guy

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9240253/Archaeology-Room-Roman-emperor-Hadrian-held-power-breakfasts-1-900-years-ago.html Summary: This is another site that I will need to visit next time I'm near Rome. guy also known as gaius Here are two nice videos of Hadrian's Villa.

An interesting find in China: a 2,700 year old ornate bronze jar with an intact white substance thought to be a face cream. The belief is that they were using cosmetics on their face made of animal fat and "cave milk or moonmilk" Chinese noblemen were using cosmetics made from animal fat and cave 'milk' on their faces some 2,700 years ago, a study has reported. Pictured, the ornate jar containing the remains of the face cream dating back to China's so-called 'Spring and Autumn' period (771–476 BC). Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences excavated a nobleman's tomb — filled with assorted grave goods — at the Liujiawa dig site in northern China. Amid the nobleman's possessions were characteristic bronze funerary weapons and also an ornate bronze jar containing the remains of the ancient face cream, pictured The bronze jar after cleaning: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9236177/Archaeology-Ancient-Chinese-noblemen-used-cosmetics-animal-fat-cave-milk.html Summary: Fortunately the substance inside the bronze underwent chemical analysis. I learned about "moonmilk" from this article. Moonmilk is an unusual soft white creamy or gooey substance found in caves, thought to be a precipitate from limestone that undergoes a bacterial reaction. This chemical reaction from bacteria (probably from bat excrement) prevents the moonmilk from hardening. It was used in the past for cosmetics and gastrointestinal problems. Here's an interesting video on moonmilk. The discussion on moonmilk and its discovery in a cave starts at 3:30: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/arcm.12659

Here's an article from 2019 that I missed. It deals with the probable frustration of a Roman legionary whose entire paycheck was used to buy military essentials (food, clothing and equipment), leaving him no money for his personal use: https://armyofromanpalestine.com/0022 https://taskandpurpose.com/mandatory-fun/roman-soldier-payslip-green-weenie-immortal/ Summary: Soldiers' frustration and discontent with the military bureaucracy is a universal theme, occurring in all times and places. guy also known as gaius

Some interesting new finds at the Santa Rosa Necropolis (also called the Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis). This site was only discovered around 2003 during excavations for a parking lot at the Vatican. Although this site has been investigated since then, there continue to be new discoveries. Interestingly, this place included burials for many servants and slaves. The necropolis has been described as a communal or shared cemetery. Excavations have, therefore, shed life on some of the Roman non-elites, including potentially some early Christians. https://www.romawonder.com/necropolis-via-triumphalis-tour-facts-pictures/ Below is a beautiful marble funerary shrine found during earlier excavations this century. It is of the child Tiberius Natronius Venustus,. He was little more than four years old. Wonderful article by Ancient Origins on the new discoveries and insights from the site: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/vatican-city-necropolis-0014891 This was the original article in The Jerusalem Post that requires accepting cookies to read. https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/archaeologists-discover-friends-of-caesars-inside-vatican-city-657802 (Thank you Ancient Origins for finding the first video:)

Below is a really good review of the origin of the Germanic tribes:

We can never be certain of the interior on the Pantheon during ancient times, but there are few short references: https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1640&context=theses Pliny the Elder (AD 23/24-79) wrote about the pre-Hadrian Pantheon: http://archive1.village.virginia.edu/spw4s/RomanForum/GoogleEarth/AK_GE/AK_HTML/TS-010.html From Bronwen Riley's excellent "The Edge of the Empire: A Journey to Britannia from the Heart of Rome to Hadrian's Wall" comes this imaginary but possibly accurate description (p. 27):

Another version of the story: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/holy-relics-0014881

Santi Apostoli Church in Rome is famous not only for its beautiful architecture, but also for having some of the relics of two of the original twelve apostles. Tradition holds that the remains of two saints, Phillip and James the Younger, were brought to the church from Constantinople. It also has the relics of later early Christian martyrs. Scientific investigation may cast some doubt on the identity of the remains of the two supposed saints, however. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/uosd-sio020121.php A PIECE OF THE FEMUR, BELIEVED TO BE OF ST JAMES THE YOUNGER, MOUNTED ON A WOODEN PEG AND WITH A GILDED RING Summary: Scientific investigations, once again, help to shed light on ancient history. guy also known as gaius

