Images & Maps by Episode

Rome’s territory on the cusp of Civil War between Pompey and Caesar.

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus!

How we imagine him as a young man, and rising star, after he chased the Marians out of Sicily and Africa.

Site of the final, decisive battle between Pompey and Caesar.

Spartacus, on the eve of his final battle against Crassus, as imagined by Matteo, using ChatGPT.  Love it!

Where we believe Spartacus came from near the River Stymon.

This is more than a trifecta, this is a quadra-fecta, with Crassus we enter the Republic’s endgame with these four epic, unforgettable characters.

Mr. Crassus himself.  We see a poker face, no indication of insatiable greed here?

Crassus, as we imagine him, on the eve of Carrhae, death, and gold down the throat…

The box formation that Crassus opted for on the eve of war with Parthia.

The location of the battle between Rome and Parthia at Carrhae that spelled Crassus’ demise.

Quintus Sertorius! Before he lost an eye in the Social War.

Dude! Sertorius swimming across the Rhone in full armor, his first moment in which he emerges into the spotlight of history.

Sertorius took control of both Roman provinces of Hispania.

Sertorius, created by @LostRomanHeroes with ChatGPT, as we imagine him towards the end of his remarkable run in Hispania…

This is the man in question, Mr. Sulla.  Even without a nose, you can tell this is not someone to be trifled with.

With the help of Dall-E (ChatGPT) this is how we imagine Sulla after the Battle at the Colline Gate.

The Roman Pomerium, the original border of Romulus’ city, expanded for the first time since the founding of the Republic by Sulla.

The organization of the Roman legionary system.

The Eastern Mediterranean on the eve of the First Mithradatic War.

The man himself, Gaius Marius!  General, statesmen, and unprecedented 7-time Consul. (From Wikipedia).

The timeline of Marius’ remarkable life. (From Wikipedia)

Map of Italy during the Social War, with red areas indicating Roman-held/allied and green areas indicating areas held by insurgents / anti-Roman coalition. (From Wikipedia)

The Scipio family tree with the red line tracing the descent from Scipio Africanus to Tiberius Gracchus.

Tiberius Gracchus, looking quite tame?  Don’t let looks deceive you, though he was not known for being a melodramatic orator, he was one of the original populist firebrands.  

Cornelia Scipio, daughter of Africanus, mother of the Gracchi, the ideal embodiment of female Roman virtues and the first woman to have a status of her erected in the Forum.

The areas where archaeologists have confirmed lands impacted by Gracchus’ land commission.

Map of the Western Mediterranean prior to the Third Punic War.

Bronze of Scipio Aemelianus (from Wikipedia).

The Scipio family tree, with Africanus in yellow, and Scipio Aemilianus in green.  No other family came close to dominating the politics of the Republic like the Scipiones! Tracing in blue how Aemilianus could simultaneously be grandson of Paullus, the Consul at Cannae, as well as the adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus!  (Image from Wikipedia)

Scipio Aemlianus and Polybius before the ruins of Carthage (from Wikipedia).

Palpatine! Oops, we meant Cato the Elder!  Striking resemblance, no?

Another image of Scipio Africanus.

Scipio’s path to Africa.

The land-route to Zama!

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus

HANNIBAL!

The battle at Cannae.

The stage for the second Punic War.

The Cunctator standing in the gardens of Vienna's  Schönbrunn Palace. 

Rembrandt's rendering of Quintus Favius Maximus and the Roman legions.

Hannibal counting captured rings from the Roman commanders he slew at Cannae.

Marcus Atilius Regulus.

Queremes in the largest naval battle in history, Cape Ecnomus, between Rome and Carthage in the First Punic War.

Roman and Carthaginian territory BEFORE the First Punic War.

Roman and Carthaginian territory AFTER the First Punic War.

Corvus in the battle where he earned his Cognomen.

Not easy finding images of Corvus, but you get the sense from this one that he was built like a tank.  Little weird.

Zooming in on Campania and site of Corvus’ two great victories over the Samnites.

Rome’s expansion across Italy, including the expansion that came after the first Samnite war in which Corvus starred.

This is the man, Marcus Furius Camillus, yet another Dictator, and second founder of Rome.

Rome’s neighbors in Camillus’ life, and the Etruscan territories where he first made his name.

Brennus!!  Enough said.

What is left of the Tapeian Rock on the Capitoline Hill where Manlius (and many others) were cast to their deaths.

The Rome of Cincinnatus with location of the Aequians.

The senatorial delegation visiting Cincinnatus on his farm to give him the news that he had been appointed Dictator.

George Washington as Cincinnatus in sculpture by Cannovo.  Washington is penning his farewell speech at the end of his second term as President.  Not every day you see Washington dressed as a Roman general!

Portrait of Lucius Junius Brutus on a denariusminted by Marcus Junius Brutus in 54 BC

"The oath of Brutus" by François-Joseph Navez

Lucius Junius Brutus’ family tree showing the family link to the last King of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus.

Lucretia, by Rembrandt  (1664). This painting follows the likes of other iconic depictions: Lucretia clutching the dagger moments before she takes her own life, from Wikipedia.

Map of City of Rome circa 500BCE (from r/Mapporn on Reddit)

Map of Rome’s area of influence during the reign of Tarquinius Superbus (~500BCE), from Wikipedia.

Talk about a crazy genealogy.  Last episode we covered Aeneas of Troy.  This episode, we cover his great great great++++ grandson, according to the Romans.  Did they actually believe this?  Perhaps not, but it is the story that they told themselves, and for that reason, it is exceptionally relevant.

Romulus, Remus and the she-wolf that suckled them, the iconic image.

An image of Romulus on an ancient coin, circa 56BCE (from Wikipedia), some 700 years after the founding of Rome, and his death, if he ever actually existed.

A 3D laser scan image showing the location of the tomb (in yellow) buried beneath the steps to the Curia Julia, or Senate House, in the Roman Forum. (Image credit: Parco Colosseo), believed by the ancient Romans to be the burial site of Romulus.

Map of the region of Troy, showing as well Aeneas' homeland, Dardanus, to give a sense of the physical connection between the two principalities.  The Romans refer to Aeneas as Trojan, but Homer called him a prince of Dardanus (from Wikipedia).

Aeneas fleeing Troy, carrying his father (hope I look that muscular when I am his dad's age). (from Wikipedia)

• File:Aeneas and his Father Fleeing Troy by Simon Vouet, San Diego Museum of Art.JPG

 Lapyx removing an arrowhead from the leg of Aeneas, with Aeneas's son, Ascanius, crying beside him. Antique fresco from Pompeii (from Wikipedia).

• Naples National Archaeological Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Aeneas' family tree showing his descendants all of the way to Romulus, Remus and the founding of Rome (from Wikipedia).