dianamt54

All these ideas sound great. I can't wait to see them all on the big screen and all our names in the credits

If you could make any movie about History, or historical figure, what would it be about? Which actors or actress would be in your movie? I would make the Sunne in Splendor, written by Sharron Kay Penman. It is about Richard III. I loved it. Since I read it many years ago, I have changed the cast. Right now, I would have Russell Crowe (actually in any movie I would make), Christian Bale, James Purfoy, Ciaran Hines, Jeremy Sisto, Ray Stevenson, and of course ME! I have to think who would play who, but I will get to that soon. I would also love to see the First Man In Rome in a movie. Not sure yet who would be in it. But for both movies, I would insist that it would be HISTORICAL ACCURATE, I would throw a fit. I like the actors to look as close to the real person as possible. If the historical person is suppose to be blonde, then she has to be blonde. I don't think there needs to be a reason to change the time line. Of course I am just an arc chair movie director.

I saw is, and I was a married woman by myself. Anyway, I liked it. I went there in my mind that it is just a movie, and of course historical license was taken. The costumes were outstanding. Eric Bana, good looking as ever! I think the Showtime mini-series has helped make Henry VIII and his times popular. Again, I have to keep in mind that it is just a tv show, but I do like it. Sam Neil, in the first season was outstanding. JEREMY NORTHAM as Thomas More is good also, even though he wrote an awful story about Richard III. MARIA DOYLE KENNEDY as Katherine of Aaragon is probably the best actress on the Tudors. Anne Boylen played by Natalie Dormer is ok, but I can't figure her Anne Boylen out. And finally JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS, good actor, intense, but not the stature of Henry VIII, Eric Bana has the stature.

I use to play tennis in my teens and twenty's, then I hurt my back. I sometimes still get out and play, but I let the ball come to me, even if it bounces two, three times. Now that we got a Wii, I love the tennis. I get into it and move around. The first couple of days, my right arm was sore. You should see my 8 year old. He can just sit there and the ball goes where it wants to. Kids! When I lived in the Great State of Kansas (in my mind anyway) I played sand volleyball. I would say beach, but Kansas is in the middle of the USA, no beach! Anyway, the team I was on was AWFUL. But the more beer we drank, the better we thought we were!

I always here quotes on tv or on the radio, like, The Die is Cast, It's Greek to me, When in Rome. Aspects of Rome seem go come up every where. When my children are watching shows on the Cartoon Network or Disney, they reference Rome. Even good old Spongebob had an eposide about Rome. I keep clicking my heals three times and I say There is no place like Rome, There is no place like Rome, There is no place like Rome, and nothing happens.

When the president of the USA gives the state of the union address, he stands on the Rostra.

In the ides of March I was going to wear my Caesar Shirt on the airplane, but my little one had the flu, so I didn't go any where. So far, no one has asked me about my shirts. My husband has a nice one with the eagle and SPQR. Both boys have hoodies and shirts with Rome and SPQR!

Yea, I might win you over yet!

Well! I had a beautiful, Catholic, semi big wedding. White Roses, in honor of Richard III and the House of York. I loved being in my wedding dress, but everyone would laugh, it is the typically 1990's dress. Big, puffy shoulder pads. And of course a tiara! I don't think I went that crazy, but who can remember almost 16 years ago. For the most part, men don't take an interest in the details. Some just say, tell me when to show up. Sulla, you'll like this, my bridesmaids and I had memosa's while getting all made up! But I was sober for the cermony. The wedding is only one day, then the reality hits the fan. I have known a few women who said marriage was not what they thought! That is so true! Only the strong survive! I went to the apartment office today and there was an older gentleman there with a University of Kansas tee-shirt. Of course that is our enemy, but since being in Texas, I go up to anyone that has to do with Kansas. He was not, but his grandson went there. Anyway, he has been married for 47 years! Oh my Gosh!! Then I said, it is too late to train someone new! Any it is cheaper to keep her! Hopefully, your sis-in-law will get back to normal.

