Ludovicus

Interesting. A similar phenomenon of substitution was occurring in the rest of the Rom

African Augustine, toward the end of the 4th century C.E., also remarks that Punic was still being spoken in the hinterlands of his province. So possibly North African Romance reflected the substratum of that Semitic language. Mario Pei remarks on Augustine's language: "One rare written sample of his his spoken-language preference is the use of "ossum" for "os," bone in English, so that it may not be confused with "os," mouth...; the possibility of this confusion in turn indicates that the popular language no longer made a distinction between the short o of os, ossis, and the long o of os, oris." pp68-69, The Story of Latin and the Latin Languages. That said, I'm sure that the same phenomenon was taking place not only in North Africa, but elsewhere in Latin-speaking Late Antiquity.

"NICOSIA (Reuters Life!)

If you comb through the Latin of St. Augustine's Confessions you will find a single reference to the vulgar Latin spoken in his parts of Africa: Hippo and Carthage; it's a word or phrase. There is another reference, perhaps in a different work of his, where he makes the point that it's better for the populace to understand a sermon given in "bad grammar" than for them to miss a point in grammatically correct Latin, a tongue which people seemed to have gotten away from by his time.

If you comb through the Latin of St. Augustine's Confessions you will find a single reference to the vulgar Latin spoken in his parts of Africa: Hippo and Carthage; it's a word or phrase. There is another reference, perhaps in a different work of his, where he makes the point that it's better for the populace to understand a sermon written in "bad grammar" than to miss a point in grammatically correct Latin, a tongue which people seemed to have gotten away from by his time.

This definition has the classic attributes of capitalism along with some of its more contemporary features. I tend to agree with the some of the comments above, that we're in a period of managerialist capitalism: "Capitalism: the dominant organisation of contemporary global economic life. The basic processes of capitalism are the production of commodities, the extraction of value from labour, exchange and attention; and according to Marx the tendency towards monopoly. Contemporary capitalism is often analysed in three component sectors: industry (or manufacture), services (retail, officework) and finance (banking, stock markets). According to many observers, the global economy is now dominated by finance capital, perhaps as a result of the rapid expansion of electronic telecommunications networks." from: http://shiva.smst.waikato.ac.nz/~seanc/sea.../glossary2.html

Komet, Thanks for your comments! I see via Google Books that there is some material on Trajan's Forum outside antiquity.

I love capitalism...with some brakes. It seems like it's on a path to destroy itself, unless regulation and transparency are reinstated. The subject of executive pay is very relevant to the discussion. Increased productivity should always be rewarded. However, many top executives were raking in salaries that had little to do with the performance of their company. From: Executive Pay Watch, 2007 trends in CEO pay: http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywa...index.cfm#_ftn4 "During the past 12 months, overall total compensation of the highest-paid executive increased 20.5 percent while revenues increased 2.8 percent, the study found. As of February 2008, the average top executive received overall total compensation of $18,813,697, according to the study. In comparison, the median pay for workers rose only 3.5 percent to $36,140 in 2007, from $34,892 the previous year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.[4]" [4] Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers: Fourth Quarter 2007, Bureau of Labor Statistics release Jan. 17, 2008.

Here's information from the Catholic Encyclopedia: "At Rome, then, the Nativity was celebrated on 25 December before 354; in the East, at Constantinople, not before 379, unless with Erbes, and against Gregory, we recognize it there in 330. Hence, almost universally has it been concluded that the new date reached the East from Rome by way of the Bosphorus during the great anti-Arian revival, and by means of the orthodox champions. De Santi (L'Orig. delle Fest. Nat., in Civilt

I believe we have a papal decree of the late 4th or early 5th century condemning the participation of Christians in the Saturnalia. Try Googling. I also remember a church historian once making the point that the earliest Christians celebration Christ's birth in March.

"Archaeologists in Syria have discovered what they believe to be one of the oldest and most important Christian churches in the country. The remains of the structure were found in the ancient city of Palmyra. Wyre Davies reports. " http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7849698.stm

I know. The actors sound like they're speaking in their mother tongue.

I just plugged in the term "Latin Language" in the search window and this is the first video that came up. Very well done.

