Nephele

The American Association of Retired Persons polled Number One in that same survey of "Washington's Power 25," making senior citizens (as Spittle put it) "the strongest lobby in American politics." And, for anyone who is interested, the remaining top lobbies in positions 3 through 10 (according to Fortune) were these: 3. The AFL-CIO 4. The National Federation of Independent Business 5. The Association of Trial Lawyers of America 6. The National Rifle Association 7. The Christian Coalition 8. The American Medical Association 9. The National Education Association 10. The National Right to Life Committee Having read the original article from Fortune, I think it's important to note that Fortune also made mention to precisely what each of these top organizations actually owed their high rankings. "Fully half of the top ten groups in the FORTUNE survey were propelled there on the strength of their long-established grassroots networks" -- not so with AIPAC, which owed its position primarily to campaign contributions, whereas Fortune states that "these days, interest organizations are valued more for the votes they can deliver." Considering that the "forthcoming edition" of Fortune quoted here was published ten years ago, it would be interesting to see how each of these 1997 Top Ten rank today. Full article is here: Washington's Power 25 -- Nephele

I thought his name was something to do with shrimp, or am I going mad? "Pullo" is a cognomen most likely derived from a diminutive of puer ("boy"), and/or the related pullus ("young animal"). Discussed here. Although there may appear to be some connection between Titus and the Greek titan (bringing to mind a being of immense size), the praenomen of Titus is most likely of Sabine origin (the original meaning lost), with no connection to titans. -- Nephele

Spittle, please cite your source for this statement. I don't know of any particular corporate or religious group called "The Israeli Lobby." Again, will you please cite your source for this information? I'd be interested to know precisely how "large" this number is, in comparison to that of other dual-nationality citizens with voting rights in the U.S. -- Nephele

This little dog is more responsive than Caesar. And doesn't wee on the Republic, either. -- Nephele

I can't get it to work! I think you broke Caesar, Cato! -- Nephele

I realize now (thanks to PP! ) that I should have more precisely stated previously that Broughton provides a number of ancient sources, not all of them primary. Here you go: For sources relating to Silanus as tribune of the plebs in 123 BCE, Broughton cites: Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, 1

Broughton gives the following information on Marcus Iunius Silanus: He was the son of Decimus Iunius Silanus, and the grandson of Decimus Iunius Silanus. His magisterial career is as follows: Tribune of the Plebs by 123, when he was "author of a Lex de repetundis subsequent to the Lex Calpurnia of 149 and before the Lex Acilia of 123." Praetor in Spain in either 113 or 112. (112 being "the latest possible date under the Lex Villia.") Consul in 109: "Silanus abrogated a number of laws which reduced military service, and suffered in Gaul a serious defeat at the hands of the Cimbri, either in 109 or 108, for which he was tried and acquitted in 104." (see below) Probably proconsul in 108, when he held command in Gaul. In 104, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus "accused Silanus of beginning the war with the Cimbri illegally [see above] but failed to convict him." I can supply primary source references from Broughton for more in-depth research, if you need them -- there are many. -- Nephele

Rugged Indoorsman, your wife is a member of the Hostilia Gens, an old family which dates back to Rome's Regal period. Her cognomen of "Hebenella" is a feminine diminutive of her father's cognomen of "Hebenus," meaning "ebony tree." An unusual cognomen for a Hostilian, but perhaps suggesting an exotic nature to this particular branch of the Hostilii. Her full Roman name is: Hostilia Hebenella = noflizhteeibagelh -fgz +als -- Nephele

Rugged Indoorsman, you are a descendent of Ennius, the poet who was reverently considered by the ancient Romans to have been the parent of their literature. Your worthy ancestor was born in a Calabrian village and was brought to Rome by M. Porcius Cato (the Elder), and thus as Ennius' descendent you were born in Rome. You received the cognomen/nickname of "Arbiter," due to your peers having recognized you as a judge of fine things (with Ennius as an ancestor, you ought to be!) and, with amusement, they bestowed this name upon you. Your praenomen is "Marcus," abbreviated as "M." Your full Roman name is: M. Ennius Arbiter = jeanuenbirnrtm -jn +is I'll be back later with your lady's name. Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

