Gaius Paulinus Maximus

Aurelian the Hammer--and he actually defeated enemies of Rome rather than the senate and people of Rome itself. To my mind, it's self-evidently anti-Roman to proclaim the defeat of Romans more splendid than the defeat of lunatic potentates like Zenobia, Queen of the East. Wasn't Aurelian known as 'hand on hilt' (manu ad ferrum) Can't say i've heard of the Hammer before

Think i may have found the salute on Trajans column here I think the picture is by no means evidence of the 'roman salute' they could just be holding their hands up wanting to speak??????? In my opinion the idea of the 'salute' is probably like you say an invention by early artists and film makers to give the scene a bit more of a grandiose effect...... the WOW factor A very interesting question though...

when we were kids... we use to swimming in a river... even when there is a beheaded corpses just a few meters away... maybe i am little bit hardened seeing corpses. muslim rebel in the place i grow up use to cut the head of their victims... it is very common here. Sounds pretty horrific RW If you dont mind me asking, where are you from?

There was also another pagan belief which competed with christ for the control of the western world, this was the cult of the Sun, it was revered by millions of the inhabitants of the Roman empire, it's religion for a time even became the state worship, the Roman people believed that they must greet the suns orb as a beneficient divinity- and their conviction was confirmed afresh each day as the god rose again. The emperor Aurelian established a massive temple of the Unconquerable Sun as the focal point of the entire religious system of the state. The birthday of the god was to be 25 December, and this, transformed into christmas day, was one of the heritages which christianity owed to his cult.

I think its definitely worth a look The Etruscans played a major part in the beginnings of Rome, most of the early kings were of Etruscan descent, without these guys Rome may not have become the super power that it eventually did There were some pretty interesting characters around at the time like king Tarquinius Superbus who was the last king of Rome www.unrv.com/bio/lucius-tarquinius-superbus.php

Diocletian was a Dalmatian of humble origin, after rising to become commander of the imperial bodyguard, he successfully asserted his claim to the throne (284AD), two years later he appointed an old Danubian comrade, Maximian, as joint Augustus, then after a few years of fighting on the frontiers he converted the dual regime into a system based on four rulers( the tetrarchy). He nominated two more Danubians as secondary emperors, Galerius, who was to preside over parts of the east under Diocletian control, and Constantius I, who was to rule over western areas under Maximian. There had been partitions in the empire before, but this arrangement was more elaborate and thoroughgoing and was intended to be permanant. It was designed to fulfil military needs and to ensure in due course an orderly series of collegiate imperial successions. Diocletian took the un-precedented step of abdicating from the throne due to ill health (305) and persuaded Maximian to do the same, leaving Galerius and Constantius as the reigning Augusti in their places Diocletian left a remarkable heritage, he was probably the greatest imperial organizer since Augustus. He made many reforms during his reign like raising the number of provinces from fifty to a hundred and then grouped the provinces into thirteen major units or dioceses. these dioceses, which in some cases pointed the way to national identities of the future, were administered by governer generals, and they in turn depended on the four praetorian prefects , who had now become great personages of the civil administration. He also under-took with the help of his fellow tetrarchs the overhaul of the entire structure of the Roman army. He issued an edict fixing maximum prices for all goods and transport costs, and maximum wages for all workers throughout the empire. Does any one have anything else on him?

Since the druids were the religious/ scholar/ priestly social class, they almost certainly would have participated in human sacrifice, and probably officiated at them. Here's a site about druid sacrifice www.digitalmedievalist.com/faqs/sacrific.html

There were many different contributing reasons for the fall of the Western Empire, of which many have been discussed like the economic problems, military inadequacy, christianisation, influx of foreigners, even global weather patterns all of which are very valid reasons, but i think that there's another contributing factor to add to this list......Flavius Stilicho At the time of the barbarian invasions Stilicho was the regent (guardian if you like) to the eleven year old emperor of the west, Honorious. Although Stilicho was a general of unusual brilliance and vigour, his career which might have saved the west for a time was darkened by two clouds, first was his hostility to the Eastern Empire, where he had already arranged for the regent of its young emperor, Rufinius, to be assasinated. The second was his unwillingness to deal with the Visigoth's new leader Alaric who had already shown his intentions by many small invasions into Italy itself, yet instead of countering against Alaric, Stilicho was too busy planning military action against the eastern goverment Because of Stilicho decision to concentrate on the east instead of making the Rhine Barrier secure i think this was a major factor in the fall of Rome

I've found quite an interesting article on shame in ancient Greece take a look www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2267/is_4_70/ai_112943734

A very happy birthday to you Pantagathus! Think i'll sink a few cold one's this evening in celebration of your big day :drunk: Have a good one!

Thanks for your help FC I guess i'm just not important enough yet sob sob boo hoo :nopity: :sadwalk:

Thanks mate thats just what i wanted but there's just one problem I do not have a 'New Album' section on my gallery page??? I've just looked at 'My Controls' and in the 'Your Albums' section it says "sorry, the board administrator has not enabled your permissions for this part of the control panel" what does this mean???????

I voted for Roma, Rome was the centre of the empire and i guess when it was at the pinnacle of it's power it would have been a pretty impressive city to be in. What about Pompeii?? before it's destruction wasn't it supposed to be a very beautiful city??

Please excuse me if i'm being a bit stupid but i'm not quite sure how to put photo's into the gallery section. I would be very grateful if somebody could give me a quick run through ....... an idiots guide if you like thanks

I agree with Ursus it has got to be Augustus He worked, fought and talked his way at quite a young age to becoming the FIRST emperor of Rome which in itself was a major achievement, he took control of the most powerful city in the world and continued to rule and improve it considerably up until he died peacefully at the age of seventy seven and a reign of forty one successful years (apart from the Varian disaster which although it was not his fault he never really got over it) He was responsible for the creation of eleven new legions and countless new buildings in Rome and around the empire. There is no other "Ceasar" who has left a legacy like this "I found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble" - Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus

That's like many American women say they watch football for the tight ends...too bad there aren't many worth watching Tight ends, docoflove????? please enlighten me

I think it was a pretty fitting way for him to go, doing what he loved best, which was interacting with wildlife It would have been an anti-climax to his life if he'd have died in a dare i say "normal" way like some illness or being run over or something like that I'm sure Terry would agree too R.I.P. Mr Irwin

De Re Militari by Flavius Vegetius Renatus has pretty much everything you'll need to know about the workings of the Roman army http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~madsb/home/war/vegetius/

I too have read the book and i must say that i found it very entertaining, i think people have gone way over the top with the whole religion thing, he wrote the book for one thing and that was to make himself rich and by being so controversial the book probably made two to three times more than it would have done if he'd have struck to the age old guide lines, so in that sense it makes the book a vey clever piece of work. I personally think the his book "Angels & Demons" is a better book, it is the prequel to "The DaVinci Code" and set in the Vatican, this also has an historical theme, i would recommend this one first

I'm absolutley gutted, the guy was a legend "crikey" Sounds like a pretty horrible way to go A sad day for Australia

Thanks Pertinax

GPM your link is not functioning! I dont know why??? the address is correct i've double checked leave it with me

I've found quite an informative site on Medusa http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/classes/finALp.html

Have you seen the first video from these guy's, its very good, they came up with a dance routine then filmed it in one take, no editing or anything it is ........enjoy