guy

Thanks everyone for reading and replying to my post. One day, if I find the time, I will rebut some of the criticisms to my tirade against Marcus Aurelius. Till then, here is an interesting video about the bizarre Faustina-Avidius Cassius-Marcus Aurelius love triangle: (Broken link to video) Here is another video that touches on the subject. (See 30:00 to 39:00)

At another site we discussed a coin of Marcus Aurelius. I flippantly remarked that I didn't think Marcus Aurelius was a great emperor despite Richard Harris's powerful portrayal of him in the movie Gladiator. I was soon challenged for daring to criticize the annointed Marcus. I quickly came up with several reasons for my statement. I wanted to offer them here for critique by the folks at UNRV. I already know the many reasons he is a much beloved and respected emperor. I wanted to take the opposite side of the argument.

Here's a recent article making news at a few numismatic sites: Old coins shed light on Jerusalem's Western Wall Israeli archaeologists have uncovered ancient coins near the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City which challenge the assumption that all of the walls of the Second Temple were built by King Herod. http://news.yahoo.co...-092556159.html http://news.yahoo.co...051224-537.html http://www.bloomberg...ontroversy.html guy also known as gaius

Here are some interesting videos and links about the Frome Hoard: guy also known as gaius

First of all, welcome to the boards. Second, let me assure you that I'm coming from a pro-Scotish perspective. (Even though relatives on my father's side were invited to leave Scotland (politely, I'm sure) shortly after "The Forty-five," I have great respect for Scotland, especially the Scotish Enlightenment of the 1700s.) Rome's lack of follow-through after a major victory is not unprecedented. Rome sacked the capital of Parthia (Ctesiphon) three times without maintaining a permanent occupation in Parthia. Perhaps it was because Parthia (and probably Scotland) lacked a centralized government to replace. Parthia was a large feudal system without a pre-existing government infrastructure that could be easily replaced by a Roman government. Ultimately, however, the costs and risks of permanent Roman rule would have greatly outweighed the benefits. Unlike Dacia and other conquests, rural and undeveloped Scotland was not known as a place rich with the coveted resources such as precious metals (silver and gold), spices, slaves, a developed agricultural system, etc. With many precedents, Scotland would have been quickly conquered and subjugated if the ruling elites thought it were in their interests. guy also known as gaius

The ancient city of Alexandria, Egypt was remarkable for its diversity of cultures and ideas. Under the enlightened Ptolemaic rulers' patronage, Alexandria became well known for its museum and the museum's extensive library. It grew into a center for scientific research and investigation. Alexandria's support for scientific study and its tolerance for new ideas quickly attracted many mathematicians, scientists, philosophers, artists, and poets from around the Ancient World. Alexandria also allowed great freedom for the research and study of human medicine. Briefly during the third-century BC, it even permitted the dissection of humans. This tolerance for human dissection was unique in the Ancient World. Throughout the Ancient world, the dissection of humans was taboo. This forced physicians to study the dissections of animals, instead. The great physician Galen (AD 129-216), for example, learned about anatomy mostly from autopsies and vivisections of animals, including pigs, dogs, and Barbary apes. (Barbary ape) Earlier in his career, Galen was able to do limited studies on human anatomy while he was a physician treating wounded and sick gladiators at a gladiatorial school. Later in his career, however, he was unable to more thoroughly study human anatomic material. This possibly led to many of his misunderstandings about human anatomy and physiology. For a brief period more than four centuries before Galen, medical researchers were able to do human dissections in the city of Alexandria. The Greek physicians Herophilus (335-280 BCE) and Erasistratus (310-250 BCE) were thought to be the first to have performed public anatomical studies on human cadavers soon after 300 BCE. After their deaths, however, this tolerance for human dissection quickly disappeared in the Greco-Roman world and would not return in the Western World till 1,500 years later. Ancient Romano-Egyptian numismatic evidence, however, sheds some light on the source of this earlier brief but important tolerance for human dissection at least in Egypt. Here is a Romano-Egyptian coin from Alexandria, Egypt minted 125/126 AD during the rule of Hadrian, several centuries after the anatomical studies of Herophilus and Erasistratus. On the reverse of the coin, one can see a canopic jar. ( L DEKATOV means year 10.) Here is another Romano-Egyptian coin with canopic jars: EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. 117-138 AD. Æ Drachm (24.02 gm, 12h). Dated RY 18 (133/4 AD). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right Canopic jars of Osiris and Isis within shrine, uraeus crown in pediment; date in exergue. (Source Wildwinds.coins) Here is some background information on canopic jars: http://en.wikipedia....iki/Canopic_jar These jars reflect the Ancient Egyptians' familiarity and comfort with the extraction, storage, and preservation of human organs (used for the dead person's preparation for the afterlife). With this background, it is not surprising that the city of Alexandria became possibly the only site for human anatomical research and dissection in the Ancient World. The Egyptian city of Alexandria was not only a site of research and education, but it was also unique in its tolerance of human dissection for research and training. These coins and canopic jars remind us about the importance of Ancient Egypt in the study about human medicine. Special thanks to Ardatirion for his help in appreciating the significance of this coin.

I think Apple products are really great...I just don't use them. I think Nike shoes are nice...I just don't wear them. I just question the "coolness factor" with either of these products since they both exploit foreign workers. My leftist friends are possibly correct sometimes when they protest against the "greed" of oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, the industrial-military complex, etc. They become strangely indignant and defensive if I point out the abuses of some of their favorite "cool" companies, however. On a lighter note: I actually grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh (within 15 miles of the downtown area). Somerset county is beautiful, but I rarely visited surrounding areas outside the city. I think open spaces without buildings, peaceful tranquility with bird sounds, and strange odors from farm animals scar me. guy also known as gaius

I wrote a book report on Orwell's Burmese Days in elementary school. His The Road to Wigan Pier haunted me as a young teenager as my step-grandfather was a coalminer. I still respect the anti-totalitarian messages of 1984 and Animal Farm. I just disagree with Orwell's solution (some vague democratic socialism).

