G-Manicus

I always found it of interest that two major players near the end of the 1st century BC would share the name "Agrippa." How did Herod come to possess the cognomen "Agrippa" though? Is there any connection between he and Marcus Agrippa? I don't see where it appears to have been a family name of sorts. Having been born in 10BC, was this some sort of tribute to M. Agrippa, who died 2 years earlier? Can anyone offer any insights on the origin of his name? Is it all just a coincidence? No different than there being, say, 2 individuals in the world named David Archuleta and Adam Archuleta?

I already have most of those channels ... except for the movie ones. A quick look at the tv schedule indicates Mister Tivo may have a date with the following: 300 Underdog Invincible Ghost Rider Shrek III Stranger Than Fiction Spiderman 3 Dreamgirls Wild Hogs Apocalypto Hairspray Nacho Libre Rocky Balboa Space Jam (Michael Jordan + Bugs Bunny = Cinematic masterpiece!)

Time to fire up the TiVo! DIRECTV Offers Free Preview Of 65 HD Channels The preview will be available this weekend. By Swanni Washington, D.C. (June 11, 2008) -- DIRECTV is holding a free preview of 265 channels this weekend, including 65 High-Definition channels. The free preview, which will run from June 13-15, will include 66 premium movie and sports networks, including HD versions of HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax and the regional sports networks. The 265 channels are part of DIRECTV's 'Premier Package,' which normally costs $81.99 a month (not including premium channels) if you agree to a 12-month subscription. High-def channels that will also be available in this week's preview include NBA TV, Versus, HDNet and The Tennis Channel. The free preview will not include channels in DIRECTV's 'HD Extra Pack' package, such as HDNet Movies and Universal HD.

Neil: That is a truly amazing job ... even if you are only making 1.20 / hour. G

Interesting. Thanks for the info/insights, guys.

I believe Agrippa owns a trademark on The Pantheon

Holy crap!

I don't know offhand, but the series you reference is known as "The Battle for Rome" here in the US. IMDB doesn't list any info about the soundtrack. It's frequently replayed on the Military Channel though, so maybe if you have access to that you can catch it in the credits.

Were you "deja vu'inig all over again" at the end when the Pens came THIS close to forcing OT? (Congrats)

Thanks, GPM! Just the response I was looking for. [clicks Amazon.com link ... ]

Anyone read 'em? If so, can you help me out on what order his books are to be read in, or does it not matter? The reason I ask is that the order of publication does not match the historical sequence. The novels were published in the following order: Augustus: The Memoirs of the Emperor 1986 Tiberius: The Memoirs of the Emperor 1991 Caesar 1993 Antony 1997 Nero's Heirs 1999 Caligula 2004 Would I be better served to read them in chronological order starting with Caesar > Antony > Augustus > etc? Thanks in advance.

Just finished "Antony and Cleopatra" by Colleen McCullough. An entertaining read, as I felt all of her books from this series were. Well researched as always. I've been reading "Nero, the End of a Dynasty" by Miriam Griffian on the side as well. Going to begin "The Skystone" by Jack Whyte tonight.

Do ya think it came in a Persian Happy Meal?

Childhood 'toy' revealed as ancient Persian relic Wed May 28, 8:29 AM ET An ancient gold cup mysteriously acquired by an English scrap metal dealer is expected to fetch close to a million dollars at auction after languishing for years in a shoe box under its current owner's bed. Owner John Webber says his grandfather gave him the 5.5-inch (14-centimetre) high mug to play with when he was a child, back in 1945. He assumed the golden cup, which is decorated with the heads of two women facing in opposite directions, their foreheads garlanded with two knotted snakes, was made from brass. But he decided to get it valued when he was moving house last year and was told it was actually a rare piece of ancient Persian treasure, beaten out of a single sheet of gold hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Experts said the method of manufacture and the composition of the gold was "consistent with Achaemenid gold and gold smithing" dating back to the third or fourth century BC. The Achaemenid empire, the first of the Persian empires to rule over significant portions of Greater Iran, was wiped out by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. Auction house Duke's, in Dorchester, south-west England, will put the cup under the hammer on June 5, with an estimate of 500,000 pounds (630,000-euro, 988,000-dollars). Webber, 70, told The Guardian newspaper that his grandfather had a "good eye" for antiques and picked up "all sorts" as he plied his trade in the town of Taunton in south-west England. "Heaven knows where he got this, he never said," he added, revealing that as a child, he used the cup for target practice with his air gun.

AEropostale?

To prepare for Ocatvian's naval campaign against Sextus Pompeius, Marcus Agrippa created an inland harbor off of the Bay of Naples, what came to be known as "Portus Julius," so he could construct and train a huge fleet. My understanding is that Agrippa accomplished this by digging a series of canals between several nearby bodies of water in order to flood the area and create his harbor. My question is how would they have gone about doing so much digging? To me this sounds like an enormous undertaking. Would this have been done with slaves (or the legions) using simple shovel like tools? Or did the Romans have any known mechanical devices to be used for excavation type work?

