guy

https://spectator.sme.sk/c/22202489/virus-probably-killed-prince-from-matejovce-1600-years-ago.html A tomb of a possible Romano-German prince from the 4th century was discovered in Matejovce, Poprad, 14 years ago. Recent skeletal analysis showed that he was hepatitis B positive. It is unclear how the study concluded that the hepatitis played any role in his demise, however. (In 2004, an estimated 350 million individuals have been infected with hepatitis B worldwide. National and regional prevalences range from over 10% in Asia to under 0.5% in the United States and Northern Europe. Source: Wikipedia.) See also this article: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/56401 guy also known as gaius (I want to thank Lapham's Quarterly for bringing this article to my attention.)

Just an interesting tangent on Salmonella enterica. (Thanks to Lapham's Quarterly for bring this article to my attention). This article shows how infections can be transmitted between species and evolve to become more lethal. This is important especially in light of the recent coronavirus outbreak. : https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/farming-gave-us-salmonella-ancient-dna-suggests

https://www.courthousenews.com/rome-unveils-tomb-that-may-belong-to-wolf-suckled-king/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rome-unveils-tomb-that-may-belong-to-wolf-suckled-king https://news.yahoo.com/rome-unveil-tomb-may-belong-wolf-suckled-king-035218246.html

I recently heard a delightful podcast interview with Daisey Dunn, a British classicist and author of the new book, The Shadow of Visuvius: The Life of Pliny. Although Pliny the Elder is a looming figure in the book, the book explores more thoroughly the life of his nephew, Pliny the Younger. (Of course, the book takes its title from the eruption of Visuvius of 79 AD that took the life of Pliny the Elder.) In the interview, Dunn mentions the expression "in a nutshell." She reminds us that the phrase (which means "in few words or to sum up briefly") seems to have originated with Pliny the Elder from his scientific encyclopedia The Natural History. Here's the interesting quote from Book VII, Chapter 21 "Instances of Acuteness of Sight": http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137%3Abook%3D7%3Achapter%3D21 Daisey Dunn's book sounds like an interesting read that I will hopefully enjoy soon. guy also known as gaius

An intriguing article discusses the unexpected source of purple dye (sea snails) in the ancient world. It's noteworthy that this location of purple dye production existed about a thousand years before the establishment of the city of Tyre, after which the dye was named. https://www.livescience.com/amp/gold-jewels-found-on-island-purple.html The purple dye, later known as Tyrian purple, was extracted from sea snails. It was very rare and expensive, and became associated with the wealthy and ruling elites in the ancient world. The dye was color-fast (non-fading) and possibly became more intense as the purple-dyed cloth was exposed to weather and over time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrian_purple The imperial toga picta worn by the emperor was dyed a solid purple. The foul-smelling and disgusting source of purple: (I want to thank Lapham's Quarterly for bringing this article to my attention.)

First, the vast majority of Italians would never have thought themselves as Ostrogoths. (Similarly, I don't think many in England (except the ruling elite, of course) would have thought of themselves as French after the Norman invasion.) Second, by 490 AD, the disruption of the Roman Empire was complete. I'm not so sure many in Italy still thought of themselves as Roman, either. The irreversible preeminence of the city state had already begun. Even Belasarius, the "Last of the Romans," could not reassemble the fractured empire by 539 AD. As an aside, even modern Italians have been resistant to the concept of a national state. With the formation of modern Italy in 1861, Prime Minister d'Azeglio wrote, "L'Italia è fatta. Restano da fare gli italiani." ("We have made Italy. Now we must make Italians.") Many in Italy even today doubt that d'Azeglio's dream of a unified Italy has been realized. guy also known as gaius

I am probably the least knowledgeable here to comment on military matters. It would be wrong to describe "barbarian" tactics as monolithic. More precisely, a group of combatants (such as the Celts) would have been diverse in their tactics, differing among specific subgroups and evolving over time. Through military contact or assimilation over the years, the many disparate groups would coalesce, while developing Roman tactics and technologies. That said, a more loosely organized and less disciplined force such as the Celts would be better at improvisational fighting or fighting in small groups. The early Roman legions were well-organized and tightly disciplined killing machines. Possibly the best chance at defeating the Roman legion was by ambush in unfamiliar terrain. Examples of this would the complete defeat and annihilation of legions at the Battles of Teutoburg Forest or Abritus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Teutoburg_Forest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Abritus guy also known as gaius

.Professor fears was a fine historian who could present history in an entertaining way. (He passed away in 2012.) That said, he could be more entertaining and superficial than accurate at times. I think his general views about the fall were correct, however. A nice introduction to the fall of the Roman Republic is Tom Holland's Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic. I read this book about 15 years ago, but I think it still holds up. By the way, the fall of the Venetian Republic (which lasted more than a thousand years) had less to do with internal politics than did the fall of the Roman Republic. The Venetian Republic, a maritime power, was better suited for trade and control of the Mediterranean. The Venetians could not compete with the emerging strength and naval technologies of the Atlantic powers. The Atlantic powers also benefited from changing trade routes. Also, Venice was guilty of imperial overreach, wasting limited resources by venturing onto the Italian mainland. Napoleon only administered the coup de grâce to an already fatally weakened state. guy also known as gaius

I am not sure whether having a subscription to the digital format would give one access to older articles. (Don't confuse the well-written BBC magazine "History Revealed" with the detestable BCC magazine "History.") http://www.immediate.co.uk/brands/bbc-history-revealed/ The author of the article, Philip Matyszak, belongs on this forum and maybe he can help. Good luck, guy also known as gaius

Here's a new thread to share the view outside your window. Growing up just outside the industrial northeastern city of Pittsburgh, I quickly became fascinated with the natural beauty of the American Southwest (and its spectacular sunrises) since my first visit in the early 80s. I am still in awe of the exotic beauty of the simple palm tree.

I finally looked at the lyrics. Interesting stuff. "Whisper A Prayer For The Dying" I hear the sound of distant thunder echo all around I see the tragedy of young ones lying on the ground I see the fathers' sons and daughters, I hear the mothers crying Nothing left for me to do, whisper a prayer for the dying Oh, oh, a prayer for the dying The suffocating heat of jungles, burning desert sands Where everything reminds you, you're a stranger in a strange land The soothing words of politicians, those bodyguards of lies While guardian angels waste their time and every mother cries Oh, oh, a prayer for the dying, dying, dying Oh, oh Machine gun, battle cry You pray to God when the bullets fly The bombs fall like black rain And all your dreams take you home again Nothing but bad dreams You can't read, you can't write You're so scared, you can't sleep at night You try to carry the heavy load Walking down Armageddon road, oh, Armageddon road I hear the sound of distant thunder echo all around I see the tragedy of young ones lying on the ground I see the fathers' sons and daughters, I hear the mothers crying Nothing left for me to do but whisper a prayer for the dying Oh, a prayer for the dying, dying Oh, a prayer for the dying, baby, baby Oh, a prayer for the dying, dying Whisper a prayer for the dying, oh You can't run, you can't hide You can't show what you feel inside You're going crazy, going insane You know you'll never be the same again, no, no Whisper a prayer for the dying, dying, dying, dying, dying, no, no Armageddon road, Armageddon road, I'm walking down Armageddon road

The controversial Augustan History is a strange combination of both the fantastical and the real. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustan_History The true nature and even the author (or authors) of this book have long been debated. This dissertation by Kathryn A. Langenfeld on this book is both well-written and informative: https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/14536/Langenfeld_duke_0066D_14060.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Opening paragraph: Summary paragraph: guy also known as gaius

http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2019/11/19/unknown-chainmail-armors-discovered-in-roman-colony-deultum-near-bulgarias-black-sea-coast/ Two or three chainmail armors from the Late Antiquity previously unseen in Bulgaria have been discovered in the ancient and medieval city of Deultum close to the Black Sea coast. Photo: Desant guy also known as gaius

