Primus Pilus

This film retraces the rediscovery of the catacombs, subterranean burial places and hideouts beneath the streets of ancient Rome. It finds in the dark galleries the traces of early explorers and the signatures, graffiti and inscriptions they left. These early underground explorers include legendary figures such as Antonio Bosio and Giovanni Battista de Rossi, the scholar who laid the scientific basis of modern Italian archaeology. This film sheds new light on an underground world where silence dominates but images retell stories voiced many centuries ago... Archaeology Channel

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I'm a bit perplexed by what Cicero is saying here. Does he mean to compare 12% compound interest with 48% simple, or is he suggesting a straight 48% with 12% simple. The cost of simple or compound interest is directly affected by time, so such a thing is a key component of the calculation. For instance, let's say someone borrowed 10,000 denarii payable over 10 years. At 48% flat, the borrower would owe (of have paid) 4,800 interest plus the principal for a total of $14,800. At 12% simple (INT - Principal x rate x time) (10 month roman years, or 100 months in total, for interest purposes) the borrower would owe 10,000 denarii in interest for a total of 20,000 due to the lender. (This transaction forms the mathematical basis of the Roman borrowing system... interest = principal over a 10 year period). As such, the transaction is entirely dependent upon time to determine which method of calculation is better for either borrower or lender. On the same 10 year loan, if we are using simple interest vs. compound interest the cost would be something such as... At 48% simple (I = PxRxT) (10 month Roman year), the borrower would owe 40,000 in interest for a total due (P & I) of 50,000 At 12% compound [Actual = Principal x (1 + rate)10] the borrower would only owe 21,000 of interest or a total of 31,000. However, I do believe that such compounding had been outlawed in Cicero's time and I believe the first comparative example above is more applicable. Clearly time is the key component in factoring the most favorable results in any of these transactions. For a rather confusing description of how the Roman calculated interest... Fenus... William Smith Dictionary (Personally, I am far too reliant on 10-keys and computers for such calculations anymore, but the concept is fairly easy once the brain shakes off the cobwebs. For the ancients, such things were a matter of course for mathematicians.)

Ozzy may be a rather sad example of what the rock and roll lifestyle could do to a person, but Sabbath just ain't Sabbath without him.

From the HBO e-newsletter:

I was immediately drawn to Augustus" Caesar's Web, but I get the impression that it is introductory in nature and/or related to an upcoming TV production mentioned below.... From Bristol Phoenix Press

Just to be clear here... the Roman Empire did not cease to exist in AD 476 (insert whichever date on whichever calendar you prefer), but continued for another millennium. The rise of islam had a very direct impact on the fortunes of this so-called "Byzantine" empire, and is a perfectly reasonable topic of discussion.

Indeed... for example by late Roman sources you might be interested in Byzantine Sources or the fall of the west...

Rome, February 1 - The origins of the famed buried city of Pompeii have emerged from years of excavations, an international conference in Rome was told Thursday. The first Pompeii was not built by the Romans or even by the Greeks who preceded them, but by an ancient people called the Samnites, Pompeii heritage Superintendent Piero Guzzo told a packed audience of archaeologists and scholars... ANSA.IT

I believe these were all responsa to items in posts. However, moslems and jews are certainly not off topic with the subject. It is completely off-topic. The topic is the moslems in the eastern empire. Let's drop the zealotry for a minute and focus.

Ahh yes, I see your point, but Vorenus was attempting to relate people whose dignity was far above that of Antony. Rather than the Gracchi and Marius, I might have substituted a Scipio Africanus and perhaps Furius Camillus (or something to that effect).

I'd rather that Cincinnatus is the only one who truly fits as an opposite of Antony. Both the Gracchi and Marius were not opposed to the use of whomever and whatever was available to reach their ends.

The problem is the writer/director combinations (mainly writer I'd suspect) Episode 13 Directed by: Tim Van Patten Written by: Bruno Heller Episode 14 Directed by: Allen Coulter Written by: Bruno Heller Episode 15 Directed by: Alan Poul Written by: Scott Buck Episode 16 Directed by: Adam Davidson Written by: Todd Ellis Kessler In season 1 Bruno Heller (the show creator) wrote episodes 1 through 5 and 12, 13. Scott Buck and Todd Kessler were not the writers of any of the season 1 episodes not written by Heller. The remaining episodes not written by Heller were written by other members of the original creative/producer team (including co-exec producer John Milius). I can only hope that Heller or other season 1 writers are directly responsible for the writing later in season 2. Clearly he still has some right of show direction as executive producer, but his absence is obvious. I've been browsing the HBO site but I can't seem to locate the writers of the Season 2 remaining episodes.

I must admit my concerns that the show rolls down a slope into a soap opera abyss, but I am not ready to give up yet. Where to begin... Octavian (new actor Simon Woods is introduced) claims victory (and the remaining legions of the deceased Hirtius and Pansa) after the defeat of Antony at Mutina. Atia avoids being poisoned... the assassin of Servilia is revealed and tortured while Servilia in turn is abducted and tortured by Atia's man, Timon. This is a fairly horrific sequence for those of us who care about the accuracy of the show, but I suppose it is a powerful scene. Timon ultimately betrays Atia, presumably leaving her open for vengeance (and her impending death within the next couple of months as historically she died in late summer 43 BC... Mutina was in April). Vorenus and Pullo are reunited and ride off to rescue the former's children. A predictably dead slave overseer later, and Vorenus' children are reunited with their father. Antony's role in this episode was unfortunately reduced to one small scene in the aftermath of his defeat to the combined forces of Octavian and the Senate. His character is as boisterous as ever despite the limited exposure and his defeat.

Now that's a sentence! The Roman Empire lasted well into the islamic era (often confusingly labeled as Byzantine) and in fact was ultimately overwhelmed by it (and the short-sightedness of its Catholic brethren in the Vatican).

I guess I can finally stop calling Manning overrated. Grossman sure does blow though. I didn't think the game was boring though. The first quarter was among the most entertaining I've seen.

Yes, an accurate description. However, so far I am still enjoying it. Who knows what my perception will be by the end.

A similar thread. In it I concurred with those who chose Africa, though I am far from being absolute in my opinion.

The lost treasure of Maxentius, the last preChristian Roman emperor, has been unearthed by archaeologists... More Maxentius Treasures Found

Ancient settlements from Roman times and the Iron Age have been found by the side of a major road development. Archaeologists were called in to survey the A66 in North Yorkshire to ensure nothing valuable would be destroyed... BBC

Nero's Golden Palace will partly reopen to visitors next week, offering rare insight into archaeologists' efforts to preserve the first-century imperial residence from decay and humidity. Visitors will have access to half of the palace, wandering through a maze of underground passageways, officials said Wednesday. They can also climb a 43-foot scaffolding and take a close look at the building's frescoed vaulted ceilings, as restorers and archaeologists work to clean the paint... Washington Post

Oh that's easy... just add barley, yeast and hops... hey I must be a god!

Just for the record... I moved this from the off topic area of the site to this "entertainment" category.

Awww shucks, thanks guys.

My own overview... Roman Coins. The Denarius was introduced around 211 BC. Romans used Greek style silver coinage (didrachm) for some time and began to mint their own just before the start of the first Punic War (rough 269 BC). These were in circulation until the Romans formalized their own system. Most historians (and numismaticians) believe that Pliny was incorrect when he says it was the denarius, rather than the didrachm, that was introduced in 269 (as referenced in the William Smith Dictionary). There are no surviving samples of the Denarius prior to the later date, where there are samples of the didrachm.