ASCLEPIADES

Gratiam habeo, MPC, for bringing up so many interesting questions implicit in your commentary. - Ergo, for 370 years, Republican elections had been open to bribery and political pressure in general. - Why was suddenly at 139 an anti-bribery law required? - Would grafitti propaganda (like that of Pompeii at the early Flavian period) have been considered ambitus on the Late Republic? Two related examples from the same Roman and source, at 635/636 AUC (119/118 BC): Plutarch tell us (Vita Marius, Ch. IV) that almost twenty years after the lex Gabinia Tabellaria, the tribune Gaius Marius "introduced a law concerning the mode of voting, which, as it was thought, would lessen the power of the nobles" that restricted the interference of the politicians in elections narrowing the passages down which voters passed to cast their votes, as the politicians influenced the voting by inspecting ballots and harassing the electors (Cicero de Legibus Libri III, Ch. XVII) . Then, "Cotta the consul opposed him and persuaded the senate to contest the law, and to summon Marius before it to explain his procedure." (Plut, ibid.). The following year, Marius "became a candidate for the praetorship and nearly missed defeat; he was returned last of all, and prosecuted for bribery. Suspicion was chiefly aroused by the sight of a servant of Cassius Sabaco inside the palings among the voters; for Sabaco was an especial friend of Marius. Sabaco was therefore summoned before the court, and testified that the heat had made him so thirsty that he had called for cold water, and that his servant had come in to him with a cup, and had then gone away after his master had drunk... Caius Herennius also was brought in as a witness against Marius... However... on the last day, contrary to all expectation, there was a tie vote and he was acquitted. (ibid, Ch. V). Another example from Plutarch, this time Cato Minor, no less, at 699 AUC/55 BC (Ch. XLII): "Cato... came forward himself as candidate for a praetorship... But Pompey and Crassus ...had a vote passed that the praetors elect should enter upon their office at once, without waiting for the time prescribed by law to elapse, during which time those who had bribed the people were liable to prosecution. In the next place, now that by this vote they had freed bribery from responsibility, they brought forward henchmen and friends of their own as candidates for the praetorship, themselves offering money for votes, and themselves standing when the votes were cast... Then on a sudden Pompey lyingly declared that he heard thunder, and most shamefully dissolved the assembly... Then they resorted again to extensive bribery, ejected the best citizens from the Campus Martius, and so by force got Vatinius elected praetor instead of Cato." You're right, you're causing your namesake to turn over in his grave.

Here's a recreation of a Roman saddle. Gratiam habeo, MPC, for an X-cellent link with quite nice pics. This one would be my favorite.

Salve! That's easy: a nice contubernium (octet) of Nubian female slaves. (Only for manumission purposes, of course)

Gratiam habeo. I think I will leave all this stuff to C. (If he survives the saturnism, I mean)

Salve! I don't know you, but I found C-D's link inactive. The following one from amazon.com might be an alternative. BTW, it seems like a nice book.

You're right, my mistake. I was counting only the Plinian eruptions. BTW, here's the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): VEI/Plume/Height/Volume/Classification/How Often/Example 0/<100 m/>1000 m3/ Hawaiian/ daily/ Kilauea 1/ 100

If you actually read the article, you will find them. Salve! I read it and found it: read the explanation.

Salve! Here is the Summary of the eruptive history of Mt. Vesuvius by theOsservatorio Vesuviano, Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. If you check it out, you won

It's seem that Postumus was much less talented than his older brothers. Here comes the brute: (Or maybe Clemens. Who knows?)

