guy

(I have both the honor and the privilege to review Anne Olga Koloski-Ostrow’s “The Archaeology of sanitation in Roman Italy: Toilets, Sewers, and Water Systems." This is just a preview of my later complete review.) While doing research a few years ago about healthcare in the ancient world, I found this fascinating drawing by the illustrator Ron Embleton. It depicts a communal latrine (forica) at Housesteads Fort along Hadrian’s Wall. I was horrified by the use of the sponge on a stick, probably shared, for personal hygiene. (Click on image to enlarge) This is a picture of a preserved Ancient Roman latrine in Ostia: For many years, these pictures and others of ancient Roman latrines had left me with more questions than answers. While reviewing Professor Koloski-Ostrow’s book “The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy: Toilets, Sewers, and Water Systems,” I gained greater insight into sanitation in ancient Rome and an answer to many of my questions. Professor Koloski-Ostrow notes, “The ever-present trenches at the feet of the public toilets were definitely designed to hold liquids, either spillage from washing arrangements, water directed into them for cleaning sponge sticks, or urine.” Professor Koloski-Ostrow’s research further supports the use of sponge sticks for personal cleaning after toilet use. She sites Seneca’s moving tribute to a German gladiator killing himself with a sponge stick as evidence of at least its presence near a commode: There is no definitive evidence that these sponge sticks were used for personal cleanup (and not used for cleaning the toilets, instead). Professor Koloski-Ostrow, however, does make a persuasive argument that the sponge sticks, in fact, were used for personal hygiene. To really understand ancient Roman culture and history, one must appreciate the mundane as well as the monuments. guy also known as gaius

(I have the honor and privilege to review Anne Olga Koloski-Ostrow’s book "The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy: Toilets, Sewers, and Water Systems." This serves as a preview of my forthcoming complete review.) Reviewing Professor Koloski-Ostrow’s book, I came upon this interesting insight concerning a very famous Roman attraction. Many people are familiar with the Roman "La Bocca della Verità" (The Mouth of Truth) stone. This large ancient stone disc is now used as a test for truthfulness, including among the betrothed or newlyweds to test their pledges of fidelity. Legend has it that the monument’s mouth would bite down on the hand of any liar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocca_della_Verit%C3%A0 The stone disc was prominently featured in this famous scene from the movie “Roman Holiday” featuring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck: Professor Koloski-Ostrow presents a compelling argument suggesting that the large stone was not intended for decorative use in a fountain. Instead, she believes it was likely used as a sewer cover despite its large size. She stated, "After carefully studying the water wear pattern on the eyes, nose, and mouth of the Bocca—perhaps a representation of a water god or the Tiber River itself—I believe it originally lay flat for a long period in a location where it received a continuous flow of runoff water onto its openings, not out of them." Professor Koloski-Ostrow offers additional evidence indicating that the stone was likely used as a sewer cover rather than as a decorative facial feature of a fountain. She cites contemporary anecdotes from both Suetonius and Tacitus, which support the existence of large sewer openings in the ancient city of Rome that would have necessitated sewer covers as large as La Bocca della Verità. The professor also contends that the crack running down its center suggests that the stone may have been damaged when it was lifted from a flat position or when it was thrown down again. Professor Koloski-Ostrow summarizes by saying, “…we can say that the Bocca is more likely a sewer covering that allowed water to pour into it than fountain face, and the evidence therefore points in a much less romantic direction than contemporary Roman marital traditions would have us believe.” guy also known as gaius

Let's put all this in context. Around 100 AD, Rome had about one million inhabitants. London didn't achieve that milestone till nearly 1800 (with a couple hundred thousand of those residents living in nearby communities not yet part of London). Let's ask ourselves which city seems to have the healthier conditions. Would health conditions for the average resident in the London of 1750 been much better than in the Rome of 100 AD, for example? The only difference I can imagine is that by the 1700s, there was at least the earliest understanding of germ theory and contagious diseases. But it wasn't till late in the 1700s that Jenner introduced the safer cowpox vaccination for smallpox, for example. Hand washing, however, wasn't even an accepted requisite for good medical care till the mid-1800s. Both cities suffered from overcrowding, infectious diseases (London at this time, unlike Rome, was ravaged by syphilis), poor nutrition, crime, streets covered with filth and excrement, poor access to shelter and houses, etc. I ask, which water supply would have been more reliable and drinkable? My favorite scene of preindustrial-revolution London is with Johnny Depp as the debauched Earl of Rochester. The part at the end of this short clip depicts the grime and muck of the London of the late 1600s: guy also known as gaius

