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Detail of sacrificial bull from fresco of Jason and Pelias, Roman, 1st century AD (no later than 79 AD) Casa di Giasone, Pompeii (IX, 5, 18-21, triclinio f) Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli, Salla LXIX (inv. 111436) Detail in a fresco depicting Jason and Pelias: a young man leading a bull to sacrifice. This is the moment that King Pelias, not seen here, stands on the steps of the temple and recognizes Jason by his single sandal. The bull looks shocked!

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Bronze statue of Apollo from Pompeii. National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy.

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Huge tile mosaic made in Tusculum, 3rd century AD.

Vatican Museum

Photo courtesy Kathleen Phipps

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Marble bust of Cicero, 1st century BC, Capitoline Museums, Rome

"Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system. " ― M. Tullius Cicero

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Theatre of Marcellus

Rome, July 2019

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Roman mosaic, 2nd century AD, depicting a choir of children singing sacred songs, from the Temple of Diana Tifatina, now Basilica of Sant'Angelo in Formis, Capua. Italy.

Museo Provinciale Campano di Capua.

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A pair of glass amphoriskoi, Roman, 2nd century AD

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But this April 21st is different. There will be no celebration. Pope Francis died at 7.35 am local time

April 21st, Rome's Birthday

A day like today , Romulus became the first king of Rome, founding the city on the Palatine Hill. Beyond legend, archaeological excavations date the first settlements to the same period on the Palatine Hill there were already cabins and a wall.

Romulus and Remus in the She-Wolf's House on the Grand-Place in Brussels. Photo by EmDee- CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED-Wikimedia Commons

Like every April 21st, today there is a great celebration in Rome.

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Beautiful detail in Stabian Baths, Pompeii.

Photo courtesy Carlo Raso

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Baths of Caracalla Rome, Italy

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Antony also writes to Augustus himself in the following familiar terms, when he had not yet wholly broken with him privately or publicly: "What has made such a change in you? Because I lie with the queen? She is my wife. Am I just beginning this, or was it nine years ago? What then of you — do you lie only with Drusilla? Good luck to you if when you read this letter you have not been with Tertulla or Terentilla or Rufilla or Salvia Titisenia, or all of them. Does it matter where or with whom you take your pleasure?" Suetonius-Life of Augustus (69, II)

The letter mentioned by Suetonius, reminded me of James Purefoy as Antony, his sarcasms and arguments with Octavian (Simon Woods) in the series Rome.

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"A nation can survive its fools, and even its ambitious. But it cannot survive betrayal from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself." ― Marcus Tullius Cicero

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Roman mosaics in Villa of Noheda. Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha. Spain.

Large mosaics from the ancient Roman province of Hispania, represent Greek myths such as Paris, Pelops, Hippodamia, and boxing fighters, among other mythological scenes.

During the farm work by the Lledó family, owner of the land, a piece of a roman mosaic was uncovered. Exploration began in 2005. It is now an archaeological site open to the public since 2019.

As has always happened, the discovery was by chance. It doesn’t matter which former territory of the Roman Empire you’re living in: something Roman can turn up anytime, anywhere, including the basement of your own home.

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This incredible roman mosaic depicting Orpheus was found in Caesaraugusta (my hometown, the actual Zaragoza). It was one of the most important decorations from the triclinium of a house that dates between the II and III century. As it was common in his representation, the mythical musician appears enchanting with its voice a diverse group of animals (including some fearful ones like a snake,a tiger or a lion). The technique used was opus tessellatum and in this case the mosaic reached nine meters of height.

The figure of Orpheus and the religious/philosophical movement of Orphism is certainly inspiring and meaningful for me. It's associations with magic, Dionysos, the worship of chthonic deities and the practice of vegetarianism together with purifying rites evoke sweet feelings in my heart. The fact that in my region they were mosaics of Dionysos, Bacchus and Orpheus makes me not only happy but also more deeply in love with my land. Not in a nationalistic way, but in a spiritual and emotional one. I'm intrigued by the people that lived here before me, by their beliefs, by their different cultures and languages. And, somehow, all of this erases the sense of loneliness in my mind .

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Open work gold ring, Roman Egypt, 1st century AD

from The Art Institute of Chicago

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CAESAR'S FINAL ROUTE, Virtual Tour - Ancient Rome in 3D

It's astonishing how an assassination committed more than 2,000 years ago continues to fascinate everyone, to the point where we can now watch a meticulous recreation of Caesar's final steps as if it were a shocking event that happened last year.

The 'History in 3D' team has received awards. Their work is based on rigorous archaeological and historical research.