Alex Gough author
LightNews LightNews
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
Alex Gough author
@alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
35 followers 50 following 48 posts
Author of Roman historical novels including the Mark Antony series, the Imperial Assassin series and the Carbo of Rome series.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Roman bronze figurine of a little mouse nibbling on bread!

Squeak squeak! 🐭❤️

Landesmuseum Württemberg, Stuttgart 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a small brown figurine of a mouse sitting on its haunches, on top of a smooth rectangular base. Cast from bronze, the mouse leans slightly forward. Between its front paws is a piece of bread which it is lifting up to its long pointed snout as if nibbling at the food.
December 9, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonmorton.bsky.social
Women as heroes. Opening any book plunges you into a new world and releases you from the confines of your place and time, whether as reader or writer, especially so for women. www.alison-morton.com/2018/03/12/w... #reading #bookworlds
December 3, 2025 at 4:35 PM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
My latest newsletter with some lovely mosaics!
open.substack.com/pub/gougha/p...
An update, an advert, and some beautiful mosaics
Issue 7.
open.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
fionawriter.bsky.social
Some lovely news overnight: a silver medal from The Coffee Pot Book Club!
A book cover: a shadowy figure against a Roman colonnade, sword in the background
December 1, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Something ancient and wonderful for the weekend! 🤩

The world’s oldest known sculpture of a horse!

This tiny figurine was carved from mammoth ivory by an Ice Age artist some 40,000 years ago!

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a profile view of a small horse figurine with head to the left, displayed against a dark background. Sculpted from mammoth ivory, the surface is a mottled greyish-earthy-brown colour with a shiny patina. It was once likely pale white in colour. It measures 2.5 cm height, 4.8 cm width, and 0.7 cm depth. The head is gracefully lowered with a long curving neck and a convex curved back. The four legs are incomplete. The top of the tail remains. The eyes, nostrils, and mouth are carved as indents. The ‘Vogelherd Horse’ was excavated in 1931, together with a number of other ivory animal figurines from the Vogelherd Cave, Swabian Jura, Germany. It is the oldest known sculpture of a horse. On display at the Museum of Ancient Cultures, at Hohentübingen Castle, Tübingen, Germany.
November 29, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Life on Rome’s northern frontier: a 1,900-year-old military memo in which a Roman soldier records the combat tactics of the Britons, who he refers to as ‘Brittunculi’ — ‘wretched Brits’! 😳

From Vindolanda, Northumberland, 📷 by me

#RomanFortThursday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a thin, rectangular, dark brown leaf of wood, which is broken in places. Across the surface are six lines of cursive Latin handwriting. The text is written in black ink which appears faded and faint. The Latin reads: nenụ ...[.]n. Brittoneṣ nimium multi ‣ equites gladis ‣ non ụtụṇtur equi- tes ‣ nec residunt Brittunculi ‣ ụt ‣ iaculos mittant Translated as: … the Britons are unprotected by armour (?). There are very many cavalry. The cavalry do not use swords nor do the wretched Britons mount in order to throw javelins. On display at the British Museum.
November 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonmorton.bsky.social
Are "what if" stories historical fiction? Some thoughts in this post. www.alison-morton.com/2015/09/16/a... #alternatehistory #historicalfiction
“What if” stories – historical fiction? | Alison Morton's Thrillers
'What if' stories fascinate us, especially about Ancient Rome. But are alternative history stories part of historical fiction?
www.alison-morton.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
fionawriter.bsky.social
A useful guide to gifts for #histfic fans
@thatphoenicia.bsky.social @elizabethrandersen.bsky.social @alexgoughauthor.bsky.social

fionaforsyth.substack.com/p/i-have-eno...
"I have enough books"
said nobody ever.
fionaforsyth.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:58 PM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
My latest newsletter is about the first British Emperor, Carausius, the pirate who took Britain out of Rome in the first Brexit.
open.substack.com/pub/alexgoug...
Carausius - the first British emperor or the first Brexiteer?
The usurper Carausius and the breakaway Britannic Empire
open.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:42 AM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
www.facebook.com/share/1Bt6if...
Redirecting...
www.facebook.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:19 AM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
Caesar's Soldier, first in the Mark Antony series, is on special offer for 99p! Get it now and you have time to read the first three books before the last one comes out next June.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0BX...
Caesar's Soldier (The Mark Antony Book 1) eBook : Gough, Alex: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
Caesar's Soldier (The Mark Antony Book 1) eBook : Gough, Alex: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
www.amazon.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 1:44 PM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
My latest substack on eating in Rome is out
open.substack.com/pub/alexgoug...
Gluttony and starvation in Ancient Rome
Issue 9. 14.10.25 (pridie Idus Octobres anno MMDCCLXXVIII A.U.C
open.substack.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Charming little octopus from a Roman villa at Villaquejida, León, Spain. Limestone, 2nd-3rd century AD.

Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid 📷 me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a mosaic fragment from the floor of a Roman villa in Spain, dated AD 100-200s. It depicts a cartoon-like, stylised octopus using red, yellow, white, and black limestone tesserae, against a white background. The front-facing octopus has a large red and white head/body outlined in black. Its yellow circular eyes are outlined in black with a central black dot. Below the head/body are eight writhing tentacles
September 30, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Spectacular octopus from the floor of the women’s changing room at the Central Baths in ancient Herculaneum.