Welcome to UNRV, Rugged Indoorsman and ParaVox3. You may be interested to know that member Maty who answered your question is the author of Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day, reviewed by UNRV member Ursus (an Amazon link to the book is included at the bottom of Ursus' review). RI and PV3, in what time period of ancient Rome are you setting your story? The Republic, Principate, Dominate? I'm not certain if the example of Claudius (later to become Emperor) and his wife Plautia Urgulanilla might have been typical of their times and rank, but when Claudius discovered that his wife had become pregnant by another man (the freedman of Claudius, actually), he divorced Urgulanilla and initially retained possession of the child after its birth -- to maintain appearances that the child was actually his and he hadn't been cuckolded. Then, later on, he apparently changed his mind and "exposed" the child -- actually, leaving the child on Urgulanilla's doorstep so that she could conveniently take back her own child. Even if you don't plot your story along this line, if your characters are living during or after the time of Claudius, it may be interesting if you make a reference to Claudius' example in your book. -- Nephele

An interesting kind of auto-mutilation. Can you quote your sources, please? Thanks in advance. Try Suetonius, Life of Augustus, 24: "He sold a Roman knight and his property at public auction, because he had cut off the thumbs of two young sons, to make them unfit for military service..." -- Nephele

A good suggestion. And, may I add, UNRV's The Augusta has written an outstanding and award-winning essay titled "Laying New Foundations: How Augustan propaganda attempted to reshape the Roman past" which covers the Ara Pacis. Click on this link to be taken to the topic in the Academia forum where you will have a choice of accessing The Augusta's article in two formats. An illustration of the Ara Pacis is included in her essay, with notes and bibliography. -- Nephele

You're right, PP -- the cognomen was "Pilatus" to the Romans -- not our Anglicized rendering of "Pilate." But there's some debate as to its pronunciation, as it was one of numerous cognomina adopted by the Pontia gens after the time of the Republic. According to Kajanto, the Greek rendering of the name suggested a short "i" vowel. But we most likely pronounce it today with the long "i" vowel from the Carmen Paschale of the 5th century Christian poet, Caelius Sedulius. (Kajanto cites Sedul. carm. 5, 116. 157.) A Latin origin for "Pilatus" seems most likely to suggest that the cognomen was derived from the Latin pilatus, meaning "armed with the pilum, or javelin." -- Nephele

I would not be opposed to the teaching of literacy -- the basic ability to read and to write -- being the sole occupation of our nation's public schools. Freedom is what our nation is about, and I don't believe that illiterate people can truly be free people. PP, the parenting commitment of you and your wife has my admiration, too. I chose not to have children not because I'm worried about the state of world -- I'm simply selfish and not willing to make that commitment of time and effort. Although, my man and I often take our neighbors' kids to museums in the city, or to the Bronx Zoo. But the choice is always ours, and we can always hand the kids back to their parents at the end of the day. -- Nephele

Which sources, Raziel? I'm not saying I doubt that Roman men of renown had illegitimate children -- a lot of Roman men did, considering their access to female slaves. But for a writer to state a number such as "almost 100" for any one, specific Roman such as Julius Caesar or Augustus, makes me curious as to who the writer is and upon what information he is basing such a calculation. Btw, welcome to UNRV. -- Nephele

I have to say, DoL, that's a new one on me, too, although I'll admit that my familiarity with ancient Greek social life is mostly with that of the 4th century BCE. One of my favorite books on the subject is William Stearns Davis' A Day in Old Athens. Published in 1914, this book by University of Minnesota's Professor of Ancient History describes "what an intelligent person would see and hear in ancient Athens, if by some legerdemain he were translated to the fourth century B.C. and conducted about the city under competent guidance." (Davis is also the author of a A Day in Old Rome.) According to W.S. Davis, slaves in the city of Athens of the 4th century BCE, for the most part, had a better deal than their counterparts in Rome a few centuries later. If a slave felt that his master had wronged him intolerably, he could seek sanctuary at the Temple of Theseus, where he would have the privilege of being sold to a new (and hopefully more reasonable) master. Davis also quotes Aristotle, who advised slave-masters to hold open the hope of eventual freedom for their slaves, in order to inspire their slaves to work better in their masters' interests. Additionally, there were "city slaves" -- called Demosioi -- who were sort of like public servants communally owned by the Athenian citizens. These slaves served as clerks in the treasury office, checking officers at public assemblies, public executioners, coin minters, and even made up Athens' police force, and their position was viewed as enviable by those slaves who worked in factories or even as house servants. I see you wrote that the program you watched "focused particularly on the pre-democratic days leading up to and the early years of the democracy," and it seems that period of time would have preceded the events written about in Davis' book (which makes no mention at all of Athenians "sterilizing" their slaves). Was the program's intention perhaps to show how the birth and development of Athenian democracy led to improved treatment for Athens' slave population? -- Nephele

