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The bubonic plague is caused by Yersinia pestis (or simply Y. pestis). These murderous bacteria enter the body usually after an infected flea bite. I always wondered why the bubonic plague had less an impact on Ancient Rome than it did on the medieval world despite its presence for thousands of years. The later medieval form of the bubonic plague was called the “Black Death.” It was estimated to have killed at least a third (to maybe more than half) of the European population between 1347-1352. Strangely, we do not have good documentation of the bubonic plague in the ancient world till the Justinian plague (541-549 AD). Genetic analysis of the Y. pestis microbe that caused the Justinian plague was proven to be genetically different from the Y. pestis microbe of the later medieval bubonic plague. The first article below suggests that a less virulent form of the infection existed for thousands of years before even the Justinian Plague. Interestingly, before the Justinian Plague, the Greek physician Rufus of Ephesus (70-110 AD) briefly commented on a plague similar to the later plagues caused by Y. pestis (but apparently less deadly and contagious). (See below for more information about Rufus of Ephesus.) Summary: Although the bubonic plague has existed for thousands of years, the genetically different strains of Yersinia pestis had different degrees of virulence and, therefore, different societal impacts. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210629161338.htm https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_of_Justinian https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31303627/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23658525/

Most of us assume that the departure point for the Claudian Roman invasion of Britain in 43 AD was Boulogne (a costal city in Northern France). Valkenburg, Netherlands (near the coast) has been well known for its Roman archaeology since the 1930s. There was a recognized auxiliary fort at Valkenburg. (Well-preserved barrel wood found at the Valkenburg auxiliary fort—CCAEAUGGER: Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanic) New findings, however, have suggested a more permanent Roman fortress for legionnaires. Many aspects of a fortress (towers, gates, ramparts, etc.) have been discovered. Also discovered was glassware, suspected barracks, and two granaries that suggested a legionary presence (and not merely a temporary auxiliary force camp). The Valkenburg area also includes a burial site of more than 600 burials. Some theorize that Valkenburg was not only a defensive position, but also a possible launching point for a British Invasion. (Valkenburg is close to the Dutch city of Leiden.) Summary: The evidence suggests that Valkenburg was of greater significance for the Roman military than previously suspected. Only future research will determine whether the Roman fortress there was a launching point for the Claudian invasion of Britain. https://the-past.com/feature/a-legionary-fortress-at-valkenburg-discovering-a-springboard-for-the-conquest-of-britannia/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_conquest_of_Britain#Crossing_and_landing Great podcast on the newest findings at Valkenburg and their possible significance: https://anchor.fm/the-past/episodes/Valkenburgs-Roman-fortress-a-springboard-for-the-conquest-of-Britannia-e153nm0

This was an interesting find from a few years back. These ancient Byzantine vials dated from before at least 640 AD. Presumably, they were used for pharmaceutical purposes. https://greekreporter.com/2021/09/05/anti-depressant-medicine-dating-back-1300-years-discovered-in-ancient-greek-city/ https://www.archaeology.wiki/blog/2016/10/19/ancient-medication-bottles-found-turkey/ Summary: Although a wonderful find, I think some of the conclusions are incorrect: It was ridiculous to claim that the methadone compound found was for depression and the phenanthrene was for heart disease. Methadone is an analgesic used for pain relief. It also helps with opioid withdraw. (It may help with the depression associated with opioid addiction, however). Phenanthrene is used to make dyes, pesticides, and plastics. It is probably toxic to the heart (and other organs). Neither are useful for the indications cited in the articles. Nevertheless, this was an exciting discovery that requires further assessment.

An interesting array of “remedies” for this common and universal challenge: https://greekreporter.com/2021/09/05/ancient-greek-aphrodisiacs/

More insight into the Alderney excavations: (Artist depiction of Roman fortress at Alderney) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-58449666 We have heard previous news of this finding:

(Charlton Heston as Michelangelo in the 1965 movie “The Agony and the Ecstasy”) Although short by today’s standards, Michelangelo was not unusually short for his times. I always imagined this giant of artistic geniuses being a giant of a man, however. https://www.livescience.com/michelangelo-very-short-shoes-reveal.html Nice video about the Sistine Chapel, one of Michelangelo’s greatest creations:

