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These 100 coffins displayed in November 2020 come after some of another group of 59 coffins were opened in August 2020. Summary: It is good to see that despite COVID-19, every effort is being made to discover and preserve antiquities. Hopefully, images of mummies and other antiquities sold in the market place by unscrupulous vendors will become a thing of the past Egyptian mummy seller, 1875. https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/egyptian-mummy-seller-1865/ guy also known as gaius (Images by Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Rueters from the earlier Saqquara find. Source: National Review)

is it time to reassess Nero and his legacy? https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nero-great-fire-rome-romans-b1719706.html Summary: Much of the history of ancient Rome we accept comes to us through sources that were trying to curry favor with the senatorial elite. It would be appropriate to reassess accepted historical narratives with this distorted perspective in mind. guy also known as gaius

‘SAD’ STORY OF ROMAN VETERAN WHO SERVED 44 YEARS IN MILITARY REVEALED BY TOMBSTONE FROM ALMUS IN BULGARIA’S DANUBE TOWN LOM http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2020/11/07/sad-story-of-roman-veteran-who-served-44-years-in-military-revealed-by-tombstone-from-almus-in-bulgarias-danube-town-lom/ Summary: I'm not sure why this is considered a "sad" story. The veteran, named Amarantus, survived 44 years of service, achieving prestigious rank of imaginifer. Although he possibly never married, having either a family or heirs, he did have a devoted slave who honored him with a tombstone of high-quality marble dating back to the second half of the first century AD. Not a tragic life, indeed.

A nice review of the 1951 version of Quo Vadis. http://blogs.dickinson.edu/classicalstudies/2018/05/17/faith-and-spectacle-examining-quo-vadis-1951/

I am not sure which version of the film you are referring to since there are several versions. The 1951 version with Peter Ustinov as Nero and Leo Genn as Petronius (my favorite character in the movie) is the most famous one. At least these two characters were based on some reality. This film also included two totally fictional main characters: the Roman general Marcus Vinicius (played by Robert Taylor) who embodied the Roman ideal of dedication and duty to the Roman state, as well as Lygia (played by Deborah Kerr) who exemplified Christian virtue and faith. Also recommended is the more adult version, a Polish / HBO film from 2001. I think one has to better define the charges against Christians. Nero may have blamed the Christians for starting the fire that burned Rome in 64 AD, but the Roman state would have considered Christians (and other religious sects) as traitors: According to Roman laws, Christians were: Guilty of high treason (majestatis rei) For their worship Christians gathered in secret and at night, making unlawful assembly, and participation in such collegium illicitum or coetus nocturni was equated with a riot. For their refusal to honor images of the emperor by libations and incense Dissenters from the state gods (άθεοι, sacrilegi) Followers of magic prohibited by law (magi, malefici) Confessors of a religion unauthorized by the law (religio nova, peregrina et illicita), according to the Twelve Tables). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damnatio_ad_bestias Interestingly, there is no good historical evidence of the Christians ever being executed in the Colosseum in Rome. But what is a good movie without an execution or two in the Colosseum? guy also known as gaius

Addendum: One of my favorite quotes from Juvenal deals with the miseries of old age and its associated infirmities including lack of libido: 76: Legacy hunters married wealthy old widows so as to inherit their estates. They would not normally have scruples about old people. http://pages.pomona.edu/~cmc24747/sources/juvenal/juv_10.htm

Professor Wasson does a nice job writing about Juvenal and his writings known for its satire. He also mentions his misogyny (as reflected by the above post asserting that a woman with his desirable traits was as "rare upon the earth as a black swan"): https://www.ancient.eu/Juvenal/

Interesting and fun story. http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/cat-geoglyph-nazca-lines-08970.html Cats have been a source of fascination of ancient cultures, including the Egyptians: https://www.ancient.eu/article/466/cats-in-the-ancient-world/ Summary: Assuming this isn't a hoax played by a bunch of bored kids, this really is fascinating. guy also known as gaius

(Thanks for Lapham's Quarterly for brining this article to my attention): https://aeon.co/essays/pagan-complacency-and-the-birth-of-the-christian-roman-empire From a previous thread: This reminds me of the quote by Alan Cameron in his book The Last Pagans of Rome:

Would you include Jordanes on your list? He wrote in around 551 AD Getica (De origine actibusque Getarum --The Origin and Deeds of the Getae [Goths]). Although I have not read this, it is supposed to be an excellent source of information on the Goths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getica Book: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~vandersp/Courses/texts/jordgeti.html For me, the best and most readable ancient historian is Ammianus Marcellinus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammianus_Marcellinus Book: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ammian/home.html

A nice chill video:

The upcoming Netflix historical epic tells the story of battle of the Teutoburg forest. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/netflixs-barbarians-trailer-is-packed-with-swords-battles-and-blood/1100-6483186/ Trailer: Good Critical Review:

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary I hope the cats have done well during this COVID-19 craziness.