Interesting how he makes a distinction between instruction and education. What's your take on it, Moonlapse? -- Nephele

It is! What a shame it says "This challenge is now closed." Our G-Man could've done some fine UNRV rep for us over there (and mopped up the arena with them, too). -- Nephele

This would make a great annoying avatar for someone... "I got it! I got it! I got it! I got it!" -- Nephele

It's going in with my next order from Amazon. Thanks for yet another great recommendation! -- Nephele

Carbo, you are a member of the Poetilia Gens (most often appearing as "Poetelius" in inscriptions, but also appearing as "Poetilius") -- a plebeian gens, but one which has produced a number of magistrates, including consul. Unlike your relations, you do not bear the common Poetilian/Poetelian cognomen of "Libo." Instead, your cognomen is "Hasta," having been given to you on the battlefield where, as a warrior skilled in the use of the spear known as the hasta, you received honors in addition to your cognomen/nickname. Your praenomen is the somewhat rare "Vibius" (of Oscan origan) and abbreviated as "V." Your full Roman name is: V. Poetilius Hasta = Ihjloevatastsip -j +u Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

Not if one's definition of such a "marker" (as expressed in the original posting in this thread), is that it be an indication of a culture having forgotten its "history and sacred founding places." The destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem was a loss to the Jewish people, to be sure. But the physical destruction of the Temple (both times -- first by the Babylonians, and the second time by the Romans) didn't result in its ever being forgotten, as was the case of Rome's Cave of the Lupercale. In fact, the destruction has been commemorated over the generations, resulting annually in a period of intense mourning in worldwide Judaism which culminates on a day called Tisha b'Av. It's a coincidence that, both times the Temple was destroyed, it occurred on this same date -- the ninth of the month of Av (which, in the Western calendar, generally falls around the end of July to beginning of August). While it's true that "a qualitative change" (as expressed in the original posting) occurred in Judaism with the eventual disappearance of the Sadducees sect following the destruction of the Temple, the history and the Temple itself have never been forgotten. Jews have always marked the year of the Temple's destruction as a reference point for calculating dates. And, the tradition of the groom at the end of his wedding breaking a glass underfoot is meant to bring to mind the destruction of the Temple. That, even on the happiest of days -- one's wedding day -- we remember the saddest of days. -- Nephele

Hmm... Poisons and sex, I'm guessing? Now you've hooked me -- and I haven't even read the review yet. Yah, you're a shock jock, all right. (And not the least of your virtues, either.) -- Nephele EDIT: Hahahaha! I think perhaps I may have had too many Irish coffees at Brendan's in the city today, and I may still be a bit muzzy. What I meant (because what I wrote, on second reading, sounded somewhat odd) is: You have many virtues, Ursus, and your ability to startle is not the least of them. (Oh, shut up, Nephele.) -- Nephele

Brennos, you are distantly related to that senator, consul, and army commander named Marcus Hordeonius Flaccus, who was murdered by his own troops for unfortunately choosing to support an emperor who didn't meet with their approval. Your branch of the Hordeonia gens, however, is surnamed "Aptus," due to an ancestor who showed exceptional aptitude and ability as befitting a Roman soldier (which probably aided in your family's survival during political times of upheaval). Your praenomen is "Decimus," abbreviated as "D." Your full Roman name is: D. Hordeonius Aptus = TddoJosehpFkasnr -fjk +iuu Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

Crispina, you are descended from the famous rhetorician Quintus Haterius, and so your name is "Hateria." Your loving father gave you a special cognomen/nickname, however, to distinguish you from your sisters (also named "Hateria"). And so you are also known by the name of "Cerintha" -- a flower that is especially attractive to honeybees. (Pliny the Elder mentioned this flower in his Natural History.) Your full Roman name is: Hateria Cerintha = Ctirseanthherir -rs +aa Give my regards to Gauis Hortensius Frutex, and likewise wishing you both a cool T-Day. -- Nephele