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Sometimes, you come home after a long, exhausting day, and all you need is a relatable Ancient Roman comic that truly gets your day-to-day struggles. If that resonates with you, then you’ve come to the right place! Hi, I’m Melis, the creator of Hysterical Chronica! On my website, I write history articles alongside comics to bring the past to life in an engaging and relatable way.

Scroll down to check out my favorite comics and learn more about my work!

More info: Instagram | Facebook | x.com | hystericalchronica.com

#1

Alexander The Great Naming Another City He Conquered

Comic on history's everyday struggles shows Alexander the Great naming cities after himself.

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I’ve always loved reading about history, but it’s always focused on the big stuff -long wars, great conquests, and ambitious leaders. But what about the daily struggles? Where’s the Roman soldier having an existential crisis in the middle of a battle? Or Spartacus regretting his life choices during a particularly bad day on the rebellion job? What about an emperor trying to avoid awkward small talk at the Senate or a scribe running out of ink right before a deadline?

That’s the side of history I love exploring in Hysterical Chronica: the lighthearted and relatable moments that often don’t make it into textbooks.

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    #3

    People Living In The Moment

    Cartoon depicting historical everyday struggles with people and horses in a fiery background, capturing chaos and drama.

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    The idea for Hysterical Chronica came from a simple thought: history is full of people who probably had days just as simple as ours. I’ve always enjoyed drawing, and combining that with my interest in history felt like a natural way to share these stories. It’s fun to imagine the everyday challenges of historical figures and bring them to life with a bit of humor.

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    #4

    Procrastination

    Comic depicting Roman Emperor Nero procrastinating on a task, highlighting historical everyday struggles.

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    CatD
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    According to Tacitus, Nero was away from Rome, in Antium, when the fire broke out. Nero had bad PR.

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    #5

    Aliens And Pyramids

    Comic depicting historical struggles with characters, pyramids, and a UFO. One character says, "Now we wait."

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    When it comes to ideas for my comic strips, I start with a historical fact or event that catches my attention. Then, I ask myself, “How would someone actually feel or react in this situation?” It’s a mix of research and imagining their human side, which often leads to scenarios that are relatable. For example, I can’t help but wonder how a gladiator might deal with stage fright or how a Roman senator might dread another endless meeting.

    If this sounds like your kind of journey through history, check out my website and follow along on Instagram

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    #6

    Sack Of Rome

    A humorous comic about Roman Emperor Honorius dealing with unexpected guests at his birthday amid historical struggles.

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    J K
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Gonna be one of those parties where the house and people are totally trashed.

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    #7

    A Gladiator Using Instagram

    Comic of a gladiator casually posing after defeating a lion, with social media captions humorously reflecting everyday struggles.

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    T
    Community Member
    Premium
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hope the lion is playing dead and he wakes up to eat that dude's face.

    #8

    Date Night In Ancient Rome

    Cartoon characters in historical attire planning a Saturday night out, highlighting everyday struggles through comic humor.

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    #9

    Spartacus Giving A Speech

    Comic of Spartacus giving a TED Talk about freedom and struggles, with a humorous audience interaction.

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    #10

    Ancient Egypt's C*****g-Edge Technology

    Comic of Pharaoh with fan-bearers, humorously depicting relatable historical struggles with heat.

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    #11

    If Gladiator Fights Are Fake, Then Explain This

    Comic about relatable history struggles: spectators watch a lion and gladiator in the arena, discussing if fights are scripted.

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    #12

    Heartwarming Mongol Invasion Comic

    Relatable comic depicting a historical scene with characters discussing peace by the sunset.

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    #13

    Alexander The Great And Gordian Knot

    Comic strip illustrating history's relatable struggle of Alexander and the Gordian Knot.

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    #14

    Emperor Commodus Offending Everyone In His Time

    Relatable comic inspired by history, featuring Emperor Commodus and a humorous take on historical events.

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    panther
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don't be giving Cheetolini any ideas. Oh who am I kidding he has already thought about doing this.

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    #15

    Spartacus According To Hollywood

    Four comic panels depicting fitness styles with humorous illustrations: calisthenics, crossfit, bodybuilding, slave rebellion.

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    #16

    Cute But Dangerous

    Relatable history comic showing cute but dangerous creatures like slow loris, dolphin, leopard seal, and a controversial figure.

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    #17

    The Initiator Of The First Servile War Being Overshadowed By Spartacus

    Comic depicting a historical figure humorously regretting their fame, inspired by everyday struggles in history.

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    #18

    Claiming The "Freeman" Title On Paper

    Comic depicting ancient Roman bureaucracy with characters applying for freedmen benefits, highlighting everyday struggles.

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    #19

    #13 Ancient Greek Vase

    Historical comic depicting warriors questioning fighting without armor, drawn on an ancient Greek-style vase.

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    #20

    Marcus Aurelius And Commodus

    Comic showing Marcus Aurelius and Commodus arguing about virtuous leadership, inspired by history’s everyday struggles.

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