Nephele

I'm not a sports fan, and I generally avoid topics once they hit the Arena... But I just had to say that I enjoyed your analogy, Lanista! -- Nephele

Welcome aboard, Centurion Marco! -- Nephele

How are you entering the name(s)? For instance, "Marcus Agrippa" should be entered as "Agrippa." Then you'll have to go forward a few pages through the other Agrippae until you come to the entry for "Agrippa, M. Vipsanius." Use the search box that says: letter/word. This is above the Google search box. -- Nephele

I liked Xena too. At least, the earlier seasons. Before Joxer. My point being (as I'd mentioned earlier): It's not a matter of whether or not fictionalized history can be enjoyed for its own merit -- it can be enjoyed. It's a matter of whether or not the creative minds behind the fiction can pull it off. For me, Xena went downhill the day that nepotism won out over talent in the Raimi/Tapert entertainment dynasty. I have no great expectations for Tapert's latest undertaking. -- Nephele

Birthday hails to you both! Have a cool day! -- Nephele

Good point; HBO Rome was not particularly accurate regarding these characters. I figured that was common knowledge, particularly since HBO's Rome gave Atia a longer life-span than history did. -- Nephele

I've seen only one Cirque du Soleil show, and that was more than enough for me. The scampering pinhead clowns irritated the crap out of me. Yet another reason to stay the hell out of Hollywood. -- Nephele

Not sure what is meant here (Caesar's tomb?), but Octavia was buried in the Mausoleum of Augustus. Hmm... Smith's Dictionary gives the following references for that bit: Dion Cass. liv. 35; Senec. ad Polyb. 34. Maybe there's some confusion regarding which sister of Augustus was buried in the Julian heroum -- the younger full-sister or the elder half-sister? From Cassius Dio, 54.35.4-5: This is the tradition, whether credible to any one or not. That year he gave Julia in marriage to Tiberius, and when his sister died, he caused her body to lie in state in the shrine of Julius; and on this occasion also he had a curtain over the corpse. He himself delivered the funeral oration there, and Drusus delivered one from the rostra; for the mourning was publicly observed and the senators had changed their dress. Her body was carried in the procession by her sons-in‑law; but not all the honours voted for her were accepted by Augustus. Although, I believe the year that Julia was given in marriage to Tiberius was roughly the same time that Octavia the Younger died. Thus Smith's identification of Octavia the Younger with the passage above. -- Nephele

Hi, kevin37. I've arranged your "people of Rome" in chronological order, starting with the one who died first. The following quotes come from Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Atia (mother of Augustus): "She died in the first consulship of her son, B.C. 43, and was honoured with a public funeral." Caesarion (son of Cleopatra): "After the death of his mother [in B.C. 30], he was executed by order of Augustus." Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa: "He...retired to Campania. There he died unexpectedly, in the month of March, B.C. 12, his 51st year. His body was carried to Rome, and was buried in the mausoleum of Augustus, who himself pronounced a funeral oration over it." Octavia (sister of Augustus): "She died in B.C. 11, and was buried in the Julian heroum, where Augustus delivered the funeral oration in her honour, but separated from the corpse by a hanging. Her funeral was a public one; her sons-in-law carried her to the grave; but many of the honours decreed by the senate were declined by the emperor." -- Nephele

Rompe, you are a freedwoman -- the former slave girl of the quaestor Gnaeus Nerius (49 BCE). Nerius purchased you because he was impressed with your skill at tending to his prized horses, which responded to you almost as though you were a human incarnation of the Roman goddess of horses, Epona. In fact, Nerius named you "Epona" for that very reason. When you were rewarded with your freedom by Nerius, you followed tradition by taking your former master's name (in the feminine form) as your own name, and adding your slave name of "Epona" as your cognomen. Your full Roman name is: Neria Epona = knomepnrye -kmy +aai Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

Welcome aboard, Rompe! Ooo, I'd love to see those! You can put up some photos in a topic in the Hora Postilla Thermae, the "After Hours Baths." -- Nephele

