Aurelia

Cool 2-part ZDF documentary on how Arminius led the German tribes' resistance against Rome, culminating in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

The culture and legends of ancient Greece have a remarkably long legacy in the modern language of education, politics, philosophy, art and science. Classical references from thousands of years ago continue to appear. But what was the origin of some of these ideas? Article continues on BBC News page.

Archaeologists in Italy have uncovered a cemetery in the 2,700-year-old ancient port of Rome where they believe the variety of tombs found reflects the bustling town's multi-cultural nature. Ostia "was a town that was always very open, very dynamic," said Paola Germoni, the director of the sprawling site -- Italy's third most visited after the Colosseum and Pompeii. "What is original is that there are different types of funeral rites: burials and cremations," she said this week. More on AFP news site.

No more Alexander the Great biographies, please!

It would have been nice to actually see the aerial photographs...

Interesting interview with Wayne Lee, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about the history of tunnel warfare, from ancient Rome to Vietnam to today. The audio interview itself starts at around 42s.

Designed and executed by Walter Scheidel and Elijah Meeks in collaboration with a group of IT specialists and students at Stanford University, ORBIS: The Stanford Geospatial Network Model of the Roman World reconstructs the time cost and financial expense associated with a wide range of different types of travel in antiquity. The model is based on a simplified version of the giant network of cities, roads, rivers and sea lanes that framed movement across the Roman Empire. It broadly reflects conditions around 200 CE but also covers a few sites and roads created in late antiquity. To access the map, click here!

I, on the other hand, have only been to the Parthenon and Paestum... P.S. There seems to be a problem with the original link to the article. Here's an alternative one, just in case.

I quite enjoy BBC series and documentaries and, truth be told, the latter can be of vastly superior quality than those from the likes of the History Channel and Discovery...

Yep, I think they refer to the linothorax as a predecessor to kevlar in the article...

The Praetorian Guard has been used for different purposes through the centuries, and that is the point of the article. Nobody said they were created for the purpose of serving exclusively as a police force, or intelligence units, or prison guards. These were probably temporary / ad hoc duties, but duties nevertheless. And I'm not disputing the fact that soldiers from the regular legions were also used in such activities when necessary. That was not my point. Once again, I never said they were a regular legion but that it was not uncommon for them to go on campaign with the Emperor, in reply to your statement that Peace.

Hey Caldrail, interesting input from your part but I'm wondering if you actually read the whole article? It expands a bit on the first paragraph I posted. Regarding the different roles played by the Praetorian Guard, it tended to vary through the centuries. Some Emperors expanded their powers, others restricted them, and so it went until Constantine finally disbanded them. That's not entirely true. The Praetorian Prefects were the commanders of the Praetorian Guard but would also eventually have an administrative role. From UNRV: At the onset, Augustus recruited 9 cohorts of about 500 men each, essentially equal to the size of an imperial legion. Each cohort was eventually swelled to equal that of the double-strength first cohort of an Imperial Legion, so that each cohort, from this time on, was generally made up of 1,000 men. Three of these initial 9 units were stationed in Rome while the other six were garrisoned throughout Italy. At first each cohort was under the command of an Equestrian rank Tribune, but by the turn of the millennium, Augustus had created the overall command position of the Praetorian Praefectus. The Prefects eventually became incredibly powerful political players themselves, and in some cases wielded more direct control and power over the empire than the Emperor. Set up as an institution with supreme loyalty to the emperor, they eventually became a formidable political force, in many cases, both eliminating the current Emperor and dictating ascension to the throne. Encyclopaedia Brittanica: The praetorian prefect, being responsible for the emperor’s safety, rapidly acquired great power. Many became virtual prime ministers to the emperor, Sejanus being the prime example of this. Two others, Macrinus and Philip the Arabian, seized the throne for themselves. By ad 300 the praetorian prefects virtually directed the civil administration of the empire. They executed judicial powers as delegates of the emperor, organized tax levies, and supervised provincial governors. They also commanded troops and served as quartermasters general to the emperor’s court. As for intelligence gathering, a group within the Praetorian Guard known as Speculatores, sort of played the role of "secret agents". There's an interesting book entitled "The Praetorian Guard: A History of Rome's Elite Special Forces" by Sandra Bingham, which describes the Speculatores as "employed in matters that involved issues of national security or where there was a need for covert activity". Initially recruited as bodyguards, they came to perform additional duties: - Bodyguard of the Emperor - The palace guard - As the only military force allowed in the city of Rome - Policing Rome - To quell any riots in the city - As intelligence units - Guarding prisoners awaiting trial before the Emperor - Interrogations (Source: http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-army/praetorian-guard.htm) Not to mention administrators already mentioned above. They served in a few campaigns to protect a Caesar campaigning in person, which ordinarily did not happen. Maybe not at first, but contrary to popular belief, the Praetorians, especially beyond the Julio-Claudian era, often went on campaign with the Emperor. More on UNRV: Enemy incursions into Italy or nearby provinces were also often met by Praetorian defenders. As the deep interior of the Empire was bereft of troops in comparison to the frontier provinces, it could often fall upon the imperial guard to secure the interior empire. They also accompanied those emperors who functioned as generals while on campaign. Of notable example are Trajan in Dacia and Marcus Aurelius while he conducted the war on the Danube, and the Praetorians certainly were involved in heavy action.