You've mentioned a number of important ideas here. There's been somewhat of a breakthrough in the archaeology of Italy in the past decade. Ricardo Franocovich and Richard Hodges, for a few, have devoted study to the transformation of the Roman countryside from late antiquity to the 11th century as revealed by archaeology. I recommend their "Villa to Village, " Duckworth Press, UK. Not nearly enough attention has been paid to rural areas within the Roman Empire. The authors take issue with relying on texts alone to trace the development from villa to village in Italy. The archaeology seems to be telling us that between villa and village there were transitional forms of rural organization, some of it without the participation of lords or feudal potentates, at least for a time. Of course, the market for agricultural goods changed rapidly after the ravages of the Gothic Wars, mid-6th centuries. Market became almost completely local. Perhaps a whole new, and necessary, field of study is opening up: the Roman people without a history. Yes, I can see where dilapidated Roman cities would be much less safe than the Roman countryside.

Over 8 years of Bush 4,229 military deaths, Iraq only 30,960 military wounded, Iraq only 151,000 civilian deaths, Iraq only Torture defended No holds barred spying on US citizens--by their own government US infrastructure abandoned: e.g. Katrina, and the tens of thousands crumbling bridges A disdain for science: e.g. no action on global warming or alternate sources of energy Global rejection of US policies An economy wrecked by a failure to enforce regulations and guidelines A disregard for the US Constitution A misuse of religion Criminal ignorance Good riddance Did I forget anything?

In the Jan. 26 issue of the Nation Magazine, Britt Peterson, assistant managing editor of The New Republic, reviews the approaches taken by four authors on this thorny problem: Here's a link to Peterson's review, "Tales from the Vitrine": http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090126/peterson Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World by Sharon Waxman Who Owns Antiquity? Museums and the Battle Over Our Ancient Heritage by James Cuno Catastrophe! The Looting and Destruction of Iraq's Past by Geoff Emberling and Katharyn Hanson, eds. Thieves of Baghdad: One Marine's Passion to Recover the World's Greatest Stolen Treasures by Matthew Bogdanos, with William Patrick

Thanks for your reply. I'm wondering if there's any information in the book on the fate of Trajan's Forum in the early Middle Ages.

"One of the UK's largest hauls of Iron Age gold coins, which would have been worth in today's money up to

The Forum of Trajan in Rome: A Study of the Monuments in Brief, by James E. Packer http://www.amazon.com/Forum-Trajan-Rome-St...ed_oe_p_bargain I'm interested in this title available from Amazon.com at the hefty price of $40, used. Has anyone read this book? If so, I'd like to know your opinion of it. The Forum of Trajan has always intrigued me. It was one of the last imperial forums to fall into disuse. There is evidence that it continued as a public venue until one of the disastrous earthquakes of the 9th century took it down. Aside from an image on the front cover, there's no info. or review of the book.

Happy Natal Day, Neil! May your days increase as you wile the hours away in your lovely HOMVNCVLVM.

http://www.byzantium1200.com/justinia.html Two very interesting reconstructions have been added this fall: "The column of Justinian stood on the south-west of Hagia Sophia and was nearly as high as its dome. The column was built of brick and covered with a bronze sheating. On its top there was a statue of emperor Justinian (527-565) on horseback, the left hand holding a globe, the right hand raised and pointing to the east. It was probably the only monumental statue of an emperor that survived until the late byzantine time, and maybe this is the reason why it was then also believed to be a representation of Constantine the Great. The column and the statue were demolished only by the Ottomans shortly after the conquest in 1453." http://www.byzantium1200.com/p-aura.html The Porta Aurea: "The Golden Gate was the great ceremonial gate of the land walls of Byzantium through which the emperors left for their campaigns, and where they celebrated their triumphant return. In contrast to the usual brick and limestone construction of the walls, it was built from white marble and had golden doors. On its top there was a monumental quadriga with elephants. Probably in the tenth century, the main door was reduced in size and the frame of one small gate at its side set in. Today the Golden Gate is walled up completely and serves as a part of the turkish Yedikule fortress that was erected soon after the conquest of 1453. " For many other remarkable reconstructions from the same website: http://www.byzantium1200.com/new.html

The game is entertaining, but I have to admit it has also made me sad when I realize that Bush and his administration have made my country akin to a banana republic.

I think so. "The Oxford Archaeological Guide: Rome" is not a history of the city so much as a history of each neighborhood and its ancient structures, preclassical through Renaisannce. Nonetheless, there's no better source on the Eternal City for an archaeological history. There are many illustrations, photos, and excellent neighborhood maps. You can find more info. here: http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Oxford-Archaeol...s/dp/0192880039

From the BBC: "Archaeologists have found the remains of what could be Britain's oldest surviving human brain." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7777385.stm

This seems more like what Rome must have been. I see the browns of the closely packed insulae. Komet, thanks so much sharing this image.