G-Manicus

To those who think it's a bad idea, remember ... you can always give it back! The IRS will gladly accept your check. LOL!

From WLIW's website: Thu, Jan 31 8:00pm Nova # 3503 Secrets of the Parthenon Erected by the ancient Greeks as a temple to Athena, the Parthenon has served as a church, a fortress, an ammunition dump and the model for countless banks, courthouses and museums across the world. It has been shot at, exploded, set on fire, rocked by earthquakes, looted for its magnificent sculptures and subjected to restorations that have been termed "catastrophic." Despite so much abuse and renown as an icon of Western civilization, the question of how the Parthenon was built has been largely ignored until recently. Now, thanks to the Greek government's $10 billion restoration program, scholars are finally probing the enigmas of its planning and construction. With unprecedented access, NOVA presents the inside story of the official restoration, which reaches far beyond the challenges and controversies of conserving one of the world's best-known buildings. Fri, Feb 01 12:00am Nova # 3503 Secrets of the Parthenon Mon, Feb 04 1:00am Nova # 3503 Secrets of the Parthenon Tue, Feb 05 1:00pm Nova # 3503 Secrets of the Parthenon

You may find this of interest ... the PBS show "Nova" is running the following several times over the next couple of days or so: Nova - "Secrets of the Parthenon" Scholars probe the planning and construction of the Parthenon, erected by the ancient Greeks as a temple to the goddess Athena.

Monday 2/4/08 What the Romans Did for Us History International - 9:30 am Next showing: Ahead of Their Time Forms of entertainment during the public holidays in Roman times. Saturday 2/9/08 What the Ancients Knew Science Channel - 10:00 pm Next showing: The Romans The Romans build one of the largest empires in human history. Monday 2/11/08 The Battle for Rome Military Channel - 10:00 am Next showing: Revolution Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus introduces legislation that gives land to poor people and angers conservatives.

None! We don't start until Feb. 14th! I also had St Louis Rams owner Georgia Frontiere as well! AAAAARGH!!!

LOL! I'll have you know that my 2 boys and I were playing this yesterday and my 11 year old had me go online to see if we could find out any "cheats" for getting to the end. We found this. It has helped us immensely.

Would logistical reasons also enter into the decision to execute prisoners? For example, say a Roman General captures 10,000 Gauls after a decisive victory, what are his options if there are not adequate slavers associated with his army? I would imagine it would be quite difficult to feed that many additional mouths, not to mention the security risk involved. I would think that at certain points they would almost have to kill them for their own survival.

Call me crazy (shaddap, Gaius!) .... but I think this guy may have played the game prior to this: Click

Monday 2/4/08 Smart Travels: Europe With Rudy Maxa HDNET - 7:00 am Next showing: Out of Rome Emperor Hadrian's villa; wine and lakes of the Alban Hills; ancient seaport of Ostia; olive oil pressing; Rome's ring road. Thursday 2/7/08 Rick Steves' Europe HDNET - 7:30 am Next showing: Provence: Legendary Light, Wind and Wine Roman ruins in Nimes; Avignon's papal palace; Van Gogh's Arles; the Rhone. Friday 2/8/08 Eye Over Italy Equator Channel - 10:00 pm Next showing: Rome to Capri Rome, the Vatican and more.

I just find it amazing that they could do something like that in a relatively short period of time. Like Alesia, it's inconceivable to me how they could construct a walled perimiter like that which was ... what? ... 10 miles long? In only 3 weeks?

I'm really interested in the exterior. The earth and breastworks that they would put up when they camped.

I know the timeline of some of the events in 63 BC are a little murky, but is it known when the Senatus Consultum Ultimum was granted to Cicero? Is it your view that was what Caesar was after all along? Even if the Senate yielded to his request to run for Consul in absentia? Do you think Caesar would still have been moved to make a grab for Dictator? I know it's hypothetical, but I'd be interested to know your opinion.

Thanks, all. Here is a picture of one I found in one of the google links: So when I read that so and so's army would stop and make a camp and they throw up an earthen wall with breast works atop it, this is what I was envisioning. I'm curious how long it would take them to put something like this up, barracks aside.

Thursday 1/31/08 Smart Travels: Europe With Rudy Maxa HDNET - 7:00 am Next showing: Bath and South Wales Ancient Roman spas; the mystical town of Glastonbury, England; the Wye River Valley; Tintern Abbey inspires poet William Wordsworth.

MPC is just fraidy scared to admit that maybe McCullough makes a good case for the trial to occur after Cataline. Because, if she's right about that, then maybe she's right about other stuff (eg: Caesar > Cato)

Does anyone have a link to artistic representations of what the fortifications of a typical Roman camp looked like? I see the thread below talking about dimensions and the like, but I'm interested in how they appeared. The engineering that would have gone into their fortification sounds amazing to me.

