caldrail

The Romans were not unique in the ancient world for brutality. In fact, the only reasons they have such a reputation for it is becuase of the scale and entertainment of it. That was their culture. These ancient people, not just the latins themselves, grew out of violent tribal cultures existing in Europe. The broad range of personalities is probably no different than it was back then, but they were born into cultures that admired and tolerated aggression. The Roman way of life was inclusive of macho thuggishness. Their sports, partly inherited from the greeks, were violent. Its that risk of injury that made competitors 'heroes' or admirable at least. In military circles, we see the Romans exploiting these martial qualities of various peoples, including their own. They also developed methodologies that parallel modern ones, in that men were taught to act obediently and kill by command. Women and children were not exempt if the order was given. So what can we conclude? Roman soldiers were not generally guilty about their actions. They had acted under orders (usually) and had done their duty. The dead were dead and the living survived to enjoy life. We also notice that Roman soldiers commemorated their fallen with expensive tombstones. That death was all around them was accepted, and indeed, the Romans were comfortable with the idea that life was short and ever present - what choice did they have? The superstitious nature of Roman soldiers must also have played a part. It was the will of the gods that a man meets his end as much as human decision and action. Auguries taken before battle tell us that the Romans were asking the gods how things will turn out, that it wasn't just their own skill and experience at work. The upshot of all of this is a situation where men predisposed to violence are dehumanised in a harshly disciplined regime. The legions got men to bond - the whole point of the conterburnium "Close friends", the eight man group who were always billetted together. There was a feeling of brotherhood within the legions and indeed, they refer to each as 'Brother' frequently. These men were living in a world apart from the society they lived amongst. Although its true the legions had regular contact with civilians who traded and depended on the military for their living, there was also an uneasy side to it, as we know the Roman soldiers were not above theft or intimidation to get what they wanted. The nature of warfare in ancient times is much closer to basic animal confrontation than todays battles. Men fought in 'packs', using items that simulated claws and teeth, using items to protect themselves from this violence. Ultimately, when melee began, it was you versus the man in front of you. The human psyche is capable of this activity without any great psychological harm, but what we can't ignore is the 'ritual' side of human behaviour. Animals tend to have these rituals to avoid physical harm in confrontations. Humans deliberately choose to harm others as a means of winning these confrontations, and since rituals take time to develop, the faster-changing human cultures make this difficult to achieve, thus violence becomes an ordinary way of achieving success, so ultimately the individual tends to rationalise his actions to absolve any guilt. What the Romans did not suffer was the 'total war' of modern times. They moved across country in columns of men, not as widely dispersed troops fighting every inch of the way against an enemy they generally can't see. Whilst its true that ambushes were a frequent part of ancient warfare, so were the cavalry screens sent out to avoid them, and the sense of situational isolation we see in modern conflict rarely occured in Roman times. If you doubt the underlying strength of attitude and cultural disposition, notice the civil disorder in some parts of the world today. When these people adopt violence, they find psychological power in it, and rapidly become used to the effects of the violence they commit. Addendum - I should note that in the Jewish War of c. ad72, the Roman legionaries who broke into Jerusalem began to loot and kill freely as Romans always did in these circumstances. They did however, according to Josephus, become so tired of the killing in huge numbers that eventually they stopped, rounding up any survivors for sale as slaves to Egypt as labourers or to provincial arenas as victims of the games.

I think it's speculation, nothing more. Ok, they've used pictures as inspiration, but it remains a best guess (or even worse if you accept what our forum members have said above). If the researchers had done the reconstruction direct from her own skull, I would accept it. Until then, simply an interesting proposal and nothing more than media hype.

