The Augusta

Felicitations to Ram and Flavius. I invoke the sun to shine on you both.

I, myself, now find that I am a centurion - which thrills me. I can now sit around camp fires, swapping filthy tales, and I can spit. On a serious note, Rameses, I am now open to bribes should you wish to draft Roman mercenaries into your Pharaoh's army! (We have to stop Gaius somehow )

Now I do not mean this is any frivolous way at all - but I would love to see some research done and a book produced on how the Romans interacted with the animal world. (If anyone knows of any good works that may already be in existence, please alert me.) I mean everything from pets - what creatures were kept as pets, how they were treated etc. - all the way through to cavalry horses and the vast amounts of animals used for sacrifice. How were the sacrificial victims treated, for instance, before the ceremony? Farm animals such as oxen etc. (I'm sure Cato's treatise may give a hint there, so I will reread that.) I should imagine such a study would make alarming reading to a person of our modern sensibilities and sentimentalities, but it would be interesting nonethless, and for me it is a whole area that has been neglected. Just a thought.

Uhm...it's called Westernization and the majority of the world uses English in terms of the economy. Also consider the fact that though people may hate the US, but if given the chance, they would live there. Kinda odd, but that's my opinion. I can assure you, Flavius, that here is one who would NOT!!! Yes, that is because you have no need to or for whatever preference. However, let's say you asked a population of refugees or a third-world population. Obviously, the majority of them would prefer moving to the US because they know that conditions there are much better and most importantly, a better chance of survival. Generosity also happens to improve image too ya know. Ah - now I see... Point taken, Flavius. As for my own personal preference, I have to say I'm not exactly cock-a-hoop living in 'this sceptred isle' either! But as I say, I do take your point about our respective lands being a whole lot better than some that poor refugees come from. I suppose we can take our comforts for granted and have the luxury of griping. Just wait till you read the whole thing! Is this my new nickname, Gaius? Tattle Tale? I like it. But please do not rub my nose in the dirt of Manchester - I had seen you as a friend. No one really deserves to live in Manchester, you know - not even you, dear Gaius :wub:

Uhm...it's called Westernization and the majority of the world uses English in terms of the economy. Also consider the fact that though people may hate the US, but if given the chance, they would live there. Kinda odd, but that's my opinion. I can assure you, Flavius, that here is one who would NOT!!!

But surely, politics cannot exist without people? I suppose it depends how one is defining 'politics'. As for me - I voted for 'a bit of everything' as that seemed to equate most with 'the entire Roman world' area of my personal interest. But it was the peronalities and politics who got me there in the first place.

On greater scrutiny, Osiris may be doubtful... but Dionysus and Bacchus were DEFINITELY nailed to bits of wood! In fact, the first 'crucifixes', dated to the 2nd century, were of Bacchus. Mind you, the guy looks like he's downed a flagon or three in his time... Poor bloody Bacchus! After suffering the torments of yearly consumption by his maenads, they then go and crucify him too??? Now that's what I call a martyr!

It's a cookie/cache issue (same thing was driving me batty on my own recent avatar change). Try to clear your internet cache files as a first step. The attached image is what I see Ah - yes! Thank you PP - that is what I had hoped to upload - the Basalt head in the Louvre. I will sweep out my cache. Thanks! Have you been snooping, Gaius? I'll bear it in mind.

This year I have a rather special birthday looming..... enough about that. The thing is, my family - bless them - have finally listened to my protestations about NOT wanting any silly surprise parties and naff stuff like that, and have elected to send me back to la piu bella citta del mondo - after an absence of 15 years, I hasten to add! Therefore, although it is a while off - October this year - I will be going back to Rome with my daughter in tow. I have taken all the photos etc. that I could ever need in the past, but I wondered if Forum members (especially those who have no trips planned to the Eternal one in the near future) would like me to photograph anything special for posting and discussion on the Forum. All suggestions are welcome - within reason. I will also be hoping to get out to Hadrian's at Tivoli this time - a place I have never managed to visit in over twenty previous trips! The Baths of Caracalla may also be on the itinerary this time. There have been more archaelogical discoveries since I was last there, and I would therefore be willing to photograph and give any impressions of new sites etc. if members are interested. Just let me know. There will only be the day of my birthday set aside for selfish meditations in the House of Livia (if it has reopened!) - other than that I am willing to go where directed. Look forward to any suggestions from you all.

OK, guys and gals - so why can't I change my avatar? I 'remove old avatar' and 'upload new image', scaled to size and everything as the rules dictate. I click on 'update avatar' and I am left with a squashed version of Sian Phillips! And this is not the first time it's happened. Any suggestions gratefully received.

I tell ya'll now - that ain't no Jesus! That ain't no Christ. That ain't no saviour! That man is a demon, brothers and sisters! A DEEEEEEmon!!!

Doc, this has always been my interpretation of it, if it was said at all.

No, AD - the Julia in question refers to Livia. Post-adoption (post Gus's death) she was known as Julia Augusta, and would have been referred to as such by Pliny. This reference to her daily elecampane is also cited by Barrett in his biography.

I doubt if there are any members who still haven't got their own copies of Series One, but if not, I have a perfect set, which I'm prepared to give away to a good home. If anyone coming to the UK meet in April would be interested I could bring them along and thus save any postage. If not, I'll be willing to post them on.