Sounds like fun. Share some pictures. Be safe. guy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/12076680/Scientists-in-Italy-rediscover-snake-that-was-used-by-ancient-Greeks-as-a-weapon-of-war.html We have film evidence of Hannibal using similar tactic: http://www.infobarrel.com/Hannibals_Army_of_Catapulted_Snakes guy also known as gaius

The Gonio Fortress looks interesting. Great video. Thank you.

To be fair, these press releases are written by publicists and not people who work closely with production. Hopefully, there will be some excellent historical consultants. Hopefully. guy also known as gaius

Interesting. I have never heard of this anecdote. Cabbage, on the other hand, was frequently mentioned by the Ancient Romans. Pliny the Elder and others touted the health benefits of cabbage. Diocletian, in his retirement, took pride on his success with growing cabbage. I don't remember this mention of lettuce, however. guy also known as gaius

We can all agree that Hypatia’s murder was cruel and senseless. We can also agree the destruction of knowledge is a great loss. Popular classicist Bettany Hughes and celebrity scientist Carl Sagan have recounted the poignant and powerful tale of Hypatia’s murder with the destruction of a great library in Serapeum. Unfortunately, as discussed above, this is a great mythology, exploiting the elderly Hypatia’s tragic and needless death. Added for poignancy is the destruction of the mythical great library in the Serapeum. I am not religious and I have no tolerance for religious zealotry. (I have met several people who have been personally and painfully impacted by the horrific recent religiously-motivated events in San Bernardino, CA. Very sad.) That said, history should not be dependent on Hollywood's or an eighteenth century Englishman’s rendition of events.

Edward Gibbon's rendition of events: . Powerful and poignant story...but probably apocryphal. guy also known as guy

Here's a very intensive assessment of the literary evidence of the Alexandrian library and Hypatia: http://www.bede.org.uk/Library2.htm guy also known as gaius

Modern accounts of Ancient events are always suspect. I think the article makes a good point: The reliable pagan historian Ammianus Marcellinus has his opinion about the library (Roman History, Book 22.16.;12-13). He would not have failed to mention any great surviving library collection. Remember, Marcellinus was a near-contemporary of Hypatia. He was also a pagan, and certainly no Christian apologist. He would not have failed to mention a flourishing large library in Alexandria (three centuries after Caesar's destruction) if it still, in fact, existed. Here is Seneca's quote about the library from Seneca's De Tranquillitate Animi (On the tranquility of the mind) thought to be written during the years 49 to 62 A.D : The story about Hypatia's tragic death may have been an embellishment by the British writer Edward Gibbon in the late 1700s. Gibbon was someone who could always find fault with Christianity. (To be continued....) guy also known as gaius

Despite the author's being a Christian apologist, I do find this article interesting: http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2010/06/the-perniciously-persistent-myths-of-hypatia-and-the-great-library guy also known as gaius

Good article on a recent coin hoard found in Switzerland. (Thanks to FitzNigel and Valentinian from cointalk.com for bringing this to our attention.): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3326915/Hoard-4-000-Roman-coins-unearthed-Money-laid-undisturbed-beneath-Swiss-cherry-tree-1-700-years.html#ixzz3s3cgwqy3 guy also known as gaius

An interesting article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/12005864/Secret-pagan-basilica-in-Rome-emerges-from-the-shadows-after-2000-years.html guy also known as gaius