Here’s another article on the find: https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/09/ancient-warship-rams-discovered-at-the-site-of-the-battle-of-the-egadi-islands/141290?amp

This changes my appreciate for the extent of Roman development in Wales. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-58427470

An interesting find in Israel from earlier this year: https://m.jpost.com/archaeology/altar-to-greek-god-found-in-wall-of-byzantine-church-raises-questions-650825/amp https://www.timesofisrael.com/2000-years-ago-a-believer-came-hundreds-of-miles-to-erect-an-altar-at-banias/amp/

Interesting point. Strabo discusses the attack on the distant Kush by General Petronius: Here is a great new video on Kush and contact with Rome. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Kush

This recent video shows the joys of Roman coin hunting by enthusiastic amateurs. Looks like fun, especially during these times of a pandemic.

Underwater archaeology has led to some fascinating discoveries. This article discusses the discovery of several battering rams at the site of the Battle of Aegates (214 BCE) off the coast of Sicily. This battle was decisive, resulting in a Roman victory and marking the end of the First Punic War. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9943277/amp/Archaeology-Four-450lb-ancient-Roman-battering-rams-recovered-coast-Sicily.html

Not really a new story, but an interesting discovery, nevertheless. https://www.trtworld.com/life/archaeologists-discover-source-of-king-solomon-s-riches-49572

I look with envy anyone who can make this wonderful walk. (I am currently nursing a broken foot.) This is a fabulous five hour video on the Pompeii walking tour. Thank you "Roman Times" for brining this to my attention. https://ancientimes.blogspot.com/2021/08/pompeii-walk-1st-30-minutes.html?m=1

https://greekreporter.com/2021/08/29/10-greek-herbs-that-will-improve-your-health/

Studies show that the settlement was used from the second century BC to the fourth century AD Waziri said pottery pots and some statues have been found in more than 40 wells and tanks https://www.arabnews.com/node/1918816/lifestyle

This is a great video reconstructing Ancient Rome:

Rare artefact was discovered during an archeological dig in Alicante, Spain Chandelier believed to have been made by a local man named Lucius Eros He branded his work which helped restorers figure out who made the lamp It is believed to be from the 1st Century AD and first of its kind to be presevered https://newsbinding.com/uk-news/last-remaining-roman-chandelier-reconstructed-by-spanish-archaeologists/amp/

Sounds right to me. Most physicians, including the most famous ones, in Ancient Rome were of Greek descent. Physicians such as Soranus, Dioscorides, and Asclepiades were of Greek descent, for example. And Galen, the most famous physician of Ancient Rome, was also of Greek descent. Galen (129-216 AD) had an inquisitive mind, was an excellent anatomist, and proved to be the foremost clinician of the ancient world. Unfortunately, he was also a proponent of humoral theory. This theory held that human health was a balance of "humors" (body fluids) and it was humoral imbalance that resulted in disease. Centuries before Galen, humoral theory had a prominent role in Greek medicine. Its most famous advocate was Hippocrates. It was this dogmatic adherence to humoral theory by Galen and later generations of physicians that impeded the development of germ theory which would eventually replace humoral theory by the mid-1800s. (The four humors—black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, blood—-and their qualities)

German bunkers found at Roman fortress of Alderney: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-guernsey-58331065 We have written about this site before: Interesting video about the excavation of the suspected Roman fortress on Alderney:

https://www.haaretz.com/amp/archaeology/.premium-in-herculaneum-men-ate-fish-women-ate-dairy-and-eggs-1.10150529

https://www.digitaljournal.com/world/shellfish-how-men-hogged-seafood-in-ancient-roman-city-hit-by-vesuvius/article

View of skeletal remains in one of the vaulted chambers (fornici) during excavation. Luciano Fattore, Sapienza Universita https://phys.org/news/2021-08-men-women-roman-herculaneum-diets.html https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/35/eabg5791 Summary: No one can be certain why men ate more fish and other seafood than women. There could be various explanations: opportunities from maritime work, cultural behavior, etc. That said, it is good to see modern scientific investigations being performed. I would caution against making hasty conclusions, however.

The Greek islands sound like an interesting vacation destination. According to Wikipedia: So where did they get their names? https://greekreporter.com/2021/08/23/meaning-of-greek-islands-names/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Greece