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On this day in AD 30, the Roman emperor Nerva was born in Narnia.

That’s the the Italian town of Narnia, in Umbria, of course.

On this day in AD 12, Caligula was born

Text by Annabel Rock-Clarke Image © Mint Imperials Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was born in Antium on the 31st August AD 12. He is more commonly known as Caligula. He was the son of the extremely popular general, Germanicus, a nephew of Augustus who was adopted by the emperor Tiberius but died young at age 34, …

On this day in AD14 Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, died aged 76 (Part II)

Text by Mike Welbourn Image © Mint Imperial In the first part we looked at Augustus’ rise to power. In this second part, we look at his time as emperor. Augustus thus came to enjoy an unassailable and unimpeachably legal pre-eminence. Beyond establishing a long period of peace and stability after decades of civil war, Augustus undertook …

On this day in AD14 Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, died aged 76 (Part I)

Text by Mike Welbourn Image © Mint Imperial In this first part we look at Augustus’ rise to power. In the second part, we will look at his time as emperor. Augustus had risen to power in the aftermath of the assassination in 44 BC of his great-uncle and adoptive father, the dictator Julius Caesar. In concert with Marc Antony, …

On this day in 48 BC was the Battle of Pharsalus

The battle was fought between the forces of Julius Caesar – who only nineteen months earlier had marched on Rome and installed himself as master of the city – and the Republican armies under Pompey the Great.

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.