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Prehistoric elephant hunting using spears. Early Homo erectus may not have used spears but may have driven the giant animals into pit traps where they could be killed with clubs and handaxes. (Image credit: Illustration by Dana Ackerfeld) I can’t imagine eating elephant meat but 2 million years ago in modern Upper Galilee, it is thought humans hunted and butchered elephants. There are many quarries in the region where flint was used to make weapons and cutting tools. These quarries were located near water sources likely used by migrating elephant herds. “The authors looked at the ancient migration routes of elephants — suggested by earlier studies that considered the landscape and fossilized bones.” ”Excavations yielded a butchered elephant skull associated with basalt and flint artifacts, including hand axes.” https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-quarries-in-israel-reveal-where-homo-erectus-hunted-and-butchered-elephants https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11759-024-09491-y

Gold coin of Marcus Aurelius in the Ho Chi Minh City museum, Vietnam Archaeological discoveries have revealed a robust trade network between Ancient Rome and India. Recent studies also prove a thriving maritime spice trading between India and Asia, including China and Óc Eo, Vietnam, as well as between India and Rome. (See posts below.) Potential maritime Spice trading routes from India to both Rome and Óc Eo, Vietnam The question remains whether ancient Romans had any knowledge of Vietnam. American Professor of Anthropology Nam C Kim from the University of Wisconsin-Madison feels that at least some indirect contact and awareness was possible. (See article below.) Numerous Roman artifacts have been recovered in Óc Eo Vietnam, an important port city and archeological site in Southern Vietnam in the Mekong Delta. (See the coin above.) Claudius Ptolemy (AD 100-170), in “Geography” from his account of distant Asia, describes a port city of “Cattigara” situated at the mouth of the “Cottaris River.” Nam C Kim believes this reference to Cattigara is Óc Eo at the Mekong Delta. (See article below.) https://www.badancient.com/claims/romans-reach-vietnam/ Food historian Giorgio Franchetti also noticed the popularity and similarity of fish sauces in Ancient Rome (garum) with Asian fish sauces such as Vietnam (nuoc mam), Thailand (nam pla) and Japan (gyosho) (see article below). https://amp.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3094604/did-fish-sauce-vietnam-come-ancient-rome-silk-road Entertaining video on evidence of Ancient Rome in Vietnam.

The movie “Gladiator” was made in 2000. Tristan Hughes is a historian and host of the enjoyable podcast “The Ancients.” He does a wonderful job critiquing the movie in the YouTube video below:

Below is the BBC article on the helmet. The conserved helmet with a modern reconstruction Replica based on the original https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-68674319

A man was arrested for his illegal excavations at Philippi (in modern Northern Greece). As a reminder, the Battle of Philippi pitted the forces of the Second Triumvirate (Marc Antony and Octavius) against the forces of the leaders of Julius Caesar’s assassination (Brutus and Cassius) in 42 BCE. The battle resulted in the surrender of the rebel forces and the deaths of Brutus and Cassius. The New Testament records a visit by apostle Paul during his second missionary journey (AD 49 or 50). It is believed that Paul visited the city two other times in AD 56 and 57. https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1235064/man-arrested-for-illegal-excavation-at-philippi-archaeological-site/

In Leicestershire in the early 2000s, rusted metallic objects encased in soil were uncovered. Over two decades the artifacts were restored, using 3D scanning. The fragments formed a Roman helmet. Eventually 80% of the helmet (known as the Hallaton Helmet) was restored, allowing a detailed replica. It is a thought that the helmet, along with numerous Roman coins and Iron Age artifacts, were buried within a suspected shrine from around 43 AD. The helmet was ornate and intricately designed, possibly belonging to a high-ranking Roman cavalry officer. The decorations have a wreath “symbolizing military victory and and a scalloping-shaped brow guard displaying a woman’s bust surrounded by animals.” https://www.zmescience.com/science/archaeology/roman-cavalry-helmet-2000-years-old/

