Maladict

I believe there was an eruption, or at least major activity, in the third or second century BC, but I could be wrong. edit: Found it.

There are many such edicts, at least as early as the reign of Honorius. Their repetition could indicate it wasn't working. Burning marble creates lime iirc, to be used for mortar.

I'm not sure the Romans would have made the connection between earthquakes and volcanoes. Besides, the entire region is very tectonically active, the area west of Naples even more so than Vesuvius in the east. THe inhabitants were probably used to it, and didn't expect anything like the violence of AD79

Correct!

That's the right country. Now think capitals...

No, it's worse than Lebanon. And much worse than Libya.

Yeah I know, I was wrong This thread might be the biggest on the board by now. Well, as a hint, you probably wouldn't be able to visit this site even if you had the money. That should narrow it down to about two countries.

An easy one

Aosta?

Seconded. You do need to make an appointment to visit, though, iirc.

During the Julio-Claudian dynasty the urban horti, large estates owned by wealthy aristocrats on the edge of the city, were nearly all confiscated by the emperors, particularly Claudius and Nero. Many emperors preferred these 'urban retreats' to the Palatine, notably Vespasian. The emperors also held many extra-urban villas where they resided whenever they wished. Some examples (early empire only): Bay of Naples Various Centumcellae Trajan Lorium Antoninus Pius , Marcus Aurelius Alsium Marcus Aurelius Nemi Caesar , Constantine Nola Augustus ad Gallinas' (via Flaminia) Augustus Lanuvium Augustus , unknown 2nd cent. Praeneste Augustus Tibur Augustus , Claudius , Hadrian , unknown 2nd cent. Capri Augustus , Tiberius Alba Augustus , Tiberius , Gaius , Nero , Domitian Antium Augustus , Tiberius , Gaius , Nero , Hadrian Anxur (Tarracina) unknown 1st cent. Circeii unknown 1st cent. Neapolis Marcus Aurelius Laurentum unknown 2nd cent. Tusculum unknown 2nd cent. Puteoli unknown 2nd cent. Baiae Augustus , Gaius , Claudius , Hadrian , Marcus Aurelius , Severus Alexander Capua Antoninus Pius , Severus Alexander , Caracalla Campania Vespasian , Severus Alexander

I don't know, but when senators start supporting usurpers, at times even putting up imperial candidates from their midst, and inscribing their allegiance in stone on the forum for all to see, that doesn't really sound like a bunch of lapdogs to me. But I could be wrong.

Priene?

A clue might do the trick though

Excellent site. Do you know of something similar for the Empire (Dominate in particular)?

Well done!

Went to see the little exposition I posted about a few days ago, as I happened to be in town. I can post pictures of the masks and the accompanying information (in Dutch and German) if you like.

Salve, M! Well, maybe it's good time for some clues, don't you think so? I guess so. According to legend, the tomb in the picture belongs to the Trojan founder of this Italian city.

The Valkhof Museum in Nijmegen (Netherlands) has a number of these masks in its collection, made of iron with a silver layer on top. In fact, they're having an exhibition on it right now, until November.

Damn, too late. I'd have recognized Gortyn in an instant. I'll upload a new picture later today, unless anyone beats me to it.

I think this is your coin, even though it says cos VI instead of IV. (I have a sneaking suspicion yours does too) The denarius was a silver coin, but is but gradually debased until, by the time of the third century, it was almost completely made of copper. It had to look like it was silver, though, hence the silver-colored wash. So the silvering was added to make it acceptable as a silver coin. About the value, it's hard to say because of the varying silver content. Most importantly, the value depends largely on the state of preservation.

Ah, I misunderstood. How about the oracle at Baia?

There are a lot of caves on Monte Circeo (100km from Rome), one of them famous for the Neanderthal bones found in it, but I'm not sure about actual sanctuaries. The mountain is linked to Circe though, hence the name. The geography of the mountain would lend itself very well to film imho. The grotto at Sperlonga is another option, but probably not as good. Perhaps an ancient cistern or other underground structure could stand in as a sanctuary? The Piscina Mirabilis at Bacoli or the cistern at Albano Laziale might pull it off.

It looks really familiar, but I just can't put my finger on it.