Lord Elgin, (a Scottish soldier, politician and diplomate), removed marbles from the Parthenon in Athens in the early 1800s and transported them to the British Museum in London, England. This was done with great controversy even after their arrival by Lord Byron. So, the return of the marbles has been the continued subject of great debate since their arrival. Almost tragically, the ship carrying these treasures sunk and were only saved by a salvage mission at the time. The ship containing these treasures is still under the sea and is being investigated two centuries later with impressive discoveries. https://greece.greekreporter.com/2021/02/01/lord-elgins-shipwreck-yields-impressive-discoveries/ guy also known as gaius

An interesting article describing the climate change of Egypt documented by papyri during the third century of the Roman Empire: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210125113133.htm Summary: This may be another piece of evidence that Northern Africa was, in fact, the "bread basket" of ancient Rome. It may be more than a coincidence that the collapse of productivity of Northern Africa (in the third century AD) paralleled the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. guy also known as gaius

Here's any interesting coin find in Turkey. https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/ancient-roman-coins-0014865 Summary: The Turkish city of Aizanoi is rich in ancient buildings and structures: guy also known as gaius

The fate of the Legion IX is one of the great mysteries. Dr. Elliot examines the four theories in his new book: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9200823/Hidden-fate-lost-ninth-legion-5-500-Roman-troops-likely-slaughtered-tribesmen.html (Scene from the The Eagle, a movie (2011) that deals with the fate of the missing Ninth Legion.) Summary: I will be looking out for the research ... and the next movie.

This is a very nice video from Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow on ancient Roman sanitation. Professor Koloski-Ostrow, the self-described "Queen of Latrines," shares her years in archaeological research in the subject on the video. I wrote a review of Professor Koloski-Ostrow's excellent book "The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy" a few years back: https://www.unrv.com/book-review/archaeology-of-sanitation.php Here's a wonderful new review the professor's excellent work: Summary: Here's a nice article describing the dangers of these public toilets: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/01/roman-toilets-may-actually-have-been-bad-public-health guy also known as guy

Interesting point, but the Romans did like perfume as well as incense They understood, however, the benefits of good hygiene. Maybe they were inured to pungent odors? They did use urine (for its ammonia content) to clean and soften clothes. They also prized the foul-smelling garum (a pungent fermented fish sauce) as a delicious condiment. Using public latrines might desensitize one to odors, including the communal sponge for cleaning. I agree, however, that the ancients didn't seem to complain about the surrounding smells, only bad breath or body odor. Here's a scholarly article "Stop and Smell the Romans: Odor in Roman Literature" by Kate Allen: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/116729/ktallen_1.pdf?sequence=1

This is a story I originally missed but I was reminded of during one of my morning walks. After a rain storm, the sweet and fragrant herbal smells are calming and delightful: A well-preserved substance found in a 2,700-year-old temple in Tel Arad has been identified as cannabis, including its psychoactive compound THC. Researchers concluded that cannabis may have been burned in order to induce a high among worshippers. This is the first evidence of psychotropic drugs being used in early Jewish worship, Israeli media report. Cannabis residue was found on an altar at the temple in Arad https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52847175 Summary: The presence of cannabis at an alter doesn't mean it was used for its hallucinogen effect. Hemp, a variety of cannabis, also has THC. Industrial hemp is used for its fibers but will not have enough THC to have an intoxicating effect. Hemp fibers can be used for many purposes: paper, clothing, rope, etc. It is doubtful that there would be enough marijuana to have an intoxicating effect, anyway. At least, it would mask the putrid smells that filled an ancient city: animal sacrifices, human and animal excrement, body odors, etc.

Thank you, again, for reading my response. Below is an excellent lecture on medicine in ancient Rome. It deals at the 21:00 mark exceptionally well with medicines used in ancient Rome: various herbs and minerals, including clay from the Greek island of Lemnos (to treat dysentery), ginger (to treat nausea), iron dissolved in wine (to treat anemia), ephedra (to treat a cold, asthma, hay fever), myrrh (to treat infection), aloe vera (for skin conditions and burns), and cinnamic acid from cinnamon oil and other plants (to treat infections), castoreum from beaver secretions (see below), etc. Recommend highly: guy also known as gaius https://seanmowbray.com/2019/09/18/rome-and-the-age-of-the-self-castrating-beaver/

What a marvelous plan. I wonder what the interior (and the exterior) of the Pantheon looked like at the time of Hadrian. Do we even know? I assume there were religious ceremonies, possible sacrifices to the gods. I can only wonder what sculptures of the gods and deified emperors existed inside. What other riches were found in the interior? The interior and exterior colors were certainly vibrant and not marble white. Good luck with your continued project. guy also known as gaius

Thank you for reading my post. As you know, we cannot underestimate the influence and impact of Greek culture on ancient Rome. The practice of medicine was no exception. Galen, the famous and prolific physician in ancient Rome, was of Greek descent. The cult of Asclepius was still popular in the Roman Empire around 150 AD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galen Similar to today, physical challenges and illness can be devastating. In an ancient world where orthopedic interventions were crude, medical treatments not effective, and pain relief was unreliable, people would have been desperate in their search for relief. Also, the number and extent of permanent disabilities of former legionnaires would have been unimaginable. It would be little surprise that the cult of Asclepius would be popular in Ancient Rome. The Romans, being a practical people, would have adjusted their construction and buildings to meet the overwhelming needs of those who were physically challenged, especially those veterans who were injured in service to the Empire.

Disability is a fact of life throughout history. Asclepeions were healing temples in the ancient world. They were dedicated to the Asclepius, the Greek healing god of medicine. Walking up the temple steps must have been a difficult task for many. I never considered ramps to help the physically challenged. https://www.world-archaeology.com/features/accessibility-at-ancient-greek-sanctuaries/ The academic article on the research: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/architecture-of-access-ramps-at-ancient-greek-healing-sanctuaries/3C28B200442E222601E3034170F275A6 Summary: I never thought about this aspect of ancient life. Despite personally having numerous hip and knee surgeries, I never considered the unique challenges of those with disabilities would have in the ancient world. It is not surprising, however, to see that there were accommodations for those with physical challenges at least at the healing temples of Asclepius. guy also known as gaius

A great podcast lecture about the Justinian plague: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000rc43 guy also known as gaius (Thank you Dr. Tom for bring this to my attention) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_of_Justinian

Interesting find: https://www.livescience.com/christ-born-of-mary-church-artifact.html

Here's a great quiz to guess the divinity on the reverse of twenty ancient Roman coins: http://www.roth37.it/COINS/Sfinge/rovesci/rovesci.html I want to thank Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, from cointalk.com for this excellent link guy also known as gaius

A better article on the find: The post has a nice video, also: http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/beit-nattif-oil-lamp-workshop-09214.html

Another interesting find: https://www.thenationalherald.com/culture/arthro/roman_era_shipwreck_found_in_the_sea_off_the_greek_island_of_kassos_photos-1607629/ https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/01/20/ancient-roman-shipwreck-kassos/ guy also known as gaius

Good to see that things are slowly starting to open up. In this case, the site of emperor Tiberius' palace on the Palantine Hill will reopen after 40 years. https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/rome-to-reopen-domus-tiberiana-imperial-palace-on-palatine-hill.html http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/nations/italy/2021/01/13/archaeology-domus-tiberiana-to-reopen-after-40-years_c1bc5bd6-4bd3-4e88-8c4b-a264a706ef95.html Interestingly, this structure is probably not Tiberius' palace. http://archive1.village.virginia.edu/spw4s/RomanForum/GoogleEarth/AK_GE/AK_HTML/HP-005.html Summary: Despite the lockdowns, it is good to see that renovations and excavations continue. guy also known as gaius