A fragment of a Roman-era lamp, dating from the 4th-5th century AD, has been found near an old Roman fort along the Scorpions Ascent, a hiking trail in the desert Arava region south of the Dead Sea and located in the modern Israeli Negev desert. The lamp fragment was found by a student who was on a field trip. The origins of the lamp was Petra. The trail, where the lamp fragment was found, was once an ancient trade route connected to the copper mines in the region. The region was patrolled and secured by Roman soldiers, who manned a series a forts along the route. A similar oil lamp was found in the same location 90 years before (see picture below): https://allisrael.com/a-unique-1600-year-old-roman-oil-lamp-unearthed-by-an-israeli-pupil https://www.timesofisrael.com/teen-hiker-stumbles-on-1600-year-old-roman-oil-lamp/amp/ https://www.edexlive.com/amp/story/news/2024/Mar/27/israel-student-accidentally-discovers-roman-era-lamp-during-school-trip

Interesting article. I know nothing about ancient mythology. I got myself into an ancient rabbit hole, nevertheless, when I realized that the Greek Herakles is different from the Roman Hercules. The article below delves into their differences: http://messagenetcommresearch.com/myths/essays/herakleshercules.html This article emphasizes their similarites: https://ancient-literature.com/heracles-vs-hercules/

A construction site at Pompeii has been uncovered. The archaeologists found working tools, stacked roof tiles, bricks, and heaps of lines and stones (see pictures below). According to the article, archaeologists also found amphorae storage jars thought to be used to ‘quench’ the lime used for plastering. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pompeii-building-site-reveals-ancient-roman-construction-methods-2024-03-25/#:~:text=The archaeologists found working tools,the Massachusetts Institute of Technology https://www.turkiyenewspaper.com/amp/culture/21105 Construction site found at Pompeii reveals details of ancient building techniques – and politics - CBS News

A section of a Roman wall has been uncovered in Aachen, Germany, near the Belgium border. It is thought to have been built after Aachen was overrun by Frankish forces in the third century AD. Roman civil administration collapsed in the area around AD 375. The last Roman coins found in the area are from the time of the Emperor Gratian (AD 375-383). https://arkeonews.net/ancient-roman-3rd-century-defensive-wall-found-in-germany/ http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/69767 https://archaeologymag.com/2024/03/roman-defensive-wall-found-in-aachen-germany/

Gordon: Thanks for the review. I had written about the exhibit a couple of months ago (see post below) but I had no firsthand perspective. Your description makes the exhibit sound better than I had imagined. Thank you, again.

Here is a very thought-provoking video by Sebastian (Maiorianus) concerning the Roman presence and influence in Britain during the late Empire and later. The video was at least partially inspired by the Roman villa found at Chedworth, which was active at least AD 480 (see post below):

No because a reformulated Roman Empire would presuppose a highly-centralized authoritarian central state that could project its power over a multitude of now-independent and autonomous nation states. The European Union (EU) is as close to a “modern Rome” as could be achieved peacefully. Unlike Rome, the European Union is a decentralized state that depends on the member countries to enforce the regulations and policies made by the EU. Unlike Ancient Rome, the EU doesn’t have its own military to impose its will and control over its member states (for example, against those unruly and independent-minded Brits).

Decimation as depicted in the 1964 movie “Fall of the Roman Empire” Discipline was the essential pillar of the Roman Army. Mutinies would be treated harshly, including with decimation. (An excellent old post by Caldrail dealt with Roman mutinies extensively in the post below.) Here is a good video on the subject:

There have been several previous posts about the carnyx: the Celtic instrument and psychological weapon. Below is an excellent article on the carnyx. Scene from the movie “Gladiator” with a carnyx among the barbarians in Germania. https://www.twz.com/the-carnyxs-eerie-cry-struck-fear-into-soldiers-on-antiquitys-battlefields https://www.finestresullarte.info/en/archaeology/outstanding-discovery-in-the-heart-of-rome-a-domus-with-mosaic-decorations-without-comparison

Leather fragments from 2,400-year-old Scythian quivers containing samples of human skin. Credit: Marina Daragan. Here’s a good article on the find. The quote by Herodotus on the Scythians is chilling: https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/scythian-made-leather-human-skin/

Mars (and the Greek counterpart Ares) were frequently depicted on Roman and Greek coins. In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war and protector of the Roman army. In mythology he was the father of Romulus and Remus. Above is a bronze sestertius of Marcus Aurelius with the reverse showing Mars. Here is an article from NGC ancients about coins with the image of Mars (or Ares). https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/12676/ngc-ancients-mars-ares/

