Medusa

In order to give you some idea you could check out the decree in AD 177 by Marcus Aurelius where he classifies the munera from being low key to very posh. (CIL II, 6278, l. 29-35) I was quickly browsing my broad library of literature on gladiators but could not find any English book which explains this in detail, only the French "La Mort en Face" by Eric Teyssier on page 418. Costs for animal shows are stated in the Magerius Mosaic which is today to be found at the Museum of Sousse, Tunisia. A good article on this is by David Bomgardner "The Magerius Mosaic Revisited" in Roman Amphitheatres and Spectacula: a 21st Century Perspective, pp. 165-177.

I had done some research for an article on gladiators as soldiers. In times of crisis they were indeed recruited as auxiliary troops e.g. by Marcus Aurelius for his Marcomannic Wars but also earlier during the year of the four emperors. Unfortunately they failed as soldiers although at least the murmillo, secutor and provocator resemble the closest a Roman legionary with scutum and gladius. That is because they were trained as individual fighters and time in such situations was too short to train them in line fighting so good that they would succeed. What I always wondered is, if Roman legionaries were trained in individual fight as well because there was always the possibility that the formation gets broken up during battle. Marius had introduced gladiator trainers to the army after the invasion of the Cimbri and Teutones. They could only train individual fighting style so I assume that each legionary at least in the Republic had basic knowledge of individual fighting.

Many years ago I used to live and work in London and it has ever been since my second hometown which I love a lot to come back and visit. So needless to say that I'm shocked by what is happening now there although there have always been part of that city which I avoided. It reminds me though strongly to what have happened a few years ago in the "banlieux" of Paris and other French cities.

Just had a nice get-together with a couple of friend at a pub. But it was very nice.

Thanks guys, for your birthday wishes.

Today I was reading in the exhibition catalog about the exhibition in Bliesbruck "Mercure & Cie. - Culte et relgion dans une maison romaine" that they found a tabula ansata in Vindonissa which is dedicated to the god of war Mars and was made by a Gaius Novellius Primus, a veteran of the 11th Legion. (Unfortunately I couldn't find any picture of this on the internet).

As for the Reichstag, you have to stand in line for a very long time, approx. 2 hours before you get admission. My boyfriend and I decided against it because we were only one weekend in Berlin (I have been there many times before, even when it was still East and West) because we didn't want to waste time waiting in line.

I know that this shape is called "tabula ansata" and when looking for button for my homepage I searched Google images and found quite many tabulae ansatae, and not all dating to Christian times but also earlier.

You should check out the museums at the "Museumsinsel": http://www.museumsinsel-berlin.de/index.php?lang=en&page=1_1 At the Neues Museum (New Museum) you will find the bust of Nofretete as well as the Roman/Provincial Roman section with the gladiator helmet and greave on display (which was my personal highlight at that museum, when I visited it last year, since I'd seen Nofretete many years before at the museum in Charlottenburg (West Berlin)). The Pergamon Museum houses the Ishtar gate as well as some Roman and Greek parts of temples etc. so basically the "large" things. When you need a snack after all that culture go for a Currywurst (curry sausage). Some good places you could find here: http://www.currywurst-berlin.com/kultimbisse_berlins I recommend Dom Curry (the first one on that list) because even I ate a Currywurst there, made out of fish (I don't eat meat but fish). And here's the tube map to download: http://www.s-bahn-berlin.de/pdf/VBB-Liniennetz.PDF You could also take a doubledecker bus or in the Eastern part also the tram. Have a nice trip.

Goddess: Nemesis, as being a favorite goddess of gladiators and hence namegiver to my own gladiator school Gods: Mars of course also for good fighting, but for daily purposes esp. commercial ones and job related Mercurius

As far as I know this game is called "football" in England and "soccer" in America because they want to make a clear distinction from American football which the Americans call just "football".

They mention in the article that this object might have been attached to a wooden chest. But I'm just wondering if it could have been also a phalera since the Medusa head was a common motive for phalerae or any other military decoration. What do you guys think?

In 1999 I had been on a trip with the Hurtigruten but only in one direction from Kirkenes to Bergen and yes it's expensive but definitely worth it. Because the Hurtigruten are still used as a freight steamer and post ship they call frequently at sometimes very tiny ports, also they are traveling nearly always close to the land, so there is always something to see. At larger ports you have enough time to go on land and have a stroll through a nice village or visit a local museum. They even organize trips like to the Nordkapp. Unfortunately back then I had not the chance to see the reconstructed Viking houses in Borg on Lofoten. Mystical was the side trip to Trollfjorden where the large ship fitted into very closely. It was very foggy and you could imagine trolls sitting on top of the mountains and watching the fjord. In Trondheim I stayed overnight to visit Nidaros Domen (cathedral)and a museum and to enjoy this city. The next day I continued on an old ship whereas I went from Kirkenes to Trondheim on a new ship which resembles a lot like a modern cruise ship. The old ship of course wasn't as comfortable as the new one but had a certain charme. All in all a very interesting trip to a fascinating country (mountains and sea close together) and friendly people.

Thanks for fixing it. Was a very interesting interview to read.

When I click on the link I get only this message: Seems you got lost, try our sitemap to find what you were looking for Below that the sitemap of the UNRV site. So where's the interview, I'd love to read it???

No idea if it works, but I just registered with flickr in order to upload the scan I've made If it works, this page shows a reconstruction (of course oversized) of the pentagondodekaeder from Schwarzenacker. Then a drawing of the thing folded out showing clearly the different sizes of the holes and a dice found in Geneva, Switzerland also having twelve sides. Here the twelve sides bear the names of the twelve Zodiac signs. According to Kolling this brings it near the astrological-astronomical field and hence maybe the druids.

At Schwarzenacker near Homburg/Saar (South-West Germany) they also found such a thing and call it "Pentagondodekaeder". You could see it here if you scroll down: http://www.roemermuseum-schwarzenacker.de/index.php?id=25 As it says there about 80 pcs. of this have been found in the Celtic provinces of the Roman Empire. Schwarzenacker was part of the Provincia Belgica. But even Alfons Kolling does not know what it could be as he writes in his book about the finds of Schwarzenacker called "Die R

I missed it, too and am glad this thread came up again giving me a chance to send you my belated birthday wishes as well.

Don't I know you from Roman Army Talk??? Welcome here as well.

The novel "Pompei" by Robert Harris is of course set in the year 79 AD around the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Therefore the time is 1st century AD, early Empire.

No, was just joking. I noticed that all women in the trailer have black hair though, no blonde, brunette or red haired woman. Anyhow, it's a good idea of your mate and it's strange to see my arena name in a trailer knowing that you put Medusa in your novel.

I follow sonic that my mainstream musical tastes are rock and metal. I recently discovered a more or less unknown 70s band which good though: Rumplestiltskin! They sound like a mixture of Led Zepp and Deep Purple kind of...

Good job by your mate, esp. sec. 44-46 (though I have red hair )