I suppose you remember this not so recent post of our dear Viggen, which I transcribed given the risk of the original webpage's reprocessing. Gladiators 'fat vegetarians' 03/03/2004 14:13 - (SA) Vienna - Austrian researchers reported on Tuesday that the gladiators of Ancient Rome were probably fat vegetarians. The Austrian Archaeological Institute is heading excavation work at the gladiator cemetary in the ancient city of Ephesus, which is located on the west coast of today's Turkey. Analysis of trace elements in bones have led to the findings. "First spot probes probably confirm the handed-down story that they nourished themselves as vegetarians", said Karl Grossschmidt of Vienna Medical University institute of histology and embryology. He added that the gladiator cemetary at Ephesus is considered unique in the world, containing the bones of about 70 individuals. But some of the graves had been robbed, and the skeletons were no longer complete. Much of the research so far has focused on studying the bones for evidence of the kinds of injuries suffered by gladiators in the arena. Fat Now, the Medical University and Vienna University institute of analytical chemistry are studying the bones for evidence of what the gladiators ate. "The composition of trace elements in the bones allows conclusions about what kind of nourishment the people mostly took during their lives," said Grossschmidt. The proportions of fish, meat, grain, fruit and berries could be determined. First results indicated that the gladiators' main foods were beans, legumes (vegetables), and certain types of fruit. This filling mixture would confirm the historical accounts that the fighters were obese. To a certain extent, a good layer of fat also gave protection against buffets and blows. However, it is no longer possible to estimate the weight of a person from bones of so long ago, researchers say. The Austrian research has already attracted international interest, with a major London newspaper report about the fat gladiators. Further contributions are planned by British, German and Japanese TV stations. South African Press Association.

Salve! We must remember that the Romans were indeed at Thermopylae... several times, in fact. Presumably the most well known is the Roman victory at 563 AUC (191 BC) of the plebeian consul Manius Acilius Glabrio over the Seleucid army of Antiochus III Magnus, which I find very interesting (even if the records are not so detailed as those of Cynoscephalae or Pydna), among other things because the winner's side had some supposedly inferior African elephants facing a numerically superior force of Indian elephants. I think this may be the right place and moment to talk about this battle, if you don't mind.

Of course it can't be proved "beyond reasonable doubt", as the lawyers say, but my money's on Livia. Now obviously she couldn't have murdered him herself, but, it is/was possible for her to have had someone on the inside . Maybe working as one of Germanicus' household staff?, it's something we can never be 100% sure about, but it's one method worth considering. Suetonius' forensic evidence for Germanicus' poisoning is not very convincing to modern eyes; probably it wasn't even to the ancients: (De Vita XII Caesarum, Gaius, Ch. I, sec. II): "Germanicus... died of a lingering illness at Antioch, in the thirty-fourth year of his age. There was some suspicion that he was poisoned; for besides the dark spots which appeared all over his body and the froth which flowed from his mouth, after he had been reduced to ashes his heart was found entire among his bones; and it is supposed to be a characteristic of that organ that when steeped in poison it cannot be destroyed by fire."

Here is the top-ten of Gaius Plinius Secundus Maior, something like a Roman version of Aristotle: (Naturalis Historia,Libri XIV, Ch. II, "XCI varieties of wine"): 1. "The very highest rank is given to the Aminean grape, on account of the body and durability of its wine, which improves with old age." 2. "The second rank belongs to the vines of Nomentum, the wood of which is red, from which circumstance the vines have received from some the name of "rubell

Salve! Nope/Nope. Anyway, we are still on the eastern half of the Roman world. Keep guessing!

I believe there was an eruption, or at least major activity, in the third or second century BC, but I could be wrong. edit: Found it. Gratiam habeo, M.

Salve,guys!

An interesting observation a propos of absolutely nothing being discussed here. The argument I've advanced against the zealots on the Masada in no way rests on the idea that the Romans were the "strongest and most noble people", but that they were the conduits of Hellenism, urbanization, trade with the West, and security from Eastern conquest. These fruits did not spring merely from physical power--if that were sufficient, the Huns would have left a trail of flowers in their wake rather than a trail of tears, blood, and ashes. Touch

Nietzsche said, "The Romans were the strongest and most noble people who ever lived." But this is just the problem. What Nietzsche admired was unapologetic power, conquest, and domination. This no longer seems so admirable. (Yes, you're right, it's the Friesian School speaking) Ah, and "Flavius" Josephus was no more no less than a learned Quisling.An obnoxious scoundrel if there was ever one.

Felicem dies natalem, P!

The next time somebody asks me why do I like the Roman world, I am going to steal your post.

Salve! Caldrail is right, they weren't aware the Vesuvius was a volcano, as the last previous eruption (Avellino) was probably circa 1660 BC. Exactly for that, Maladictum is also right; any kind of tectonic activity wouldn't be enough to warm you if you didn't already know you're dealing with a volcano, even today. Precisely this unexpectedness was the trigger of Pliny Major's eventually fatal curiousness. Two weeks ago, ante diem IX kalendas september, was the MCMXXVIII anniversary of the Plinian eruption.

