Favonius Cornelius

While it was the duty of the augurs and the haruspices to search for the signs from the gods and determine their favor or disfavor on things, it was up to the quindecimviri to interpret them. The principle duty of this priestly college was to guard the sacred Sibylline Books, a collection of oracles of the Sibyl of Cumae and thought to be the absolute authority in the various protocol of the state cult's ritual. They also had the associated role of supervising any new gods accepted into the Roman collection of recognized gods. The college was originally composed of two priests, but was later raised to ten, then fifteen and finally sixteen by Caesar's time. When grave prodigies presented themselves to the observant Romans, if the collected Senate felt that the security of the state depended on responding in proper pious form, the quindecimviri were asked to consult the books and determine the course of action. In times which no religious precedent was apparent from the oracles, a new one was created under the auspices of this group and entered into the collection for all posterity. There are numerous examples of their use in the histories, particularly by Livy: Flaminius' defeat at Trasimene caused the college to be consulted, their verdict being that the rituals due to Mars, and that great games should be vowed to Jupiter and the temples of Venus and Mind. It is interesting to note here how the state cult's reaction to a devastating attack to the moral of the Roman people easily soothes their mind with games. After Trasimene, another disastrous defeat at the hands of Hannible was delivered to the beleaguered Roman people at the battle of Cannae. Again the quindecimviri were asked to consult the books with a shocking decree as a result: the live burying of a Gaulic and Greek couple in the heart of the forum, testimony to the frantic state of mind of the Roman people and one of the few examples of Roman human sacrifice. In 83 BC the unthinkable happened: the collection of the Sibylline books were destroyed. This event probably was a near fatal blow to the college, because the very underpinning of the college was the sacred continuity of the books. Though the Senate made a great effort to recollect copies of Sibylline writings from across the world, we see a steady decrease of their importance from this point, though it should be said that during these times many other of the more obscure colleges faded even with Augustus' attempts to revitalize them.

I actually liked it. People hated the homosexual aspects of Alexander, but it was not as heavy as people make it out to be I think. Like nearly all movies, I wish they did their battle scenes better. I mean it is battle that Alexander is best known, and like all directors they decend into epileptic flash scenes every time rather than actually trying. You'd think a man with a budget like his would do more.

It is the most detestable piece of movie I have ever had the displeasure to witness.

Claymore looks just like any other longsword or bastard sword. Is there suppose to be anything special about it that sets it in its own class?

If it is not a gladius, then I wonder where these auxillaries are from?

Was it the Capuans and her gladiator team which caused a city wide riot in Pompeii? Hmm when exactly? Not sure but heh, probably.

Ah, I always thought armor piercing would be very thin, but I suppose there is something to be said for having a mass up in front of the blade like the upper right one.

Keep in mind all of it was done purely with physics and no special effects: http://www.boardsmag.com/screeningroom/commercials/581/ What I want to know is then how did they get those tires to go up the slant?

I think in order for an ancient Republic to be able to administer an empire so huge, it would had to have altered its function in ways impossible to accomplish, and in ways which would be more ruinous than a centralized imperial system. You really don't want someone governing Aegyptus or having control of the eastern legions who got into his position because he was good with manipulating the vote in Rome. The republic's biggest disease was the wrong people getting into the wrong jobs all the time due to family connections or bad politis. Of course there was nepotism in the empire, but I don't think it was as prone to error under most emperors. If Julius Caesar was responsible for the fall of the empire it sure took a long time to mature.

Very interesting, thanks for posting them! It looks like you have quite a variety of designs too. Some for piecing armor, others for causing more grievous wounds like the top right one I think? The bottom right is curious. Is it so rusted away or was it actually that thin of a head? If you ever find out about these arrow heads, please do let us know what you find.

I'm slowly working on fleshing out the biographies of the writers. I've added a new touch I thought might be of interest: I've included a quotation from the author that tries to embody the man and his works. Any comments on the ones I have chosen so far? Good or bad idea?

With the numbers of Brazilian friends I have, I will have to side with them...

Today's the day! In a matter of hours my head will be a bit lighter in a variety of ways.

During the reigns of some particular emperors such as Tiberius, a more informal group of informants would make it a business of ratting out people in order to get their estates. The accused would be convicted in treason trials and as reward the emperor often gave at least some of the estate to the informant. As you might imagine a lot of innocent people were cut down in this ugly process. The process was probably popular with some emperors because it provided a means of arbitrarily taking suspected enemies entire estates by the accusations of someone other than the emperor.

Hm I can't quite tell what the effect of the Clodian legislation would be for workers from those definitions. Some have no definition. The Ancient Library: cool new resource though, I've never used it.

Roma Victor is a massively multiplayer online role playing game designed for the PC. You can learn more about it here: http://www.roma-victor.com/ Please do join us!

So this site IS the United Nations of Roma Victor. How come the Roma Victor aspect faded away? Does the game play any role here any more, and if not should the name be changed?

If you uh...need any help with that, I'd be happy to assist... FOR THE GLORY OF UNRV! *salute*

This conversation takes me back. What do you guys think of the program at University of Chicago (not UIC)? I applied there to get into archaeology and at UIUC to get into biochemistry. Radically different I know, but I love both. Fate decreed I get into science, since I only got on the waiting list for U of C.

I think I have too freely used both the words 'guild' and 'union.' I believe one is a collection for the purpose of sharing knowledge and skill and the other a political group. I believe the political group did not exist. Guilds as you say, perhaps another matter.

I'm sure the circus would indeed be exciting. For myself though, when posed with the question of watching a boxing match or car racing, I would take the boxing. It can have more variety. I'd probably personally go to see the gladiators more.

Good call Africanus! The old Republic is replete with a great many failed military commanders who got into their positions simply because of their family name. Lucky for them there were also as many great commanders.

As a method of splitting up the Imperium Romanum section to make it less bulky, how about making it into two: The Roman Republic and The Roman Empire. The thread seems to get its fair share of Republican history.

I've decided to have one last hurrah with my wisdom teeth tonight by getting a full rack of ribs at Tony Roma's. Anyone ever been there?

Do you have a picture of them you can share with us? Love to see them.