The Roman home front

Our first encounter with Romans is often a film or TV series depicting soldiers marching in armour, being tough, shouting and thrusting a sword into some barbarian in a dark, wet and enemy-infested wood. Or perhaps we think about the ruins left of magnificent imperial or public buildings?

But what about the calmer side of […]

Black Friday? Cyber Monday? Wind back 2000 years to Ancient Rome

Campus Martius Rome, AD 300 (reconstruction)

Shopping is a national obsession in many countries and December is the peak of the frenzy. In a way it’s a sign of the relative wealth of 21st century people, but in another it plays to the instincts of acquisition and somewhere in the lizard brain, survival. […]

Roman dishwashing

Ancient Roman kitchen (Museum of London reconstruction) Author photo

Our dishwasher broke down this week and we think the culprit is the electronic control panel. The technician is calling today. (See updates at the end!)

Now washing and rinsing by hand – glass, cutlery, crockery, kitchen casseroles, pots and pans – provoked thoughts […]