Aurelia

Hi Axel, It's very possible that the Visigoths mixed with the Roman-Iberian population, i guess that would make sense. I did notice, however, that both Portugal and Spain score quite high for R1b: Italo-Celtic, Germanic; Hittite Armenian, Tocharian. They are more likely to be Celtic-Germanic than Hittite-Armenian, don't you think?

Yes, same here!

Currently watching "The Knick" and "Outlander". I occasionally also watch "Parks & Recreation" for a laugh. And anxiously waiting the next seasons of "Downtown Abbey" to start this year. Next year, I'll be looking forward to "Mad Men", GOT, and "Orange is the New Black". I also used to watch NCIS a lot and then I relocated to another country and stopped because they didn't show it on local TV. Is it still going on or is it just reruns on TV now?

Hello and welcome, Axel! As far as I know, when the Moors invaded the Iberian peninsula, the Visigoths retreated to the north of what is now Portugal and Spain (Asturia, Galicia, etc) and there they remained until the Reconquista. I guess that with time they mixed with other local populations but names and words of Germanic origin have survived to this day. When travelling through Portugal about 10 years ago, I remember visiting cities like Braga and Guimaraes in the north, which still had many castles and fortresses of Christian Germanic origin. Also many people in the north tend to be fairer than in the south. My own Portuguese ancestors come mostly from the north and some of them were blond as Germans (as am I).

TRACES OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE: Plastic foil covers the remains of Roman-era walls, while a raised concrete road skirts the rich remains of Serdika, a Roman city in the soil under modern Sofia, Bulgaria. In the background: Sveta Nedelya, a major Orthodox Christian church. It is a sad prospect: the ruins of ancient Roman mansions and bath-houses are overgrown in thick weeds, while slimy ponds have formed in the hollows left by archaeological excavations. This site in today’s Bulgaria was a city block that exuded wealth in Roman times. Today it exudes neglect. During the rainy summer of 2014, the authorities took no action to pump the water and mud out. There is no archaeologist anywhere to be seen. “That’s an eco-reservation,” jokes a teenager passing by the excavation. It’s not as if it were some archaeological site in a remote region, such as the Rhodopes mountains of eastern Bulgaria. In fact, the erstwhile Roman city of Serdika lies in the heart of the capital Sofia. “Serdika is my Rome,” was the remark of Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who ruled from 306 to 337, about his favourite city. Constantine only left Serdika when he decided to make the city named after him, Constantinople — today’s Istanbul — into the capital of Byzantium, the Eastern Roman Empire. Article continues here.

Brown patches of grass left by short hosepipe lead to 'lightbulb moment' that may confirm monument was once a perfect circle One of the many mysteries of Stonehenge may have been solved, not because of a scientific breakthrough or painstaking research, but after a maintenance team's hosepipe turned out to be a little short. Archaeologists have long argued over whether the ancient monument was once a perfect circle or if it was always, as it is now, an incomplete ring. When a hosepipe used to keep the grass green in hot spells failed to reach a broken part of the circle, unsightly brown patches began to appear. Custodian Tim Daw was fretting over the blemishes when he realised they matched the spots where stones would probably have stood if the monument had been a complete circle. More at The Guardian

I remember when a good friend of mine was working in Sudan a few years ago, she took a few days off to go visit these pyramids. Despite having been vandalised, they look amazing. Definitely on my "to-visit" list! EGYPT isn’t the only African country with ancient pyramids rising from its sands. In fact, there are more pyramids in one small section of the northern Sudanese desert than there are in the whole of Egypt. During Egypt’s 25th dynasty (760BC until 656BC), Meroe, now located in Sudan, was the capital of the Kingdom of Kush, ruled by Nubian kings who had conquered Egypt. Often overlooked in the history books, these black pharaohs presided over an empire that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to present-day Khartoum. Click here for full article and photos!

