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These sites contain information about ancient Rome, Julius Caesar, or some of both. Please be aware that Julius Caesar lived in the Late Republic period of Rome's history (he died in 44 B.C.), so information about life in the Roman Empire may not entirely apply to Caesar's time specifically.

• Roman Names
  An enlightening explanation of those otherwise mindboggling three-part Roman names.
• Romanae Antiquae
  "An informal look at the lives of women in ancient Rome."
• Ancient Roman Recipes!
  Yum, yum! Find out what the well-fed Roman citizen was eating at the Lupercal. (Don't know if I'd be brave enough to try these at home . . . might be safer to stick with spaghetti.)
• Roman Calendar
  Find out what might have been happening today in ancient Rome.
• Roman Ball Games
  Bottom of the ninth, the Conspirators down by two as Brutus steps to the plate... Well, ok, maybe not. But interesting just the same.
• Roman Board Games
  Grab the knuckle bones and a few friends, and find out what Romans did for fun on Friday nights!
• The Private Life of the Romans
  A classic text from the early 20th century, covering just about everything you could think to wonder about concering life in ancient Rome, courtesy of The Forum Romanum. Be sure to check out their other resources while you're there.

• Dead Romans
  Don't panic—no bodies that I could find...there is, however, a pretty cool virtual tour of some monuments, as well as an explanation of Roman coinage.
• The Law of the Twelve Tables
  Read the legal document that helped make the Roman Republic what it is, er. . . , was, um, yesterday.
• Learning To Read Rome's Ruins
  Part of the Library of Congress Vatican Exhibit, this site contains documents penned by Renaissance scholars as they rediscovered ancient Rome.

Here are a few classic films you might want to take a look at. When available, you'll find links to information at the Internet Movie Database, Turner Classic Movies, and possibly a movie trailer.

• Quo Vadis? (1951)
  Roman general Marcus Vinicius falls in love with a Christian, Lygia, and is ultimately thrown to the lions by the crazed Emperor Nero in this classic Hollywood Roman epic. Peter Ustinov steals the show as the unbalanced emperor.
• Julius Caesar (1953)
  Marlon Brando was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Mark Antony in this film. It also features James Mason as Brutus, a young John Gielgud as Cassius, and Louis Calhern as Caesar. We'll see some of this in class, never fear.
• Ben-Hur (1959)
  When a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge. This film swept the Academy Awards in 1960, netting Charlton Heston a Best Actor Oscar for his role as Judah Ben-Hur. Its Oscar for Best Special Effects owed much to the famous chariot race sequence.
• Spartacus (1960)
  The slave Spartacus leads a violent revolt against the decadent Roman empire. This classic starred Kirk Douglas as the rebellious slave, Jean Simmons as the lovely Varinia, and Tony Curtis as, well..."I'm a singer of songs, and I juggle." Peter Ustinov shows up again as another decadent Roman, this time running off with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
• Cleopatra (1963)
  The film that made Egypt all the vogue in the sixties, and was evidently almost one of the great disaster stories of cinema history. A host of greats in this one: Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, Richard Burton as Mark Antony (was this the film that made them an item? I can't quite remember.), Rex Harrison as Julius Caesar (although I keep waiting for him to try to strike up a conversation with local fauna, or correct Cleopatra's diction...), and Roddy McDowell as Octavian.
• Julius Caesar (1970)
  A more recent version of Shakespeare's play, with an all-star cast that kind of falls flat: John Gielgud's back, this time on the other side of the knife as Julius Caesar; Richard Johnson's Cassius is pretty good, and Heston does well as Mark Antony. (But why o why does he have to be so sweaty? Ugh.) Jason Robards, unfortunately, is a complete disappointment as Brutus. You won't find more a more zombie-like performance this side of Day of the Dead. My absolute favorites? A delightfully shifty Robert Vaughn as Casca, and hottie Diana Rigg (of The Avengers fame) as Portia.
• Titus (1999)
  This adaptation of Shakespeare's early play Titus Andronicus is one of the most disturbing and compelling things I've seen. A gory tragedy of revenge ending with madness and death and no winners—just horribly corrupted souls, maddened minds, and dismembered bodies. It's certainly not for the faint of heart, but I found the often surreal cinematography stunning. Features some folks you might know: Anthony Hopkins, Alan Cumming, and Jessica Lange.
• Gladiator (2000)
  A Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, and he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge. Russell Crowe won a Best Actor Oscar for his role as Maximus, Ridley Scott's Roman action hero. The film also carted away several other awards for Best Picture, Best Sound, Costumes, etc. etc.