I enjoyed reading this post from more than a decade ago. Sulla's skin disease has been discussed frequently in past. From Plutarch's "Parallel Lives, Sulla:" http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Sulla*.html Although suggested by many (and certainly consistent with some features of Sulla's presentation), secondary and tertiary syphilis are unlikely since the virulent form of syphilis causing this eruption was unknown in Europe at the time. http://www.casa-kvsa.org.za/1961/AC04-06-Carney.pdf Perhaps Sulla suffered from a not-too-rare condition in the elderly known as bullous pemphigoid. Without treatment, patients with bullous pemphigoid suffer from intact blisters and erosions that frequently become secondarily infected with bacteria. Whatever the primary cause of the skin eruption, maggots can lay eggs on these or any other open wounds (myiasis). (Image of dog suffering from myiasis.) guy also known as gaius

Here is an interesting review of a new book: https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/11/book-review-long-live-latin-pleasures-of-a-dead-language/

Once again, numismatic evidence has been used for understanding ancient history. In this case, the evidence has been used for attributing a road to Pontius Pilate: To uncover an ancient stepped street in Jerusalem, Israeli archaeologists and engineers are building what resembles a subway tunnel under a Palestinian neighborhood. https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/10178842/lost-road-pontius-pilate-jerusalem-rome-jesus/ https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-monumental-street-in-jerusalem-was-built-by-pontius-pilate-archaeologists-say-1.8004004 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2019/10/road-built-biblical-villain-uncovered-jerusalem/ guy also known as gaius

Thanks to the folks over at cointalk.com, I was introduced to this video. (Thank you Ancient Coin Hunter.) This is very helpful to us non-coin collectors to gain insight on how Roman coins were actually made. Interesting, I thought.

Well written post. Without military strength, a frequently vulnerable and weak empire would have been quickly and thoroughly snuffed out of existence by its many enemies and regional rivals. Without a firm and formalized legal system, a developed ancient society would quickly collapse into anarchy. Without a tolerance for diverse cultures and a willingness to incorporate foreign ideas into mainstream Roman military and social culture (under the framework of Roman law and custom, of course), Rome would have neither expanded beyond its earliest borders nor have developed its cultural richness and influence. Rome's nearly unique success in the ancient world was a confluence of these and other factors. Brutality was just one of the many important reasons for Rome's unparalleled success and influence in the ancient world Interesting quote by Seneca. Being on team Petronius, I had to research the context of this quote by the rather unpleasant Seneca: https://howtobeastoic.wordpress.com/2016/06/04/seneca-to-lucilius-on-avoiding-crowds/ I greatly enjoyed this very thought-provoking post. Thank you. guy also known as gaius

This was an interesting article because it gives insight into the American founders' respect and reliance on ancient Rome for guidance and example: https://beta.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/09/17/why-knowing-roman-history-is-key-preserving-americas-future/ guy also known as gaius

Here is an excellent article about ancient Palmyra by Paul Veyne. This article first came to my attention in Lapham's Quarterly (Winter 2017: Home). This is an outstanding publication that each quarter collects works by mostly famous articles on a single theme. https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/home/oasis-palmyra One can only grieve the destruction of the ancient Palmyrene antiquities and other historic treasures. guy also known as gaius

My inner Scotsman and Italian approve of this message (Scottish group Simple Minds filmed in Verona, Italy):

