Domina Tempora

In battle, Telesilla was formidable. In his Mulierum Virtutes (“Bravery of Women”), Plutarch tells us that in 494 BC, when king of the Spartans Cleomenes I moved his troops against the city of Argives after killing many of the Argaean men, the younger women of Argives rose up to hold off the enemy for their country’s sake. Led by Telesilla, the women took up arms and guard the walls all around the...

The ancient Greeks loved the theater and ancient Greek actors enjoyed a position of eminence and respect. In contrast, although entertainment and drama were similarly adored in Ancient Rome, theater performers were often belittled by higher society and also perceived as morally unclean. The emperor Tiberius, who ruled Rome from 14 to 37 AD and not the most morally upstanding man himself, urged tho...

Richard Wagner’s 19th century opera, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of Nibelungen), affectionately known as The “Ring” Cycle, may be considered by many as the height of operatic absurdity, with larger than life staging, costumes and voices. The image is so ingrained in the modern consciousness that opera lovers and non-lovers alike associate the opera, specifically the character of Brunhilde, w...

In his History, Livy reported that during a critical part of the battle against the Samnites in 296 BCE, the general Appius Claudius was seen in the front lines raising his hands as he uttered a prayer, “Bellona, if you grant us victory today, I promise to build you a temple.” This prayer was proven to be effective as the Romans proceeded to capture and plundered the Samnite camp, giving a massive...

Fredegund (545 - 597 CE), the queen consort of Chilperic I - the Merovingian Frankish king of Soissons, has a reputation of being one of the most bloodthirsty and sadistic women in history. Accounts by Gregory, the Bishop of Tours (539 - 594 CE), depict her as a murderous lady who achieved power through her husband and used it to keep his kingdom in a state of war for more than forty years. She wa...

Many indications of a celebrity culture already existed since classical antiquity. The Ancient Greek and Roman world gave us many individuals who were celebrities in their day and whose careers provide us with what we recognize today as different aspects of the modern celebrity culture such as endorsements, groupies and 15 minutes of fame - albeit without the terminology. The price of fame in the...

Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC) could speak nine languages, according to Plutarch, and rarely needed an interpreter for diplomatic purposes. Although her native language was Greek, she was known to also speak the Egyptian language perfectly, which was apparently a rare accolade for Egyptian rulers of the time. Plutarch calls Cleopatra's accomplishments "very extraordinary," e...

The ancient Greek city of Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, was home to the main temple of Apollo and the renowned Delphic oracle. According to legend, the site was found by Zeus, the King of the Gods, who sought to find the centre of the earth goddess Gaia, or his "Grandmother Earth". Zeus then sent two eagles flying from the eastern and western extremities of the earth....

