This book examines the biography of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It seeks to further understand the author of the Historia Augusta alongside the reminiscences of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Geoff W. Adams arrives at this understanding through a study of a wide range of literary texts. Marcus Aurelius was a very important ruler of the Roman Empire, who has had an impact symbolically, philosophically, and historically upon how the Roman Empire has been envisioned. Adams achieves this end to bring a clearer understanding to his representation and to modern interpretations of his highly interpreted and romanticized representations in the ancient texts.

This book examines the biography of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It seeks to further understand the author of the Historia Augusta alongside the reminiscences of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Geoff W. Adams arrives at this understanding through a study of a wide range of literary texts. Marcus Aurelius was a very important ruler of the Roman Empire, who has had an impact symbolically, philosophically, and historically upon how the Roman Empire has been envisioned. Adams achieves this end to bring a clearer understanding to his representation and to modern interpretations of his highly interpreted and romanticized representations in the ancient texts.

This work establishes the various perspectives surrounding and emanating from the Roman Emperor Commodus. Included are an in-depth analysis of his major influences as a child/youth, particularly in relation to his family, as well as a discussion of the influences that had occurred in Rome and while in the provinces, despite the frequent denial of any positive attributes towards him within the works of many late Republican authors. Adams analyses the progression of influences and events throughout the life of the infamous emperor in order to clearly establish Commodus' perspectives about not only the Principate, but also how his role within Roman society was clearly influenced by the ideals of his more well-received predecessors (the 'Five Good Emperors' - Edward Gibbon). It is intended that this work will not only appeal to an academic audience but also interested students and laymen who have an interest in one of the most intriguing and infamous characters of the Ancient World.

The central focus of this research (covering the period from the middle of the Second Century BC to the middle or late Second Century AD) concerns the form and function of suburban villas and their meaning within Roman society. The research reveals that these buildings served a unique role within the community, portraying an appearance of leisure and culture to the wider community and yet maintaining an intimate connection with the city centre. For the purpose of this study the region of central Italy has been chosen, concentrating on two regions; the political capital at Rome and the vicinity around the Bay of Naples (the centres of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae). These sites have been selected because of the wealth of archaeological and literary evidence centred upon this region. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which covered a wide area, including Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae, has provided a unique location for analysing the architecture, decoration and lifestyles of Roman residences. This region was of great social importance to the political leaders of Rome, allowing an in-depth understanding of the domestic residences of many of the highest political leaders during the period. The literary evidence shows that the regions around Rome and the Bay of Naples had many villas owned by leading Roman citizens, and by examining these structures it is possible to gain a greater understanding of their lifestyles and the social climate within the upper strata of the community.

This study, focused on Gloucestershire, investigates the effect of Roman occupation on native religious practice. It examines the architecture and location of villas and Romano-Celtic temples, finding them to be closely associated. Indeed it appears that the more wealthy and Romanised villa sites are, the more likely they are to have a Romano-celtic temple site in close proximity. Roman customs were thus predominantly adopted by the local aristocracy, both as a means of exerting their own power and status, and to secure the backing of the Roman administration.

Following on from his earlier 2006 work on the suburban villas of Campania, Geoff Adams here turns his attention to the villas of the suburban environs of Rome itself. He uses both literary and archaeological evidence, but his principal method of enquiry is via a statistical survey of the architecture of the villas. Of particular interest are the ratio's of public to private space, and the percentages of space set aside for leisure and entertainment. Other types of villas (rural, urban, coastal) are also assessed, in order that the particular social functions of the suburban villa may be discerned.

The Roman Emperor Gaius 'Caligula' and his Hellenistic Aspirations examines one of the most notorious of Roman Emperors in light of his rather unconventional upbringing in the Eastern Provinces of the Roman Empire. The study has sought to use the ancient evidence in order to reassess the context in which the young Gaius Caligula was raised particularly in relation to the influence of his father, Germanicus.

One of the most significant features in the suburbium of Roman cities throughout Italy were the villae suburbanae. Modern scholarship has undertaken a large amount of research into the residential properties and lifestyles of the Roman nobility, and the Roman villa has been a prime subject area in this regard. But villae suburbanae have only received limited detailed analysis from these scholars. To this end, this study examines both the literary and archaeological evidence relating to villae suburbanae in an effort to gain a better understanding of this type of residence. The first fundamental feature of this investigation is to understand these buildings within their social and geographical context. The second feature is the method employed to interpret the social aspects of villae suburbanae, which utilises statistical analysis to determine the percentage of space allocated for potential entertainment.

For one of the most isolated provinces in the Roman Empire, the archaeology of Roman Britain has been one of the most researched areas. However, the coverage is not complete and this study focuses on one of the neglected areas what the tombstones of Roman Britain reveal about epigraphy, gender and familial relations throughout the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. Much of this study refers to the Romanisation of Britain during this period of time. Chapter 1 looks at the social significance of tombstones and burial customs; Chapter 2 contains the analysis by categorization of gender and age; Chapter 3 details the dedicators of Romano-British tombstones; Chapter 4 discusses the epigraphic and artistic significance of the tombstones; Chapter 5 details the materials and dimensions. There are six data Appendices presenting the chronological analyses, and separate studies of civilian and military tombstones.