Primus Pilus

I'm over 30 and it's cause is not obvious to me. I'm not opposed to the idea of climate change, because clearly it is changing (though isn't it theoretically always changing?). In any case, assuming even that man made climate change is absolute truth, it's the notion that controlling this climate change through the current energy reduction concepts and strategies that bothers me. I am honestly more apt to believe that the mere existence of some 7 billion living human consumers (and growing at alarming rates) is more concerning than the burning of fossil fuels alone. Of course, the two have a symbiotic relationship, but I doubt that even the complete elimination of fossil fuel usage would stop the growing environmental concerns caused by our enormous human population. I'm also not convinced that the complete elimination of humanity would stop climate change, whether this would be perceived as advantageous or disadvantageous. I am not trying to say that the there aren't things humans can do to better the environment, but legislating restrictions on all of us because of the possibility... without proof of cause or proof of positive result... bothers me immensely.

It was definately valuable in moving legionaries to Cyprus in order to put down the Jewish revolt of AD 115 - 117. Though other than this and the invasion of Britain, there was little necessity for naval activity in anything other than providing logistical support. (Though that support was paramount in varies Germanic activities in the early principate as well as Corbulo's and Trajans' eastern/Armenian campaigns via the Black Sea, etc.)

I will give my tax rebate to a family that doesn't actually pay taxes because otherwise they won't be eligible for it. Oh wait, that's right, yes they are, nevermind.

How do you know who can beat whom? Polls? I wouldn't get so worked up about that sort of thing.

I count beans. For anyone who keeps track of such things... refried beans are infinitely more difficult to count than most other kinds of beans. Seriously, I'm a corporate controller who, if not for my moderate level paycheck, would absolutely regret the path that took me so far away from full time historical pursuits. Then again, knowing my personality and my desire to separate work from personal interests, full time occupation in the historical field might have possibly deadened the passion that I maintain as an "amateur".

Well he did, in a way. Diocletian's western Caesar, Maximianus Herculius, was charged with eliminating Carausius in Britain. It took several years of campaigning that never actually succeeded. Though defeated in battle by Constantius Chlorus, Carausius was actually murdered by his own subordinate (Allectus, who continued the breakaway empire), but the failure to remove him by the authorities in Rome and Nicomedia (Diocletian's eastern capital) was not for lack of trying.

Diocletian's maximum price edict stands out as an example of failed monetary policy. Not only did it lead to hyper-inflation and a near total collapse of the economy, but it helped usher in serfdom (ie men were forced by law to pursue the trades of their father essentially in order to force someone to be a merchant despite the extreme likelihood of a failing enterprise.)

Ahh, my apologies. Then you are looking for sumptuary laws. Legislated morality as such. An overview via William Smith's dictionary The Lex Oppia of 213 stands out as oppressive to our modern sensibilities.

The Lex Aelia et Fufia of 150 BC provided the right of obnuntiatio. In essence, any curule magistrate (consul, praetor, curule aedile) or tribunis plebis could disband an assembly of the comitia, nulling attempted legislation, by declaring certain omens as unfavorable. This was only a political tool intended to give magistrates manipulative authority over legal assemblies. It's existence led to tactics that were divisive and volatile in my opinion. It's the very law that Bibulus tried to invoke during his consulship with Caesar in 60. It was later repealed in the tribuneship of P. Clodius (58).

Deir Al-Banat necropolis, which lies in the southern Fayoum, comprises a series of rock hewn tombs dating from the Graeco-Roman period through to early Christian times. To the north is a well preserved ruin of a mediaeval monastery with a fired brick church at its centre, a mud brick residential area and a refectory where the monks would have communal meals. Between 1980 and 1995 the necropolis was the site of major excavations by the Egyptian Antiquities Authority, now the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). A collection of intact Roman burials were discovered along with disturbed Coptic graves containing bones and skulls. The necropolis was then neglected until 2002 when a joint Russian-American mission was given permission to conduct excavations and an anthropological survey... Al Ahram

Two

In the year 730 B.C., a man by the name of Piye decided the only way to save Egypt from itself was to invade it. Things would get bloody before the salvation came.

The Greek traveler, Pausanias, living in the second century, CE, would probably recognize the spectacular site of the Sanctuary of Zeus at Mt. Lykaion, and particularly the altar of Zeus. At 4,500 feet above sea level, atop the altar provides a breathtaking, panoramic vista of Arcadia. "On the highest point of the mountain is a mound of earth, forming an altar of Zeus Lykaios, and from it most of the Peloponnesos can be seen," wrote Pausanias, in his famous, well-respected multi-volume Description of Greece. "Before the altar on the east stand two pillars, on which there were of old gilded eagles. On this altar they sacrifice in secret to Lykaion Zeus. I was reluctant to pry into the details of the sacrifice; let them be as they are and were from the beginning."... Science Daily

Marine archaeologists will begin work in June to uncover the sand-buried hull of a 2,300 year-old cargo ship thought to have been ferrying wine from the Aegean island of Chios before it sank off Cyprus' southern coast, researchers said Thursday. The vessel, dating from the late Classical period (mid-fourth century B.C.) is one of only a few such ships to have been found so well-preserved, said University of Cyprus visiting marine archaeologist Stella Demesticha... MSNBC

Then why would Augustus have built these two great fleets and headquarter them in Italy? He had to build them to deal with Sextus Pompey in the west and the Egyptian fleet in the east. Once these two large organized threats were defeated, the Roman navy was used primarily to protect shipping and to support ground operations. The continued existence of these permanent post-Actium fleets prevented a resurgence of piracy.

