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Obama is a brilliant speaker. A great intellect? We will see. Although I wish him success with his efforts to improve the economy, I will reserve deification till I see some concrete results. Nevertheless, the mention of Strasbourg always makes me think of the powerful passage by Ammianus Marcellinus describing the conflict between the Romans led by the future Emperor Julian and the Alemanni led by their king Chnodomar at the battle of Strasbourg in AD 357: 46. But the Allemanni, still charging forward impetuously, strove more and more vigorously, hoping to bear down all opposition by the violence of their fury. Darts, spears, and javelins never ceased; arrows pointed with iron were shot; while at the same time, in hand-to-hand conflict, sword struck sword, breastplates were cloven, and even the wounded, if not quite exhausted with loss of blood, rose up still to deeds of greater daring. 47. In some sense it may be said that the combatants were equal. The Allemanni were the stronger and the taller men; our soldiers by great practice were the more skilful. The one were fierce and savage, the others composed and wary; the one trusted to their courage, the others to their physical strength. 48. Often, indeed, the Roman soldier was beaten down by the weight of his enemy's arms, but he constantly rose again; and then, on the other hand, the barbarian, finding his knees fail under him with fatigue, would rest his left knee on the ground, and even in that position attack his enemy, an act of extreme obstinacy. 49. Presently there sprang forward with sudden vigour a fiery band of nobles, among whom also were the princes of the petty tribes, and, as the common soldiers followed them in great numbers, they burst through our lines, and forced a path for themselves up to the principal legion of the reserve, which was stationed in the centre, in a position called the praetorian camp; and there the soldiery, being in closer array, and in densely serried ranks, stood firm as so many towers, and renewed the battle with increased spirit. And intent upon parrying the blows of the enemy, and covering themselves with their shields as the Mirmillos do, with their drawn swords wounded their antagonists in the sides, which their too vehement impetuosity left unprotected. 50. And thus the barbarians threw away their lives in their struggles for victory, while toiling to break the compact array of our battalions. But still, in spite of the ceaseless slaughter made among them by the Romans, whose courage rose with their success, fresh barbarians succeeded those who fell; and as the frequent groans of the dying were heard, many became panic-stricken, and lost all strength. 51. At last, exhausted by their losses, and having no strength for anything but flight, they sought to escape with all speed by different roads, like as sailors and traders, when the sea rages in a storm, are glad to flee wherever the wind carries them. But any one then present will confess that escape was a matter rather to be wished than hoped for. 52. And the merciful protection of a favourable deity was present on our side, so that our soldiers, now slashing at the backs of the fugitives, and finding their swords so battered that they were insufficient to wound, used the enemy's own javelins, and so slew them. Nor could any one of the pursuers satiate himself enough with their blood, nor allow his hand to weary with slaughter, nor did any one spare a suppliant out of pity. 53. Numbers, therefore, lay on the ground, mortally wounded, imploring instant death as a relief; others, half dead, with failing breath turned their dying eyes to the last enjoyment of the light. Of some the heads were almost cut off by the huge weapons, and merely hung by small strips to their necks; others, again, who had fallen because the ground had been rendered slippery by the blood of their comrades, without themselves receiving any wound, were killed by being smothered in the mass of those who fell over them. Grisly, but powerful stuff. guy also known as gaius

Berlusconi? Caesar? Mamma mia! Whether one likes him or not, he has been one of Italy's most memorable politicians. Here's an interesting clip of Berlusconi being Berlusconi for those of you who speak basic Italian. (I know some of Italy's political incorrectness might offend, but...mi scusate tutti. That's Italy) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4Xt_Z9JLLc guy also known as gaius

Although I wish our new President well, I think some of the praise heaped on him may be a little too much. The poor man has lots of pressure on him already (dealing with the economy, a couple wars, the environment, health care, etc.) without having to deal with unrealistic expectations. Hopefully, Dr. Tom will comment: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/2...#history-byline guy also know as gaius

I strongly recommend AD 381: Heretics, Pagans, and the Dawn of the Monotheistic State by Charles Freeman. This book deals with the major impact that the Emperor Theodosius (reigned AD 378-95) and the Council of Constantinople (AD 381) had on Christianity and the Roman World. According to Freeman, Theodosius was not a fanatical orthodox Christian (although I might disagree with this perspective). He did, however, set the groundwork for the brutal suppression of competing