The spirit of Christmas is not yet dead. I see that pensioners and beggars in Milan will get free hand-outs of caviar. Is it just me, or are the Italians doing better than Britain? Calendar of the Week Christmas is nearly upon us. The traditional season of thirty year old hit singles and toy adverts on tv. The same old festive movies are hitting our screens again. Well... now that I'm offically famous, I've decided to join the gravy train and announce the first official Caldrail merchandising. Even better than that, with Christmas spirit not entirely dead, I 'm giving it away FREE! http://www.mediafire.com/?3ugzgmmdjmd

One of the great certainties of life on the dole is that you adopt a routine just as much as if you were working. Only you don't get a company car. My routine is very simple these days. Some people will say I need to get a life, others that I don't know I have one. Some will say that I'm a Has-Been, others that I never have been. They're all wrong of course. But if you don't have money, then your richness of life must be found elsewhere. I now find some of my richness of life at the local Central Library. A rip-roaring rollercoaster ride it might not be, but it happens to contain a microcosm of life all on its own. As I entered yesterday a bunch of carol singers in black uniforms chanted through Silent Night in the library foyer, with some very happy guy conducting from sheet music. They seem very tuneful and together, I doubt the conductor is needed.. Or maybe he is?... I heard a bum note there. God will not be pleased. Never mind them, I've got better things to do than watch carol singers smitten by thunderbolts. I sit down to do my stuff on the net. A quick glance around and I notice my young lady friend is nowhere to be seen. What? After that wonderful introduction I wrote in my last post? I mean, there's such a thing as being fashionably late, but I wasn't expecting a no-show. Women. Blow their cover and there's no pleasing them. Irritating Person of the Week Or maybe she was avoiding the guy in the next cubicle. Clearly an african native judging by the ethnic websites he was looking at. Good grief, surely not a Zimbabwean spy checking up on my blog entries? No, something far more insidious. He opened a bag of sweets and chomped his way through them without any discretion at all. In the quiet library atmosphere I could hear every squelch and the smell was indescribable. If God has reloaded his Thunderbolter, please smite him with both barrels. You just know there's no justice....

Its got a lot to do with the quality of acting/direction. The modern BBC dramas all have the same style. There's no character study, just a lot of overacting and odd dialogue with breathless editing and flash imagery. Its all style nd no substance. You never have time to actually learn anything about the characters but I guess thats deliberate, because there isn't any to learn in the first place. A very hollow experience and one intended for those whose attention span is limited.

I had parked a car near a friends house for another regular visit. Almost immediately this chap was there, bicycle to hand, asking me if I knew anyone selling a car he could do up. Just an old banger would do, something like the the same make and model I was driving at the time. I had no choice but to apologise and tell him I didn't know of any car for sale. Surely he didn't want my old Green Gerbil? The Nissan Cherry was like a set of clothes at the time and seeing as I was unemployed back then, I couldn't replace it. The next time I was unemployed a car drew up beside me on a busy high street. A well dressed young black man leaned over the passenger seat and called my attention. "Hey mate, I'm a rep and I've got lots of stuff I need to get rid of. Take a look at my stock." He said, and pointed to a heap of small cartons littering the front seat. He's asking me? At the time, I looked like something the goth metal band dragged in, and I really do believe that everyone else on the street looked wealthier than me. Six months later he stopped again. I was just about to cross the road when he swung round the corner and stopped in front of me abruptly. He started to give me the speel but instead I told him off for not using his indicators and driving in a manner liable to knock pedestrians down. Then I crossed the road and left him behind. Of course I can't prove it, but I really do believe all three were investiogators checking up on me as an unemployed person and attempting to find out how I earned my cash. The reality was that I earned it by signing on the dole, but people do get suspicious sometuimes. Now I have a new lady in my life. I see her in the background sometimes, looking at books or staring at a library computer without actually doing anything. Occaisionally she asks me for assistance on the PC but there's never any warmth about her, none of the "Come up and see me sometime" demeanour that I associate with romantic interest. Is she another investigator? Time will tell. The Moustache Has Gone Robert Mugabe has made a speech to his party faithful that he will not be replaced as leader unless they want him too. Didn't I say that was the case? In any event, he has no intention of stepping down for any reason whasoever. Heck, he's even shaved off his moustache in an effort to look more cute and cuddly. You're not fooling anyone Bob, and by the way, Britain isn't interested in ruling Zimbabwe. Trust me, its just a destitute cholera ridden disaster. I mean, your bank has just unveiled a ten billion dollar note. We've got enough financial problems of our own without worrying about yours. Oh sorry, I forgot, Zimbabwe doesn't have any problems now does it?

