Northern Neil

I believe it has been widely postulated that the Macedonians spoke a language which was part of the Thraco - phrygian group. This language group's sole surviving tongue is Armenian, which is regarded as being distantly related to Greek. I forget the original source, but I recall on this forum a statement that Macedonian officers could not be understood by mainland Greek soldiers. On the other hand, I have also heard it said that the Athenians held a snobbish yet incorrect view that the Macedonians were not true Greeks, a convention which flourishes to this day.

I see.Thanks, but I think I will better wait NN to reply himself. Well, here I am! Briefly popping in between motorcycle hops across Northern Europe. I See major historical events as being largely due to the sum of events immediately preceding them. Thus, I regard the Columbian discovery of America inevitable for reasons stated at the beginning of this topic. Again, I see the two world wars and to a lesser degree the carnage of the American Civil War inevitable due to an increase in the level of technology combined with political immaturity of respective governments. On the other hand, nothing could have forecasted Alexander's single mindedness in conquering Asia and heralding 300 years of Hellenistic culture, or Hannibal's hesitancy to finish Rome when he held all the cards. So I accept my theory is as full of holes as a Swiss cheese.

Pergamum

Canterbury, Colchester and St.Albans are as far as I am aware the only confirmed ones, although a recent geophysical survey at Caistor-by-Norwich has turned up a 'Large semicircular building'. See this report: http://www.physorg.com/news116766620.html

Yes, happy birthday fellow Northerner. Have a pie and a pint for me!

It was once a bishops seat. hippo?

Ahhh... I suspect I know who wothegele is. Prior to working this out, I would have suggested that a .177 air pistol would have been a quick, efficient cure for this entertaining cunundrum. However, on reflection I do believe I may know said feline, and believe that the world is a more interesting place whilst he/she is still around.

Ahh yes - I wondered why the streets were empty and I could ride my motorcycle in peace. Like Formosus, I am a cricket man more than a football (soccer) man - when I show any interest in sport at all, that is.

Very quick! I though that one would take some time... never mind! Over to you, Bryaxis!

I am clearly out of step with the news here - which bunch of multinational mercenaries was playing which, and what was the result?

Where is this bridge?

Would this be Garni, in Armenia?

I am interested in hearing what least interests our members. I have realised that there are certain subjects I subconsciously avoid on this forum. Here they are, and my reasons: 1) Gladiators. I don't know why, I just find the whole subject uninteresting. All the more puzzling because I love amphitheatres. Maybe it is the populist nature of the subject that leaves me cold. 2) The Army (Late Republican and Principate) probably because I 'did it to death' for many years. 3) Personalities of the late republic and Early Empire. Give me the book 'From the Gracchi to Nero' and it will be left unread in my bookcase. In fact, someone did, and it has! I extend my disinterest up to and including Marcus Aurelius. I dont dislike the characters from this period, I just dont find them interesting enough to write or debate about. Again, I dont know why. That said, I loved Grave's Claudius novels. So, lets here it from the rest of you!

Ik ken!

Zweden, yez that iz where I come from! Great quote! haha! Have you seen that film? AWFUL!

Given this very compelling evidence, why has the record not been revised?

was that a clue?

He did however have Stilicho murdered, and antagonise Alaric, who could've become a new Stilicho. We all know what followed. To what extent his hand was forced, and the emperor by that time rubber - stamped the decisions of the courtiers and administrators, is hard to say.

Lee Majors, from the awful film 'The Norsemen': 'The name of Olaf will live forever in the land of the Norzmen' [sic] Yes, Lee, Olaf is a common name in Norway, Denmark and Zweden.

...which is precisely why this article is thus framed, and no bad thing either, in my opinion. The prevalent view of 'Cavemen' in our society is sub-humans who club their wives into marrying them, and are a half-way stage between us and gorillas. This article will be an amazing revelation to a lot of people. It will inform them that people just like us lived as far back as 70 thousand years.

The current edition of Ancient Warfare Magazine deals with the military aspects of exactly this subject. Watch out for review in the next few days...

...as is my daughter. I am the first generation, in this case! I must agree with Formosus, though. Religion tends to perpetuate itself far more efficiently than Atheism, and the views of the small minority of the truly devout tend to drown out the views of the (recently estimated) 30% who are knowingly or otherwise atheist, and the other 65% who really dont care. On the other hand, no atheist so far as I am aware was ever a suicide bomber who murdered other atheists, who happened to believe in a different kind of atheism... so there is no self destructivity built into the atheist psyche! all mind boggling stuff. Getting back to topic, I am somewhat puzzled as to why this fossil, beautiful and intact as it is, is being lauded as 'the missing link' or as a revolutionary find of a human ancestor. Surely, any primate fossil (and there must be at least a few) from 40 million BCE or before must, by definition, be a human ancestor - Just like the mammalian reptiles of the Triassic, or the lungfish of the Devonian. The intense debate usually surfaces much more recently, when one tries to untangle the branches of the hominid line. Personally, I dont like the term 'missing link'. For me the fossil chain from distinctly ape-like to definitely, albeit primitively human, seems more or less continuous.

Excellent model. I think the article has misidentified some buildings, though. The 'colloseum' looks more like the theatre of Marcellus to me...

Please do. I never heard about this before. Please look here, Kosmo. The website in the link shows a plaster cast of a crucified figure with the names Orpheus and Bacchus clearly inscribed in greek. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9856 and: http://www.vexen.co.uk/books/jesusmysteries.html

Yes!! Over to you, Bryaxis!