Online event: Let's time-travel back to Ancient Rome + Film + Talk + Social

Well it's time to go on our travels again! Today we are going to time travel back to Ancient Rome!

Bit of background: As legend has it, Rome was founded in 753 B.C. by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars, the god of war. Left to drown in a basket on the Tiber by a king of nearby Alba Longa and rescued by a she-wolf, the twins lived to defeat that king and found their own city on the river’s banks in 753 B.C. After killing his brother, Romulus became the first king of Rome, which is named for him. A line of Sabine, Latin and Etruscan (earlier Italian civilizations) kings followed in a non-hereditary succession. There are seven legendary kings of Rome: Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tullus Hostilius, Ancus Martius, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus (Tarquin the Elder), Servius Tullius and Tarquinius Superbus, or Tarquin the Proud (534-510 B.C.). While they were referred to as “Rex,” or “King” in Latin, all the kings after Romulus were elected by the senate.

Rome’s era as a monarchy ended in 509 B.C. with the overthrow of its seventh king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, whom ancient historians portrayed as cruel and tyrannical, compared to his benevolent predecessors. A popular uprising was said to have arisen over the rape of a virtuous noblewoman, Lucretia, by the king’s son. Whatever the cause, Rome turned from a monarchy into a republic, a world derived from res publica, or “property of the people.”
Rome’s military conquests led directly to its cultural growth as a society, as the Romans benefited greatly from contact with such advanced cultures as the Greeks. The first Roman literature appeared around 240 B.C., with translations of Greek classics into Latin; Romans would eventually adopt much of Greek art, philosophy and religion...

We will learn how the Romans really lived - there's some surprising revelations...😉

For our social afternoon: to start we will see a short film, then I will introduce you to some images & objects (with a slideshow) from the period that are part of the British Museum collection. There are 19 items. We'll then finish off with another short film.

As usual afterwards we'll have a social chit-chat, feel free to have coffee'n'cake or a glass of Vino! 🍷🍰☕

To attend in the first instance RSVP. You do not need a Zoom account. But to stop Zoom bombers (persons hijacking the event - doing weird things). All you have to do is click on the location link and enter the meeting password: 349694 - Please log in around 5 minutes before it starts.

We have a form of etiquette, for example when you first enter the 'meeting room' you will be muted, I will unmute you as we start. However, when you are not speaking it is recommended that you mute yourself - this is so that others do not get a lot of background noise.

Hope to see lots of you there :)