Ludovicus

Goblinus, I find that I agree with your view. You've made a good argument.

Thank you. The link is very helpful!

The last time I was in Rome I unsuccessfully tried to locate the museum where the Fora Urbis Romae was displayed. My guide book said that you could find it in one of the temples on the Forum's edge. Any help here?

Thanks for the link to Freely's book. Yes, this is a fascinating story that paints a very different picture of the West's modern relationship with the Muslim world. For another book with information on the same theme of cross cultural mixings that resulted in Greek knowledge's return to Western Europe see "A Vanished World: Medieval Spain's Golden Age of Enlightenment" by Chris Lowney. At Alfonso The Wise's 13th century court Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scholars worked in teams to translate sacred and scientific writings into several languages. This era in Spanish history is known as the Convivencia or living together. Another book on the subject of Aristotle's reintroduction to Western Europe is "Aristotle's Children: How Christians, Muslims, and Jews Rediscovered Ancient Wisdom and Illuminated the Dark Ages," Richard E. Rubenstein.

Today, I watched President Obama's town hall meeting in Strasbourg, France. I was very pleased at the erudition that he displayed along with his considerable oratorical skills. In fact, it's a pleasure to know that we again have a leader who can speak English! In his opening statements the President referenced the long historical record of Strasbourg and mentioned that the city was the site of the 9th Century Oaths of Strasbourg. Those of us with an interest in how Latin morphed into the various Romance languages will find the transcription of what was pledged in proto-French an amazing document. "The Oaths of Strasbourg were several historical documents which included mutual pledges of allegiance between Louis the German, ruler of East Francia, and his (half) brother Charles the Bald, ruler of West Francia. The several pledges were spoken at a strategic meeting in 842 at Strasbourg --with the brothers' assembled armies in attendance and participating in the the ceremonies. In addition to their promised allegiance to the other, Louis and Charles pledged their solidarity to oppose their eldest brother Lothair, ruler of Middle Francia and, nominally, emperor of all the Frankish kingdoms as well as Holy Roman Emperor. (The "Oaths" are also known as, in Modern French, les serments de Strasbourg; in Modern German, die Stra

Neil, my resources are limited to this site. Sorry, I don't have an answer to your question.

On the contrary, I think the depiction looks rather Roman. I'll bet the kid was inspired by a tour the family took to Pompeii. The Villa of the Penises opened last year and has become the climax of any educated person's itinerary in the once buried city. No, that's a kid steeped in classical studies who had the b*lls to share with passenger and cargo planes alike his appreciation for the "glory that was Rome." Don't you agree that his enthusiasm rose to the occasion?

Could the kid have been thinking of an interesting elevated skateboard court? Nice control of line that works with the negative spaces. Hmmmm. Is it a partial self-portrait, drawn from life?

Here's a photo showing the statue's arm: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090323/ap_on_..._ancient_statue

Very interesting. Would love to see a photo of the newly discovered relief.

Here's a fascinating visual reconstruction found in the latest addition to Byzantium1200, a very large website dedicated to vivid displays of the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire from Constantine thru the Crusader sack of 1200. http://www.byzantium1200.com/capitolium.html

Fascinating news item! Thanks, Fedor. When we were in Nime, France, we saw the Roman-era water distribution works. This is where the flow from the Pont du Gard entered the city. If you had a more in depth view of the tank you could see intake holes for water mains at different levels of the pool. Obviously, some mains where considered more important (deeper in the pool) than others (higher in the pool). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Castellum.jpg

Are there any traces of Greek in Napolitano and Oscan? I seem to remember in my reading that the general southern Italian tendency in the dialects to substitute "u" for "o" can be traced to Oscan. This may be a weak hypothesis because so little of written Oscan has survived. Perhaps our linguistically trained friends can help us in this. e.g. of this feature in Abruzzese, a south central dialect/language: cuntente=contento cusci` or acusci` = cosi` utante=otanta menumale = meno male

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7926235.stm "Horses were domesticated much earlier than previously thought, according to a team of researchers. They found evidence suggesting that the animals were used by a culture in northern Kazakhstan 5,500 years ago."

You're welcome. I've also contacted the library at Brasenose to see if they can offer a more complete translation for you. I'll post here if/when I hear back from them. -- Nephele Ago tibi maximas gratias!

Thanks so much!

http://www.byzantium1200.com/justinia.html Here's an artist's rendering of what the now lost 6th century equestrian statue of Justinian might have looked like. Aside from the head ornament, it looks quite classical to me. Other opinions? If you're an Eastern Roman Empire enthusiast, you'll find the other reconstructions at Byzantium1200.com breath-taking.

"Toward the end of the 9th century, Byzantine religious art entered its "second Golden Age," often called the Macedonian Renaissance for the ruling dynasty. The term may be too strong, but it does correctly indicate the extent to which the art of the period, in both subject matter and style, often draws directly and deliberately on the Hellenistic and Roman classical heritage. Monumental art again exhibited relatively naturalistic and strongly modeled three-dimensional figures, often characterized by a restrained dignity and noble grandeur, as in the mosaic of the Virgin and Child (867) still in place in the apse of Hagia Sophia." source: http://www.crystalinks.com/byzantine.html images from this period of classical, even pagan revival: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paris_ps...gr139_fol1v.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbaville_Triptych http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veroli_casket

Can the Latinists in our group please take a look at these entries in abbreviated latin. What could they mean? "S.T.B"? They are taken from a history of Brasenose College, Oxford, UK. They appear under the list of benefactors. Nicolaus Birch S.T.B. hujus Collegii Comen- salis Legavit Decern Libras 10 o o Petrus Birch S.T.B. et AEdls. X^^- Sacel- lanus donavit Quinq Libras f 500

"DENVER (AP)

From the New York Times: BAGHDAD

I don't think the Dark Ages ever visited the Byzantine Empire, at least not as intensely as in the former Western Roman Empire. So the geographic distinction is important.

It seems that Diocletianus started the process and Constantinus continued . "...More successful were the steps tacen by Diocletian, and afterwards by Constantine, to make all economic activity subservient to the military...the device used was to tie every man to his occupation and make it hereditary from father to son." (An Economic History of Italy: From the Fall of the Roman Empire to the Beginning of the 16th, Gino Luzzatto, Philip Jones, 2006) . "Diocletian had already taken steps to ensure that most occupations and social positions became hereditary under pain of law...Constantine continued this..." (The Kindness of Strangers: The Abandonment of Children in Western Europe from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance‏, John Boswe‏ll, 1998). Thanks so much for the information and the sources!

Usually I'm pretty good at finding information I need online. Today I'm having trouble locating the emperor who made occupations hereditary. Was it Constantine I, Diocletian, or another late Empire ruler? I seem to remember that it was Diocletian. If anyone could supply a link, in English or, even better, in Italian.