I was reading an interesting review of Mary Beard's SPQR: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/18/spqr-by-mary-beard-review-rome This quote grabbed my attention: Here are examples of the coins mentioned: (Click images to magnify.) While doing research on this subject, I found this old UNRV post from the past: http://www.unrv.com/forum/topic/6969-marsic-war/ Here's a nice article about coinage from the social war: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coinage_of_the_Social_War_(91%E2%80%9388_BC) Oscan anyone? guy also known as gaius

Thank you for your response. I agree with everything you wrote. I agree that Valens was Arian. I only disagreed with the nortion that it was Valens who converted the Goths. At least a large segment of Goths had almost certainly converted sometime before Valens and that it was pro-Catholic anti-Arian propaganda that suggested that it was the heretical Valens who converted the Goths to Arianism. guy also known as gaius

Thank you for this interesting quote from Jordanes. It appears that he also denigrates the Arian "heresy" and (mistakenly) blames Emperor Valens for the Gothic conversion to Arianism. Jordanes has a very anti-Arian viewpoint, indeed. guy also known as gaius

Thank you for reading my post and thank you for the very thoughtful reply. I would strongly disagree with the above statement, however. The above statement is the more popular pro-Catholic, anti-Arian rendition of history. With that version of history, it could only be “the will of God” that the heretical Emperor Valens would die at the Battle of Adrianople in AD 378 at the hands of those Goths. According to this history, he had only recently corrupted the Goths with his promulgation of Arianism. But maybe reality is not so neat and tidy. Let’s think about events. The Arian missionary Ulfilas had preached Arianism to the Goths and translated the Bible into the Gothic language several decades before Adrianople and before Valens became Emperor. Ulfilas found a very receptive audience in a tribe probably previously exposed to Arian teachings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulfilas But according to the pro-Catholic views, however, the Goths were converted only later (AD 376) to Arianism by Valens. Of course, these barbarians, with their newly-found heretical faith, turned around and destroyed the Arian Valens and his Roman army. Obviously, this is divine retribution for promoting such a heretical belief as Arianism. Like Julian before him, Emperor Valens would face the wrath of (a Catholic) God. Then, again, maybe Valen's defeat at Adrianople was not divine intervention after all. Maybe it was bad timing, bad diplomacy, and bad luck. Thank you, again, for the responses. guy also known as gaius

Although the Roman mistreatment of the Goths would be an excellent example of Roman greed and malicious dealings with a potential ally and immigrant group, I don't think that all the warm cuddles in the world would have dissuaded the Huns and Sassanians, for example, from their belligerent ways. Remember, by the time of mistreatment of the Goths mentioned above, the Goths were mostly Christians (although mostly Arians) and ready for a more settled life within the Empire. The Huns were more nomadic and the Sassanians were both intolerant and more rigidly ideological. These two groups would have never assimilated into the Empire. guy also known as gaius

Although many migrant groups potentially wanted to be allied with the Romans and even to be incorporated into the empire, some groups (such as the Huns) certainly did not. Many barbarian groups prided themselves on their independence and maintaining their culture, thriving on mayhem and destruction. They did not have some dream of assimilation and enculturation with the Roman Empire. guy also known as gaius

An interesting article that possibly smacks of elitism by an author I respect: According to the author: http://www.wsj.com/articles/ancient-rome-and-todays-migrant-crisis-1445005978 guy also known as gaius

Thanks to the guys over at cointalk (Cyrrhus and Arnoldoe) for bringing this latest find to our attention: http://sofiaglobe.com/2015/09/04/bulgarian-archaeologists-find-nearly-3000-coins-in-clay-pot-at-sofia-dig/ http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2015/09/04/archaeologists-discover-treasure-of-silver-roman-coins-during-excavations-of-ancient-serdica-in-bulgarias-capital-sofia/ guy also known as gaius

Yes, indeed. That last book listed by a certain Mr. Hughes looks especially interesting. I already have several of his books. He always creates an illuminating and enjoyable read about some nebulous times in Roman history. Strong work, Ian! guy also known as guy

Interesting article. One can only wonder how, when, and why these cool Alexandrian tetradrachms traveled thousands of miles to end up in London. guy also known as gaius