guy

(Scene from HBO’s “Rome” of Atia partaking in a religious ceremony. A bull is sacrificed above her, drenching her in blood, while she seeks protection and return of her son Octavian who has gone missing.) Here is a good review of the gods that Rome adopted from the Greek world:

Thanks for the vicarious thrill:

Nice video. It is wonderful to see that studies on Ancient Rome have continued despite the craziness around us. I would love to see Trier someday. The Porta Nigra and other Roman ruins there look fascinating.

This is an interesting find that may settle the debate on Peter the Apostle’s birthplace. Archeologists excavating the ruins of a 1st-century church in northern Israel uncovered a mosaic with an inscription in ancient Greek The team translated the text to discover it is a prayer to Peter the Apostles, which suggests the church was built to commemorate his home in what was the city of Bethsaida The dedication is a prayer for intercession to ‘the chief and commander of the heavenly apostles’ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11120891/Birthplace-St-Peter-Mosaic-suggests-born-biblical-city-Bethsaida.html

Divination game pieces from the Hellenistic period were found in the Maresha-Bet Guvrin National Park, Israel. They were made from animal bone and had inscriptions of Greek gods and goddesses. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/08/archaeologists-find-ancient-game-made-from-bones/144441?amp

Here’s a nice short video about the City of Constantinople at its prime: Here’s a longer video on the subject:

This undated photo shows a marble bust that a Texas woman bought for about $35 from a Goodwill store that is temporarily on display at a San Antonio museum after experts determined it was a centuries-old sculpture missing from Germany since World War II. The bust, which art collector Laura Young found at Goodwill in 2018, once belonged in the collection of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, according to the San Antonio Museum of Art, which is temporarily displaying the piece until it is returned to Germany next year. (San Antonio Museum of Art via AP) (San Antonio Museum of Art) An early Roman bust, believed to be stolen, was bought for $34.99 at a Goodwill thrift shop in Austin. It is speculated to represent Drusus Germanicus or Sextus Pompey, the son of Pompey the Great. Bust on its way home after purchase at the Goodwill store, price tag on its cheek. Bust taking necessary COVID precautions while its origin was being investigated. The bust is on temporary loan at the San Antonio museum and will be returned to Germany next year. https://www.local10.com/news/weird-news/2022/05/06/goodwill-find-in-texas-turns-out-to-be-ancient-roman-bust/?outputType=amp

Here is another article on the find that includes other pictures of the votive offerings and gives insights into the healing properties and significance of the site. Womb-shaped votive offering Phallus-shaped votive offering San Casciano is a geothermal hub with forty hot springs, six connected to the thermal sanctuary. The Etruscan picked this location to utilize the therapeutic power of the water's chemical properties -- it is rich in minerals such as calcium and magnesium, as well as chloride and sulfates. San Casciano's ancient thermal baths functioned like a hospital clinic, with visitors seeking respite from respiratory problems or aching bones. For many, a float in the waters reduced their pain, so after their bath they'd throw offerings to the gods into the bubbly pools giving thanks for being healed. These included tree branches, scented pine cones and fruits such as peaches -- which have been recovered in well-preserved states thanks to the layers of mud the site has since been covered by. Health rituals carried out at the thermal baths included those specifically linked to pregnancy and birth. A recovered statue of a naked baby led archaeologists to believe that ancient women would visit San Casciano both during their pregnancies and after giving birth in the hope of protecting their baby's health. Related practices have continued in the centuries since: "Up until 50 years ago, village women who had trouble conceiving a child would come to the thermal baths in the belief that the water would relax their womb," said Tabolli. http://us.cnn.com/style/article/san-casciano-dei-bagni-thermal-baths-relics-scn/index.html

