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 amount of booty to their own sodiers. More than a thousand years later, Shakespeare introduced Macbeth as a violent and brave warrior when the Thane of Ross calls him "Bellona's bridegroom", placing her as the equivalent of Mars himself.Tune in!

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 was also known as an early exponent of dirty warfare who relied heavily on poison and other covert operations

However, this same lady also survived political dangers and retained her husband's loyalty despite the fact that, for a long time, she was unable to provide him with healthy sons. Fredegund also developed innovative methods of assassination and was evidently compelling enough to persuade even monks and priests to join her causes. She was honored by her husband, accumulated great fortunes, put her son on his throne, and died a natural death. After her death, her son later honored her by punishing her enemies.

Tune in!

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 ancient world is also surprisingly, and in some cases chillingly, similar with what we see today.Tune in!

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," even though they fall far short of those of Mithridates. She "spoke most languages," according to him, and only a small number of foreign ambassadors received an audience with her through an interpreter.

It was likely her amours with Caesar, and later Antony, were conducted in Greek, which would in turn tell us that both Julius Caesar and Antony could speak Greek as well as Latin, as well as both of them being comfortable enough with the Greek language to be able to romance the Egyptian queen.

Tune in for more polyglots and language learning in the ancient world.

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. The two eagles crossed paths over Delphi. Zeus marked the spot in which the paths of his eagles crossed with a large, egg-shaped stone called the omphalos, which means "navel". The ancient Greeks revered this site as the centre of the world, as indicated by the Omphalos stone monument found on the site, and it has since been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its immense influence in the ancient world.Tune in!

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, usually out of love, helps a hero in his quest. One of them is Ariadne. Ariadne is a princess and daughter of King Minos of Crete. Her father ordered the creation of a labyrinth. In the the center of this maze is the Minotaur, Ariadne’s half-brother. Ariadne falls in love with the young hero Theseus, who is due to enter the maze. Before Theseus enters the maze, Ariadne gives him a ball of string to help him find his way out.

After Theseus kills the Minotaur and escapes from the maze, he takes Ariadne as his bride and they sail back to his home. However, before reaching their destination, they stop at an island. Fatigued, Aridane falls asleep and then left on the island by Theseus. Thus the powerful woman who helped the hero and sacrificed her own family is diminished to a state of powerlessness.

The story of Medea, another “helper maiden”, follows in similar vein, but with starkly different ending.

Tune in!

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 pregnant), his final wife Statilia Messalina, and his scandalous relationships with the men Pythagoras and the tragic Sporus (whom he castrated and “married” as a Poppaea lookalike), Nero’s romances were as dramatic and destructive as his reign.

We explore how these relationships reflected the toxic intersection of absolute power, imperial insecurity, and personal desire — and why they continue to fascinate us today.

If tales of forbidden love, dangerous ambition, imperial excess, and the personal cost of power captivate you, my debut novel Clotho Unbound dives deep into similar themes of divine politics, forbidden passion, and resistance against tyrannical control. In its pages, Clotho — the Fate who has spun death for Zeus across the ages — becomes entangled with Aphrodite in stolen, blasphemous nights that make the Loom of Fate itself tremble. Their love is treason. Their passion could unravel destiny.

Clotho Unbound is out now — order your copy today on Amazon

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. From Drusilla’s rumored closeness with her brother to Agrippina the Younger’s ruthless rise to power as mother of Nero, their stories reveal the dangerous realities faced by women of the imperial family and the heavy cost of proximity to absolute power.

We explore how these three sisters embodied both the glory and the curse of their legendary bloodline.

If tales of formidable women, dynastic ambition, palace intrigue, and the complex bonds of family captivate you, my debut novel Clotho Unbound dives deep into similar themes of powerful women, forbidden connections, and resistance against tyrannical control. In its pages, Clotho — the Fate who has spun death for Zeus across the ages — becomes entangled with Aphrodite in stolen, blasphemous nights that make the Loom of Fate itself tremble. Their love is treason. Their passion could unravel destiny.

Clotho Unbound is out now — order your copy today on Amazon

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 political ambition to their union. Together they produced Caligula, who inherited both the magnetic charm and the dangerous intensity of his parents — with tragic and terrifying results.

We explore how this powerful parental legacy, combined with the toxic environment of Tiberius’s court, helped forge one of history’s most notorious rulers.

If stories of charismatic leaders, formidable women, dynastic ambition, and the dangerous inheritance of power fascinate you, my debut novel Clotho Unbound weaves similar threads of divine politics, forbidden love, and resistance against tyrannical control. In its pages, Clotho — the Fate who has spun death for Zeus across the ages — becomes entangled with Aphrodite in stolen, blasphemous nights that make the Loom of Fate itself tremble. Their love is treason. Their passion could unravel destiny.

Clotho Unbound is out now — order your copy today on Amazon

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-Claudian dynasty. Yet his promising life was cut short in 23 CE amid the deadly palace intrigues of his father’s court, with Sejanus and others suspected of poisoning him to clear their own path to power.

We explore why this virtuous prince was overshadowed, what his death reveals about the toxic environment of Tiberius’s reign, and how the loss of “Castor” accelerated Rome’s slide into tyranny.

If stories of forgotten heirs, imperial betrayal, family tragedy, and the brutal cost of power intrigue you, my debut novel Clotho Unbound dives deep into similar themes of divine politics, forbidden love, and resistance against tyrannical control. In its pages, Clotho — the Fate who has spun death for Zeus across the ages — becomes entangled with Aphrodite in stolen, blasphemous nights that make the Loom of Fate itself tremble. Their love is treason. Their passion could unravel destiny.

Clotho Unbound is out now — order your copy today on Amazon