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Here is a fabulous video of a Roman walking tour at 5 a.m. before the crush of crowds makes enjoying the sights impossible:

The ancient Roman city of Tayana was an important part of Roman Anatolia, near the modern city of Kemerhisar in Turkey. During excavations, sections of an aqueduct, originally 10-11 meters high, were uncovered. https://arkeonews.net/the-underground-parts-of-the-2000-year-old-aqueducts-of-central-anatolias-ephesus-being-unearthed/

Thanks for reading my post. The amount of hyperbole involving the health benefits of this revived plant is silly, but it is interesting: https://phys.org/news/2024-09-medicinal-tree-successfully-grown-year.html

The ancient Roman city of Heraclea Sintica in Bulgaria has been the site of some recent finds (see post below). A sculpture head has recently found (see picture above). It is thought that many of these statues were buried in the late fourth century AD following a destructive earthquake and possibly hidden from the Christian authorities. https://m.novinite.com/articles/228489/Ancient+Statues+in+Heraclea+Sintica%3A+New+Head+Discovery+Sparks+Excitement

Scientists have successfully germinated a 1,000-year-old seed found in the Judean Desert. The resulting tree, nicknamed "Sheba," may be part of a lost lineage mentioned in the Bible. It is believed to be linked to the biblical "tsori," a resinous extract mentioned in texts like Genesis, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. This resin was highly valued in ancient times for its medicinal properties and was used in perfumes, incense, and as a treatment for various ailments. The seed, estimated from between 993 and 1202 CE, was found in a cave in the Judean Desert. It has taken nearly 14 years to grow into a fully developed tree (see picture above). Scientists have done DNA, chemical, and radiocarbon tests to learn more about where it came from and what it can be used for. The researchers have identified Sheba as belonging to the genus Commiphora, which is part of the myrrh and frankincense family (Burseraceae) and includes around 200 living plant species. Commiphora plants are mainly found across Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. It is still unclear to which species Sheba belongs because the tree has not flowered and, therefore, hasn't produced the reproductive material needed for more detailed analyses by scientists. Lost Biblical tree resurrected from 1,000-year-old mystery seed found in the Judean Desert | Live Science Characterization and analysis of a Commiphora species germinated from an ancient seed suggests a possible connection to a species mentioned in the Bible | Communications Biology (nature.com) This is reminiscent of the recent extinct Judaean date tree revived.

Another Roman sculpture head has been found at the Carlisle cricket club. There were two previous heads found in 2023 (see post below). https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgdlpl2x93o

I believe we are discussing semantics here. The Battle of Britain was a crucial defensive victory (like the Battle of Stalingrad). Despite facing overwhelming force (2500 German aircraft to 1900 British aircraft), the casualties favored the British: 2500 German airmen were killed compared to 1500 British (not including civilian deaths), 900 Germans were captured, and 1900 German planes were lost compared to 1700 British planes. Let's put it this way, Caldrail: If the British hadn't won air superiority over Britain, you might be speaking German and eating sauerbraten and bratwurst.

I lack knowledge about the Republican Rome and its wars of expansion. However, here is a wonderful (albeit simplistic) overview of the Roman Battle of Thermopylae (plate number 1). Rome's Battle of Thermophylae was part of a larger conflict between the Roman and Seleucid Empires to control the region. The Roman forces, led by consul Manius Acilius Glabrio, defeated the Seleucid-Aetolian army under Antiochus III the Great at the historic site where the Spartans had been famously defeated by the Persians many years before in 480 BCE. The Seleucid forces were defeated at Thermopylae and then suffered another devastating defeat by the Romans at the Battle of Magnesia. The Battle of Magnesia, along with the earlier Roman victory against Philip of Macedon at the Battle of Cynoscepahlae in 197 BC, signified the end of the perceived dominance of the Macedonian phalanx on the battlefields of the ancient world. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae_(191_BC)#:~:text=The Battle of Thermopylae took,of Antiochus III the Great.&text=View of the Thermopylae pass from the area of the Phocian Wall.

There have been several posts about bread in Ancient Rome (see below). Here is an informative video from Darius Arya discussing bread production in Ancient Rome. This has been brought to you, of course, by the Capitoline Brotherhood of Millers that uses only the finest bread. True Roman bread for true Romans (quote from the Newsreader on the HBO series “Rome).

Here’s an excellent video by Garrett Ryan explaining why the Roman and Greek gods are different.

Another brief article on the find: https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/09/roman-chariot-discovered-in-necropolis-mound/153489

A Roman chariot was discovered in a necropolis mound in Northeastern Bulgaria dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD. Among the artifacts found was a coin from the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161). https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-discover-mysterious-stone-structures-and-a-roman-chariot-during-excavations-in-bulgaria/

In Southern Poland, a Roman bucket-shaped vessel known as a situla was discovered. These vessels were used as urns to hold the remains of humans who had been cremated on a funeral pyre. It is believed that the vessel may have been acquired through trade with Celts residing in Central Europe. The discovery took place in a cemetery associated with the Przeworsk culture, which was in use from the first century BCE to the second century AD. https://www.newsweek.com/archaeologist-find-extremely-rare-roman-artifact-ancient-burial-ground-1955725 https://archaeology.org/news/2024/09/19/roman-bronze-vessel-discovered-in-poland/

