Rome thrived on clientela — a social network of patrons and clients. A patronus (patron) would offer protection, favors, or financial support to his clientes (clients), who in return offered loyalty, political support, or labor. Success in Rome depended on having powerful allies. Young ambi

Success in ancient Rome did not come easily, but for those who understood how the Roman system worked — its values, its politics, its economy, and its intricate web of patronage — it was possible to rise from humble origins to great power. From the Republic to the Empire, Roman society o

The Spanish Empire, deeply influenced by Catholicism and the belief in providential history, often interpreted its expansion as part of a divine plan. Just as ancient Greeks sought guidance from the Oracle before embarking on major undertakings, so too did Spanish monarchs believe their conquests we

The ancient sanctuary of Delphi, nestled on the slopes of Mount Parnassus in central Greece, was once the most sacred place in the Greek world. Revered as the center of the Earth, it was home to the Oracle of Apollo, whose cryptic prophecies shaped the decisions of kings, generals, and city-states f