Thanks for ready my post. It gets better. This piece from the Begram hoard is possibly the most interesting find but also somewhat controversial. It's a colorless goblet made with high-relief decoration that possibly depicts the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria with a statue of Zeus on top. It shows three ships on the other side. It is thought to have been made in the late 1st or early 2nd centuries AD. It could be a product of an Alexandrian workshop. It would be amazing if this really is Pharos, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The lighthouse was progressively destroyed by a series of earthquakes from 796-1300s AD. It would be incredible if a contemporary depiction of the famous Alexandrian lighthouse were to be found in distant Afghanistan, far from the borders of Rome. For comparison to the goblet, these are the reverses of the Roman coins depicting the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria minted for Antoninus Pius and Commodus. 11 Striking Objects From the Begram Hoard | History Hit

. This beautiful glass painted with possibly a Roman gladiator date from the 2nd century AD. It is from the Begram hoard in Afghanistan. The Romans never reached Afghanistan, so there is a belief that this glass was on its way to China as part of a shipment along the Silk Road. This piece is currently in a museum in Paris. (Thank you RominTheEmpire @romIntheempire for bring this fascinating piece to my attention.) Apparently, Bagram, Afghanistan was an important trade city in the Kushan Empire. Interestingly, the Begram hoard is thought to be an intact ancient Silk Road merchant’s warehouse discovered in Begram in the 30s: https://www.nga.gov/audio-video/audio/afghan-treasures/afghant3.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_of_Begram

Narmer Palette (c. 3200-3000 BCE) Early Egyptian art that celebrated the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer (c. 3150 BCE). Somewhere art began to depict more life-like images of humans. It is quite a jump from stick figures and hand prints. Hand stencil, Cosquer Cave, France c. 27,000 years ago. Gwion Gwion rock paintings from Australia 12,000 years ago

Interesting observation. These human depictions in the Magura Cave in Bulgaria were made 8-10,000 years ago: This depiction from the New York Times proves your point: Interestingly, some of the older cave paintings (> 45,000 years ago) may have been done by Neanderthals (and not early modern humans). Studies of the red ochre (a mixture of soil and water) used on paintings in Spain date to 65,000 years ago, 20,000 years before the arrival of modern humans. https://wamu.org/story/18/02/22/cave-art-may-have-been-handiwork-of-neanderthals/

Other articles on this spectacular find: Painted ceramic perfume burner Cupboard with intact dishes https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/62478010 https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/pompeii-middle-class-house-0017114

Excavation of a middle-class home in Pompeii has recently shed some interesting insights into middle-class life on that fateful day: Lower levels of the house being examined https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/08/excavation-reveals-lifestyle-of-roman-middle-class-in-pompeii/144367?amp https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/pompeii-archaelogy-discovery-house-of-the-lararium-1234635963/#:~:text=Pompeii's archaeological park announced,middle-class citizens in Pompeii. http://pompeiisites.org/en/comunicati/the-discovery-of-furnishings-from-the-house-of-the-lararium-in-regio-v-a-snapshot-of-middle-class-pompeii/

Another nice article on the research: “Using computerised ballistic calculations based on finds found adjacent to the Jerusalem Municipality building, Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist, Kfir Arbiv, has been able to identify the locations of the Roman siege engines used during the attack. This was done by considering the local topography and the location of the Second Temple period city walls, in combination with ballistic calculations and the launching angle for the ballista stones found today within the ancient city. As for the location of the Roman siege weapons, it appears that a significant number were placed in Cat Square, located around the centre of modern Jerusalem.“ https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/08/archaeologist-identifies-position-of-roman-siege-engines-used-during-attack-on-jerusalem/144375?amp

Click the link, wait out the commercials, turn on the volume, and enjoy. https://www.newyorker.com/video/watch/shorts-murmurs-ed-steed-7-short-films

