guy

Here’s an excellent long interview with Adrian Goldsworthy by Garrett Ryan on the Roman and Persian (Parthian and Sassanian) rivalry that spanned seven centuries. Goldsworthy makes the point that there is more of a continuity between the Parthians and Sassanians than modern historians usually state. Despite the numerous and often bloody conflicts, Goldsworthy explores the often beneficial trade between the cultures and the possibility that mutual respect (as well as internal struggles and constraints of geography) prevented their trying to totally vanquish the other. Usually, the conflict between the Romans and Persia was a struggle for influence rather than direct control. Armenia was often the source of this struggle. Recommend highly.

An idiot has been filmed putting graffiti on the walls of the colosseum (Ivan + Haley 23): https://amp.abc.net.au/article/102532266

The Etruscan bronze statuettes from the San Casciano excavation are finally on display. They have been well preserved, along with votive offerings and fantastic coins, by the mineral condition of the thermal baths where they were found (see posts below). (Thanks Dr Tom for bringing this latest video to my attention.)

Archaeologists have found several fragments of wine amphorae as well as two field ovens in Paderborn, Germany. These were thought to be evidence of a Roman marching camp. Charcoal from the ovens have been carbon dated to AD 12, possibly from the Augustan Germanic campaign under Tiberius with Germanicus. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/06/evidence-of-roman-marching-camp-found-in-paderborn/147847 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_campaigns_in_Germania_(12_BC_–_AD_16) It’s interesting to know that the rather old technology of carbon dating was able to shed new light and date the military camp. Here’s a good video on “Avenging Varus” that discusses the campaign in Germania (AD 10-14) under Tiberius and later Germanicus to revenge the disaster in Teutoburg Forest. (Location of Paderborn, Germany)

Here is a good article on phalerae: https://www.romanoimpero.com/2019/04/le-falere-romane-phalerae.html?m=1

A group of amateur archaeologists have discovered a Roman phalera (military decoration) at Vindolanda, near Hadrian’s Wall. It depicted the head of Medusa. They also discovered other artifacts during their recent excavation: Samian pottery, a copper alloy spoon, and other items (see the video below). Here’s a Roman with his phalerae, usually worn on the breastplates during parade. https://arkeonews.net/volunteer-archaeologists-discovered-a-1900-year-old-silver-military-decoration-in-vindolanda/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalera_(military_decoration)

Here is an interesting video on the construction of The Pantheon by Garrett Ryan. Here’s a previous post about The Pantheon: Here’s a nice tour around The Pantheon by Darius Arya:

Here’s the best video on the opening by Darius Arya. And yes, the cats are still there. LoL

My wife and kids would not be happy. Plus, these cats reduce the rodent population (talk about “catchable diseases”).

Here are some other videos on the opening:

A body with a wooden box found at its feet has been discovered near present-day Jászberény, Hungary (almost 35 miles from Budapest). The wooden box, which is dated to the 1st century AD, contained high-quality copper-alloy and silver medical tools: needles, tweezers, forceps, and scalpels with replaceable blades. Researchers believe the man was a physician in the Roman Empire. There has been no explanation for this man’s distant travel. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/1st-century-burial-holds-roman-doctor-buried-with-medical-tools-including-top-quality-scalpels (Jászberény, Hungary)

Here is an interesting item from Roman Britannia: a modius used to measure grain. It is interesting to see that the name of Domitian on the vessel has undergone damnatio memoriae. Although examples of coinage or large monuments commonly show the effects of damnatio memoriae, it is remarkable to see a rather mundane item found at the distant reaches of the Empire suffer the same fate. (Thanks to Jon Hawke @HawkeJon for bringing this to my attention.) https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/teaching-resources/curators-collections/-curators-collections-hadrians-wall/

Good to see that the site of Caesar’s assassination is now open to the public https://apnews.com/article/rome-ancient-temples-julius-caesar-726e7c504f4a173dbe6ba322fbfabc18

Roman pottery has been found during road excavation in Malta: https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/watch-discvery-of-roman-artefacts-in-naxxar/ Location of finds at Naxxar, Malta.

Simon Elliot recently wrote book on Carausius (see post below). This most recent book on both Carausius and his usurper Allectus also looks interesting. A description of this book from Amazon: The two authors of this book have a background in numismatics, a major source of our understanding of this period:

The opening scene of the first movie in Germania was spectacular. My interest in the rest of the movie was minimal, however. It will be interesting to see how much of the new movie holds my interest. Below is the BBC report of the accident: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65869287.amp

Sorry. LoL I appreciate your telling me. I’ll need to look more carefully next time. Let me know whenever you see a repost.

A “Gladiator II” movie is planned. It could be released fall 2024:

Here is a very nice video on Rome’s newest excavations and archaeological discoveries narrated by Darius Arya:

Here is a very informative and entertaining video on Claudius’ retrieving the lost Eagle standard of Varus during the Teutoburg Forest disaster from four decades before:

Here is a wonderful video on the find by brilliant numismatist and Roman scholar Guy de la Bédoyère: Here is another report:

A Roman mausoleum has been unearthed in London at the Liberty of Southwark excavation site. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-65890080

Both men and women seem to have been obsessed with hair removal. A large collection of artifacts including at least some of the fifty pairs of tweezers found at the new Roman exhibit in Wroxeter. Other objects include perfume bottles, make-up applicators, amulets to ward off evil, and a strigil. https://www.popsci.com/science/roman-empire-england-hair-removal-tweezers/?amp Information about the Roman city of Viroconium Cornoviorum in Wroxeter, England: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viroconium_Cornoviorum

Silver bracelets from the Egyptian tomb of Queen Hetepheres I (2600 BCE) suggest trade between the Greek and Egyptian civilizations. Silver sources from this time in Ancient Egypt have not been documented: Queen Hetepheres was the wife of King Sneferu and mother of Khufu around 2600 BCE. In is truly amazing to think that there was some trade (either direct or thru an intermediary) between Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. https://www.sci.news/archaeology/queen-hetepheres-silver-bracelets-11961.html

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/figurine-greek-god-pan-ruins-istanbul-2315180