Lost_Warrior

Hard to explain, really. It's like...being one with the world. At least until I get 'dropped' out of trance by crashing into something.

In a nutshell, it's dancing to achieve a trance or meditative state.

I don't know what would be worse. The treadmill, or the English.

For the first time in literally months and I feel GREAT!!! I had forgotten how awesome it could be to just dance with no purpose in mind (as opposed to dancing in order to work some Big Time Mojo during which I always wear myself out and leave myself feeling rather icky for days afterwards). WOO!!! I just received a signed copy of Gladiatrix to review for UNRV which I can't wait to get started on it! I've been busy though, I plan on starting it this weekend. Tomorrow I'm going hunting for Indian artifacts if the weather holds. I'm going to be tired tomorrow night, though, because I am going after work. I'm not working 9 hour days, starting at 6 am, so I'm keeping myself pretty well beat. This weekend was the Pow Wow and I had an amazing time! I danced, and danced...and my legs STILL hurt. But I'd do it again tonight, pain and all. I LOVE Pow-Wows and this one was particularly amazing. If anyone is wondering the Beltaine ritual went splendidly.

That's the one. As it's Witchvox...well I generally treat everything on Witchvox as a joke, anyway.

No, I think the article was on Witchvox (I read that for amusement only). I immediately questioned the validity of it, especially as they stated that the Greeks took 'blood oaths' by cutting each others arms and licking the blood off. But, I had wondered if it was in fact a legitimate practice in some way. Now that seems like something that would be, at the very least, reasonable.

No, I meant oaths taken by the use of blood (signing in blood, blood brothers, blood offerings, etc.)

This was being discussed on a Pagan forum and it was mentioned in an article referenced that blood oaths were common in the Greek and Roman world (especially in religion, but probably in other places as well). I was wondering what everyone here's thoughts on this?

Wrestling was popular, I believe. It was common practice to do some form of exercise after visiting the baths. IIRC, the Romans adopted a lot of the Greek sports. Wrestling, running, javelin and discus throwing.

I have read (but I don't give much credit to this) that legionaries were at one time made to eat meat and barley (barbarian food!) as a form of punishment. They were normally given rations of Fernum. However I think it's quite likely that they ate what they could find, buy, barter, or pillage.

WOA!!!!! Thanks for posting this. That image is awesome!!!

That is probably exactly what happened LOL.

I don't know about the costs, but Greek fire was very dangerous to the ones using it. I don't know the exact numbers, but IIRC there were many casualties to ones' own troops in using the stuff. Which may be part of the reason why it's use seems to have died out.

I have actually read all of that stuff before somewhere Klingan. I'm not saying that it's not wrong, I'm just saying it was based on some research somewhere. (Maybe they should be more careful with their sources? LOL)

I know exactly what you mean Caldrail, but I don't see how it applies to that specific weapon. What I mean is, I don't know how that double bladed sword would be used, practically speaking. It appears to have no advantage other than show, and many practical disadvantages.

Are you talking about the arm guard with the crescent blade? If so, I agree with you. The two bladed variety could be used to 'catch' the opponent's weapon, but I can't see it catching anyone by surprise.

+++5) NERO FIDDLED WHILE ROME BURNED Not if you mean that he sat around ineffectually twiddling his thumbs while the city went up in flames. Actually what Nero did was fiddle in another sense: he played the violin (or so it was said).+++ As the violin wasn't invented yet (was it?) I highly doubt this.

As far as I can tell, no one really knows. The primary sources all say "turned thumb" and "pressed thumb" but that could mean several different things. The images that we see are often from the Renaissance and later...and their accuracy is questionable.

You're right, Caldrail (and the video addressed this quite nicely. There were several erm...'interesting' weapons introduced towards the end of the Empire). I'm wondering if BOTH types of weapons were used? The scissores I posted could do some real damage, if used in a particular way, but it would be difficult to use in that way due to it's odd design. Frightening, but not practical. As far as I can figure, it would produce shallow wounds, and maybe some nice gashes.

I had forgotten all about that song.

"Scissores"

Woa this is awesome!! Thanks for posting!!! The documentary was very well done, I thought. Enough 'show' to keep it interesting, and a good bit of information as well. One thing I noticed, they make small mention of the "scissor" (a rather unusual type of gladiator to my knowledge). They show him with a crescent shaped blade, but I had always read that he would have fought with a two bladed weapon. Can anyone shed some light on this?

She's not pagan, that I know of.

Hey...at least the football won't backtalk you. Unless, of course, you've been on that island too long.