I wrote the following in the past about the smells of Ancient Rome: I could only imagine the wide range of smells in ancient Rome. The pungent odor from factories producing the fermented fish sauce garum would be bracing, for example. (Fortunately, the end product was much milder in smell, even enticing.) The pungent odor of garlic, onions, and fish would fill the air. The odor of dead animals and excrement in the streets would have been sickly. Needless to say, body and oral hygiene would have been poor. Fortunately, masking odors of flowers and spices would waft through the air. Burning incense from temples would give a pleasant break to the stench in the air. Incense would also be used to cover the pervasive reek of public cremations, as well as the smell of death from animals or prisoners in the amphitheater. Here is an excellent video that further explores the smells of Ancient Rome:

Excavation of Roman ballista stones Using archaeological evidence, historians now have a better appreciation of Roman tactics during Titus’ siege and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. More ballista stones Iron tips of Roman catapult projectiles https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2022-08-07/ty-article-magazine/archaeologists-pinpoint-a-source-of-roman-artillery-attack-on-ancient-jerusalem/00000182-789c-d428-a1e6-fcdfaf340000?_amp=true

Alters in water A great Roman find in the Tuscan hill town of San Casciano dei Bagni, famous even today for its hot springs. Some excavated coins from Augustus, Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius A marble statue of Hygeia, deity of health and daughter of Asclepius, the healing god, discovered at the site. Ears, probable votive offerings The altar of Fortuna Primigenia [Credit: Municipality of San Casciano dei Bagni] https://arkeonews.net/an-extraordinary-votive-treasure-was-unearthed-in-the-ancient-roman-bath-sanctuary-of-san-casciano-dei-bagni-in-italy/ https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/san-casciano-dei-bagni-0015195 https://www.tgtourism.tv/2022/08/san-casciano-dei-bagni-presentate-le-nuove-scoperte-archeologiche-2-114946 https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-roman-sanctuary-re-emerges-at-san.html?m=1

A recent study from the Netherlands showed that Roman dice were irregularly shaped and numbered. This could reflect their belief in “fate” than “probability.” The above is the unforgettable scene from the HBO series “Rome” where Titus Pullo tests his fate with dice in a gambling house. The 28 die studied were found throughout modern-Netherlands and 24 were found to be irregularly shaped. https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/why-ancient-romans-used-sketchy-lopsided-dice-to-gamble-and-play-board-games/ https://phys.org/news/2022-08-early-romans-lopsided-dice.html

After doing a Las Vegas run, I think of this song: For the guitarists among us, the verse has some unusual chords:

Here’s a nice review video of the coins and history of the Valerian dynasty (AD 253-268).

The following news report seems like bureaucratic spin. They will rebury a Roman villa recently unearthed in Scarborough. (See post below). There are plans, however, to create a “interpretive depiction,” instead. This sounds foolish to me. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-62406644

The finding of a “pregnant mummy” was incorrect (see below). These initial conclusions were based on X-ray and CT scan analysis. Further studies, however, suggest otherwise. The “fetus” in the mummy was, in reality, merely bundles (possibly with body parts) to maintain the shape of the body after the mummification process. According to the authors of the new article, the alleged discovery of the mummy's pregnancy resulted from an illusion caused by the phenomenon of pareidolia, a natural human desire to see familiar objects in random shapes.Warsaw mummy project Studies suggesting that this mummy died from cancer have not been refuted, so far. https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/ancient-egyptian-mummy-was-not-pregnant-says-new-research-32166

Roman mosaics are famous for their beauty and vibrant colors and detail. Tesserae were the small pieces of stone, glass, ceramic, or other hard material cut to fit into the mosaic. Because glass tesserae were more more fragile, they were used more sparingly in floor mosaics. The did, however, provide mosaics the blues, reds, and greens that aren’t usually found in more natural stones. They were more common in wall mosaics. Tessarae from late antiquity floor mosaics in Halikarnassos (in Anatolia, Turkey) were analyzed. Samples of tessarae examined The re-use of materials (in this glass) would be indicative of an Empire in decay. The economic supply chain was disrupted in late antiquity, forcing craftsman to use recycled glass as opposed to either locally produced or distant sources. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220725105611.htm https://www.britannica.com/art/tessera-mosaic https://heritagesciencejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40494-022-00697-3