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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11819760/Islamic-State-destroy-ancient-temple-at-Palmyra.html An Isil flag fluttering atop the circular wall bounding the orchestra at the Roman theatre of the ancient city of Palmyra guy also known as gaius

Somewhere I had written about the surprising intact genetic idenity of Italians despite the numerous interactions with "barbarians." Here's a cute summary from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_history_of_Italy guy also known as gaius

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/18/middleeast/isis-executes-antiquities-expert/index.html guy also known as gaius (Thank you Ancientnoob for helping to bring this story to our attention.)

Good luck with the book. I can only imagine how exciting but also how stressful all this can be. guy also known as gaius

Although glass making was know in the Ancient world centuries before the Roman Empire, glass blowing started around 40 BCE. This is the famous Ennion piece from the first-century A.D.(just over 9 inches tall). It is thought to be a wine jug and has the Greek inscription ENNIWN E OIEI (Ennion made it) : Here is the related video: Here is another related video: Interesting stuff, guy

guy also known as gaius

An occasionally humorous (but sometimes annoying) rendition of history by one of Britain's leading comics Wow. I just got back from Las Vegas and I had a chance to see Eddie Izzard. For people who aren’t familiar with him, he is an English comedian and quick-witted polyglot…as well as a heterosexual transvestite. He is also a proud British Labourite and atheist. (Izzard cross-dressing during a previous tour) I went to see him because of his amusing renditions of history, especially ancient history. He opened his act by describing the regicide of Charles I of England, followed by an interesting recounting of King John and the signing of the Magna Carta. Izzard later gave a light account of Caesar’s victory over Vercingetorix and his Celtic allies at Alesia. (His portrayal of Marc Antony as a robo-chicken was more bizarre than funny, however.) He emphasized the later genocide and enslavement of at least a million Celts. He quickly segued into a funny and campy version of Caesar’s murder. As a leftist, he made several references to “right-wing extremists.” This included the usual litany of suspects: Nazis, fascists, racists, etc. Strangely, this group of extremists also included anyone who didn’t want higher taxes, Austrian economists, and the Tea Party. Izzard also made some hardly topical references to Reagan, Thatcher, Nixon, and Bush the younger. As someone who isn’t religious or Catholic, even I felt that the (presumably former Anglican) atheist may have gone too far when he equated modern Christianity (especially Catholicism) with the worst of religious extremism. He listed some of the abuses of the Catholic Church, including the Spanish Inquisition from four hundred years ago, for example, as evidence. He reminded everyone that the previous Pope had even been a member of the Hitler Youth. Being politically correct, however, Izzard failed to mention by name the one extremist fringe of a religion that today most threatens Western freedoms. For some there is one extremist group that they dare not speak its name. Eddie Izzard can be quick-witted and entertaining. I found his preachiness somewhat off-putting, however. The audience was very appreciative of his act, however. He has a very loyal following in Las Vegas and he shares his time with the audience after the show. Hopefully, many in the audience will be motivated by Izzard to google Caesar and Alesia, discovering the joys of Ancient Roman history. Then, maybe they will dig deeper and find that history is far more nuanced than Izzard imagines. guy also known as gaius

I found this video really interesting: guy also known as gaius

I'm going to Las Vegas this weekend to see Eddie Izzard. I might even get a history and Latin lesson (see below): guy also known as gaius

It's always good to review the confusing succession of emperors during the unstable Third Century of Crisis of Ancient Rome. Here's a nice review article on the numismatics of that tumultuous period. http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?IDArticle=4675 guy also known as gaius

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11655510/Colosseum-killing-machine-reconstructed-after-more-than-1500-years.html guy also known as gaius

I imagine that most the texts salvaged will just be more philosphical musings. Hopefully, some of the "lost" Greek plays will be discovered. We can hope, as Romanophiles, that the scrolls include important lost works such as lost parts of Livy's history or the Emperor Claudius's works on Carthage or the Etruscans. It is sad to think that many of the carbonized papyrus scrolls were carelessly destroyed by more modern "researchers." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_of_the_Papyri http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ancient-scrolls-blackened-vesuvius-are-readable-last-herculaneum-papyri-180953950/?no-ist guy also known as gaius

I hope that this isn't a repost, but it is interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpTunZJ845I guy also known as gaius

I agree. I almost gave up on this site when I couldn't find the forum. Make the "forum" its own column. guy also known as gaius

In the past ten or so years: Ancient/Medieval- Gladiator Although I agree that the movie "Gladiator" was not historically accurate (and bordered on the ridiculous), the opening battle scene in Germania was impressive. guy also known as gaius

Watch the included video: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/concerns-grow-for-fate-of-palmyra-one-of-the-middle-easts-most-renowned-sites/2015/05/21/45e47ec2-ff8b-11e4-805c-c3f407e5a9e9_story.html guy also known as gaius

Wow. That's a bit harsh. I, too, have been to the Carnegie Museum many times. It is nice, indeed. There is nothing, however, like seeing an ancient site in situ. Visiting a museum cannot compare with seeing a site and enjoying the surrounding natural geographic contours. Books are nice. Museums can be fascinating. But there is nothing like the real thing, despite natural wear and human depredations. guy also known as gaius.

Let's hope for the best: guy also known as gaius

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/15/isis-pulls-back-from-palmyra-but-fear-of-cultural-atrocity-remains guy also known as gaius

I guess the important fact to consider is when did these "mini-strokes" begin? If these episodes began late in Caesar's life, it is possible that these were, in fact, mini-strokes as a result of cerebovascular disease. If these episodes began earlier in life, however, it is doubtful that Caesar could have survived to live to beyond 50 years of age with such severe vascular disease. guy also known as gaius

A recent article suggesting Julius Caesar suffered mini-strokes, not epilepsy: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3039158/Julius-Caesar-s-strange-behaviour-caused-MINI-STROKES-Military-leader-s-symptoms-misdiagnosed-says-study.html I'm not sure if I agree with the conclusions, but it is an interesting article, nevertheless. guy also known as gaius

Wow. Don't know what to say. One of the above authors, Pat Southern is a great scholar on Ancient Rome with brilliant insights, whose books I usually enjoy. But, I have to admit, the subject matter (the story of Roman bath) probably wouldn't hold my interest. The last book by Elizabeth Archibald quickly lost my interest with this quote about the book: Of the latest crop of books, only the Lindsay Powell book on Marcus Agrippa first grabs my attention. That said, I have found in the past that many of the books on obscure topics have been surprisingly insightful and entertaining. I must be getting old or something. guy also known as gaius

It is an exceptional article. I recommend it highly. guy also known as gaius

Maybe it was for the elite. For most of the residents, however, it was a dirty, fetid-smelling, densely-populated, crime-ridden, dilapidated urban sprawl. Ancient Rome reeked of excrement and urine (both human and animal), rotting animal carcasses and garbage, rancid human sweat barely cloaked with sickly-sweet perfumes, and exotic food and spice smells. (Not so) good times. guy also known as gaius

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/news/story/1.2985789 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatra guy also known as gaius