Here is a selection of new book releases for September! The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323-223 BC): Seleukos I to Seleukos III Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) Homer on the Gods and Human Virtue: Creating the Foundations of Classical Civilization Why America Is Not a New Rome Life in a Roman Legionary Fortress Jewish War under Trajan and Hadrian A History of the Later Roman Empire, AD 284-641 (Blackwell History of the Ancient World) The Roman Guide to Slave Management: A Treatise by Nobleman Marcus Sidonius Falx Assyria to Iberia: at the Dawn of the Classical Age (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

I must say, Pythagoras's take on the different life stages is fascinating. I never thought I could still be regarded as an adolescent... Middle-age spread is a problem that worries millions of people as they get older. After 35, the body is starting to lose its ability to remain in shape and fat is usually collecting around the abdomen. Unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical exercise aggravate the problem. It appears though that it is a problem of the contemporary era, as people in ancient Greece didn’t suffer from middle-age spread. Wars, diseases and poor diet meant that a large number of people in Greece was dying at birth, early childhood and their twenties. The British magazine, The Spectator claims that not many people managed to live longer than 30. Perhaps 5% made it to 60 and 1% to 80. Therefore, middle-age had been completely eliminated. In ancient Greece, middle-age didn’t even exist as a concept. According to the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras life is divided into four stages: 0–20 childhood; 20–40 adolescence; 40–60 youth; 60–80 old age. Some Athenians calculated age by political responsibility, assuming young up to 30 and old after 60. However, one of Aesop’s fables hinted at the notion. A man with black hair mixed with grey had two lovers, one old and one young. The old one wanted him to look old as well so she pulled out his black hair, while the young one wanted him to look youthful and pulled out his grey hair. As a result, he was left completely bald. Another important reason why ancient Greeks didn’t suffer from middle-age spread was that they were eating less and more healthy than contemporary men. Source: Greek Reporter

Ancient Greek mythology is filled with references to strong men who conquered kingdoms, fought for their freedom and did not hesitate to kill. However, there are many strong and powerful women who became known for their ruthlessness and canning (*sic) ways. In memory of Lauren Bacall who used to play strong, powerful characters, creating some of Hollywood’s most ruthless, but at the same time desirable women, here is a list of the deadliest and most powerful women of ancient Greek mythology. List can be accessed here

The term "pagan" has often been used in a more pejorative sense since the rise of Christianity. According to the Oxford dictionary, the Latin word "paganus" originally meant simply 'villager, rustic' (from pagus 'country district'). It also meant 'civilian'. However, it went on to become, in Christian Latin, 'heathen' (i.e. one not enrolled in the army of Christ). Nowadays, though, "pagan" is often associated with the idea of belonging to a group that incorporates "beliefs or practices from outside the main world religions, especially nature worship" (i.e. neo-pagans), or in a historical context, ancient civilisations and followers of polytheistic religions (i.e. ancient Greeks and Romans, Celts, etc).

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, timrudi. The idea of taboo and collective trauma is quite interesting. As for psychic activity, well, I had not thought of that but yeah, why not?? I'll be sure to share more news on the excavations, should I come across anything interesting in future!

Interesting event in London this weekend! Fighting gladiators, ancient treasures and 1000 year old hairstyles hit King’s Cross this weekend in a celebration of the area’s rich Roman history. Battle Bridge, in Granary Square on Saturday and Sunday, is an immersive, theatrical, family day out, themed around the mythological history of the neighbourhood. Visitors can learn how to battle like a Roman with gladiator workshops, take a bath, make a mosaic, dress up in period costumes and even have their hair-braided in the height of Roman fashion. For the grown-ups, Roman cocktails will be on offer, as well as plenty of banqueting from nearby street food hub Kerb. Anna Strongman, in charge of events at the King’s Cross development, said: “Battle Bridge is a great way of bringing the Roman legend of King’s Cross to life. We’re planning a full-on, fun, educational two days for everyone who comes to visit. We want families to come along and experience all that King’s Cross has to offer - carpe diem.” The free event runs from 11am to 5pm both days, visit www.kingscross.co.uk/battle-bridge Source: Islington Gazette

Fascinating article about one of the oldest skeletons found on American soil. He’s the most important human skeleton ever found in North America—and here, for the first time, is his story In the summer of 1996, two college students in Kennewick, Washington, stumbled on a human skull while wading in the shallows along the Columbia River. They called the police. The police brought in the Benton County coroner, Floyd Johnson, who was puzzled by the skull, and he in turn contacted James Chatters, a local archaeologist. Chatters and the coroner returned to the site and, in the dying light of evening, plucked almost an entire skeleton from the mud and sand. They carried the bones back to Chatters’ lab and spread them out on a table. The skull, while clearly old, did not look Native American. At first glance, Chatters thought it might belong to an early pioneer or trapper. But the teeth were cavity-free (signaling a diet low in sugar and starch) and worn down to the roots—a combination characteristic of prehistoric teeth. Chatters then noted something embedded in the hipbone. It proved to be a stone spearpoint, which seemed to clinch that the remains were prehistoric. He sent a bone sample off for carbon dating. The results: It was more than 9,000 years old. Thus began the saga of Kennewick Man, one of the oldest skeletons ever found in the Americas and an object of deep fascination from the moment it was discovered. It is among the most contested set of remains on the continents as well. Now, though, after two decades, the dappled, pale brown bones are at last about to come into sharp focus, thanks to a long-awaited, monumental scientific publication next month co-edited by the physical anthropologist Douglas Owsley, of the Smithsonian Institution. No fewer than 48 authors and another 17 researchers, photographers and editors contributed to the 680-page Kennewick Man: The Scientific Investigation of an Ancient American Skeleton (Texas A&M University Press), the most complete analysis of a Paleo-American skeleton ever done. Article continues at Smithsonian.com

My pleasure! If you do make it to Italica, please don't forget to share your photos with us!

Hi timrudi, Would you care to elucidate? I would be very interested to know which reasons you have in mind!

Interesting article about PTSD as a cultural and moral construct... AN HISTORIAN from Manchester Metropolitan University has refuted one of the most long-standing theories about the link between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Ancient Greece. In his book chapter Beyond the Universal Soldier: Combat Trauma in Classical Antiquity, Dr Jason Crowley argues against the commonly-held idea that sufferers of PTSD can be found as far back in history as Achilles and Odysseus. Dr Crowley said that the roots of this belief in the universality of PTSD can be traced back to the end of the Vietnam War. Article continues here

On Monday, the government of Malta announced that an international team of researchers has discovered the wreck of a 2,700-year-old Phoenician trading ship and its cargo off the island country’s coastline. The ancient shipwreck may be the oldest ever found in the Mediterranean Sea. The discovery was made several months ago one mile off the coast of Gozo Island, the second-largest island in the Maltese archipelago. Nearly 400 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, researchers located a 50-foot-long sunken ship and its cargo strewn over a 700-square-foot area. The remains included 20 lava grinding stones weighing nearly 80 pounds each and 50 amphorae—large ceramic jugs with two handles and narrow necks used to hold wine. Since the Mediterranean’s sandy seabed cushioned the impact of the wreck, the relics were well preserved and could be dated to 700 B.C., which could make the discovery the oldest shipwreck in the Mediterranean. The ancient Phoenician ship was typical of the trading vessels that stopped in Malta to sell cargo, and since researchers discovered seven different types of amphorae in the wreck, they surmised that the ship had made numerous ports of call. It is believed that the vessel was sailing between Sicily and Malta when it met its watery demise. More at History

Really interesting, thanks!

Oops, never mind, Viggen seems to have fixed the problem.

Hi Jonathan, I tried to open the links you provided but it asks you to sign up with Quora and provide private details from Facebook or Gmail. Is there no way you could upload the pictures as an attachment? If you click on "More reply options" at the bottom you'll see the option to attach a file on the bottom left.

Welcome to UNRV, Tudor!

Sadly, I think I've only seen the Aurelian Walls (and don't even remember it properly, overwhelmed as I was with all the sights and sounds in the city)... The world has seen many wars and conflicts throughout history, which has given us a multitude of ancient defensive structures, like fortified walls, to see and explore. Here listed are just some of the many historic walls that litter the earth. They are all impressive feats of architecture for their time of construction and boast the pride and strength of their ancient civilizations. You can access the list here.

Another update on the Macedonian tomb... Sphinxes Emerge From Huge Ancient Greek Tomb Two headless sphinxes emerged from a massive burial site in northern Greece as archaeologists began removing large stones from the tomb’s sealing wall. The headless, wingless 4.8-foot-high sphinxes each weigh about 1.5 tons and bear traces of red coloring on their feet. They would have been 6.5 feet high with their heads, the Greek Culture Ministry said in a statement. The statues are believed to have been placed there to guard the burial, which is the largest tomb ever uncovered in Greece. More at News Discovery

I'm not into PC games (or console games since I was 10/11 years old) but I must say the graphics of this one look amazing! More pics and info here