This magnificent #Roman monochrome mosaic makes quite an impact!

📷 by me

#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a black and white floor mosaic with a depiction of a very striking octopus in the women’s changing room at the Central Baths in ancient Herculaneum. The octopus with eight writhing arms is composed of small black tesserae (tiles) laid in a white tesserae background
September 22, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonfisk.bsky.social
The amazing Roman pharos (lighthouse) at Dover, still standing after almost 2,000 years! 🤩

The tallest surviving Roman structure in Britain, and one of only three surviving lighthouses from the former Roman Empire! Dated 1st-2nd century AD.

📷 by me

#RomanSiteSaturday
#Archaeology
My photo shows the ruin of an eight-sided Roman brick lighthouse with four stepped levels. There is a doorway at ground level, above which, on the upper three levels, are narrow rectangular window openings. It stands 15.8 metres high and is 12.2 metres wide at the base. Roman fabric survives to a height of 12.5 m. The brickwork of the uppermost level was reconstructed for use as a church bell tower for the adjacent Anglo-Saxon church of St Mary in Castro of which a small portion can be seen in my photo on the right hand side. The Pharos is dated 1st century - early 2nd century AD and is one of a pair originally built on the headland flanking each side of the Roman port of Dubris (Dover). It now stands within the grounds of Dover Castle.
September 20, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
adamroberts.bsky.social
Oh yes: the link. This link includes all the other links, should you be interested.
end/
profadamroberts.substack.com/p/ledia-xhog...
Ledia Xhoga, ‘Misinterpretation’ (Daunt Books 2025)
‘Hello, Misinterpretation?’ ‘What do you mean, Misinterpretation?’ ‘I'm sorry, I have a cold.’
profadamroberts.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 6:17 PM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
My latest substack is about Sextus Pompey

open.substack.com/pub/alexgoug...
Sextus Pompey, admiral, pirate, underachiever.
Roman Lives, Life in Rome
open.substack.com
September 14, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Timeless humour!

A 2,000 year-old Roman souvenir pen with a joke inscription roughly equivalent to:

“I went to Rome and all I got you was this cheap pen!" 😂

Dated circa 70 AD, this iron stylus pen was recovered in London during excavations by MOLA.
📷 Juan Jose Fuldain/MOLA

#Archaeology
The photo shows four images of the same Roman iron stylus pen, one below the other. The knib to the left. It has an inscription which runs along its length on four sides. The four images show the four lines of inscribed text which read: ‘ab urbe v[e]n[i] munus tibi gratum adf(e)ro
acul[eat]um ut habe[a]s memor[ia]m nostra(m)
rogo si fortuna dar[e]t quo possem
largius ut longa via ceu sacculus est (v)acuus’ ‘I have come from the City. I bring you a welcome gift with a sharp point that you may remember me.
I ask, if fortune allowed, that I might be able (to give) as generously as the way is long (and) as my purse is empty.’ The pen was used to write on wax-filled wooden writing tablets. Found in London (Roman ‘Londinium’) by MOLA. Photo by Juan Jose Fuldain/MOLA
September 6, 2025 at 8:14 AM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
Finished going through my copyedits for Caesar's Nemesis. Thanks @steveeditor.bsky.social for a thorough job as usual. And yes I did read Marc Antoine in French!
September 4, 2025 at 5:59 PM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
Caesar's Avenger is only £1.09 on amazon right now! No idea how long the offer will last but go for it if you're interested in what happened to Rome after the Ides of March! www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BYP3ZS6M
The Mark Antony
Visit Amazon's The Mark Antony page and shop for all The Mark Antony books. Check out pictures, author information and reviews of The Mark Antony
www.amazon.co.uk
September 2, 2025 at 7:14 AM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
My latest newsletter with updates and news about the latest Roman releases is here open.substack.com/pub/gougha/p...
Alex Gough's Newsletter
Updates, news and some new book releases about Ancient Rome.
open.substack.com
September 1, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
steveeditor.bsky.social
If anyone asks me, 'What have the Romans ever done for us?', I can tell them:

They caused me great confusion by giving successive generations of boys the same name (not to mention the girls); they played similar tricks with places. I've spent much of today eliminating duplicates from my checklist.
August 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by Alex Gough author
steveeditor.bsky.social
They also gave rise to some of the most power-hungry, ambitious, duplicitous, and downright fascinating individuals in history - and I've had the privilege of a sneak preview of a thrilling book. @alexgoughauthor.bsky.social has done a great job of retelling Mark Antony's story for modern times.
August 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
Great video review of my Mark Antony book, Caesar's Soldier here from @UpdatingOnRome Also a fun YouTube channel if you are interested in Rome. m.youtube.com/watch?v=E4AM...
Caesar's Soldier Is Pure Mark Antony Kino!
YouTube video by Pax Romana
m.youtube.com
August 18, 2025 at 6:53 AM
alexgoughauthor.bsky.social
My latest substack on Roman honour is here : alexgough71.substack.com/p/what-did-i...
What did it mean to be an honourable Roman?
Auctoritas, dignitas, fama and gloria in Ancient Rome
alexgough71.substack.com
August 14, 2025 at 8:35 AM