Roman Roads Press Blog

Author: Valerie Abraham

Roman Speed Dating

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

Welcome to #ClassicalClickbait, incredible stories from antiquity that still astound us today! Follow the Classical Clickbait Twitter or Facebook for more #ClassicalClickbait! [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he first settlers of Rome—all men—were at a loss to find wives, and eventually turned to some rather desperate measures to make sure they each got a wife! Learn in this clip how they tricked the neighboring Sabine tribe into coming over for a feast, and then carried off the women to make them their wives! Eventually, the fathers and brothers of the wives attacked the Roman men to get the women back, but were in for a surprise from the women they … Continue Reading “Roman Speed Dating”

A total weirdo was hanging around Penelope’s palace…When I saw who he was? MIND. BLOWN.

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

Penelope was a tragic war-widow…or was she? Will this mysterious stranger’s secret change everything she thought she knew? Odysseus has returned home at long last to Ithaca, his own island, after twenty years of war and wandering. But chaos reigns at home! While he’s been gone, a multitude of suitors, hoping to claim his throne, are pursuing the hand of Odysseus’ wife, Penelope. Penelope has held out these twenty years, but is running out of ideas to keep the suitors at bay as she wonders if her husband will ever return, or if he is long-dead. As she gives her … Continue Reading “A total weirdo was hanging around Penelope’s palace…When I saw who he was? MIND. BLOWN.”

Five Important Women of the Reformation You Should Know About

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ost Christians have heard the names of John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Knox, and other giants of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. But there are many, many other men and women who worked to advance the cause of the Reformation! It is my pleasure to introduce you to five extraordinary women of the Reformation! Each of these women played an important role, either in disseminating the ideas of the Reformation, or using their political power to protect the preachers and teachers of these ideas. Marguerite de Navarre (1492-1549) — The Diplomat Marguerite de Navarre was truly a Renaissance woman. Born … Continue Reading “Five Important Women of the Reformation You Should Know About”

Scribenda: A Summer Essay Contest

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

Ready, set, Scribenda! Put your thinking cap on, and write an essay in answer to the question below! The winning essay answering the question will be featured in the first issue of our magazine, Aristeia, and receive hardback, bilingual, Loeb Editions of The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid, as well as a $50 Amazon gift card! Question: “DO WE EVER OUTGROW FAIRYTALES?” How to enter: Share this post on your own Facebook or Twitter account. Get out your quills, typewriters, or iPads, and write away! Submit your essay by email to info@romanroadsmedia.com with subject line “Essay Entry” no later than August 31 at 11:59 pm (PST). EXTENSION: September 7th deadline! Parameters: Open to all high … Continue Reading “Scribenda: A Summer Essay Contest”

Why Christians Should Celebrate Halloween

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he origins of Halloween are often confusing, but there is evidence of some clear influences. Traditionally, Halloween is thought to have arisen from three sources: The pagan celtic holiday Samhain The Roman festivals of Pomona and Feralia Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day. Let’s look at each of these festivals. Celtic Samhain [dropcap]S[/dropcap]amhain was something of a combination of a harvest festival and a day of the dead for the Celts of Britain and northern France. As counterpart to the May festival, Bealtaine, which ushered in the summer months, Samhain announced the coming of winter, and thus a kind of death … Continue Reading “Why Christians Should Celebrate Halloween”

7 Ways Henry V was a Christian King

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

The Mirror of all Christian Kings Was Henry V a “Christian King?” William Shakespeare, in his play Henry V, seems to say “yes!”. There is a famous line in the play which calls Henry “the mirror of all Christian kings.” What does Shakespeare tell us about his ideals of kingship through Henry V? Let’s look at some examples: He is valiant. We began to see this in Henry IV Part One, when Henry is wounded, he keeps fighting. In Henry V, he courageously leads his men, both at Harfleur and Agincourt. He sends away the French herald who has come to … Continue Reading “7 Ways Henry V was a Christian King”

The Chrysler Motor Company and Classical Art

by Valerie Abraham on Posted on

The Benefits of a Classical Education for…Car Design? We can see the influences of ancient classical art all around us, from the symmetrical lines of early 19th century architecture and the imposing columns on government buildings, to the classically inspired clothing of Jane Austen’s day. But have you ever heard of a classically-inspired car? I certainly hadn’t! However, while doing work for a project, I came across this 1929 Chrysler car advertisement: Yes, in the 1920s, Chrysler decided to look forward by looking back to the classical age for inspiration in the design of their elegant new Coupe. In this … Continue Reading “The Chrysler Motor Company and Classical Art”