I forgive you

Screeching is unfortunately neccessary unless you're blessed with a powerful voice. The background of distorted guitar riffs doesn't leave a lot of room to be heard. Then again, there aren't many talented singers in metal anyway. One CD that crossed my desk recently was brilliant until the singer started. Then again, I remember Dokken live at Hammersmith in the eighties, supporting german metal band Accept. Dokken, never a man to be humble, led his his band to an astonishing gig. He really did capture the audience and thats with the usual rocked up ballads he performed. Accept, a very tight and professional band themselves, struggled afterward despite the crowd pleasing headbanging rock like London Leatherboys Dokkens material may have been a little mawkish and american, but his talent came through.

Maybe we're lucky then and the worst ones don't cross the Atlantic. I must be honest though, there are exceptions. Fresh Prince of Bel Air does make me laugh though I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it, and thats despite it being a star vehicle for a young Will Smith. What I will say though is american drama is getting very professional indeed and just wees over the standard of acting we get in BBC rivals.

Last night I watched a news report from Gaza, where masked Hamas paramilitaries are busy training and preparing for the end of the ceasefire there. The Hamas spokesman proudly informed the news team on camera that Israel "Will be suprised". You know, I can't help feeling they've let the cat out of the bag there... In any case, the US can now track their activities by satellite. The US Space Agency is to launch an orbital machine that can map carbon dioxide around the world. I can just imagine the conspiracy theories this is going to spark. Now the greatest exhalers of greenhouse gases will be pointed out which is good news, as this means politicians will be hung by their own petards. Surely Osama Bin Laden must be in fear of discovery now. Scent of the Week After years of criticism about the content of food, Burger King have now finally found a way to compensate us for the loss of real cows in our burgers. They've done this with a new fragrance for men... Meat.... I kid you not. So now if you want to attract the cannibal of your dreams you can. Personally, I think postmen should not use this scent.

You know what? I agree. A lot of metal is derivative and mired in sub-cultural expectation. Take this review from Rolling Stone.... In June, these Chicago metalheads had the Number One album in America. It's not hard to see why: With meticulously constructed guitar skronk, serrated verses and cathartic refrains on cuts like "Enough," the album has clear pop appeal in its own dour way. Singer David Draiman says Indestructible is Disturbed's darkest record yet

Possibly. We're exposed to a good deal of american culture from your film and tv however, its familiar to us, even if some of the detail and subtlety escape. Some Brits hate it, I'm not too bothered, but there are two aspects to american culture portrayed on screen that grate somewhat. First is the 'warm family moments' which are a bit too sweet for british sensibilities, the other is that strange obsession with male 'coming of age'. In fact, to our eyes US entertainment seems obsessed with youth, period. In British comedy, youths are usually embarrasing, which is pretty much what they are in real life. I know I was

Warning! Heavy metal music is bad for you! I've heard this all before. I can't remember how many times I've been warned about volume. There was a time when.. (Warning - Imminent Reminiscence).... I was at a practice in a garage rock band when a council official turned up to measure the sound after complaints about us. He asked us to play (that was our first gig man!) and with alarm told us we were too loud. A bit predictable, but then he said our volime was the same as Concorde taking off. I pointed out we'd been practising for six months already and therefore shouldn't be able to hear his advice to quieten down. Actually, we weren't that loud, but in later years Red Jasper were unable to book gigs in Bristol because we were too loud and awful. So it isn't volume thats dangerous. According to the news item I got the pic from, its headbanging that makes you prone to neck and brain injury. Well I've never been much into that particular dance mode, so obviously I'm not prone to injury (apart from bruised and blistered fingers from a hard gig behind the drum kit - those were the days) and if I were honest, I really don't remember many people headbanging at our gigs either, so obviously metal music is not to blame for hospital traction. Whats left? Oh yes.... the insidious spread of satanism and reversed messages on LP's. I mean, did anyone actually take that seriously? Its like a boys club where you make strange gestures to be part of the crowd, rather than any belief that Ozzy is the Prince of Darkness (now contested on World of Warcraft adverts) and that wearing black leather makes you a devel worshipper. Its a rebellion thing. We only do it to upset our christian elders and no-one really believes it. So in what way is Heavy Metal music dangerous? It isn't. I would argue that nightclubs and their moronic metronomes harbouring a culture of drug taking is visibly worse for your health. After all, metal fans go a gig to enjoy their music. Nightclubbers need pills to enjoy theirs. CD of the Week I picked up a live recording of Ronnie James Dio on his Holy Diver tour. Good stuff. I remember what an impact the original album made in the eighties. Fresh, energetic, and a thoroughly good listen. I'm going to have to stop, it's not good for me you know....

Thing is, we get american comedy over here. I've seen programs like Taxi, Happy Days, Seinfeld, Cheers etc and whilst it can be very funny indeed, some of the humour seems very strange (or even excruciating) to our ears, dependent as it is on american culture, and I'm sure some jokes are going straight over our heads. The cartoons (Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park) always seem to hit the spot.

Not as standard practice. Vegetius mentions this in his De Re Miltari and so some people believe archery training was widespread - it wasn't. Vegetius thought it would be a great idea if roman troops were so trained and suggested it as part of his treatise on how to improve training in the late empire legions, which wasn't carried out. In fact, at the end of the fourth century onward in the wake of the Adrianople defeat large scale recruitment of Goths ionto the legions as feoderatii provided all the archers they needed. It is an interesting point that prior to this, without any widespread experience in archery, the romans had become well-practised at skirmishing warfare despite their lack of formal training and unwillingness to fight at all (mentioned by both Zosimus and Marcellinus).

Yes PM was very much a child of its time and played on british behaviour that was viewed as bureaucratic and anachronistic. I agree - its hard to see how americans would get the jokes. What fascinates me though is how some of the more folksy comedy like Vicar of Dibley translates to californian sense of humour. I mean its so english!

But the romans didn't generally train them in archery. They employed people who already knew how to as auxillaries. I know Vegetius makes a reference to training in the use of bow and arrow, but you need to realise that that doesn't mean the legions actually did that as a matter of course. What he was writing was a manual for new raised standards in the armies of his time, which the commentators of that period all remarkably agree that training was very poor overall.

Last of the Summer Wine has conquered the Colonies? Unbelievable. It really does suprise seeing as the program is so ridiculously genteel and survives on self-parody. For us Brits, its embarrasing, especially those of us getting older and looking forward to emulating their exploits...

The romans encountered lots of cultures with expert bowmen, and employed them for that very purpose. The early romans romans fought in close formation for protection, although the the period where they used phalanxes dictated that they should. Hence the development of the gladius, a short stabbing sword. The late empire had evolved a looser style of warfare and the troops employed longer swords in the same hack and slash style as their opponents, thus the need for tight formations was lessened - but even then, against cavalry they gathered together. Battles like Adrianople show that being pushed together too closely can reduce fighting potential considerably. A fallacy. The stirrup makes horse riding more comfrotable, not more effective. The roman cataphracts were hampered because the horsemen were too worried about tiring their mounts with all the extra weight, hence they were none too keen to gallop unless necessary.

Enjoy it? I got sent to Hades in four pages! Oh well, at least its warm down here....

Honey. Works a treat for colds and sore throats. But just a little tip - apparently fluffy bears like honey too and bees get quite upset if you nick their handiwork. Beware of spring loaded tigers.