Tapert said that if the historical facts didn't fit the story they were trying to tell, they threw it out, believing that the "average punter, as they say in New Zealand," wouldn't have a problem with it. This is hardly a surprise, considering that he did the same thing with Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. DeKnight called it "bending" history, saying that it had to be done. "But we try not to break it." Late breaking news! Tapert has just signed on Ted Raimi to play a comic-relief character named "Joxerius" for the new Spartacus series. Joxerius will be Spartacus' side-kick, and will speak a foreign tongue somewhat reminiscent of Jar-Jar Binks. When Tapert was questioned as to why he felt a need to include his business partner's talentless little brother in yet another production, his reply was: "Joxer was an integral part of Xena and I feel that Ted will bring the same delicate balance of humor and pathos to Spartacus that he did for Xena. Screw the fans that hated him. Full steam ahead!" -- Nephele, your roving reporter who makes up the news as we suspect it to happen anyway.

What a beautiful city! I noticed from the video that there appears to be a lot of places that are car-free and great for pedestrian strolling. I think our own Times Square and Herald Square in New York City are vastly improved since they've been recently made into pedestrian areas. I truly hadn't heard of the Mecer Quality of Living global city rankings before. Hmmm... New York City isn't #1 on that list??? Hmmm.... Have fun in Vienna, Viggen! -- Nephele

Maximus Decimus Meridius, you are related to the praetor, Q. Arrius, who in 72 BCE defeated Crixus, the leader of the runaway slaves, but was afterwards conquered by Spartacus. Had it been you instead of your cousin, you probably wouldn't have been conquered. For you come from a smarter branch of the Arrii, as indicated by your cognomen of "Cato," meaning "shrewd." Your praenomen is "Numerius," customarily abbreviated as "N." Your full Roman name is: N. Arrius Cato = Conar-Ahirst -h +u Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

Your scramble has too many letters. Could you remove your middle name? Thanks. -- Nephele

I don't know of any that were mentioned specifically by name, but the emperor Tiberius had a praeco in his employment, according to Suetonius. Sensim itaque regressus domum repente cum apparitoribus prodiit citatumque pro tribunali uoce praeconis conuiciatorem rapi iussit in carcerem. Translated here: "Thereupon he gradually backed away to his house, and then suddenly coming out with his lictors and attendants, and bidding his crier to summon the foul-mouthed fellow before his tribunal, he had him taken off to prison." (11.3) -- Nephele

The praecones (singular, praeco) were the public heralds, or town criers, who made various public announcements, including news announcements, legal announcements, auction announcements, festival and games announcements, etc. Although the praecones weren't held in the same high esteem as orators, they nevertheless used orators' hand gestures for added effect in their public announcements (as depicted in HBO's Rome). "Praeco," is also a Roman cognomen. -- Nephele

Gens names "Caedicius" and (the earlier) "Caedius" are most likely derived from the Latin word caedes, meaning "a cutting down; killing; slaughter." Virgil used a form of the name in his Aeneid -- "Caedicus," who cut down Alcathous in battle. The gens name "Antonius" is most likely of Etruscan origin, its original meaning lost to history. However, history's famous Marcus Antonius (the friend of Caesar) in a burst of family pride claimed that the name was derived from "Anton," a son of Hercules. Over the centuries, when the name of "Antony; Anthony" came into Christian use, various other, incorrect meanings have been ascribed to the name -- such as "priceless," "praise-worthy" and "flower" (from an association with the Greek word for flower: anthos). -- Nephele

From that article: Haghia Sophia, also called the Church of Holy Wisdom, was built in 537 B.C. and remained a symbol of Byzantine grandeur until Istanbul was conquered by Muslim armies. Wow, that IS an old Christian Church, to have pre-dated even the birth of Christ! I think they must have meant to write: "was built in 537 A.D. [or C.E.]." Interesting article, though. I hope we get to see more pictures of the revealed mosaics. -- Nephele

Straighten them out, Klingan! -- Nephele

Birthday hails to you, Ingsoc! May you have a cool day. -- Nephele

You have to do that tomorrow, on the day of the Neptunalia. Don't forget! You don't want the gods to come to your house to collect on a bad debt. -- Nephele

Klingan, who could forget our freezing cold members, like you, up there in Scandinavia? You have my sympathies -- let's hope you have the sympathies of the gods, as well! My Nephelian sisters can be quite capricious (like me!), but I'll see what I can do for you, GPM. -- Nephele