Reviewing my post from last year, I have now become increasingly convinced that Galen's plague was NOT smallpox as currently believed. There are two features from Galen's clinical description of the plague that still need to be explained: -Lack of blisters typical of smallpox with its near universal scarring and frequent blindness as sequelae. -The typical appearance of "black pustules" consistent with a hemorrhagic fever and not from smallpox. Picture of Ebola: I feel that Galen's plague was almost certainly a form of hemorrhagic fever (such as Ebola). It has been suggested that the hemorrhagic form of the bubonic plague could have also have been a culprit. The bubonic plague, referred to as the "Black death" in Europe (1347-1670), was either a more virulent form of bubonic plague (caused by Yersinia pestis) or actually a rarer, now extinct form of hemorrhagic fever: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15879045 It must be emphasized the reason for the various clinical manifestations of the bubonic plague has also been recently debated: https://www.livescience.com/15937-black-death-plague-debate.html guy also known as gaius

There is a great article in July's BBC History Revealed by Philip Matyszak: "Happy Plants and Laughing Weeds: The hidden history of drug use in antiquity." As usual, Maty has written a well researched and entertaining article on the use and abuse of drugs in the ancient world. The article is chock-full of insights and captivating anecdotes about this little-discussed aspect of the ancient world. "Opium could be purchased as small tablets in specialized stalls in most Roman marketplaces. In the city of Rome itself, Galen recommends a retailer just off the Via Sacra near the Forum." "Galen describes how hemp was used in social gatherings as an aid to 'joy and laughter.'" "There were no traces of food remnants, as is usually the case in ancient kitchens; analysis of the containers found there leaves little doubt that this room was used solely for the preparation of psychotropic pharmaceuticals. In other words, the ancient world had large-scale drug factories 3,000 years ago." This was a great article that I enjoyed thoroughly. I do have two regrets, however. First, I wish I had access to this insightful article a few years back. I had given a lecture on the practice of medicine in the ancient world and this informative article would have been a great resource. Second, delightful articles like this force me to continue my subscription to BBC History Revealed magazine. (I have come to loathe the BBC.) Recommend highly! guy also known as gaius

Yours is a very subtle cultural question that includes the proper way in Ancient Rome to greet strangers or friends, shake hands, make eye contact, etc. I don't have an answer to your question, but I have frequently thought about these often-ignored and subtle cultural aspects. Consider, for example, the difference between North American and Asian (or other cultures): http://www.martrain.org/the-handshake-and-eye-contact-cultural-conundrums/ Numismatist Doug Smith has noted that Ancient Roman coins typically show a light touch of of palms and hands with straight fingers for the possible hand greeting (as opposed to the usual tight hand clasp found in modern Western cultures). This lighter handshake might have been seen as a less aggressive and less confrontational gesture than the "hand crush." https://www.cointalk.com/threads/finally-clasped-hands.321379/ Even today, the handshake is not universal: http://mentalfloss.com/article/54063/what-proper-handshake-etiquette-around-world Of course, there is the frequent movie depiction of the ancient Roman greeting using the forearm grasp, supposedly to reassure that no one has a hidden weapon. I have not found an ancient Roman source for this type of greeting, so it might possibly be a Hollywood creation. https://alison-morton.com/2015/04/22/roman-forearm-handshake-true-gesture-or-hollywood-codswallop/ guy also known as gaius

I guess the definition of "insane" is both imprecise and unspecific. Caligula certainly showed signs of psychopathology, however. Quick review of traits of psychopaths: https://www.learning-mind.com/hare-psychopathy-checklist/ Sure, we will never know exactly why Caligula acted the way he did. Childhood psychological trauma? Childhood disease? Traumatic brain injury? An unknown hereditary organic brain disease? A hereditary propensity for a personality disorder? Too much TV and social media? My guess is that his aberrant behavior was probably a result of many of these different factors. That said, as I get older, I've come to appreciate the delicate health of our brains. I have long suspected that the behavior of England's Henry VIII was more than the result of cold calculations. I accept the notion that Henry probably suffered an early brain trauma from jousting that changed the course of history. https://www.historyextra.com/period/tudor/henry-viii-brain-injury-caused-by-jousting-to-blame-for-erratic-behaviour-and-possible-impotence/ guy also known as gaius