Gaius Paulinus Maximus

The other night I watched Mel Brookes History of the World This film is absolutely hilarious it's a spoof of world history throughout different periods of time, obviously the part of the film dedicated to roman times is a particular favorite and is extremely funny as is the Spanish Inquisition sing song. For a light hearted look at history you've got to see this film.

Welcome to UNRV Camilla and Colin. I think you guys could well be our first "couple" on the forum!!! Camilla, I'm in the same boat as you, as are many of us here so don't feel intimidated at all. This site will certainly help to improve your knowledge. Every day's a school day at UNRV

This was known as a Hypocaust, it was an ancient form of central heating which roughly translated means " heat from below "

Here's a couple of pictures I came across from Herculaneum. The FIRST is of the compluvium in the atrium, it clearly shows the downspouts from the roof, which are in the form of a dogs head. The SECOND is of the mosiac floor in the atrium which has drainage holes to drain away the excess rainwater.

This has got to be one of the most over rated war films ever, I thought it was weird and boring, it's not a patch on "Platoon" or "Full Metal Jacket". Even "Hamburger Hill" is better than this. IMO off course. The Mel Gibson film "We Were Soldiers" is one of the best war films I've seen in a long time.

Agreed. And interestingly enough, he'll probably never top his childhood performance in "Empire of the Sun." The greatest child acting performance of all time IMO. "Empire of the Sun" is a fantastic film, I remember watching this when I was a kid. I'd forgot that Christian Bale had been in it. I'll have to keep my eye's open for this film again.

A fantastic piece of work, it's pretty amazing that it probably took the Romans less time to build the real thing than it did the artist to make a scaled down model Can you imagine what the townsfolk of Avaricum must have been thinking as the siege works began to take shape? They must have been s***ing themselves!

This is quite an informative extract taken from Johnston's Private Life of the Romans. The Couches. The couch (lectus, lectulus) was found everywhere in the Roman house, as a sofa by day, a bed by night. In its simplest form it consisted of a frame of wood with straps across the top on which was laid a mattress. At one end there was an arm, as in the case of our sofas; sometimes there was an arm at each end, and a back besides. The back seems to have been a Roman addition to the ordinary form of the ancient couch. The couch was always provided with pillows and rugs or coverlets. The mattress was originally stuffed with straw, but this gave place to wool and even feathers. In some of the bedrooms of Pompeii the frame seems to have been lacking; in such cases the mattress was laid on a support built up from the floor. The couches used for beds seem to have been larger than those used as sofas, and they were so high that stools or even steps were necessary accompaniments. As a sofa the lectus was used in the library for reading and writing; the student supported himself on his left arm and held the book or writing with the right hand. In the dining-room it had a permanent place, as will be described Later. Its honorary position in the great hall has already been mentioned . It will be seen that the lectus could be made highly ornamental. The legs and arms were carved or made of costly woods, or inlaid or plated with tortoise-shell, ivory, or the precious metals. We read even of frames of solid silver. The coverings were often made of the finest fabrics, dyed in the most brilliant colors, and worked with figures of gold. <a name="img112">

Hard to argue that. I've enjoyed everything I've seen with him in it. The Machinist (while it may not have broad popular appeal) is particularly reflective of Bale's talent. I totally agree, The pain and turmoil he must have had to go through to get his body into that appalling physical condition must have been unbearable. I like the idea of actors "getting in to the character" but to go that far must take real dedication.

I saw this movie recently too, it was excellent and in my opinion Christian Bale has got to be the finest actor around at the moment.

Last night I watched, The Good Shepard, starring Matt Damon and directed by Robert DeNiro. It's the story of a CIA agent from the time he's initiated in to the "Company" during the outbreak of the first world war throughout his career up to the Sixties and the US' troubles with Castro and Cuba. It was OK, nothing special. It's very dark, very serious and it on for about two and half hours. So if you are feeling particularly tired this could well be the movie to help you along to the land of nod!

hehehehe Eli Manning...younger brother of Peyton Manning...Great slip-up! Give me a break Doc! I was tired for god's sake! I'd been up half the night watching the bloody game!

I'm confused Cecil, The poem is great but..........Why am I'm lost in lovely Warwick??? I'm from Leeds in Yorkshire!! But thanks for the mention anyway

I stopped up till 3am to watch yesterdays Superbowl and I've got say that I'm so glad I did, What a game! and what a finish! That's got to go down as one of the most dramatic endings to a game in history. How the hell Eli Peyton managed to wriggle out of an almost certain sack and produce a play like that I'll never know. It was like something you see in the movies. I'm glad the Giants won because there was two Brits in the team!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAM ! I know your not legally old enough to drink alcohol, so to show how highly I think of you I'm going to go out and drink as much alcohol as I possible can in honour of your birthday! Have a good one mate.