Respectfully, your premise about the disappearance of the Bubonic Plague might possibly be incorrect. The Bubonic Plague probably did make multiple recurrences between the Justinian Plague (AD 540-90) and the 14th Century "Black Death," but the documentation is very poor. It possibly recurred, but was less virulent or the host population was better able to survive infections. Nevertheless, to answer your question: There are two great books on the subject: William H. McNeill's Plagues and Peoples. This is one of the best books written about diseases and its impact on mankind, including the Ancient World. There on several pages on the Bubonic Plague. I recommend this book highly: Another good book, which deals with the Justinian Plague is William Rosen's Justinian's Flea: guy also known as gaius

Thank you for your tempered response. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I was always taught what great men Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon were. There is no doubt that they became very generous after achieving great wealth. I, however, would always ask, "At what human cost did they achieve their fortunes?" As suggested by the quote from George Orwell (a man I greatly admire) in your signature line, we must be cautious in elevating any human to sainthood. Have you read the essay where that quote originates? Good stuff. http://orwell.ru/library/reviews/gandhi/english/e_gandhi guy also known as gaius

My first computer in 1991 was an Apple. My daughter has an I-pod and a Mac computer. I don't like to speak poorly of the dead. I find it strange, however, that many "hip" and "cool" anarchist protestors run around with their Apple clothing and the latest Apple gizmo: http://gawker.com/5847344/what-everyone-is-too-polite-to-say-about-steve-jobs

I like Maty's idea, but something about the wording doesn't seem right. Try this wording, instead: "...the tribune responded with a firm military salute, ...." guy also known as gaius

I find some excellent books (many that are now out of print) at a great price at this site: http://www.edwardrhamilton.com/search.html I recommend their free catalog. Good source for books. guy also known as gaius

Still my favorite music from "Ancient Rome" Another great song (especially after 2:30): guy also known as gaius

I found this link very helpful understanding the Mysteries of Mithras and related cults: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Periods/Roman/Topics/Religion/Mithraism/David_Fingrut**.html#tau guy also known as gaius

I respectfully disagree. This thread has forced me to reassess and offer support to the concept that the medical knowledge and innovations of the Ancient Roman world were not surpassed until after the American Civil War (1861-65), more than 1500 years later. There seems to have been four major advances by the time of the American Civil War that the Ancient Roman medical community did not have. First, the smallpox vaccination was available by the time of the American Civil War. Smallpox was the source of great devastation in the Ancient World. It probably was the source of the Antonine plague in AD 165-180 and possibly the source of the Plague of Cyprian (also called the Aurelian Plague) in AD 250-270. Second, there was the use of quinine to treat malaria. In the Civil War there were 30,000 deaths from malaria. Without the use of quinine, this number would have been much larger. Malaria had a devastating but underappreciated impact on armies in the Ancient World. It is thought, for example, it was the malarial infection of his army that forced Attila the Hun to meet Leo I and agree not to sack Rome. Third, Chloroform was used as an anesthetic agent in the Civil War. This would have been very important in a time when amputation was the primary treatment for severely injured limps. The Ancient Romans probably did not achieve adequate anesthesia needed for invasive surgery despite their use of mandrake, opium, Henbane seeds (the source of scopalamine), and even cannabis. Fourth, by the mid-1800s, Western medicine had recently abandoned the theory that imbalances of the four humors caused disease. It was no longer thought beneficial to bleed a patient who was gravely ill, for example. This saved people of the mid-1800s from needless and potentially harmful suffering as a result of useless medical treatments to achieve humoral balance.

Here's a powerful quote from the article below discussing Civil War medical care. Doesn't this sound like the Ancient Romans?

I agree that smallpox vaccination was very important. (In Britain 1750, smallpox was the cause of 16% of all deaths; by 1850 it was only 1%.) I disagree with your other statements strongly, however: Most people would disagree with you assessment of battle wounds. for example: http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Medicine_in_Virginia_During_the_Civil_War It is also important to remember that more people died of disease in the Civil War than by combat deaths. Union deaths: 110,000 killed or died of wounds; 224,000 by disease Confederate deaths: 94,000 killed or died of wounds; 164,000 by disease

Well said, Northern Neil. Although he was possibly a true Christian, he certainly was an opportunist. Constantine's deathbed conversion is indicative of his opportunism. Not only did he wait till near death to be baptized (to absolve all the possible sins), he was baptized by the Arian anti-Trinitarian priest Eusebius of Nicomedia. Remember, it was Constantine who had earlier called the First Council of Nicaea where Arius's anti-Trinitarian doctrine had been condemned and the Nicene Creed of 325 was adopted. guy also known as gaius

Not meaning to get off topic, but what are the chances that Belgium will separate into two nations? Most Italians have in common, at least, the mythology of Ancient Rome, a common Roman Catholic church, and a fabricated Italian language created in the mid-1800s. Belgium has none of these. guy also known as gaius

In many ways, Roman medical theories were unrivaled or not improved until the late 1800s. Here's an account of President Garfield's medical care in July, 1881 after the eventually fatal assassination attempt by a deranged Guiteau: I can't imagine Ancient Roman medical care being any worse. guy also known as gaius

Cruse explains many of the ingredients' use in Roman medicine. She writes: Here is Celsus from De Medicina: I find most interesting the "linen soaked in honey." Honey is recognized even today as having curative properties for wound healing. Celsus speaks of honey's healing properties often (5:26.29): guy also known as gaius

Strong work. I culled the most provocative portions of the discussion: guy also known as gaius