I deleted the thread because MPC, via private message, indicated he had no intention of responding to it. Since it was more of a personal statement towards him more so than a discussion of Caesar's merits (in my opinion), I saw no point in leaving it. Feel free to start a discussion on the qualities of Caesar, but try to leave the personal stuff out of it. This is not favoritism. Posts by MPC have also been deleted/edited in the past when they take on a more personal nature in the heat of a discussion. However, as long as those discussions continue to take place, we attempt to leave things as they are. If there is no response, what's the point of leaving it. The original post is still visible in the Tartarus forum, but again, since MPC has no interest in replying, leaving it for public comment by others is pointless.

I've temporarily disabled public access to the entire article posted by Sertorius while I investigate the copyright. Publication here, vs. open access by the library is an entirely different set of circumstances for an article or book that is not in the public domain (published 2004). Edit: Nephele found this on the website: Quite clear that we can't republish without permission. I'll send Professor Kiernan an email to see if he would mind if we do so for the benefit of our non North American visitors.

Hello Harry... I'm afraid I don't have much information for you, but I didn't want to leave your post seemingly ignored. I've seen many estimates on Rome itself, but next to nothing on other individual cities. In any case, many books suggest estimates for the Italian population as a whole... roughly 5 million seems to be a usual suspect. I've seen similar numbers for Carthage as a whole, but breaking this down between individual cities vs. North Africa, Sicily, Hispania, etc. is a different story altogether. In any case, you can rest assured that only the cities of Rome and Carthage in Italy and North Africa were approaching anything above 100,000. (Rome, Carthage and Syracuse in Sicily would've been the only cities with what we could call massive populations at this point... Rome somewhere right around 100,000, Carthage likely double that and Syracuse somewhere in between.) Of course there were other large cities... Alexandria, Athens, Antioch, etc. but these weren't direct factors in the Punic Wars. In any case, P.A. Brunt's "Italian Manpower 225 BC - AD 14" would be an excellent start, but it's a $300 book. Perhaps your local library has a copy though.

I believe Primus Pilus covered that when he gave the Roman mile of 5,000 feet. Our modern-day mile is equal to 5,280 feet. -- Nephele Indeed, it would be roughly 160 modern miles. However, while I was looking for the distance between Rome and Arminum (Rimini), I kept stumbling upon conflicting distances on the Via Flaminia. Several texts suggest that the road was about 210 miles in total. However, this may account for the fact that the road splits off between Rome and Arminum and heads more easterly towards Ancona. Both roads maintain the Via Flaminia name, so this probably accounts for the additional mileage. According to a travel website I managed to find (it was surprisingly difficult to find the distance between these two cities), it seems that air travel distance is about 149 miles. That would seem to corroborate Strabo's estimate when we factor in the several twists and turns in the road.

Vegetius provides some insight in De Re Militari Book 1. He states that Legionaries should march 20 miles in 5 summer hours at normal pace and 24 miles at "full step". The passage in Chapter IX (Initial Training): Later, when describing ongoing monthly training, he states that Romans were expected to meet these conditions regardless of terrain (from ch. XXVII): Also just be advised that this translation of Vegetius seems to have been slightly abridged. It should have no impact on what you are looking for here as these details have not changed, but if necessary here is the original in Latin. As for marching from Rome to Ariminum... by the Via Flaminia it was roughly 169 Roman miles (according to Strabo. He actually uses 1350 Stadia as the unit of measurement (125 passus in a stadia *1,350 stadia = 169,000 passus * 5 feet in a passus = 845,000 ft./5,000 ft. in a Roman mile. = 169 miles) That would mean that a legion could walk from Rome to Ariminum in about 8.5 days at normal pace. 7 days at quick pace. In an absolute emergency, they'd probably march more than 5 hours though.

Thanks for the input Demetrius. No, I don't reenact, nor have I been involved with living history. I was asking out of pure curiosity, because I have heard widely differing opinions on Deepeeka. I wouldn't have a clue myself, but figured it might be a good thing to delve into for those who may be interested in buying some armor. I suppose it's possibly just discriminatory against the manufacturers place or origin.

Not attempting to disagree with Ludovicus by any stretch, but reading this line literally, it gave me a moment of pause. I don't recall any emperor prior to Hadrian being known for sexual activity with actual men vs. boys (I suppose this would be rather subjective though of course). In any case, Augustus and Tiberius were known for their attraction to youths, though if I recall correctly Augustus' preference was young girls. Caligula would be a possibility, and Nero as well. Suetonius also claimed that Domitian prostituted himself to Nerva and some others... Not that this really matters in the context of anything, but for some unknown reason I was struck curious by the distinction.

In December we announced the discovery of a Roman stone coffin at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. Inside were the remains of a woman cradling a child in her arms. The unique environment within the coffin had allowed the preservation of the leather and cork slippers of the lady, as well as the child

When the Discovery Channel aired a TV documentary last year raising the possibility that archeologists had found the family tomb of Jesus Christ in the hills behind Jerusalem, it caused a huge backlash among Christians. The claim, after all, challenged one of the cornerstones of Christian faith

I had to read this in High School (sixth form, I think, in the UK) Spanish class. I recall that it was well beyond my Spanish comprehension abilities, and that I hated every minute of it. Lest anyone think I am discriminating against Spanish literature, there are few "classic" novels, English or otherwise, that I can honestly take pleasure in reading. As an example, I recall being forced to read Melville's "Moby Dick" in about the 8th grade (13 yrs old or so). "Call me Ishmael". Yeah right, call me bored.