Unfortunately, very few people shared Varro's view. Here is Ammianus Marcellinus's view of illness: "But in the city, where the number of the corpses which lay scattered over the streets was too great for any one to perform the funeral rites over them, a pestilence was soon added to the other calamities of the citizens; the carcases becoming full of worms and corruption, from the evaporation caused by the heat, and the various diseases of the people; and here I will briefly explain whence diseases of this kind arise. 2. Both philosophers and skilful physicians agree that excess of cold, or of heat, or of moisture, or of drought, all cause pestilences; on which account those who dwell in marshy or wet districts are subject to coughs and complaints in the eyes, and other similar maladies: on the other hand, those who dwell in hot climates are liable to fevers and inflammations. But since fire is the most powerful of all elements, so drought is the quickest at killing. 5. Others maintain that the air and the water, becoming tainted by the smell of corpses, and similar things, takes away the healthiness of a place, or at all events that the sudden change of temperature brings forth slighter sicknesses. 6. Some again affirm that the air becomes heavier by emanations from the earth, and kills some individuals by checking the perspiration of the body, for which reason we learn from Homer, that, besides men, the other living creatures also died; and we know by many instances, that in such plagues this does occur. 7. Now the first species of pestilence is called pandemic; this causes those who live in dry places to be attacked by frequent heats. The second is called epidemic, which gets gradually more violent, dims the sight of the eyes, and awakens dangerous humours. The third is [plague], which is also temporary, but still often kills with great rapidity. 8. We were attacked by this deadly pestilence from the excessive heat, which our numbers aggravated, though but few died: and at last, on the night after the tenth day from the first attack, the heavy and dense air was softened by a little rain, and the health of the garrison was restored and preserved. guy also known as gaius

Reggio Emilia is a beautiful town between Parma and Modena (formally the ancient city of Mutina where Octavius defeated Marc Antony in 43 BCE before the Second Triumvirate). Reggio Emilia is home the of the famous Parmesan cheese known as Parmigiano-reggiano (after the cities of Parma and Reggio Emilia). My cousins are farmers there. Not much to see there compared to other Italian cities, but great food. guy also known as gaius

I am enjoying the latest book by Charles Freeman, A.D. 381.This book deals with Theodosius' making the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit unquestionable Christian orthodoxy. This ended tolerance toward Pagan beliefs and "heretical" Chrisitan views such as Arianism--the anti-trinitarian view advanced by the Bishop from Alexandria named Arius. I was jarred, however, by the sentence (p. 177): "The Frankish king Clovis converted from Arianism to Catholicism at the end of the fifth century." I was taught that Clovis and the other Francs were the first of the Germanic tribes that converted dirrectly to Roman Catholicism from paganism. The other Germanic tribes were either Pagan or anti-trinitarian Arian Christians. Freeman's statement was made without evidence or explanation. I found this interesting quote from Britannica Online: Over the centuries much has been made of Clovis

Sonic: Your book is definitely on my "to read" queue. I'm definitely looking forward to it. (One of the other books on my queue, AD 381, should be arriving this week.) If you are open to friendly and respectful criticism before your second edition of this book, let us know. Constructive criticism before presenting one's professional papers and lectures can be very helpful. I feel that submitting your work to the scrutiny and review of your peers and critics can be very rewarding and gratifying (although sometimes infuriating and potentially deflating). Much success with this and future books. guy also known as gaius

One of the great losses to our understanding of Ancient History was the first pair of Plutarch

It could be debated whether the Nicene Creed "...would insure a healthy development for the Christian church

http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publica...hristianity.htm

Well said! I know I

Let me also recommend "Quo Vadis." I've seen both the 1951 version by MGM and the 2001 Polish version. I've been told that the 1951 version is closer to the original novel. I prefer the 2001 version, however, despite the use of subtitles. Nevertheless, I enjoyed both versions. I also found a new role model in the character of Petronius.

I guess Youtube has removed the previous video. Let's try, again: guy also known as gaius P.S.: On the subject of videos. one of my favorite with the "Gladiator" theme:

Cornelius: Thanks for the thoughtful post. I love the hokey line from the movie "Gladiator": "What we do in life echoes in eternity." Despite the inaccurate stirrups, I thought the opening battle scene in Germania was powerful.