In his Argonautica , ancient Greek author Apollonius of Rhodes gives us a rather romantic introduction of Medea as a young woman desperately in love. Unfortunately, this introduction quickly takes on a sinister turn and casts Medea as one of the most famous and controversial figures in Greek mythology. In ancient heroic stories, a helper-maiden is typically personified as a young woman who, usuall...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we examine Emperor Nero’s turbulent love life — a chaotic blend of power, passion, jealousy, and violence that shocked even the jaded elite of Rome. From his loveless political marriage to Octavia (whom he forced to suicide), to his deep attachment to the former slave Acte, his murderous passion for the ambitious Poppaea Sabina (whom he kicked to death while pre...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we turn the spotlight on the remarkable and tragic lives of Agrippina the Younger, Drusilla, and Livilla — the three daughters of the beloved Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, and the sisters of the infamous Emperor Caligula. These imperial princesses navigated the deadly intrigues of the Julio-Claudian court with intelligence, ambition, and fierce loyalty. Fr...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we examine the explosive blend of traits that defined one of Rome’s most infamous emperors — Caligula — and the legendary parents who shaped him. Germanicus, the beloved golden prince and brilliant general, captured the hearts of Rome with his charisma and military victories. His wife Agrippina the Elder, fiercely loyal and unyielding, brought unbridled fury and...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we shine a light on Drusus the Younger — Tiberius’s only natural son, affectionately nicknamed “Castor” by the Roman people — the capable prince who was largely erased from history. A respected military commander known for his integrity and popularity with the legions and the public, Drusus represented the best hope for a stable succession in the early Julio-Cla...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we explore why twins have fascinated and unsettled humanity for millennia — from the divine Gemini Castor and Pollux, inseparable yet divided by mortality, to the countless twin myths that echo across cultures. We examine how these legendary brothers, born of Zeus and Leda, embodied the eternal tension between mortal and immortal, loyalty and rivalry, protection...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we descend into the misty forests and ancient fountains of medieval Europe to uncover the enigmatic legend of Melusine — the beautiful fairy with two serpent tails, spirit of fresh water, builder of castles, and mysterious ancestress of kings. Born of the fairy Pressyne and cursed by her mother to transform into a serpent (or fish) from the waist down every Satu...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we dive into the sacred, surprising, and sometimes terrifying world of ancient hygiene — where cleanliness was far more than physical. Water was a divine force of purification, capable of washing away both dirt and spiritual pollution, while the humble latrine held its own powerful guardians and lurking dangers. From Egyptian priests bathing multiple times daily...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we spread our wings into the shadowed realm of the owl — a creature of night, mystery, and duality that has haunted and inspired humanity for millennia. Regarded as the “monster of the night” and harbinger of death by Pliny and many ancient cultures, the owl was linked to desolation, ill omens, and the underworld. From the ukuku of Sumerian curses and Phoenician...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we explore the dangerous, glittering world of child emperors — infants and teenagers who sat on thrones while others truly ruled. From frightened toddlers crowned in grand ceremonies to boys who grew into legendary conquerors, these stories reveal how fragile power can be when placed in small hands. We meet the outrageous teenage Emperor Elagabalus of Rome, a bo...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we unleash the wild, sacred power of the Maenads — the raving priestesses and fierce warriors of Dionysus, god of wine, ecstasy, vegetation, and divine madness. Adorned with ivy, snakes, and panther skins, these women were far more than “mad” followers. They were holy initiates who danced in frenzied ecstasy to the thunder of drums, performed miracles that summo...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we follow the daring tricksters and rebellious heroes who stole fire from the gods — that most sacred and dangerous element — to place its creative and destructive power into human hands. From the Titan Prometheus, who defied Zeus by smuggling heavenly fire to humanity in a hollow reed, only to suffer eternal torment as an eagle devoured his regenerating liver,...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we uncover the ancient obsession with blond hair — a shimmering symbol that has represented divinity, erotic rebellion, political power, and dangerous desire for thousands of years. From the golden tresses of Aphrodite and Freyja, to the fair-haired gods and heroes of Homer, Hesiod, and Pindar, blonde hair was repeatedly linked to the divine. Sculptors like Phei...

In this episode of Domina Tempora , we step into the radiant and ruthless light of Apollo — the eternally youthful god who embodied the Hellenic ideal, yet whose arrows could bring both healing and devastating plague. Far more than the charming patron of music, poetry, and prophecy, Apollo is a god of striking polarities. He is the protector of children and young men, the gentle teacher of Chiron,...

Long before therapists’ couches or self-help books, music was the original soul-medicine — a divine force capable of shaping character, harmonising societies, and even bending the fabric of reality itself. In this episode of Domina Tempora , we journey across ancient civilisations to uncover how music was revered as far more than entertainment. From the earliest playable flutes unearthed at Jiahu...

In this episode of Domina Tempora, we descend into the shadowed throne room of Olympus to examine Hera — not as the bitter scold of popular retellings, but as the fierce guardian of marriage, sovereignty, and divine order. From her ancient roots as a powerful pre-Hellenic goddess to her relentless pursuit of those who threaten the sacred bonds she protects, Hera reveals herself as a force of unyie...

The Greek goddess of love has always been far more than just beauty and desire. In this episode we explore Aphrodite beyond the familiar image of the sea-born beauty celebrated in classical art. From her widespread cult worshipped by prostitutes and magistrates, virgins and soldiers, to her roles as patroness of marketplaces, police officials, and military harmony, Aphrodite emerges as a powerful...