guy

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

Interesting article and video: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/06/oldest-evidence-marijuana-use-discovered-2500-year-old-cemetery-peaks-western-china guy also known as gaius

I agree with the idea of giving a book that deals with science in Ancient Rome The problem with that idea, however, is the fact that most scientists (especially physicians) of Ancient Rome were of Greek descent and wrote in Greek (and not in Latin). One book that I own (but have not read, yet) is "The Genesis of Science: The Story of Greek Imagination." Although the book does deal with mostly scientists from ancient Greece, it does include information about Greeks living in the Ancient Roman Empire. Another possible book would be one about Eratosthenes who made a fairly accurate estimate about the size of the earth in 240 BCE. I have no book recommendation for that topic, however. Good luck, guy also known as gaius

Battle of Blenheim (1704). The defeat of the French by the England / Scotland (Duke of Marlborough) and the Austrians (Prince Eugene of Savoy) changed the course of modern European history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blenheim This battle essentially ended France's delusions of European hegemony. The English victory solidified the young constitutional monarchy under Queen Anne.

Another interesting video on the Roman-Romano-Egyptian-Indian trade route: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archives_de_Nicanor

A somewhat silly, but also informative episode about food in ancient Rome from the series "Supersizers": Supersizers Go Ancient Rome - YouTube

Interesting. Did you use a substitute for garum, the ancient fermented fish sauce? I have read that a Vietnamese fish sauce is similar as well as the Italian Colatura di alici (anchovy sauce). (Neither sound too appetizing, however.) https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/26/garum-sauce-colatura-di-alici-italy-fish guy also known as gaius

I have nothing to add on the subject other than to say that the BBC series "I, Claudius" cemented the Livia conspiracy into the minds of modern students since it was first released in 1976. (The novel was printed in 1934.) I recommend the television series highly if for no other reason than to give a framework for the complicated lines of succession. Perhaps Adrian Goldworthy's book "Augustus: First Emperor of Rome" would shed some light on this subject. I have the book at home but I'm looking for the time to read it. guy also known as gaius

Article on find: https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2019/02/28/1800-year-old-roman-penis-carvings-discovered-near-hadrians-wall-some-things-never-change/ Entire transcript of video: Some things never change. guy also known as gaiuis

I cannot comment on this period of Roman history as my knowledge of these events is fuzzy at best. You certainly know a lot more on this subject than I. That said, all politics (especially in ancient cultures) were personal, based on patronage, blood relations, and extended family (through marriage and adoption). This helps explain the ever-shifting alliances in the late Roman Republic. For example, Caesar's aunt was married to Gaius Marius. Also, Caesar's marriage to the daughter of Marius' ally Cinna did not help to ingratiate himself with Sulla. Caesar's relationship with Marius would obviously impact negatively on Sulla's later view of Casear. The Gracchi brothers were near-contemporaries with Marius. Marius was 24 when Tiberius Gracchus died and 36 when Gaius Gracchus died. So, the question remains: Did Marius have any relationship with the Gracchi brothers, either personally or through patronage and family? Marius' admiration for Scipio Aemilianus complicates the politics even more. The Gracchi brothers were the grandchildren of Scipio Africanus. (Here, the history gets confusing for me.) Scipio Aemilianus was the adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus as well as the brother-in-law of the Gracchi brothers. Scipio Aemilanus' death is suspicious. Did he die of natural causes or was he murdered (as rumored) by his mother-in-law and wife for political reasons in order to defend the Gracchi brothers' reforms? Way too complicated for my simple mind. Just like modern times, all politics are personal. guy also known as gaius

Welcome and please contribute. We always enjoy new posts. They don't have to be profound or insightful. Random musings are always appreciated. 😎

Thank you for reading my post. I always was skeptical about Roman trade with India and beyond, but the evidence is too strong to ignore. Even if there wasn't the extensive and routine trade described by Professor McLaughlin, there was at least intermittent trade and commerce.

First the background (from Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great Dr Katherine Hall, of the Dunedin School of Medicine in New Zealand has another suggestion: Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS). https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/8303195/alexander-the-great-was-alive-while-body-was-prepared-for-burial-after-rare-disease-left-him-paralysed/#comments Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune condition that targets the body's own nervous system. The exact cause is unknown, but it is often believed to be a result of the body's response to a recent infection. GBS leads to a progressive paralysis that usually starts in the extremities. Over time, this paralysis can move upward to affect the chest muscles involved in breathing. Without proper care, including the use of a respirator to aid breathing, GBS can be fatal.

Maybe a little too much hype and too high expectations, but interesting, nevertheless. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6615657/Burial-site-Cleopatra-Mark-Antony-uncovered-soon.html guy also known as gaius

A recent video on the subject by Professor McLaughlin: