Germanicus

A good example would be the Consulship of Julius and Caesar. Bibulus was absent for the most part - off sighting bad omens in an attempt to block Caesars legislation.

It may interest you to know Tribunician power, that many forum contributors - I'd say the majority in fact, do not have any formal training in the Ancient History area, myself included. They are generally well read though, and are not regurgitating taught opinions - but their own. With regard to your final comment, you shouldn't feel Ursus is being condescending, he just knows how often threads can move from discussions about Ancient Rome, to discussions about modern politics, which do belong in the afterhours forum. Regards Germanicus

Transport of Cavalry certainly took place regularly. The below is from Book 4, chapter 22 onwards in Caesars Gallic wars, so concerns Cavalry transport over the channel, rather than the mediterranean: Also this:- And this:- No references to problems specific to cavalry transport however, aside from the problems generally associated with sea travel - ie - unpredictable weather. I dare say "The Civil War" would have similar references to transport of cavalry from Brundisium, but have not the time right now to check.

You've got to remember that Seneca was interested in surviving/prospering under Nero. His number one job then was to glorify Nero's reign, and discredit the previous one. I doubt Nero's opinion of his adopted father was a stellar one. With regard to the words of Seutonius, I think many Romans would have construed Claudius' willingness to be led as a sign of low intelligence. I however cannot accept that he was defficient in this area. Weak perhaps, as PP mentions with his blindness to the crimes of the likes of Messalina, Agrippina, and his powerfull freedmen, but not stupid. I do not believe a stupid man could have ruled the Empire for as long as he did. It wasn't just dumb luck.

For you tribunician power:- Rise of the Church

I take it you live nowhere near a coastline. With regard to colonies in space, that is something totally up in the air, excuse the punn. You assume that your government is going to continue current levels of spending, actually, the argument assumes a major increase in spending on a Space program. Another thing to remember is that even if there is a colony on Mars in 200 years time, your decendants won't be going, unless they are going to be A)-Super rich, or B )-PHDs in cutting edge science. The other point I guess is that 99% of life doesn't need to be destroyed to make the planet uninhabitable, thats the thing about an ecosystem....it's all interconnected.

I thought you said you didn't want to get on my bad side ?

Hello Professor, I am very curious to know whether small, local governments/town governments in the Roman mould continued for any length of time in the West after the sack of Rome in the 5th Century in France or Spain. Thankyou Germanicus

Thankyou all for the kind words. I shall do what I can to ensure Roman Military affairs remain the domain of the Roman Military. Initially I had second thoughts, but then......a chance for power ? What would JC have done ? Look forward to working with you Ursus.

Roman lead pipes used to transport water developed a thick layer of calcification on the inside of the pipes in a matter of weeks, protecting the water from contacting the lead. More on the topic - I think Roman men, or at least some, would have definately indulged in makeup. Actors and people referred to by the likes of Cicero as "Degenerates" particularly.

Actually, there are a large number of busts and statues depicting Septimus as statesman/philospher. (Including one head in the Melbourne Art Gallery)

Hi all - the below is from Polybius. Where he is describing the assembling of legions by the Consuls in preparation for a campaign. The Extraordinarii as he describes them, were both Infantry and Cavalry.

I am waiting patiently for it's arrival

You actually made my day with this post Flavius !

Sounds like they did an excellent job then ! It's comming to us on channel 10 in Melbourne Tobias

I like your thinking Hamilcar

I just don't think it's a simple as a yes or no answer. You might as well say "Sulla caused the fall of Rome" - as he was the first to march on Rome and take power by force. There were many other examples for corrupt Governors prior to Caesar, indeed, prior to his consulship Caesar prosecuted some of them. IMHO, this would have been the opinion of your namesake and his string pullers in the Senate, but in fact the conquest of Gaul provided income, troops, senators and citizens for hundreds of years of Empire following conquest. The republic was already dead, the Senate just didn't know it. Italy itself was not threatened again by Gallic (they were now citizens) or Germanic (they were faced by Legions in Gaul or Pannonia) tribespeople again for at least 200 years after the Gallic wars - thankyou Caesar ! He did further the Italicization of Gaul, and Gaul populated by his clients and citizens offered exactly that - a buffer and a source of great wealth. My own opinion is that those elements in the Senate that wished to prosecute Caesar on his return to private citizen status, were so incapable of compromise, and so hapless in their final actions, (Thinking once again of your namesake) that they left Caesar no option. Lay down you legions and return to Rome so we can strip you of your estates and banish you and deny you fire and water.....or....you have 7 veteran legions at your command......and the people of Rome.....love you.....I know what I'd do !

Oh my....how did I miss this pearl of wisdom. Tobias - how many roos on your farm ? Seriously, before you start lecturing me or my countrymen about our "endangered" kangaroos, try getting the facts straight, do some research perhaps. I don't presume to spout facts about things I know nothing about, it's dangerous. Kangaroos are culled here. Culled, not poached for the simple reason that in drought there is not enough food to support their MASSIVE populations. The idea that the red, or grey Kangaroos are in any way endagered is absolutely laughable. I need only drive to the local golf course and I can watch 50 feed in a group, and I live in a capital city. Tobias probably just has to open his door on any given evening for a similar experience. While they don't "hop along the main street" as some may think, they are served in most modern restaraunts, indeed my local pub as well, for the very reason that they are a more environmentally friendly thing to eat than say beef or lamb. I recently asked a relative who bought a farm in outback NSW what he kept on it. His reply "Bout 200 goats, and 5000 roos."

Hi Tobias, the add just says "comming soon" I suspect in around 3-4 weeks, it'll be in channel seven in Melbourne - is that "Win" or something where you are ?

Thats a shame, but thanks for the heads up guys.

"Chris Egan joins Trudie Styler, Emily Blunt, Santiago Cabrera and James Frain in an epic retelling of the story of Roman emperor Octavius, nephew of Julius Caesar, in a six-part miniseries Empire. " From :- The Age Newspaper This show called "Empire" starts on TV here in Australia soon, and from the add looks good, with a reasonable budget - I think it's a BBC production - anyone seen it or know of it ?

I would have liked to have met Marcus Aurelius. After discussing his Meditations I would pull him aside and offer an insight into his son.

Yeah, I know m8, I just shortcut from saying :- Can't believe I said "Scotting"

Petty too I know, but FYI term homosexuality is not gender specific.

There's a description here The reason I was surprised was that I've read about their use in Scotland at much later dates, where as the reference in Tacitus is describing Caratacus defeat in the 40s AD in Britain. This is interesting, and seems some way to explain why a Scotting Proffessor (Thanks Virgil61) would describe it as such thanks, but your next comment:- Is not so good - 90 centimetres - less than a metre. That aint that strange for a sword Flavius, and it would not be "Absurdingly heavy" as you put it.