I love Gladiator. The movie brought forth a new interest of Rome and Ancient History in General. Roman clothes on the cat walk, Gladiator sandals and more. There have been some movies, such Caesar with Jeremy Sisto, Atilla, Nero, Augustus, Nero and the Last Legion. And big budget movies, like Troy and Kingdom of Heaven. Even the Rome mini-series. Ok, some are not that good! Caligula made me sick! I still believe that if a person sees some of these movies, and they liked them, then they will research the time period and learn the true facts, just like me. Or they will talk about it with good experts like you and the people of the forum. It seems I always put my two-sestertius in, even if the person does not care!

The Brother's Gracchi were born patrician, but became plebs to run for Tribune of the Plebs. Primus Pilus explained it like this: "He was Plebeian via his paternal name, Sempronius... the lineage that determined social affiliation. His maternal side was patrician via the Cornelius gens, but it didn't matter". The Gracchi thought they could do more for Rome if the had the support of the people than the senate. Both brothers paid for their controversial reforms with their lives.

Would you pray on innccent young patrician women too? Of course, since I would be living on the Palatine, I would not be in your part of town. My family would be of ancient decent, generals and consuls, very rich and of course handsome. And yes, I would be married off at a young age, to another rich and succesful family, but my husband would be a defus and I would rule the household. Then I would fall in love with someone else. He would want me to run away from all of Rome. I would decline, because of a woman of Rome, I would do what is best for the Republic. Then my husband die in battle or did he????? And then the some one else and I would get married and our son would be the greatest Roman of all time!

Wow! But we would be fighting for the love of Julius Caesar. And if Marc Antony looked like Jame Purefoy, Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, I would let you have Caesar.

My favorite period in Rome is from the time of Marius to Julius Caesar. I like the founding of Rome, there is a lot of info to go through. I also like the Gracchi. I am inclined to study the personality of these people.

What is an imago?

Yea! Don't forget, you have a little Roman in you! Stand up, great! Maybe you tape some of it so we can all see it. At least you don't have to get messy if we throw tomatoes at you! haha! Congrats to getting your children to speak the language! My children are so stubborn! If only children would listen to their parents! Like I did, not! Knowing another language, whatever it may be is so important in this world! Congrats on the blog!

Good for you! That awful man ran like the weak senators of Rome who ran when something unpleasant happened.

Yes indeed, the opposition was killed off or exiled (or in opposition away from Rome like Sertorius in Hispania). Those who remained were Sullans and/or people of similar conservative political ideology and benefited by Sulla and his policies. Additionally, Sulla did give up the dictatorship and took no action that would give the impression that he intended to maintain it forever or that he intended to restore the monarchy. Caesar, on the other hand, whether one agrees or disagrees, did give a real impression that he positioned himself as a real king abroad and potentially even at Rome. No matter how long Sulla intended to be dictator, he was still dictator. He still was in charge of Rome, government and army. the people of Rome saw him as the ultimate dicator and were scared to death of him. Sulla knew that if he retired or died, all his laws would cease to exist. It has to be an igo issue for Sulla. Just because he retired does not mean he didn't want to be "king". The senate (what was left of them) could have given him a title that meant King, without having to say king. He was old, ugly and knew he didn't have much time left. He wanted history to remember him as he saw it. You know "what if" scenario. If Caesar lived longer would he be "King"? I think that when the Republic was nearing the end, the men who had the power of Rome triedn to shape it into their own ideas, no matter what the cost. Marius and Sula lost sight of what Rome really was. Caesar tried to at least keep the populas on his side. Ok, where I was going with this, I don't remember! For the most part he did. It just took him a bit longer to do the job, and the death of many opponents was masked by the fact that they occurred in battle. Notice that most of those involved in his death were actually considered his friends. Of all of those named, only Quintus Ligarius showed any real history of being an anti-Caesarian as an opponent in the war in Africa. (Lucius Tillius Cimber's brother had been exiled but Cicero claims that Tillius himself was a strong partisan of Caesar... at least prior to joining the conspiracy). Of course, in fairness to Caesar famed clemency, Ligarius was one of those who had been pardoned and we certainly can't be certain of the partisanship of the 50 or so other conspirators who have not named in our surviving sources.