Back in my childhood, I used to watch Dick Dastardly's elite German squadron attempting to Catch That Pidgeon. Like an aerial roadrunner, it always got away. Muttley, Dastardly's less than faithful dog, always got his medal. Herr Dastardly always got his comeuppance. Ever since their brave service as message carriers in the Great War, Pidgeons have developed a nasty streak. They instinctively know when you're in your best clothes or you've just washed your car, and know exactly how to deflate your pride. Why are pidgeons so vindictive? Is it because Captain Blackadder shot Speckled Jim, General Melchetts beloved carrier pidgeon, and ate him? Is it because we now use mobile phones to contact one another thus have rendered Pidgeonkind redundant? Is it because I used to laugh when pidgeons thought their reflection in the window were rival birds? Is it because I never fed them? For whatever reason it now appears that I'm a legitimate target for pidgeon insurgents intent on world domination. Here's my proof.... Pic of the Day The pidgeon paratroops descended on me at Coate Water and advanced remorselessly on my position. Its a terrifying experience, alone, unarmed, facing pidgeons with orders to peck to kill. I searched for breadcrumbs in a desperate bid to distract them while I made my getaway but to no avail. Then I realised that evolution is happening right here in Swindon. Pidgeons, facing a perpetual struggle for the stale crusts thrown by old women, have cottoned on that we humans are tastier and even now practice their hunting skills in the rainforests of Darkest Wiltshire. We all laughed at Alfred Hitchcocks predictions, but now we see how right he was. You have been warned. Keep watching the skies! Obituary of the Week Kathy Staff has died. For foreigners thats probably a bit meaningless, but she played the infamous old battleaxe Nora Batty in the everlasting tv series Last of the Summer Wine. She had become an icon for wannabe dragons everywhere. What can Mankind do to protect itself against the pidgeon threat now that our foremost warrior has passed on?

I know the foreigners reading this will find it hard to believe, but by midday yesterday the rain stopped. No, really, it did. Taking advantage of the sudden spell of damp conditions, I decided to wander down to Mouldon Hill and see if the cew from the Swindon & Cricklade Railway had laid tracks as far as the park yet. You might have realised by now that I don't get out much at nights. Fear not, I'm just setting the scene. There will be no further mention of matters relating to trains, railways, number plates, axle configurations, or cigar-smoking engineers in top hats. Anyhow, since by now the ground had been promoted from muddy mess to impassable quagmire, and since my experience of british weather has taught me to be a little circumspect on days like this, I donned my action-man hiking gear and set forth. You might have realised at this point that I don't get many invites to parties. Fear not, I'm just describing my typical attention to detail concerning survival in the wilderness. Swindon can be such a wild place. Now the route goes over a small river bridge, the water being about ten feet across and about deep enough for a mouse to drown in. But not yesterday. With the heavy rains filling every babbling brook in the area, the water was almost level with the bridge and had flooded the fields on one side. That was a clue to what was coming later. Behind the Mannington Trading Estate I decided to take a photo of the flooded woodland next to the path. It looked a little like this... Pic of the Day Having successfully avoided getting wet, I climbed back out of the bushes where a few curious shoppers had spotted me creeping through the undergrowth and were curious as to what I was doing. I nodded a greeting as I strode away, the bemused onlookers pointing into the trees as if they knew what it was I had taken a picture of. Talk about not seeing the wood for the trees. Flood of the Week In all seriousness, some places were treachorous, not to mention downright dangerous, with rivers concealed under inundated fields. Finally I got to Mouldon Hill Park. Despite it's name, its a large pond with a path around it. A quiet and secluded place where people walk dogs and feed ducks. Except the pond had been replaced by a lake that had hidden the path. So I joined a crowd of bemused dog walkers and duck feeders. We all agreed that we hadn't expected this. There you go. Proof that communities can act co-operatively after all. Apart from Lucy the dog, who decided that chasing ducks was more fun than obeying her master and.. well.. yes, I got wet after all.

They gave a weather warning last night. Heavy rain expected. They weren't kidding. I was woken by the cascade of water on the roof during the early hours. This morning I had to don waterproofs to walk down the road to the library and thats after the rain had eased somewhat. What a difference from yesterday when I was out on my hike. Here's a sample of the weather... Pic of the Day This ones a view of Coate Water in the cold December sunshine. Notice the ice on the surface. Coate Water is a reservoir built in the 18th century to supply the canals built through Swindon and is now a local beauty spot. Job Losses of the Week My prediction about Woolworths appears to be coming true. After 500 already made redundant, another 700 job losses in the supply chain were announced yesterday. Chin up guys, I know exactly how you're feeling.

No. Jasper fans would be too drunk to drive