Gaius Paulinus Maximus

Indeed it does help the fitness, there's nothing better than a good cardio work out, not only do you feel better in body but also in mind as well. I take my hat of to you Caldrail, I'm quite an outdoor person myself and I just despise the kind of people who would much prefer to sit at home on their arses watching Jeremy Kyle or some shit like that rather than getting out for a bit of fresh air and exercise.

Even today the Romans are still interfering with the Scots favorite pastime which is producing and drinking whiskey.... IT WAS built in 142 AD to stop Caledonian tribes marching on Roman outposts. But the Antonine Wall is now stopping the march of development by putting in jeopardy plans for a new distillery and 87 jobs. Falkirk Distillery Company (FDC) is trying to revive production of one of Scotland's most prized Lowland single malts on a site close to where the wall ran. But the plan has encountered objections from Historic Scotland and now faces a public inquiry. The government agency says the nearby wall

Still Amazon is very good especially if you use market place. I sometimes get perfect quality books for as little as 1p (not counting delivery prices of course). I recently got a hold of a book on Ancient Greece for a very cheap price from marketplace. I've picked some amazing bargains in the past too, both in the marketplace and brand new, some of the books I've got from the marketplace have been in perfect condition too. The rise of Amazon and other online bookstores must have really put a serious dent in the profits of the big retail chains.

Caldrail, I'm intrigued to know what it is that you carry in this heavy rucksack of yours?? Surely a flask and a couple of sarnies should suffice for your yomps into the Rushey Platt wilderness shouldn't it?? Or are you like the escaped convict who used his SAS survival guide, do you carry machetes in case you get tangled in some thick undergrowth, traps in case you get lost and have to hunt for your food, compasses, maps, sat phones, bear traps.......... Am I on the right lines here??

That's a nice memory of the Lord of Brookfordshiresexingham, thanks Pan. I'd become pretty friendly with Tom, he was always up for a laugh and was a very witty and interesting man, he had great stories to tell about his life. I was still in touch with him when his health deteriorated but then the emails stopped and I got no response from the one's I sent him. It was a sad day for me when the news of his passing was announced, although I'd never actually met Tom I did consider him a good friend. I sent a message of condolence to his family and privately mourned his passing. Although a year has passed I'll gladly join you saying goodbye to the Pater Arcanae

Ahh yes Artimi but you're in Canada and I'm in the UK so the P&P would be astronomical!!!! Of course I'll let you know how the book shapes up!!

I believe that the so called "monster" clubbed to death by kids in Panama was in fact just a sloth that was suffering from a bad case of alopecia. http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/99208...l-life-Gollum-/

Today I was looking through the bookshelves of my local Waterstones book store and I came across a book that I hadn't seen before called Et Tu Brute?: Caesar's murder and political assassination by Greg Woolf. I've read numerous books on this particular subject but am always on the look out for a new take on this monumental event in Roman history. I was in the process of proceeding to the checkout when I thought it best to check the price first, the inside cover told me that it was selling for

Good to have you back Pan.

Thanks for Posting Breeze's Article Sylla, very interesting. I'm a big fan of David Breeze his writing's on Roman Britain, especially the North are always extremely informative and well written. The book on Hadrian's Wall by Breeze and Dobson is easily the best book on the Wall by far. Of the five various reasons why Rome failed to conquer Scotland that Breeze examines....... 1. The highlanders were too warlike to be conquered. 2. The highlands were too daunting a place to conquer. 3. It was not worthwhile economically for Rome to bring Scotland into the empire. 4. The native infrastructure in North Britain was insufficiently urbanized to support the food supply for the Roman army and the imposed Roman administrative structure. 5. The political nature of the Roman empire and the geographical isolation of Britain combined with the events elsewhere prevented the conquest of the island. Any of the given reason would be a good enough explanation why the Romans failed to conquer the North but I think Breeze's argument for number 5 is the one that's probably closest to the real reason why Rome didn't conquer the whole island.

Thanks for the link's Melvadius. I quite like Mr Score's (project manager) theory....... "I like the picture of a group of Vikings landing on the coast and perhaps being caught out. "There are 50 of them coming inland to raid but then they turn around and there are 200 to 300 locals and they can't get back to their ship." He said the bodies that were found would support this theory.

Excellent site Ludovicus, Thank for bringing it to our attention. I like this reflection from the author Thomas Cole........ "The mighty spectacle, mysterious and dark, opens beneath the eye more like some awful dream than an earthly reality -- a vision of the valley and shadow of death.... As I mused upon its great circumference, I seemed to be sounding the depth of some volcanic crater, where fires, long extinguished, had left the ribbed and blasted rocks to the wild flowers and ivy."

I have a coin very similar to this, it's the spikes on the crown that stand out.

Early Roman society felt the need to provide both religious and moral justification for every war that it fought. The ancient fetial law stated that " no war was acceptable to the gods unless it was waged in defence of one's own country or allies" Though the Romans weren't unique in maintaining that they acted in response to the needs of their own security, they claimed the morale high ground in a uniquely Roman way. The appeal to the gods whose authority underlay the fetials actions was essential to make Rome's wars appear legitimate in the eyes of the people. As you say the decision to go to war would have already been made by the senatorial powers in Rome regardless of the so called negotiating of the fetials, the demands made by Rome in order to avoid war would probably have been set at an unacceptable level, well out of proportion to the injury or offence reportedly committed. In other words Rome would want it to look like they'd done everything in their power in order to avoid an all out war, in order for it to appear legitimate, when in fact Rome thirst and hunger for expansion would have probably been the main instigation for war.

