Curated playlist
Ancient Romans in Britain
- Constantius ChlorusThe Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus never heard the name Chlorus. Byzantine-era historians coined it after he died.
- Theodosius ITheodosius I was the last Roman emperor to rule the whole empire alone.
- Constantine the GreatConstantine, the first Christian Roman emperor, was baptized only on his deathbed.
- CaracallaRoman emperor Caracalla was stabbed by a soldier while stopping to urinate on a road. He had turned 29 that very day.
- VespasianEmperor Vespasian taxed urine, then held a coin under his son's nose and asked if it smelled.
- Septimius SeverusIn 193, soldiers at Carnuntum acclaimed Septimius Severus emperor after Rome's guard killed Pertinax.
- JuvenalJuvenal never mentions exile in his Satires, yet every surviving biography says he was exiled.
- ClaudiusA soldier found Claudius hiding behind a curtain and declared him emperor.
- TitusEmperor Titus reportedly died saying, "I have made but one mistake." No one agrees what it was.
- FrontinusFrontinus began fixing Rome's water supply by ordering maps of every aqueduct. They showed pipes tapped by thieves.