guy

An interesting article: https://www.history.co.uk/article/the-eruption-of-mount-vesuvius-in-79-ad-and-the-destruction-of-pompeii

The use of modern technology, in this case the CT scan, has given new insights into life in the ancient world. Researchers prepare to move the Egyptian mummy from the Civic Archaeological Museum of Bergamo to Milan's Policlinico hospital. Reuters https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/ct-scan-will-reveal-egyptian-mummy-s-secrets-1.1247441

Hopefully, some of the other members will comment on this factoid. I don’t recognize the authors cited, but that is not important. I’m not sure, however, how they came up with those numbers.

Interesting points of view. I am sure we can all agree about the evils of slavery: the arbitrary use of forced labor, sexual exploitation, torture and mutilation, murder, etc. The universality of this evil throughout history, however, cannot be underestimated. A distinguishing factor of slavery in the New World (North and South America, as well as the Caribbean) was that it was based on race. In the ancient world, the modern beliefs of racial superiority didn’t exist. Ethnic and cultural differences with its prejudices did, of course. One could not, however, easily distinguish the physical traits of a Greek or Spanish slave from those of a Roman citizen from Rome or Northern Africa. (The slave collar seems like a rare occurrence.) Greek slaves spoke a language educated Romans could understand. Many of these Greek slaves were better educated (in medicine or other sciences, for example) than any Roman. Greece was also a culture that many Romans admired and even emulated. Many of these Greek slaves were used to teach Roman children, for example. These factors resulted in a different experience for Greek slaves from other slaves. I imagine that most non-Greek slaves in Ancient Rome would have a more difficult time. They could potentially end up in nightmarish settings like the mines, stone quarries, farms, brothels, gladiatorial fights, etc. They had little chance, of course, in improving of their social status. In contrast, because of cultural and language barriers, even the most educated African slave stood little chance of social acceptance in the more modern racist slave states of the Americas and the Caribbean. Of course, the invidious modern concept of racism would have prevented an easy transition of an African slave to freeman status, anyway. Many of these challenges didn’t exist for the Greek slave in ancient Rome. I find this statement difficult to believe. So, up to 90% of the Gauls captured and enslaved by Caesar (maybe more than 250,000) were freed? Slaves from Italy may have been treated more as indentured servants than slaves. Horace, the great Roman poet, was the son of a freedman of Italian descent who had been captured during either the Social or Samnite Wars. As I previously mentioned, Greek slaves would have done better in Ancient Rome than most other slaves. Marcus Antonius Pallus was a Greek freedman who was able to rise in the Roman hierarchy to become the influential secretary of Claudius and Nero. The Greek stoic philosopher Epictetus was born a slave, gaining his freedom at the age of eighteen. The Greek and Italian slaves in Ancient Rome certainly suffered a different fate than slaves from Germania or Gaul. Here’s a good video review about what the Romans thought of race: Here’s a good article that puts American slavery in context: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/teaching-resource/historical-context-american-slavery-comparative-perspective Thank you for your thoughtful comments, however.

A wonderful find on Hvar, Croatia, a 42 mile island found off the coast in the Adriatic Sea. This area was near a lot of ancient Greek and Roman trade. Broken amphoras found on the island of Hvar(Kantharos via Facebook) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-necropolis-found-croatia-palace-garden-180977997/ https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/croatian-necropolis-0015477

Looks fun. Remember to turn on the closed captions (cc) to get some historical background while on the ride:

http://pompeiisites.org/en/press-kit-en/discoveries-continue-at-the-regio-v-site/ Summary: Either this person was escaping with his coin collection or this might be an indication that coins centuries-old freely circulated. Once the Empire debased the currency, however, it is unlikely that more pure silver coins would have been as easily found.

We have visited Pompeii’s Regio V before, but this is an older reassessment of the historical information from an earlier excavation at another site at Pompeii. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2020/07/pompeiis-most-recent-finds-reveal-new-clues-to-citys-destruction/amp https://www.leisure-italy.com/news/news-pompeii/eruption-mt-vesuvius/

A monarchy today may be an antiquated concept. Italy, however, has so little national identity that a monarch (in this, case a Queen) might be a good thing. https://abcnews.go.com/International/young-princess-fights-claim-abolished-throne-italy/story?id=78274162

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/06/the-mystery-of-greek-fire/139514?amp

I’ve written before on the importance of Egypt to the Roman Empire and its uniquely closed economy. Here’s a nice article by NGC numismatics on Roman coins minted in Alexandria, Egypt https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/8422/ancient-roman-coins/ Previous threads on the topic:

Thank you for reading my post. I imagine that any expedition to Arabia have had more to do with establishing trading posts than it would with creating a permanent colony.

Good video review of Rome’s little-known campaign in Arabia:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-57433362

It is lucky that this ancient arch has survived. https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/history/find-traces-lincolnshires-roman-forts-5457906

Ian: You are one of the masters here at UNRV. By comparison, I am just an enthusiastic fraud. Welcome back!

Well, at least they are trying:

Upon closer examination of this image, I agree with Professor Willburger. This dog certainly looks like a friendly (and possibly smaller) pet rather than a large, menacing guard dog.

Dr. Nina Willburger @DrNWillburger shared this delightful image:

Just a follow up on the auction: https://antique-collecting.co.uk/2021/05/21/marcus-aurelius-bust-heads-up-auction/?cn-reloaded=1

This article explores new insights into the Vikings: https://www.grunge.com/433554/the-one-hair-color-vikings-most-commonly-had/ https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/viking-was-job-description-not-matter-heredity-massive-ancient-dna-study-shows Summary: Through DNA analysis, we are able to gain new insights into ancient peoples. guy also known as gaius

Another article on the find: https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/08/shackled-skeleton-is-rare-evidence-of-slavery-in-roman-britain-14734393/?ito=newsnow-feed

Here’s another article on the discovery: Statues of the goddesses Nike and Tyche, or Isis (Israel Antiquities Authority via Facebook) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-2000-year-old-roman-basilica-180977926/

Interesting find: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-57387812

Here’s an interesting choice of the five most effective fighting units of the ancient world. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thecollector.com/most-admired-ancient-elite-military-units/amp/