George Ridgway discovered a suspected coin hoard in September 2019. It consisted of 748 coins dating from as early as 206 BCE through to AD 46-47 and was found at Helmingham Hall, Suffolk (see post below). The British Museum, as well as the Colchester and Ipswich Museums, retained 68 of the coins for their own collections. They left the remaining coins to Ridgway and the landowner for either their personal collection or public auction for profit. Around 680 coins of the collection were sold for over £130,000, exceeding the estimated £75,000. The proceeds will be divided between the landowner and Mr. Ridgway. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjd5lm98j45o

We have previously posted about the legionary fortress of Novae in Bulgaria on the Danube limes (see below). Excavations are continuing with new finds. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/09/new-findings-at-roman-legionary-fortress/153446 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novae_(fortress)#:~:text=Novae was initially one of,Moesia Inferior%2C later Moesia Secunda.&text=It lies about 4 km,now open to the public.

Metallurgical analysis indicates that the renowned winged lion of Venice may have actually originated in China. The winged lion is not only recognized as the symbol of Venice but also of Mark the Evangelist. It is possible that it was created as late as the Tang dynasty (AD 609-907). Below is an article about the new research: https://arkeonews.net/the-lion-of-venice-was-made-in-china-isotopic-analyses-and-stylistic-comparisons-prove-it/ This longer video about the research has English subtitles:

Below is a video interview with author Adrian Goldsworthy, whom we all respect. In the interview, he belittles Mark Antony’s military and civilian leadership. That's fair enough. However, compared to the sickly, militarily inept, and sociopathic Octavian, Mark Antony grows in stature despite Goldsworthy’s biases. It's a clear example of how the victors indeed write the history.

Well, the latest gladiator-themed Pepsi commercial is out. Admittedly, its kitsch but it’s better than nothing.

A Pictish ring dating from 1000-1500 years ago has been discovered at Burghead Fort in Scotland. The fort was a Pictish promontory fort, a structure situated above a steep cliff and only connected to the mainland by a thin strip of land, making it easier to defend. Burghead Fort is located in the small town of Burghead in Moray, Scotland. A modern recreation of the fort https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/09/pictish-ring-discovered-at-burghead-fort/153422#google_vignette https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/15492/

HBO's "Rome” series has received praise for its two fascinating seasons. Below is an engaging video outlining the series' originally planned five-season arc, which was intended to culminate with the birth of Jesus in Judea and potentially Vorenus's violent demise. Unfortunately, the series abruptly ended after only two seasons. Sadly, there was a previous post about the early death of Ray Stevenson, who played Titus Pullo, in May 2023.

Is it possible that Roman control over Egypt weakened earlier than previously thought? A previous post addressed exactly that subject (see below). The research of this article supports the possibility by suggesting that the commercially important Egyptian Eastern desert “experienced a dramatic decline in activity between the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries AD, much earlier than previously believed.” https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2024/09/the-romans-began-to-abandon-egypt-at-the-end-of-the-2nd-century-ad/ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03075133241273454

It has been suggested that ancient civilizations utilized psychoactive substances for ritualistic ceremonies and perhaps even for regular recreational purposes. (The scene above is of Cleopatra in the HBO series "Rome.") Here are articles examining evidence of drug use in the ancient world, particularly in the Western Hemisphere. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240910-the-ancient-history-behind-healing-trauma-with-psychedelics https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8412860/

Here is an interesting video and articles on the siege. The research suggests that the attack was more about preserving the lucrative local balsam (a perfume) industry disrupted by rebels, rather than just conquering dissidents. https://allisrael.com/new-research-points-to-a-different-narrative-of-roman-siege-of-masada https://www.timesofisrael.com/masada-legend-upended-the-romans-came-saw-and-conquered-quickly-and-brutally/?utm_source=The+Weekend+Edition&utm_campaign=weekend-edition-2024-09-08&utm_medium=email Masada legend upended: 'The Romans came, saw and conquered, quickly and brutally' | The Times of Israel

The new series "Those About to Die," which was released earlier this summer, is set in Rome in AD 79. It features Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian and focuses on the lives of charioteers, gladiators, and the political intrigue of the era. I haven't watched this 10-episode epic, and the reviews have been mixed. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Those_About_to_Die_(TV_series)

We have had numerous posts about the Siege of Masada (AD 72-73), detailing the valiant yet ultimately ill-fated stand of the Jewish Sicarii against the forces of Titus, son of Vespasian, and the formidable Roman Empire. Researchers now estimate that the “siege wall could have been completed by 6,000-8,000 soldiers in less than two weeks, leaving them free to concentrate on building a ramp that ultimately breached the fortress.” This would suggest that “the ramp could have been completed in a month, all pointing to a far shorter timeframe for the siege, which may have lasted two months rather than two years.” https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/sep/04/romans-siege-wall-masada-archaeology-israel https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-roman-archaeology/article/roman-siege-system-of-masada-a-3d-computerized-analysis-of-a-conflict-landscape/32C59BE59ACD3E9A91C95F947DFD271E This research supports Israeli scholar Nachman Ben-Yehuda's controversial proposal (see article below) that the siege lasted a minimum of 4 weeks, at most 9 weeks, and most likely 7 weeks. https://www.deportati.it/static/upl/be/benyehuda,themasadamyth.pdf