It's eerie what military technology can do these days. But in ancient Greece, they thought they were cutting edge when they had developed the linothorax. What's a linothorax, you ask? Well, lino refers to linen and thorax means the chest... To continue reading about linothorax and to watch a cool demonstration video click here!

Very interesting podcast about Roman sewers, hygiene, tales and superstition. Worth a listen! ABC Sydney

Interesting little list. By no means extensive, but a good start...

Equal parts secret service, special forces and urban administrators, Rome’s Praetorian Guard was one of the ancient world’s most prestigious military units. These handpicked soldiers are most famous for serving as the sworn bodyguard of the Roman ruler, but they were also used as a Jack-of-all-trades force in the service of the Empire. Guardsmen fought alongside the legions on campaign, put down uprisings, pacified rioters and served as security at gladiator shows and chariot races. As their influence grew, they also played a pivotal role in the intrigue and double-crossing that blighted imperial Rome. Explore eight facts about the men-at-arms who protected—and sometimes murdered—the Roman emperor. More interesting tidbits on the History Channel website.

Yes, I remember seeing engravings of fish such as the one below when visiting the Roman catacombs.

I'm sure it would make for some interesting jewellery designs.

Forget gory shows and gladiatorial combat. In the late Middle Ages, Rome's Colosseum was a huge condominium, says the latest archaeological investigation into Rome's most iconic monument. Archaeologists from Roma Tre University and students from the American University of Rome unearthed evidence showing that ordinary Romans lived within the Colosseum from the ninth century until at least 1349, when the building was seriously damaged by an earthquake. Discovery News article continues here.

Nah, the Romans were too refined for that. Their graffiti was much more subtle... Graffiti from Pompeii

I think "Top Gear" is BBC's biggest export. I'm not exactly a fan but it seems to have worldwide appeal, especially amongst male viewers - what's not to like about a bunch of middle-aged men playing around with cars?

You are right, caesar novus. Now that I've looked into the background history of the Domus Aurea, this article does indeed seem to be a rehash of former news reports dating back to 2009. So the "journalist" seems to have got the dates confused: as you said, the revolving dining room rather than the Domus Aurea itself was first "discovered" in 2009. Oops Anyway, thanks for pointing it out!

Nobody said they did. We were merely discussing literary conventions.

FYI - All 3 episodes of "Meet the Romans" can be viewed on YouTube.

Pity they didn't go past the Argentinians *sigh*