D squared: Sorry I missed this, dude. Happy (belated) birthday! G

Cool!

What about to the point itself? What would the rationale be for trying Rabirius on a 37 year old charge BEFORE Cataline? Was it Caesar just trying to do anything to stick his thumb in the eyes of the Boni? Not sure I buy the "coincidence" in him deciding to do that and then lo and behold, Cicero goes vigilante on the conspirators later that same year. As it appears you read McCullough's notes, I think you'd allow that (Caesar worship aside) she does paint a compelling case for the trial happening after Cataline, no?

I'm quite certain the reason was, not just that it was an attack on MPC, but that it was OFF TOPIC. Now, I'm as guilty as anyone when it comes to taking threads off topic (okay, okay ... MORE guilty), but quite clearly the discussion had diverged from the fact that the trial of Gaius Rabirius had CLEARLY taken place AFTER Cataline. :-) Those posts deserved to go to Tartatus, just as these most recent posts (including mine) deserve to end up in Tartarus.

Saturday 1/26/08 Engineering an Empire History International - 1:00 pm Next showing: The Byzantines The classical learning and science of the Byzantine Empire gives rise to the Renaissance. Wednesday 1/30/08 Smart Travels: Europe With Rudy Maxa HDNET - 7:00 am Next showing: Medieval Europe Ruins, towers, cobbled streets, mosaics, monasteries, castles and cathedrals draw visitors to Europe; from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance. Tuesday 2/5/08 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) Encore - 7:30 am A con-man slave and his sidekick fake a courtesan's funeral to fool a pimp in ancient Rome.

I think it's a toss up. The Patriots stopped blowing people out 2 months ago and actually struggled down the stretch (hanging on for dear life vs the Ravens, Eagles, Jets, and Giants ... not too mention last week vs SD). The Giants meanwhile are peaking at the perfect time. The so called "conventional wisdom" is that if you give Bill Belichick 2 weeks to prepare, then he'll beat anyone. Well, he had 2 weeks to prepare for each of their previous 3 Super Bowls ... and they won them by a combined total of 9 points. I expect a close a game again this time around as well. One that is completely undecided entering the 4th quarter. The key in my mind will be getting pressure on Brady early and not allowing NE to jump out to a big lead early on. If that happens, I can see the wheels coming off the Giant bus and we're looking at a blowout. If the game is competitive after the 1st quarter, I fully expect it to go down to the wire. And if that happens, it could be one for the ages as both Brady and Manning have shown an extraordinary ability throughout their careers to come up big with the game on the line. With my Giants homer hat firmly in place I'm predicting the following: Giants - 27 Patriots - 23

A lot of my Giant fan brethren are nervous that the famed SI jinx will kick in because of this: (Brett Favre was on the cover last week btw and we saw how THAT worked out for him! LOL!) Screw that! We're a team of destiny! We are jinx proof! I predict that this is the cover of the NY Post on 2/4/08:

Saturday 1/26/08 Smart Travels: Europe With Rudy Maxa HDNET - 7:00 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. Ancient Discoveries History Channel - 11:00 am Next showing: Galen, Doctor to the Gladiators Galen performs brain surgery 2,000 years ahead of his time. Wednesday 1/30/08 Smart Travels Equator Channel - 11:00 pm Next showing: Germany's Rhine and Mosel Rivers Where Caesar destroyed two Germanic tribes; where U.S. troops crossed the Rhine; vineyards; ancient castles; Kolsch beer. Thursday 1/31/08 Cleopatra (1963) Cinemax - 2:00 am The queen of Egypt seduces Julius Caesar, but when he is killed, she uses Mark Antony as her new protector. Friday 2/1/08 Smart Travels Equator Channel - 11:00 pm Next showing: Italy's Veneto and Dolomites A night at the opera in Verona's Roman arena; Giotto's colorful frescoes in Padua; Palladian villas in Vicenza. Sunday 2/3/08 Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel - 1:00 PM "The Rise" The founding of Rome; Etruscan culture; the establishment of the Republic. Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel -2:00 PM "Legions of Conquest" An amateur army grows into a major force; Hannibal's elephants; Caesar's onslaught against Gaul; Persia defeats Valerian. Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel -3:00 PM "Seduction of Power" Politics; Caesar rises from soldier to dictator; Augustus seizes the throne; dynastic problems leave the Empire reeling. Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel - 4:00 PM "The Grasp of the Empire" Roman colonization; slavery. Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel - 5:00 PM "The Cult of Order" The slow disintegration of Rome; the economy falters; citizens turn to religious cults; the Roman Empire becomes divided. Rome: Power & Glory Military Channel - 6:00 PM "The Fall" Invasions weaken Rome's grasp; Christianity draws strength; Constantine moves the empire's capital. Super Bowl XLII Fox - 6:30 pm The NY Giants defeat the NE Patriots to become Super Bowl champs.

You are most welcome!