All articles tagged with #roman society
In ancient Rome, gladiators were sometimes seen as symbols of tyranny, representing the power and control exerted by the ruling class over the populace. This perspective highlights the complex social and political dynamics of Roman society, where public spectacles were used to reinforce authority and distract from political issues.
A new DNA analysis of victims from the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii challenges long-held assumptions about their identities and relationships. The study reveals that individuals previously thought to be related, such as a mother and child or sisters, were not genetically related, and some were misidentified in terms of gender. This suggests a more complex social structure in Pompeii and highlights the genetic diversity of its inhabitants, who were mainly descended from recent immigrants from the eastern Mediterranean and Near East. The findings urge caution against imposing modern biases on ancient contexts.