Fire of Rome started

On the night of the 18th July, AD 64, in the reign of the emperor Nero, the Great Fire of Rome broke out. It raged for six days and seven nights destroying more than half of the city; many citizens were killed and many survivors lost everything.

Happy Birthday Julius Caesar! Part II

The date is not absolutely certain, and the year is subject to slight question but… happy birthday from us, nonetheless!

Happy Birthday Julius Caesar! Part I

The date is not absolutely certain, and the year is subject to slight question but… happy birthday from us, nonetheless!

On this day in AD138 the Emperor Hadrian died and was succeeded by Antoninus Pius.

Coming to the throne in 117, Hadrian was the third of the so-called ‘Five Good Emperors’, who were known for their peaceful and prosperous reigns. Hadrian was also well known for his love of learning and his extensive building works; he was especially loved by the Greeks, who named him as the second founder of the city of Athens because of his many building projects there.

On this day in AD175 Commodus took the toga virilis, the sign he had entered adulthood

The denarius shows Apollo leaning on a column, a type known only under this emperor.

On this day in AD69 Vespasian was acclaimed emperor by his troops in Judaea

This sestertius beautifully illustrates Vespasian’s distinctive portraiture.