When I was checking out the primary sources searching for evidence of the historical accuracy of Robert Graves' fiction works, it was curious to find that behind all the Roman gossip surrounding the death of Agrippa Postumus (I,Claudius' TV series V episode "Poison is queen"), Graves totally ignored a related real-life thriller story that was happening outside of but very close to the Dynasty. From earlier to later source, here come: (Velleius Paterculus simply ignored the facts) Caius Suetonius Tranquilus recorded no less than three succesive conspiracies centered on Agrippa Postumus (De VIta XII Caesarum): a. "After this he nipped in the bud at various times several ... conspiracies ... Asinius Epicadus, a half-breed of Parthian descent ... had planned to take his daughter Julia and his grandson Agrippa by force to the armies from the islands where they were confined ... (Divus Augustus, Ch. XIX) b. "... and finally Telephus, slave and page (nomenculator) of a woman ... had planned ... to set upon both Augustus and the senate, under the delusion that he himself was destined for empire"; ie, a pseudo-Agrippa (ibid.) c. "For a slave of Agrippa, Clemens by name, had collected a band of no mean size to avenge his master" (Tiberius, Ch. XXV). Cornelius Tacitus gave an extant report on the latter (Annales, Libri II, Ch. XXXIX-XL): "That same year the daring of a single slave, had it not been promptly checked, would have ruined the State by discord and civil war. A servant of Postumus Agrippa, Clemens by name, having ascertained that Augustus was dead, formed a design beyond a slave's conception, of going to the island of Planasia and seizing Agrippa by craft or force and bringing him to the armies of Germany. The slowness of a merchant vessel thwarted his bold venture. Meanwhile the murder of Agrippa had been perpetrated, and then turning his thoughts to a greater and more hazardous enterprise, he stole the ashes of the deceased, sailed to Cosa, a promontory of Etruria, and there hid himself in obscure places till his hair and beard were long. In age and figure he was not unlike his master. Then through suitable emis saries who shared his secret, it was rumoured that Agrippa was alive, first in whispered gossip, soon, as is usual with forbidden topics, in vague talk which found its way to the credulous ears of the most ignorant people or of restless and revolutionary schemers. He himself went to the towns, as the day grew dark, without letting himself be seen publicly or remaining long in the same places, but, as he knew that truth gains strength by notoriety and time, falsehood by precipitancy and vagueness, he would either withdraw himself from publicity or else forestall it. It was rumoured meanwhile throughout Italy, and was believed at Rome, that Agrippa had been saved by the blessing of Heaven. Already at Ostia, where he had arrived, he was the centre of interest to a vast concourse as well as to secret gatherings in the capital, while Tiberius was distracted by the doubt whether he should crush this slave of his by military force or allow time to dissipate a silly credulity. Sometimes he thought that he must overlook nothing, sometimes that he need not be afraid of everything, his mind fluctuating between shame and terror. At last he entrusted the affair to Sallustius Crispus, who chose two of his dependants (some say they were soldiers) and urged them to go to him as pretended accomplices, offering money and promising faithful companionship in danger. They did as they were bidden; then, waiting for an unguarded hour of night, they took with them a sufficient force, and having bound and gagged him, dragged him to the palace. When Tiberius asked him how he had become Agrippa, he is said to have replied, "As you became C

And (would you believe it?) Velleius Paterculus was even more succinct and only gave a vote of confidence for his imperial hero (Historiae Romanae, Libri II, Ch. CXII, sec. VII): "About this time Agrippa (Postumus), who had been adopted by his natural grandfather on the same day as Tiberius, and had already, two years before, begun to reveal his true character, alienated from himself the affection of his father and grandfather, falling into reckless ways by a strange depravity of mind and disposition; and soon, as his vices increased daily, he met the end which his madness deserved."

C. Suetonius T. is more cautious about Agrippa' Postumus' death (De Vita XII Caesarum, Tiberius, Ch. XXII): "Tiberius did not make the death of Augustus public until the young Agrippa had been disposed of. The latter was slain by a tribune of the soldiers appointed to guard him, who received a letter in which he was bidden to do the deed; but it is not known whether Augustus left this letter when he died, to remove a future source of discord, or connivance of Tiberius. At all events, when the tribune reported that he had done his bidding, Tiberius replied that he had given no such order, and that the man must render an account to the senate; apparently trying to avoid odium at the time, for later his silence consigned the matter to oblivion."