Jessica Suess
@jessica-suess

Jessica SuessBrazil

Member since Sep 25, 2023

About Jessica Suess

Jessica holds a BA Hons in History and Archaeology from the University of Queensland and an MPhil in Ancient History from the University of Oxford, where she researched the worship of the Roman emperors. She worked for Oxford University Museums for 10 years before relocating to Brazil. She is mad about the Romans, the Egyptians, the Vikings, the history of esoteric religions, and folk magic and gets excited about the latest archaeological finds.

Education

MPhil Ancient History

University of Oxford (2007)

BA Hons History & Archaeology

University of Queensland (2004)

Areas of Expertise

HistoryAncient HistoryRoman HistoryNorse MythologyThe VikingsAncient EgyptFolk Magic
Ancient Greek pottery art beside a romantic classical painting.

7 Ancient Greek Poems That Will Change Your Mind About Love and War

These ancient Greek poems about love and war feel surprisingly modern in sentiment. From Sappho to Archilochus, this is the raw side of classical literature.

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Aerial view of Giza pyramids and Cairo cityscape

What Did the Ancient Egyptian Actually Call the Pyramids?

The word pyramid comes from ancient Greek; the Egyptians had unique sacred names for each of their mighty pyramids.

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Ancient Egyptian papyrus depicting the Opening of the Mouth ceremony.

How Egyptian Priests Prepared a Mummy for the Afterlife

How did priests prepare the bodies of the dead, creating Egypt's famous mummies? Discover the art of ancient Egyptian mummification.

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Roman lararium fresco paired with a bronze bust.

The Secret Rituals of the Roman Household Cult

Religion permeated every aspect of Roman life, starting in the home. Families undertook daily rituals to domestic deities to protect and help the household.

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Two Roman gold coins showing profile portraits.

Why the Flavian Emperors Were the True Saviors of Rome

While the Julio-Claudians established imperial Rome, it was the Flavians who saved Rome from a failing monarchy and laid the foundations for the Golden Age.

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Caesar Crossing the Rubicon

How Julius Caesar Crossing the Rubicon Shattered the Roman Republic

The moment Caesar crossed the Rubicon with his troops in 49 BC, the Roman Republic was dead. But the Republic was already on the road to self-destruction.

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colosseum inaugural games spectacles

The Colosseum’s Inaugural Games: 100 Days of Spectacles in Ancient Rome

If you were in Rome for the inaugural games of the Colosseum, what kinds of spectacles and entertainment could you expect to see?

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Roman Empire Provinces

How Rome Ruled Its Massive Provincial Empire

As Rome conquered new lands and people, it created provinces as administrative units to manage its expanding territory and population.

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Roman general Gaius Marius

How Gaius Marius Rewrote the Rules of the Roman Republic

Gaius Marius was one of the Republic’s great military heroes with incredible success in the Jugurthine and Cimbrian wars, but his career ended in controversy.

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Why Artemis Mandated the Sacrifice of Princess Iphigenia at Aulis

Why Artemis Mandated the Sacrifice of Princess Iphigenia at Aulis

Before the Greeks set off for Troy, the goddess Artemis traps the Greek fleet in a windless sea at Aulis until King Agamemnon sacrifices his daughter, Iphigenia.

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Why the Gods Forgave Agamemnon but Condemned Clytemnestra

Why the Gods Forgave Agamemnon but Condemned Clytemnestra

When Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia, he was following the mandate of the goddess; when Clytemnestra killed him in vengeance, she was condemned by the divine.

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Roman marble bust overlaid on a classical painting

Why Cato the Elder Fought to Save Rome From Foreign Luxury

Cato the Elder (234-149 BC) was a Roman statesman who came to embody “Roman Virtue” as he opposed growing Greek cultural influence and “decadence.”

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