Primus Pilus

Welcome back, and good luck is in order too.

It's not like 'Joey' wasn't always thin, but it's almost frighteningly so in that early clip. Helluva influential band though.

And since my own claim is based on nothing much other than sheer speculation, I'm afraid that I can't quite make a very good case for it.

Agreed, I am leaning more toward tradition, including the customary display of social rank even above more practical reasons.

I'm saddened even by the notion that many people probably think the park is named for Mr. Spock and can't figure out the relationship between Leonard Nimoy and the statue. Hopefully the park is so deeply entrenched in Birmingham tradition that I am completely off base. Not sure why this struck me... perhaps its my natural cynical outlook on the collective knowledge/intelligence of humanity? Anyway, Vulcan seems to be appropriately unattractive even if he appears to be lacking major deformities.

There could be several possibilities I suppose. While I understand that (I don't have any personal practical experience) drawing a short sword from the left side may seem easier, reenactors seem to indicate that drawing from the right is quite easy with a gladius (a spatha being a completely different matter, hence its move to the left). I think it may have more to do with interference with the scutum than the draw. I don't mean to say that the scutum would prevent a left side draw, but on the march with both gladius and scutum on the left side the 2 would probably clash and bang against one another while also distributing all the weight on one side of the body. (not that a gladius on the right would severely offset the weight of a scutum on the left, but I suppose it could be a factor) Another possibilty might be simple fashion and tradition. Officers were allowed to wear scabbards on the left (as they were also not carrying a scutum) while the rank and file was not. It may have been a statement of rank and position.

Not to change the subject away from this particular interview too much, but we think that this might work out better than the 'ask the expert' format. In the future when we approach various authors for an 'interview', we will probably have community members PM or email us questions (generally regarding a recent or upcoming book) and we'll chop, rearrange, merge, etc. the questions to present to the authors. Hopefully that will allow the author a chance to talk about his book (I assume a subject near and dear to them) and give us an opportunity for some interesting discussion. At any rate, considering the way I personally feel about his books, I have a new appreciation for Mr. Iggulden based simply on the responses in this short interview.

Despite the attempts of many modern revisionists to paint Celts into a picture of empire, the Celtic societies remained secondary in stature simply because they were never unified. The Brennus (or Brennos) that invaded Italy and the man of the same name (perhaps title?) that later invaded Greece, which eventually resulted in Galatian settlement, was hardly an attempt at imperial expansion, but rather enrichment and advancement of his particular tribe. Even Vercingetorix' brief rebellion would hardly have lasted beyond repelling Caesar, as the victorious tribes would have certainly fractured off into old political divides. The Britannic Celts too were clearly fractured in the face of Roman invasion, each tribe playing personal cards for the gain of that tribe rather than 'Celtic' society as a whole. The notion of unity because of druidic law or religious conformity is simply an attempt to falsely create a historic Celtic empire. However, as we know they did have far more to offer than many ancient sources would have us believe. It is also quite evident in my opinion, that had the Celts been unified, the shape of the present world could have been unrecognizable to us.

Skarr's books are available most anywhere, including your very own area of the world... Fishpond.co.nz

That is sooooooooo insensitive to people prone to seizures! You ought to be ashamed! I better go reopen that apology thread.

No, it was midnight when the moon reached the middle of the sky at whatever location you were in at that moment. In Jerusalem this would've happened a few hours earlier than in Rome. Since there was no fast transit or instantaneous communication people of the ancient world wouldn't have been concerned with this sort of thing.

No, there is no archaeological or written evidence to support this. Carthage as part of Africa and Carthago Nova as part of Hispania Tarraconensis were very clearly Roman provinces, essentially until the Vandals arrived in the 5th century. This is heavily supported by written, archaeological and monumental existing evidence. If you are suggesting that the Vandal invasion of Rome by sea was a Carthaginian resurgence, than I am afraid you are completely misunderstanding the context. Care to elaborate on this theory of yours?

Indeed, it sounds like someone is using creative ways to have their assignments done for them. I believe I've taken care of it for the future.

Yes, thanks Neil, I was just perusing your gallery, and its a fine addition!

DVD pirating is a good one though too.

The Union of Naughty Romanophile Vixens. Or at least I can dream. I love how you think Ursus... Viggen, PP... any room on the site for such a group? If only they weren't quite so naughty, my wife probably wouldn't mind

The Cato v JC topic is tired? Now why would you say something like that? See what makes that even funnier is the fact it's some Victorian age picture animation... I love that gif That needs to be used every time a Phalanx vs. Legion or Caesar vs. Alexander thread starts. However, I also happen to enjoy the Caesar vs. Senate and Fall of the Republic debate regardless of how repetitious it may sometimes get.

Something sexual is the first thought I had when I read that they took a videotape as evidence.

Yeah, if your average julio-claudian arrived in modern times, the would probably be shoked by the lack of decadence. Though they may feel at home in Amsterdam Or since obesity was once a sign of vast wealth, perhaps he'd be stunned by the huge numbers of incredibly wealthy people shopping at Walmart.

Not me

Perhaps I should have been more specific, sorry I see now how I made it seem I was completely ignorant of her... I have seen all of the online sources on her and have read here and there little exercpts from other books which mention her, but I am searching for articles or sources that are devoted to her as a topic/subject. Since no books exist, (that I know of), I would hope journal articles do. I ask because I would like to write an essay on her and my professors will not accept online sources as references... as it stands now I fear I will not be able to find enough material to write a 15 page paper, but who knows... I might. Thanks for any help... From the sources indicated at roman-emperors.org, it doesn't look like you could get more than a few pages. Editions: Primary: For Placidia's extant correspondence, see Otto Guenther ed., Epistulae imperatorum pontificum aliorum inde ab a. CCCLXVII usque ad a. DLIII datae avellana quae dicitur collectio, C.S.E.L. vol 35 pt.1 (Vienna, 1895) nos.25,27-28 (pp.71-74). Critical Studies: Gerke, F., "L'Iconografia delle monete imperiale dall' Augusta Galla Placidia." Corsi di cultura sull'arte ravennate e bizantina 13(1966): 163-204 Nagl, Maria Assunta, Galla Placidia , Studien zur Geschichte und Kultur des Altertums. New York, 1967. Oost, Stewart I. "Galla Placidia and the Law." Classical Philology 63(1968): 114-121. ________. "Some Problems in the History of Galla Placidia." Classical Philology 60(1965): 1-10. ________. Galla Placidia Augusta. A Biographical Essay. Chicago, 1968. Sirago, V.A. Galla Placidia e la trasformazione politica dell' Occidente. Louvain, 1961.