An underground hiding complex from the Bar Kokhba revolt has been discovered. https://m.jpost.com/archaeology/article-792468 Here’s a simplistic (but helpful) explanation of the Bar Kokhba uprising: A recent post about the Bar Kokhba revolt:

Thank you for reading my post and thank you for your thoughtful response. I will disagree, however, with what you wrote. First, the sickle cell trait’s being in a local population is not sine qua non (an essential condition) for endemicity of malaria. (Interestingly, other conditions also seem to confer some immunity to malaria: G6PD deficiency, thalassemia, blood group O, and a Duffy-negative phenotype.) Second, since Egypt was once the “bread basket of Rome,” I assume the Egyptian microenvironment was different with greater rainfall and temperatures more conducive for grain growth (and malaria). In fact, malaria was not eliminated in Egypt till 2010-2013. In the United States as late as 1850, almost 50 people out of every one thousand who died, died from malaria. During the American Civil War (1861-65), 10,000 Northern troops died from malaria and hundreds of thousands of others were infected. Fortunately, the use of Quinine in the Union Army reduced the morbidity and mortality from malaria. Finally, studies at Amarna, a capital of ancient Egypt from 1346 to 1332 BCE, have shown conclusively that malaria was endemic in the area (affecting perhaps half the population): Thank you, again, for reading my post and responding. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2600412/

Pictured above are some of the 3000 ceramic fragments found. Below is a video on the find: https://divernet.com/scuba-news/archaeology/ships-masts-stand-out-at-roman-harbour-site/ https://www.archaeology.org/news/12215-240315-slovenia-roman-harbor

The prevalence of malaria has been long suspected in Roman Italy. There is a debate about whether Alaric, the Visigoth King who sacked Rome in AD 210, died of malaria in Southern Italy (see post below). Recent studies of mummies have shown DNA evidence of several debilitating and lethal infections in ancient Egypt. The DNA of boy pharaoh Tutankhamun (King Tut) and several mummies showed evidence of malaria. Other DNA evidence suggests one in four people may have had tuberculosis in some locations. The mummy of Ramesses V has scars indicating a previous smallpox infection. It is thought up to 70% of Egyptians suffer from malaria. Swarms of malaria-infected mosquitos living in the stagnant pools of the Nile Delta would have made malarial infections endemic. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-malaria-smallpox-polio-life-ancient.html

Two Roman-era copper-alloy bracelets from around the 2nd century AD have been found on Anglesey. (Anglesey is the small island off the coast of Northern Wales.) The bracelets were found by a local metal detectorist and have their appearance has been influenced by indigenous Celtic communities. The Roman presence in Wales has become a field of increased study (see posts below). Anglesey, once a Druid stronghold, is now appreciated for its struggle against the Roman subjugation (see video below). Tacitus described the invasion of Anglesey (referred to by the Romans as the island of Mona) and the frightening spectacle that greeted them (Annals 14.30): https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/03/roman-bracelets-found-on-anglesey-declared-treasure/151012 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0078:book=14:chapter=30 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_conquest_of_Anglesey

A sculptured head and bust were discovered during construction work at an English country house near Stamford, Lincolnshire. The house belonged to the Cecil family and is thought to have been purchased during a family member’s “Grand Tour” of Italy in the 1760s. The statue dates from the first or second century AD. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/03/sculptured-head-and-bust-from-roman-period-discovered-at-burghley-house/150965

The Welwyn Roman baths in Hertfordshire will be documented and studied further by 3D digital imaging as part of a photogrammetry project. The baths were first excavated in the 1960s. The baths are preserved in a vault under a modern highway. They date from the early third century AD, possibly during the reign of Septimius Severus. The Welwyn Roman Baths are under the A1(M) just north of Welwyn Garden City https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-68496266 Photogrammetry further explained: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photogrammetry (Location of Hertfordshire)

Here is an interesting article about staying cool in Ancient Rome during the summer: https://phys.org/news/2024-03-coast-dip-pool-chilled-ancient.html