In Book I of Livy's History of Rome he takes time out to give an exact description of the ancient way that the Romans would declare war upon their enemies. The procedure goes as follows..... The ambassador binds his head in a woollen fillet. When he has reached the frontiers of the nation from whom satisfaction is demanded, he says, "Hear, O Jupiter! Hear, ye confines" - naming the particular nation whose they are - "Hear, O Justice! I am the public herald of the Roman People. Rightly and duly authorised do I come; let confidence be placed in my words." Then he recites the terms of the demands, and calls Jupiter to witness: "If I am demanding the surrender of those men or those goods, contrary to justice and religion, suffer me nevermore to enjoy my native land." He repeats these words as he crosses the frontier, he repeats them to whoever happens to be the first person he meets, he repeats them as he enters the gates and again on entering the forum, with some slight changes in the wording of the formula. If what he demands are not surrendered at the expiration of thirty-three days - for that is the fixed period of grace - he declares war in the following terms: "Hear, O Jupiter, and thou Janus Quirinus, and all ye heavenly gods, and ye, gods of earth and of the lower world, hear me! I call you to witness that this people" - mentioning it by name - "is unjust and does not fulfil its sacred obligations. But about these matters we must consult the elders in our own land in what way we may obtain our rights." With these words the ambassador returned to Rome for consultation. The king forthwith consulted the senate in words to the following effect: "Concerning the matters, suits, and causes, whereof the Pater Patratus of the Roman People and Quirites hath complained to the Pater Patratus of the Prisci Latini, and to the people of the Prisci Latini, which matters they were bound severally to surrender, discharge, and make good, whereas they have done none of these things - say, what is your opinion?" He whose opinion was first asked, replied, "I am of opinion that they ought to be recovered by a just and righteous war, wherefore I give my consent and vote for it." Then the others were asked in order, and when the majority of those present declared themselves of the same opinion, war was agreed upon. It was customary for the Fetial to carry to the enemies' frontiers a blood-smeared spear tipped with iron or burnt at the end, and, in the presence of at least three adults, to say, "Inasmuch as the peoples of the Prisci Latini have been guilty of wrong against the People of Rome and the Quirites, and inasmuch as the People of Rome and the Quirites have ordered that there be war with the Prisci Latini, and the Senate of the People of Rome and the Quirites have determined and decreed that there shall be war with the Prisci Latini, therefore I and the People of Rome, declare and make war upon the peoples of the Prisci Latini." With these words he hurled his spear into their territory. This was the way in which at that time satisfaction was demanded from the Latins and war declared, and posterity adopted the custom. My question is, How long did the Romans keep up this long and drawn out declaration of war? Livy states that the ritual was continued by the fetials right up until the time of the writing of his History of Rome but I just can't see it. I can believe it was performed in the old days when Rome under the kings was still a growing power and constantly quarrelling with the surrounding city states like Veii or the Albans and Sabines. But would they have still performed it when Rome had become a great power and began expanding across Europe and North Africa?

Top class as always Neph How many more installments have we got to look forward to?

As Pablo Picasso once said "It takes a long time to grow young" HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY NEPH!!! Have a good one my friend!

Did it look something like this....... I find it hard to believe that these little fellas could round up cattle!!!

During the 4th century AD the large scale replacements of indigenous units with barbarian units, commanded by their own tribal leaders and fighting in their native styles, and the influx of barbarian officers and men into regular Roman units, which adopted barbarian equipment and fighting techniques, combined to make the empire's army less efficient, and more prone to desertion and treachery. In the 5th century AD Barbarization was curbed in the eastern half of the empire, but it was increased in the west, the east went on to survive whilst the west didn't. Do you think that the barbarization of the Roman army played a major role in the fall of the western empire?

Welcome to UNRV uuontario. If you want to learn about Roman history then you've come to the right place. As well as the link provided by Nephele, check THIS one out too.

Thought as much!! How dare you take the piss you dirty rotten Kiwi!!!

Haha Sulla, I'm just impressed that I managed to impress you!!! Yes OK maybe Sallust was a bit of a "blowhard" but let's not forget that this is as near to first hand evidence as we're going to get, This load of shite was written by a Roman who lived and breathed in the times we all love learning about so in my opinion for that reason alone it certainly warrants reading. Whether or not we like it or believe it is another matter.

"The wine urges me on, the bewitching wine, which sets even a wise man to singing and to laughing gently and rouses him up to dance and brings forth words which were better unspoken." Homer really knew what he was talking about didn't he??

I'd have to agree with Sylla, Parmenion's father was a Macedonian nobleman called Philotus so that and the fact that he was Phillip II of Macedon most loyal and trusted general must go a long way to prove he was of Macedonian stock. In one of David Gemmills novels it has Parmenion as the son of a Spartan warrior and being raised as a Spartan but this is just fictitious, so this could be where some of the confusion about his heritage comes from but as far as I'm aware he was 100% Macedonian.

C'mon Rompe, surely you should know by now that booze and stairs don't mix!!! Get well soon and enjoy the book! On a personal front, yet again I'm nursing a hangover! How come the older you get, the worse the hangovers get??