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Salvete, omnes - I've been a member at UNRV for some time, but I rarely get over here. Despite that AND because of that, I thought I would post a Hello once more. Rome has been an interest for me (to whatever degree!) since I was a teen (a late 1960s teen) when I read Rex Warner's translation of Caesar's Gallic War. And I have made some study of Rome and the Latin language since. But I wanted to say hi, and say it especially to Ursus and Nephele, who greeted me when I first arrived here, years ago.

Thanks, Viggen. Ut felix sit hic Novus Annus nobis omnibus.

The BBC are now carrying a copy of the video presentation as well. So far as what the scrolls contain if those which have already been forced open by the techniques developed in the 18th and 19th centuries are anything to go by then there is liable to be a significant number of Epicurean texts so mainly philosophical in nature but I believe that a few other scrolls have been identified so possibly some plays and other material will be found as well. Finds of smut may actually be fairly limited but there are several scholars who would dearly love for one of the 450 undamaged so totally unread scrolls to contain at least one of the lost nine books of lyric poetry written by Sappho.

Religion was less strictly organised during Hadrians time being primarily a pagan era, and Mithraism was not at that time entrenched in military life (though it was known and beginning to expand). Pagan Roman soldiers were hugely superstitious, sometimes refusing to board ships for fear of angering gods, or even crossing rivers, seen as the domain of local gods who would extract terrible punishment for those that risked wading across, as if they were trespassing. There was a sort of "unit spiritualism" too, where centuries and legions were supposed to have a martial spirit that could be called upon for favour like any other deity. Of course the Imperial Cult was in place and had been ever since Augustus, although the figurehead was not necessarily fixed - soldiers would put images of their popular ruler ahead of a column as easily as the Caesar they were supposed to be loyal to. Remember that in Imperial times the post of Imperator ("victorious general") had ceased to be an honour installed by the men themselves, becoming a political office agreed by Senate and Caesar, yet by tradition the soldiers were as willing as ever to dedicate those senior men who were clearly blessed with divine favour (and the ability to bring victory and booty to the men).