Very sorry, everybody, peradventure I was out hunting. No, not literally. Actually I was gathering winter fuel. All right, back to work. Some moderns, especially French moderns, make a confusion between ancient spica and modern Lavender (and admittedly one species does have the scientific name Lavandula spica, 'spike-lavender'). They are wrong (says AD). In this case the scientific name is no guide to ancient usage. Ancient spica was spica nardi, 'the spike (or shoot) of nard', and that meant the true spikenard from the Himalaya. Spikenard is Nardostachys Jatamansi (not actually an Inula). It is still obtainable. Because it was damned expensive in the Mediterranean, the search was on for substitutes. Originally, I guess, substitutes that had some similar smell. Hence the urge to experiment with Valeriana, which must have had the right qualities. And I think it turned out that some Valeriana species had better medicinal qualities than real spikenard did, hence, probably, real spikenard eventually lost market share (in late Roman times). For whatever reason, lavender doesn't seem to have interested Greeks or Romans very much. It appears to be iphyon in Greek, also mentioned once in Pliny, but just as a flower. The word lavandula doesn't occur in ancient or early medieval Latin -- I don't know, straight off, when it first does occur. Is that any help? My attention is fully focused now ... That is certainly of help to me, AD - it clears things up very well. As for Valerian - I remember having cough medicine with Valerian in it when I was a child! It was a black linctus and had a sort of liquorice/aniseed taste - but I should imagine that was some sort of flavouring to make it palatable to children.

Phew - thank you for that, Pertinax. Alas, we are in the territory of microbiology, which is entirely beyond me, I fear. I have worked with neurosurgeons, rheumatologists and cardiologists, and have a workable knowledge of their specialties, but just how a staphylococcus aureus works is something of a mystery to me. Perhaps this is something we can explore at the UK meet. I remain in awe of your vast knowledge on this subject.

All I can offer here, Pertinax - and it may or may not be reliable - is from the author Mary Renault, who wrote novels set in ancient Greece. I cannot remember exactly which novel it was now, but she had a character polishing his belt buckle with a twig that was chewed at the end to make it into a sort of brush. Whether or not she had made this up (unlikely, as she researched very thoroughly) or whether she had read it somewhere, it seems plausible that some kind of wood thus 'splayed' at the end through chewing or some other means, would serve as a small brush. Just an idea - you must judge for yourself if this would work. They certainly didnt have germ theory (but then again quite a few "moderns" dismiss it as simplistic tripe) , however Myrrh has always been highly regarded as a stomachic (it would kill such everyday bacteria as Gardia for example) and it is quite pleasant in small (very small) quantities. The same logic can be applied to the cinnamon abd cardommon derivatives. Could you explain exactly what is meant by 'germ theory'. I had always believed that the Romans understood the need for cleanliness where wounds, illness etc. was concerned, without them understanding the connection to the causes of infection from bacteria. Um...*pukes* EWWWW. I don't know if I believe it either...but I think I've heard worse. Absolutely! No wonder Augustus let his teeth decay and drop out!

Pertinax, I always thought that the Roman nard was our lavender. Could you confirm or refute this, please. I am sure I have never read a mention of 'lavender' in Pliny - but it is a while since I searched him properly; therefore, I assumed that the Romans did not know the word as such (yet I am sure they had the plant). Your expert knowledge would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Please tell me you are joking, Cicero D? But in answer to the main topic - what on earth is the point of reviving, introducing or creating yet another set of rites or beliefs that divide people in our already shredded world? A person's faith in whatever deity or myth - whatever you want to call it - is a personal thing, and as far as I'm concerned, it should remain so. It's when it becomes a public issue that I have a problem. I don't force my atheism onto my fellow citizens, and I sure as heck don't want their beliefs forced on me. Do we really need another 'public' religion?

Phew - thank heavens for that!

Thank you - I can recommend this one, if only - as I said in the review - because it is the first biography of Livia in the English language at all! Barrett is drawn to 'controversial' figures: I have his 'Caligula' on my shelves, which I have not yet read, but intend to very soon, and he has also written a biography/study of the younger Agrippina which may be worth a look. As I say, I cannot yet recommend these other works as I haven't read them myself, but I admire the way he strips away the sensationalism and malign tradition without descending into panegyric.

It's Allen Leech, who was in 'Cowboys and Angels'. Dublin born - about 25 years old. Quite a cutie! As ever - I'm full of useless information

Yep - so cunning, you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel. Don't worry Gaius - if I see any more obscure allusions in characters' names, I'll keep it to myself.

Clearly it is just me... erastes is the Greek word for a man who is active with other younger men, if you see what I mean! eromenos is the passive term for the younger one. To follow up the Erastes with 'Fulmen' cannot be a coincidence - I'm sure of it. I think some clever writer might have slipped that one in. Of course it has nothing to do with his character in the show - but the name has always struck me as being suitable for a user name on some quirky site or other. I'd love to know which of the writers created him - I would email and ask!

Is it just me, or has anyone else noted the 'biggus dickus' like significance of the name Erastes Fulmen? I'm sorry if it's been mentioned before, but I'd been meaning to post about it as a little aside. (Our Greek experts should know what I mean!) Forgive me if it's been discussed already.