I'll weigh in with ... "a button"

Friday 5/23/08 Gladiator (2000) HBO - 1:30 am Condemned to arena fights by corrupt Roman leader Commodus, Gen. Maximus seeks revenge for his family's deaths. Superweapons of the Ancient World Military Channel - 9:00 am Next showing: The Claw Greek genius Archimedes creates a secret weapon that plucks Roman warships from the sea. Saturday 5/24/08 Rome HBO2 - 9:00 pm Next showing: Utica Caesar returns home; Vorenus and Pullo have a showdown with a local thug; Servilia's plan backfires. Tuesday 5/27/08 Hidden Worlds: Underground Rome HDNET - 10:00pm Archaeologists and urban explorers search for relics of the city. History's Mysteries History International - 12:00 pm Next showing: The Roman Emperors The heads of Ancient Rome lead lives of increasing depravity. Thursday 5/29/08 Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel - 3:00 pm Next showing: The Grasp of the Empire Roman colonization; slavery. Latest additions ... Sunday 6/1/08 MythBusters Discovery - 12:00 pm Next showing: Ancient Death Ray; Skunk Cleaning; What Is Bulletproof? Hosts test urban legends: Greek scientist sets fire to a Roman fleet; removing skunk odor. Monday 6/2/08 Conquest History International - 4:30 am Next showing: Weapons of the Barbarians Barbarians from many lands use many weapons to fight the forces of Rome. What the Romans Did for Us History International - 9:30 am Next showing: Arteries of the Empire Ancient Almanac History International - 11:00 am Next showing: Incredible Monuments of Rome The Colosseum; the Pantheon; the Forum.

The face doesn't seem long enough to be Caesar.

You darn well know they wouldn't be able to rely on cats!

Here are the latest additions. See initial post for complete listings. Friday 5/16/08 Eye Over Italy Equator - 10:00pm Next showing: Rome to Capri Rome, the Vatican and more. Saturday 5/17/08 Rome HBO2 - 9:00pm Next showing: Caesarion Caesar arrives in Alexandria and meets the king; Vorenus and Pullo free Ptolemy's incarcerated sister; Caesar seeks payment from Egypt for past debts. Monday 5/19/08 What the Romans Did for Us History International - 9:30am Next showing: Building Britain New farming methods; planning of towns; plumbing. Wednesday 5/21/08 Smart Travels: Europe With Rudy Maxa HDNET - 6:30 am Next showing: Germany's Rhine and Mosel Rivers Rhine castles; Koblenz; the bridge at Remagen; city of Cologne; Roman city of Trier; vineyards and castles along the Mosel River. Smart Travels Equator - 11:00pm Next showing: Rome The Colosseum, ancient Baths of Caracalla, Vatican City and tips on the best eating, shopping and city walks. Thursday 5/22/08 Barbarians II History Channel - 11:00 am Next showing: Vandals The Vandals infiltrate the Roman borders in northern Gaul and sweep into Spain. Friday 5/23/08 Superweapons of the Ancient World Military Channel - 9:00 am Next showing: The Claw Greek genius Archimedes creates a secret weapon that plucks Roman warships from the sea. Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel - 12:00 pm Next showing: The Cult of Order The slow disintegration of Rome; the economy falters; citizens turn to religious cults; the Roman Empire becomes divided. Saturday 5/24/08 Rick Steves' Europe HDNET - 7:00 am Next showing: Provence: Legendary Light, Wind and Wine Roman ruins in Nimes; Avignon's papal palace; Van Gogh's Arles; the Rhone.

Thanks, Gaius. Latest additions are as follows. Check initial post for complete listings: Sunday 5/11/08 Spartacus (2004) HDNET Movies - 2:00 pm Spartacus leads a slave revolt against the powerful forces of ancient Rome. Based on the novel by Howard Fast. Based on the book by Howard Fast. Wednesday 5/14/08 Rome: Engineering an Empire History - 8:00 am A history of the Roman Empire tells of spectacular and sordid events, from the rise of Julius Caesar to the country's eventual fall. The Battle for Rome Military Channel - 9:00 am Next showing: Nero The burning of Rome signals the onset of Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar's descent into madness. The Battle for Rome Military Channel - 10:00 am Next showing: Constantine Constantine takes control of a divided Roman Empire.

Oh, bats in the cave! Shoo, bat! Shoo! Bats in the cave! Shoo, bat! Shoo! Bats in the cave! Shoo, bat! Shoo! Skip to muh loo, muh darling!

Why does she have an avatar of some guy trying to remove "bats from the cave?" *puts on helmet in anticipation of the whistle being blown ... *

Latest additions. See initial post for complete listings ... Saturday 5/3/08 The Lost Gods Smithsonian Channel - 11:30 am Next showing: The Romans The rise and fall of Rome and the gods it revered. Rome HBO 2 - 9:00pm Next showing: Egeria Mark Antony runs Rome while Caesar pursues Pompey; Pullo takes Octavian to a brothel; Atia tries to mend fences with Servilia. Monday 5/5/08 What the Romans Did for Us History International - 9:30 am Next showing: Life of Luxury The Romans bring innovations in homes and gardens to Britain. Gladiator (2000) HBO Signature - 11:00pm Condemned to arena fights by corrupt Roman leader Commodus, Gen. Maximus seeks revenge for his family's deaths. Friday 5/9/08 We Built This City Investigation Discovery - 3:00 am Next showing: London From Roman settlement to the center of the British empire, London is a city steeped in history. Monday 5/12/08 Discover Magazine Science Channel - 7:00 am Next showing: Ghost Ships of Pisa Roman ships found.