Nice review: https://www.heritagedaily.com/2020/10/legio-ix-hispana-the-lost-roman-legion/135890 guy also known as gaius

This video is a nice review of the cursus honorum: " the sequential order of public offices held by aspiring politicians in the Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire. It was designed for men of senatorial rank. The cursus honorum comprised a mixture of military and political administration posts. Each office had a minimum age for election. There were minimum intervals between holding successive offices and laws forbade repeating an office" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursus_honorum#:~:text=The cursus honorum (pronounced [ˈkʊrsʊs,for men of senatorial rank. Not too surprisingly, ancient Roman political machinations are similar to those of modern politics: https://fs.blog/2012/03/5-things-cicero-can-teach-you-about-winning-an-election/

GOLD EARRING FROM EGYPT’S FAYUM MUMMY PORTRAITS DISCOVERED IN ROMAN CITY DEULTUM IN SOUTHEAST BULGARIA First, background on the Fayum portraits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayum_mummy_portraits Now, the article: http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2020/10/06/gold-earring-from-egypts-fayum-mummy-portraits-discovered-in-roman-city-deultum-in-southeast-bulgaria/ https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/earring-bulgaria-0014394 Summary: There is quite a similarity between earrings found in Bulgaria and those found on the Fayum portraits in Egypt. Coincidence? Maybe. Or, this is a reflection of the extent of trade in the Roman Empire. Bulgaria (home of the Thracians) was conquered by the Romans in AD 46. It should be little surprise that items for trade were transported long distances in the Empire. Unfortunately, I didn't read any mention of the chemical analysis of the earrings found in Bulgaria, possibly confirming its Egyptian origin. At least, it appears that the women of this Roman colony in Bulgaria were following the fashions of Roman Egypt. City of Debelt (site of the earrings) close to Black Sea.

Scientists Dig for Answers in Medieval Loos! Looking For Signatures In 600-Year-Old Poop DNA https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/medieval-gut-bacteria-0014379 Another article on the subject: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-mine-medieval-toilets-clues-gut-biome-180976016/ Modern technology is extracting lost secrets from this 14th-century wooden latrine in Riga, Latvia. COURTESTY OF ULDIS KALEJS https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ancient-toilets-microbiome (Thank you Lapham's Quarterly for the above link.) Summary: DNA analysis has given us insights into life of the ancient world. Now, we have a tool to more precisely assess the health of ancient people. The microbiome (bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses - that live on and inside the human body - along with their genetic material) in our intestines would be expected to be different from our ancient ancestors as a result of differences in diet, lifestyle, modern use of antibiotics, etc. Future research will determine what impact this has on our overall health, however. guy also known as gaius Of the 100 trillion microbes that exist in our bodies, about 80% live in our guts. The microbiome is essential for nutrition, immunity, digestion, hormone secretion, and inflammation.

https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/tech/1601719/julius-caesar-assassination-coin-ides-of-march-brutus/ The coin could fetch easily a million dollars at an upcoming auction. More information about the upcoming auction. Opening bid is 300,000 GPB. (Thank you Clavdivs at CoinTalk for sharing the auction link.) https://www.biddr.com/auctions/romanumismatics/browse?a=1300&l=1377214

Ancient Roman Mosaic Floor Unearthed Beneath Italian Vineyard The intricate, multi-colored tiles likely date to the third century A.D. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-roman-mosaics-discovered-beneath-italian-vineyard-180974986/ https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2020/05/roman-mosaic-verona/ Much better video, but in Italian: To get English subtitles (good, but far from perfect), click the following: Settings (lower right screen) Subtitles /cc Italian (Autogenerated) Subtitles / cc again Auto-translate Then, preferred language (for example, English)

https://www.livescience.com/vitrified-brain-of-vesuvius-victim-found.html https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/vesuvius-brain-0014353

I say, "Throw him to the lions!"

This is a nice review of the Seleucid Empire (312-63 BCE). This empire was created after Alexander the Great died and his Macedonian Empire splintered apart.

https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia/lazio/roma/pantheon.html https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia/lazio/roma/roma-colosseo.html Enjoy, guy also known as gaius

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-52911797 Here's an interesting older video describing the laser technique that makes 3D terrain maps that can examine the underlying terrain beneath the vegetation. This information was put on an open data website, allowing students of ancient Roman history to discover long-forgotten Roman roads and encampments in Wales and the rest of Britain.

I think some of the features of the emperors may be totally imaginary. For many, if not most of the emperors, there is only numismatic evidence and a few sculptures to recreate these images. Carus and his heirs (Carinus and Numerian) may have been from either Gaul, Illyricum , or Africa. These diverse backgrounds would give very different physical features (eyes, hair, and skin) from those proposed. g.