Has anybody read any of Tad Williams work? I'm not really much of a fan of Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels but quite a while ago a friend lent me a series of books by this author called "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" It was one of the most entertaining series I've ever read. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/tad-williams/

Thanks for the tip DC, if it's as well written and researched as the "HandbookTo....." then I'll certainly be adding it to my collection.

Thoroughly enjoyed the interview wit Maty. Congratulations to all concerned

$2 well spent I say!!!!

I'm not really as much into that period of Roman history as I am into the earlier periods, but I also got the impression that something was missing from the Constantine episode. I'm pretty certain I remember reading that Constantine's Christian convert mother was a huge influence on Constantine, as far as his policies towards Christians went. Have I got this correct? But there was absolutely no mention at all of Constantine's mother in this episode. -- Nephele Constantine's mother was called Helena and in 326-28, she undertook a pigrimage to the Holy Land. It has been suggested that this pilgrimage was an act of expiation, either for her own sins or for those of her son. In the course of her journey Helena impressed Eusebius of Caesarea and others by her piety, humility, and charity. She played a role in the building of the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem and the Church of the Eleona on Jerusalem's Mount of Olives; but the Church of the Holy Sepulcher seems to have been an undertaking of Constantine alone. A tradition more cherished than trustworthy credits Helena with the inventio of the True Cross.

In times of peace the standards were housed in the public treasury in Rome - Aerarium, under the protection of the Quaestor.

Not Bad but to be honest I think that guy needs to get out a bit!

Just to mention another great Roman who butchered his enemy at will, Gnaeus Pompeius. He was renowned for his savagery during and after battle against which ever foe he came up against whether they be barbarian or fellow Roman citizens. This is from a man who wasn't even legally entitled to command a Roman army in the first place, did they condemn him though? No, they gave him a triumph and named him Pompeius "Magnus" (The Great). The title which he also acquired was a tad more fitting though, adulescentulus carnifex (teenage butcher).

How about this one by Roald Dahl, it's not deep and thoughtful but quite witty and amusing and it's obviously about a subject that he's quite passionate about. Television The most important thing we've learned, So far as children are concerned, Is never, NEVER, NEVER let Them near your television set -- Or better still, just don't install The idiotic thing at all. In almost every house we've been, We've watched them gaping at the screen. They loll and slop and lounge about, And stare until their eyes pop out. (Last week in someone's place we saw A dozen eyeballs on the floor.) They sit and stare and stare and sit Until they're hypnotised by it, Until they're absolutely drunk With all that shocking ghastly junk. Oh yes, we know it keeps them still, They don't climb out the window sill, They never fight or kick or punch, They leave you free to cook the lunch And wash the dishes in the sink -- But did you ever stop to think, To wonder just exactly what This does to your beloved tot? IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD! IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD! IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND! IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND! HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE! HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE! HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES! 'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say, 'But if we take the set away, What shall we do to entertain Our darling children? Please explain!' We'll answer this by asking you, 'What used the darling ones to do? 'How used they keep themselves contented Before this monster was invented?' Have you forgotten? Don't you know? We'll say it very loud and slow: THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ, AND READ and READ, and then proceed To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks! One half their lives was reading books! The nursery shelves held books galore! Books cluttered up the nursery floor! And in the bedroom, by the bed, More books were waiting to be read! Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales And treasure isles, and distant shores Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars, And pirates wearing purple pants, And sailing ships and elephants, And cannibals crouching 'round the pot, Stirring away at something hot. (It smells so good, what can it be? Good gracious, it's Penelope.) The younger ones had Beatrix Potter With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter, And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland, And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and- Just How The Camel Got His Hump, And How the Monkey Lost His Rump, And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul, There's Mr. Rate and Mr. Mole- Oh, books, what books they used to know, Those children living long ago! So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install A lovely bookshelf on the wall. Then fill the shelves with lots of books, Ignoring all the dirty looks, The screams and yells, the bites and kicks, And children hitting you with sticks- Fear not, because we promise you That, in about a week or two Of having nothing else to do, They'll now begin to feel the need Of having something to read. And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy! You watch the slowly growing joy That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen They'll wonder what they'd ever seen In that ridiculous machine, That nauseating, foul, unclean, Repulsive television screen! And later, each and every kid Will love you more for what you did. Roald Dahl