Ursus

Blessings and well wishes to WotWotius and Cornelius Sulla.

So ... how's life?

Your best bet is the republic subfolder. You can always private message him. :-)

Quoth the Raven: nevermore.

Solitary Crow On Fence Post Portending Doom, Analysts Warn "Oh, crow, why must you taunt us with your unholy knowledge?" the president continued. "Leave us be or make haste with your nefarious doings!" http://www.theonion.com/content/news/solit...w_on_fence_post

Well, feeding Rome was the emperor's first duty, because if the Roman citizenry starved they would surely revolt. Having a cohort of urban riot police in the major grain exporting areas to deter possible trouble seems highly logical. I would assume for the same reason he disbanded the Praetorians - to remove any force that could overthrow him.

I'm guessing that whereas the Praetorians were designed (at least initially) specifically to protect the palace and the imperial family, the Urban Cohors were designed as riot police to protect other urban assets. The aforementioned grain shipments and mint, for instance.

Thanks! (Guess I must have missed that other thread ....)

What was the official Latin title of newsreaders/town criers, such as the one portrayed in HBO-BBC Rome?

Started by Augustus. Commanded by the Prefect of the City (a high ranking Senator and effectively the Princeps' deputy within Roman city limits). The first prefect resigned because he didn't understand the nature of his duties (I guess he didn't understand or appreciate they were to be used as riot police in case the citizens acted up). Originally 3 cohorts, increased to 4 under Vespasian. There were single cohors each in Puteoli, Ostia, Carthage and Lyons to protect grain shipments and a mint. Each cohort had 500 men, commanded by a tribune and six centurions. They were recruited among Italians and paid half the rate of Praetorians. Survived until abolished by Constantine. No mention of them ever being used in anger. [summarizing article found in Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd edition.]

I don't do fiction very much, I am afraid. But a recent book I read that was decent was Black Ships by Jo Graham which retold the Aeneas foundation myth.

In addition to what Klingan said, you may want to read this overview to get a better sense of what the site is about and how it operates: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4365

Very interesting. I always admired Vespasian.

make it go away!!!!!!

I could see pushing the Red Army out of Eastern Europe, but attacking and occupying the USSR to the Urals would have been lunatic for a war weary west.

I would have rather seen a Buffy/Xena crossover. Buffy gets transported to Dark Age Greece to fight the demons and vampires. Or Gorgons. Buffy the Gorgon Slayer. Yeah, that would have been cool.

The Aztecs by Michael E. Smith This was a decent book I bought cheaply used. Smith is a scholar and archaeologist, and gives a good general overview of the Aztecs. They actually have quite a bit in common with Rome: a warrior civilization, a decentralized empire, engineering capabilities, the centrality of religious rites to the preservation of the state. One fascinating chapter does go into detail about the human sacrifice they practiced. Strange fact: Aztecs weren't big meat eaters, but when they did eat animal flesh, small dogs were on the menu. And you thought only Koreans did such things! The Incas: People of the Sun. Carmen Bernard Not as academic as I had liked, more of a travel-sized, coffee table presentation. But easy to read, great photographs, and I bought it very cheap from a used dealer. Like the Aztecs, the Incas bore some similiarities to the Romans, only more so. An emperor at the head, an efficient bureacracy, and impressive engineering feats (especially in a public roads system and a series of fortifications and temples). The Incas also had their version of the Vestal Virgins: girls who were picked at a young age to serve religious duties for most of their lives, and if they broke their vows of chastity they were buried alive! And, oh yes, they practiced human sacrifice. An interesting book. Next up: the Mayans.

.... can't see anything I want.

To Medusa the Gladiatrix and Caesar the many-numbered, only a year apart. Have a good one.

Robert Turcan's Cults of the Roman Empire includes a chapter on Dolichenus and other Syrian/Anatolian deities.

The poster isn't around anymore to thank contributers , so I am going to lock this thread.

I've seen that myth before, promoted especially on vegetarian sites. I'm not sure whence the myth derives. But yeah, the Romans soldiers ate a wide variety of animal flesh, which they hunted or fished while on the march.

Reading The Aztecs by Michael Smith. Fascinating! The Aztecs (and maybe the Incas) are the only Native American tribes in which I had an interest. I believe it is because the Aztecs at least have a few things in common with Rome.

ANKARA, Turkey

I can't help with a book, but you may find this article helpful: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/bio.html