I can't really say I like Sulla, or I don't, I just find him interesting. I have had a question burning in my mind. Why didn't the senate kill Sulla like they killed Caesar!!??! Was it because there wasn't anyone left in Rome or the Senate after the proscriptions brave enough to stab Sulla at the base of a statue of Marius? Maybe Caesar should have killed all his enemies just like Sulla did.

I had a history professor in college that said history never repeats itself. I was one of those young freshmen that was very timid to argue, but now look out. Anyway, history does repeat itself. The names and times have changed, but the situations are the same. Look at Jerusalem. One of the last lines in the movie Kingdom of Heaven "What is Jerusalem to you?" And the Muslim general says, "Nothing and everything". How many years has that city been in turmoil? I love the quote from Cicero about what to do to avoid the Fall of Rome. I am posting it again, "The budget should be balanced. Public debt should be reduced. The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered, and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome become bankrupt." Marcus Tullius Cicero I can apply this quote to today. To me, this applies to the USA, now. As far as the question on the board, what was it?? Some call him Emperor, some just call him dictator. I would hope that if a student is interested in learning more about Caesar and Rome, they can research for themselves and come up with their own answer. And of course they have to prove their answers. Sometime in schools, they don't have time to let the students research a question. The school districts here in the USA are only teaching for the assessment tests. I imagine a lot of students say, "Why do I need to know Julius Caesar?? (like me and algebra.) The student who feels the history in their bones will be the ones who can find the answer to this question and many more

Salve, I love to wear shirts or hoodies that show something I love. I have an awesome shirt from Cafe Press that is black, with an outline of Caesar's face, saying Vedi, Veni, Veci, and the date March 15, 44. I aslo have a couple of hoodies that I designed (meaning I chose what I wanted on it). https://www.customtshirtsandsigns.com/Design.htlm http://www.cafepress.com/?CMP=KNC-G-EF Cafe Press have lots of designs to put on a shirt, like Titus Pollo for President. Enjoy!

Didn't Machiavelli write about Sulla also? To get back to the original post, I'm not a fan of Caesar. For just one list of reasons that I'm not an admirer of Caesar, see HERE (plenty of juicy counter-arguments also follow). Poke around, and you'll find other lists I've written, variously condemning Caesar's Machiavellian character, short-sighted laws, exaggerated military reputation, and destructive legacy. As for the greatest Roman figures, my personal favorites are the most idealistic ones: Cato the Younger and Sertorius. I also greatly admire (1) M Junius Brutus, for founding the republic and defending it against his own sons, (2) the tribune Licinius who opened Roman government to the plebeian caste, (3) the plebeian consul M. Curius Dentatus, whose armies defeated all of Rome's enemies, including Pyrrhus, and (4) Scipio Africanus, who saved Rome from the greatest general of the ancient world (and perhaps all time), Hannibal.

Didn't Sulla build on top of the Forum? I read somehere (sorry about that I seem to read a lot and then can't remember where) that Sulla raised it so many feet??

I really love the Master of Rome Series. I was introduced to two men I really knew nothing about. Marius and Sulla. Reading about these two men, I just had to learn more and there is a lot to learn! I know that there are a lot of people who may know a little about Rome, just the basics, don't know of these two men. They did start some 1st for Rome. McCullough, to me, makes me feel like I am walking in Rome. I can feel the violence in the streets. The feel the loneliness of the some of the women who's husbands were away for years because of wars. One aspect of the books, is the long, long battle. I prefer more dialogue. I am on my second reading of the books. I read them a couple of years ago, now I know so much more about the time frame of the book. I can be like, ok, that makes more sense now.

I tried to read the first book in the series, but I just could not get through the facts and history he didn't follow. My husband really likes them because he knows almost nothing of the Roman Republic, so he can read it with an open mind. I have just started reading Imperium by Robert Harris. I can read it because I really don't know much about Cicero, so I don't have a preconcieved notion about the history. Make Sense? Thanks, PP - I think, in that case, I will pass on this one! I