Melvadius

I think that Lindsay would tend to agree with the second part of your statement. she has allowed radio serialisations to start on BBC but film rights are a different issue following a bad experience she had with the first book filmed and the falling through of a BBC TV series the full details on her page about Film Rights. Her comments about the one book filmed bear repeating here: Personally I have to admit that I do quite enjoy the film but only if you discount any possible connection with either Lindsay's books or historical accuracy.

Interesting use of the system although I am uncomfortable with the thought of how exactly, or even if, they are creating section drawings and plans of the site in a normal fashion. Ultimately it is the precise distances which are measured and then put down on 'paper' which show the precise locations of different contexts and objects which in confined trenches usually can only be created manually or with specialist surveying equipment using GPS. Taking a photograph and sketching it in later to my mind would introduce a degree of uncertainty in positions and indeed risk of data loss which archaeologists generally wish to avoid. I'm also not at all sure about a Harris Matrix with diagonal lines all over it - it is not something that Harris included in his original book. Generally the intent of a Harris Matrix is to create a schematic representation showing precise relationships between different contexts, specifically which comes later or earlier in a sequence of deposition, so AFAIK usually uses only uses vertical or horizontal lines to depict those relationships.

Just a point of information contrary to what Lindsey Davis suggests in her first few books the Vigiles were primarily set up by Augustus as a fire fighting force rather than a police force. There is however a suggestion that by the second century they were also on the look out for excaped slaves and robbers along with people deliberately starting fires so probably then had a partial police function. The Falcophiles website includes the following Cassio Dio quote:

The place you are probably thinking of is the Mamertine Prison. There is some useful background information about it and its associated name of the Tullianum at this website although there are probably a lot more aboput Roman prisons (carcer) if you search.

The Huddersfield Daily Examiner is carrying a report of the discovery of a long lost 'circus', which was shown on a map from 1854 as a circle, beside the Slack Roman Fort near the village of Outlane. Although the newspaper doesn't seem to know whether to call the find a circus or an amphitheatre the description given of a 'circus' approximately 80metres across does makes it sound like it could possibly be another although larger gyrus such as the one found at the Lunt Roman Fort at Babington near Coventry.

Heritage Key carries a report on recent work in Cambridge's Newnham college which ahs uncovered evidence for a Roman settlement rather than more of the Anglo-Saxon burials (originally found during and then reburied shortly after WW2) they had been looking for. This only goes to show that even when one of our best known archeologists is involved (Dr Carenza Lewis is also involved in the excavations) do not always find what they are looking for. This potentially exciting find is probably a double-edged sword with a fair degree of frustration at not finding their original 'target'

Science now is carrying a report on the possible discovery of the long lost Viking settlement of Linn Duchaill in Ireland. There is still a lot of dating work to be done on the finds but this may be one to watch in the future as early indications from the site seem to fit best with a possible Viking origin for some of the finds.

A couple of relatively recent threads (in the last year or so) touching on the Eagle of the Ninth/ Ninth Legion (and sometimes what may really have happened to it) include: online chat discussion of Eagle of the Ninth This is really a spin-off sub-discussion from the following The Eagle of the Ninth book review Centurion (2009 Film) Another recent film version of the story

Novinite reports the discovery of a section of a major Roman road found during work on what was a major base on an improtant road which was apparently fortified in the third/ fourth centuries AD.

This looks like it will fall somewhere around the Gladiator school of authenticity for equipment and period decorations. From a quick look we seem to again be trotting out 'leather' as opposed to metal armour and probably knitted mail although the coolis helmets are probably slightly more in period (although a bit out of date) than those seen in many historical 'epics' of old. The walls and gates of the forts seem to be plausibaly authentic as is the building seen in the background of a couple of shots. However I do really worry about the late Medieval 'Persian' style carpet seen in the background of photo 5 and I'm not at all sure if there is any evidence for 'Pompeian' style grain mills as seen in photo 6's background being found in Britain. Despite that I may well take a look at this when I get the chance - if only to see what they have done a fondly remembered early read and radio programme

The Sofia Echo reports on the rediscovery and recent excavation of a Roman villa in a suburb of Sofia in Bulgaria.

