Primus Pilus

We are currently working on a series of provincial maps at the height of Roman power, circa mid 1st century AD. However, its unlikely we'll ever produce something so much later in European history. Wish we could help, but your looking for an era that we haven't delved into.

Well the Romans at the time were still a small Republic, neither posing a threat or attracting much notice from Macedonia. The Romans were busy fighting the Samnites and were not a regional power to draw much interest from Alexander. The wealth of the ancient world at the time, was in the east, and Alexander certainly wanted it for his own kingdom.

Let me rephrase that by saying citizenry. Until later in the empire the 3rd century to be more specific, true citizenry was still a fairly selective thing. After the various inclusion policies of several emperors, ending in 212 AD with Caracalla, essentially all people within the borders were made 'citizens'.

Similar in many aspects. Depends on who and where. Romanized Celts, for example, took to the Roman way of life quite well. Cities in Gaul or Britain weren't a great deal different than in Italy. It's the country people that maintained a more tribal custom. In these communities people weren't necessarily poor just because they didn't act 'Roman' 100% of the time. I'm not saying there weren't poor people, I just believe that life was relatively good for most members of the Roman world. Those people who stayed within their tribal way of life may have had a different standard of living that we today might classify as 'poor', but it was simply how they lived.

Sorry, I didnt mean latin status... but actual people of latin/Roman birth. Romans were city people. Whether they lived in Rome or were retired veterans living in a small colony, they still lived in a similar manner. Pretty much all Roman cities had running water. Some small towns may not have had elaborate systems, but running water was a common feature throughout the empire. The Romans took care to build where water was accessable.

Ahh, yes, a historian that comes across as a novelist is a welcome one indeed. I'll have to check that out. One of my favorite (non-Roman) historian authors along the same vane is Shelby Foote. He wrote a rather large 3 volume set on the American Civil War that I'd recommend to anyone.

I'll contact you privately Jug

Fiction or Non?

Well I talked to Martijn through email, and he said he got his on July 1.

One thing I always try to tell myself is that these movies are just that.. movies. They aren't documentaries. I try to enjoy them for what they are. I suppose its like Gladiator, which was horribly innacurate, yet I enjoyed it just the same.

Its a fairly hotly debated topic. Consider that most people, at least within the Roman Empire, lived within a city, town or other more centralized environment. Roman cities were uniformly designed with differences mainly existing in placement of buildings, etc. While city life in Londinium was considerably less hectic than Rome I'm sure, Roman culture still pervailed. There was the addition of Celtic influence certainly, but still the people there were city dwellers. Smaller provincial cities certainly didnt deal with the political mayhem that could happen in Rome and weren't subject to the passing fancy the way Rome could be, but essentially, daily life would've been pretty similar. Latin citizens most assuredly lived in a liefestyle similar all over the empire. The difference then wouldnt be much different than the differences today between city and country folk. Its not necessarily about economic condition, but about a different lifestyle. There was certainly a smaller 'middle class' in the Roman world than there is today, but as opposed to many eras, they did actually have one. Where you might have seen some differences, would be in the non latin people, such as Romanized Celts or what have you. They certainly would maintain a much different lifestyle when away from Roman influence. Some were poor, of course, just as many actual Latins were, but still a different status than the feudal system of the middle ages. In that era, the monty python classic line certainly applies. Peasants could very well live in *****, where nobility and social elite lived a life of relative luxury.

Hard to argue that I suppose. Though I think both men made their own 'luck'. =P

Archaeologists have unearthed evidence of a Roman fort and a Stone Age settlement near a pub in Chesterfield. Experts were called in when developers discovered the artefacts on land underneath the Old Feather's Pub on Lordsmill Street. Some of the pottery dates back to the 1st Century AD. Maria Barnes from Chesterfield Museum said the discovery indicates the town's Roman settlement was larger than previously thought. "Most of the evidence of Roman settlement is the centre of Chesterfield and this gives us proof that the civilian settlement around the fort extends further south than we previously thought," she said. From BBC

A Caesar's wife may have to be above reproach, but one of them lost her head centuries ago. The head was found late in the 19th century by a roving Guardian reporter who later became a distinguished archaeologist; her body was only found nine years ago, in modern Croatia; but now the two have been re-united at an exhibition in Oxford. Christopher Brown, director of the Ashmolean, explained that the head of Livia, wife of Caesar Augustus, had come to the museum from Sir Arthur Evans. When the young Evans left England in 1879 for a spot of travel, archaeology and freelance journalism, his father insisted that, as he would be meeting many important people, he must take a top hat from Locks of Piccadilly.... From The Guardian

Hmm, Jug, I was told that shipping would take 4 to 7 days. I don't have the info in front of me, but its been several weeks. I will try to start tracking it down. At worst, I will resend. I wonder if Martijn, who is also in Belgium received his. It was mailed the same day.

Welcome Redneck... Thanks for adding a bit more color to the conversation

BEIJING (AFP) - Chinese soldiers sent to the Great Wall centuries ago did not just spend their time keeping alien invaders out -- they also decorated their watch towers with ancient graffiti, state media said. Archeologists studying a section of the wall in northeastern Liaoning province were surprised to find carvings of symbols representing love and peace, the Xinhua news agency reported... From Yahoo News

Found the Arthur site. There really are some excellent articles. Heroic Age

There was a site dedicated to the Arthurian theory that Arthur was Artorius Castus, but I can't seem to find it. Will post it if I come across it.

The discovery in Pompeii of a pre-Roman temple is being hailed as evidence that the city was sophisticated and thriving 300 years before Vesuvius erupted. The temple is said to be of Mephitis, a female deity worshipped by the Samnites, a mysterious ancient people who preceded the Romans in Pompeii. The temple complex includes a sanctuary where it is thought girls from good families worked briefly in "sacred prostitution" as a rite of passage to full womanhood. From The Telegraph

An undiscovered Roman town may exist in south-west Essex, according to archaeological evidence being uncovered in London. A large Roman road has been found heading out of London towards what is now the village of Chipping Ongar, 11 miles west of Chelmsford. Archaeological evidence suggests Chipping Ongar was an important communications hub in Roman times and probably the site of a small town... From The Independent

Off the top of my head no I don't know a good source PM. Unfortunately, there is no historical written record from ancient sources. There are lots of books on the subject, though. A bit of browsing at Amazon may help

Economically, Carthage was a powerhouse. Well, at least prior to the second Punic War. By the 2nd war, Rome dominated the sea, but Carthage rebuilt its economy mainly through the subjugation of Spain. Vast mineral wealth in that area certainly helped balance the scales economically.

Yes, many local troops and imported auxilia from all over were left behind. There are many theories about what happened to the various people who stayed behind.

An ancient Roman road that connected London to Essex has been discovered during regeneration work on the Beaumont Estate, Leyton. The well-preserved find has caused a storm among archaeologists and it is hoped the underground discovery, off Capworth Street, will give clues to the level of traffic between London and Chelmsford during the Roman era. Work to redevelop the estate has halted for a few days to allow a detailed examination of the road which is six metres wide, raised a metre off the ground and has a two-metre-wide ditch on either side. From Waltham Forest Guardian