Well, 2009 is almost here. Let's all hope for the best. It has been a tough year for many of us financially. Many friends and associates have lost their companies, jobs, retirement savings, or their homes. Hopefully, we still have our good health, family, and friends. Here are two quotes from Ancient Rome that reflect the conflicting views of the future--one optimistic and the other pessimistic. I think they can be applied to our world today. Whenever I feel optimistic, I think about this line from Ammianus Marcellinus:

Thank you for posting this article. This article reminds me of how exciting studying Ancient history can be. In addition, the "Third Century crisis" in Roman history remains for me an enjoyable "great unknown" in Roman history as the primary sources are so thin and the scholarship involving this period is underdeveloped. I am always amazed that the empire avoided total collapse during this period: The Western Empire lasted for two centuries more and the Eastern Empire lasted almost a thousand years beyond that. It is also interesting to learn about the tensions between the growing Christian movement and the dominant Pagan culture during this time. guy also known as gaius

Exactly . Tonight's episode was also well done. It focused on Ricimer. It was even (for me, at least) very informative. I recommend the series highly. By the way, Caesar, you list your home as the "Holy Land." Did you mean Las Vegas? More precisely, Caesar's Palace?

I hope everyone had the opportunity to see some of the series. I was impressed by what little I saw: episodes dealing with Marius, Marcus Aurelius, Decius, and Aurelian. I thought these episodes were well done for the targeted general audience. How often do programs dedicate a whole hour to the likes of Decius or Aurelian?

Where did human thinking go wrong? The Greek Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the earth to an accuracy of within 10% around 245 BCE. By knowing the distance between two cities (Syene and Alexandria, Egypt) and comparing the angle of the shadow of the sun during the summer solstice, he was able to calculate the circumference of the earth. This concept makes the assumption of a round earth. Many Roman coins have the image of a round globe: How did the belief of a flat earth come from?

Marcus Varro is a forgotten man. He wrote 620 books. He was a friend and ally of Pompey. He was later pardoned (twice) and was supported by Caesar. He later befriended Octavian (despite Marc Antony's hatred) and became a respected writer with Octavian's patronage and protection. He was certainly a man ahead of his time: "My eightieth year admonishes me to gather up my pack before I set forth from life.Therefore I shall write for you three handbooks to which you may turn whenever you wish to know, in a given case, how you ought to proceed in farming." "Precautions must also be taken in the neighborhood of swamps because certain minute creatures grow there which cannot be seen by the eyes, which float in the air and enter the body through the mouth and nose and there cause serious diseases." Marcus Terentius Varro 36 BCE Res Rusticae (On Farming) Unfortunately, this brilliant concept that explained many illnesses was lost in history. It was obscured by Galen's humoral theory that dominated Western medicine and remained unchallenged dogma for more than 1300 years. guy also known as gaius

The book, AD 381, looks like it has great potential: http://www.amazon.com/AD-381-Charles-Freem...1052&sr=1-1 It deals with Theodosius's ending Arianism in the Empire and defining Chrisitian orthodoxy. I'll let Wikipedia explain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianism Those of us who enjoy the study of early Christianity might find this book useful. Let's hope for the best. I find myself very sympathetic with the Arian view of the Christian faith. It is essential to recognize the importance of the suppression of pagan and non-orthodox Christian views in the history of Ancient Rome. guy also known as gaius

Galen really was a prolific author. He composed his first medical works as only a teenager: Diagnosis and Diseases of the Eye, On the Best Sect, and On the Anatomy of the Uterus. As much as 2/3 of his works have been lost and much of the surviving works have not been made available to English readers. Here is an interesting source for information about the works of Galen: http://www.bium.univ-paris5.fr/histmed/medica/galien_va.htm (Click on the Books list near his picture to see some of of his works) guy also known as gaius

Berber? Carthaginian? Libyan / North African? Roman? P.S.: Septimius Severus was the emperor during the latter period of Galen's life and possibly his patron (along with Commodus and Marcus Aurelius before him).

To quote Ralph Jackson from his excellent book Doctors and Diseases in the Roman Empire: "...by his own account Galen spent most of his inherited wealth on books and scribes. The latter were required as amanuenses [transcriptionists], for Galen's vast literary output was due in large part to his method of composition. He did not write but dictated his work, quoting other medical authors at some length as a basis from which to develop the results of his own research and expound his own theories." Galen had a long and productive career as a physician, possibly for more than 50 years. He wrote three million words over a lifetime. That calculates to 60,000 words a year. Assume he worked only 300 days a year and that calculates to 200 words a day. That number is very believable. guy also known as gaius