Apparently irrespective of the damage down by Chiristies restorers to the arcaheological value of this object Tullie House Museum in Carlisle would really like it for their new Roman Frontier Gallery and have launched an appeal for support in its purchase. Details are in the News and Star article along with a link to the appeal form

[Addenda] I have just found the Caerleon excavation website which is well worth a look, even if the excavatison and tours are now over for the year, with lots of photographs showing the excavations in progress and a few additional detail not mentioned in the various reports that are now circulating: Archaeology at CAERLEON 2010 - The Priory Field Dig Unfortunately for those of us with less than perfect sight the pictures are not necessarily much bigger than appear elsewhere but there are lots more of them BTW apparently between 30-31 October Cardiff's School of History and Archaeology will host a two-day conference focusing on the Roman legacy in Wales as part of the AD 410 Romans Go Home celebrations .

No problem I know the feeling which is why I experimented with larger views myself Physorg is now carrying a short related piece on the story which contains a couple of additional details the most relevant of which for this discussion is as follows:

That is definately the impression I got, which is why I mentioned it in my posting above, in addition Dr Guest also starts to mention 'scale' [armour] before changing what he was about to say part-way into the video. When I use my home PC I can change the screen magnification up to 400% to try and get a closer look but don't have the same facility at work. However if you cannot change your screen resolution try highlighting the image and use 'ctrl-C' to copy it and then put it into another package such as Word by using 'ctrl-V' where you may be able to manipulate it larger.

Another article about the recent excavations at Caerleon (original link lost during the recent upgrade so repeated below) has slipped almost unnoticed onto the BBC website. I'm not sure that I would go as far as saying that they have really found a 'suit' of armour but it does look like the arcaheologists at Caerleion have found several large section of another set of lorica Segmentata in this BBC article and associated video discussing the find. It will be interesting, once the pieces has been conserved, to see which of the known variants of lorica sementata theya re most closely associatable with. BTW Unless it is the impressions of someones boot print in the mud I suspect that there may also be some fragments of lorica squamata just about visible in top left hand corner of the 'freeze frame' at the start of the video. The earlier article and associated video

I can't check at the moment but at home as far as I know we use a fairly standard internet browser although possibly one of the newer marks. I have to admit that either my office security system or the fact it uses an earlier mark of browser seems to have stripped out all of the active advertising and effectively removed the embedded links I noticed when I logged onto the story last night and decided not to post a link to it since I didn't trust the active HMTL code. Incidently my office security system apparently also doesn't seem to like the link to the site you have posted as I click on it and nothing happens, even though it will accept a link to the story from another site, which is somewhat confusing to say the least BTW this seems to be a follow-up to the item recently posted by Sequens about the Battlefield at Harzhorn Hill - interpretations

Thanks for the comments folks and Stella for flagging the Current Archaeology info, unfortunately I am up to my eyes at present so this is is a holding reply as I need some time to dig out a few references and reply properly. I will edit this post in a couple of days.

Be aware that this sites main purpose appears to be adverting - it is full of links which will activate if you pass your mouse over them and all of the 'links' embedded within this article are 'false' simply leading to totally unrelated advertising sites.

I suspect the fact that it is made from base metal (I believe bronze) may have something to do with it. If it is then irrespective of the artistic and historic value it is not covered by the 'Treasure Act' so there is not much that can be done about stopping the sale. If it does go to a foreign buyer then there may be scope for a temporarary stop order on the export while a British Museum attempts to match the purchase price but with the current Government intent on not spending any money at all I wouldn't hold my breath for this kind of Government support.

Might as well get in early too, have a great day Can't stop must get back to finishing dissertation

In case it is of interest I have now posted a few photographs in my gallery showing the excavations I have been involved with at this site which is located a few miles to the south of Oxford. As only a few foundations are left it possibly isn't the most photogenic of sites but despite that is a very interesting one as a browse through the site reports may explain; further details of the excavations are available at the Vale and Ridgeway Project If anyone gets the annual Britannia magazine from the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies I understand that it will be carrying a full article on the current findings from this site when it next comes out in November.

We actually had quite a long discussion on the discovery of the source of the Aqua Traiana back in February 2010so it is good to know that Ted O'Neill's videos have finally been posted on Discovery. Thanks for this spot Centurion Marcus Valerius. Mind you if they have only just put up the video's it appears to have taken them about 8 or 9 months since Ted and his colleagues announced the discovery and made the video's available.

Nice spot of what is actually a follow-up article to the earlier posting about a survey showing up remains near Cockermouth and Papcastle BTW Did any of our members or visitors manage to get along to see or participate in the excavations?

Moderation - Nice spot Centurion Marcus Valerius but possibly more expected (even if not necessarily more appropriate) to Roman Archaeological news so on balance have moved it here and merged Viggen's later posting with it.