Pertinax

May I retrospectivley mention that the book "Dangerous Tastes" (on spice trading routes and history) by Andrew Dalby is also well worth perusing .(Oxford University pres 2000)

The full article in the Magazine extra is more detailed but is still full of conjecture as to why they died -however the info on stature is very interesting is it not-some soldiers (who obviously wernt rear echelon softies ) were rather tall and heavily built, granted they may be some "elite" unit but as the bones showed signs of heavy usage maybe they were not atypical....many remains analysed in Cruses "Roman Medicine" (in Britain)suggest very heavy manual labour due to the stress markings on vertebrae (though I emphasise the evidence was not suggesting medical deterioration or arthritic pain).

never type with a hangover

ooh thats got to hurt!

You are too modest PP , that is an excellent list

If you get a copy of "Empire of Pleasures" by AD you will find comprehensive information Grappa is my espresso additive of choice.

Carl Jung wrote a piece on "acausal coincidence" ie: unrelated events prompting in the observer a feeling that greater forces are at play than his or her powers of logical deduction will enable him to properly interpret. That certainly happened today , Peter Heather invoked York Minster Crypt as a place redolent with historical atmosphere (and Vindolanda, Birdoswald and Tullie) -just as I was searching for photos of the Minster in relation to the Roman Fortress and the original ground levels in Eboracum . Northern Neil had kicked a thread off about the walls of the Colonia and its possible intergration into the medieval layout, hence my delving. Meanwhile I posted another item about the analysis of remains from an apparent mass execution in Eboracum (archaeology folder),possibly due to the very unpleasant Geta.

So spitting as a "superstition/offering" seems to have a a very wide range in space and time, Pantagathus' out-take of Pliny about spitting to relieve/defer an epileptic seizure made me ponder-as we know drying of the mucous membranes and projection of the tounge can a warning sign of an imminent seizure. Galen mentions the supposed "mutual antipathy" of the spittle of vipers and men-this being that either may slay the other( which is alluded to in the leading post),I suspect some ancient "magical thinking" here (unless someone is a reptile expert and cantell us that human saliva will kill a snake!0 namely that by offering the living substance to the Deity the bite will be non-fatal. I would mention that in contemporary parasitology saliva is one of the favoured media for the transmision of parasitic organisms .

Quite tricky , the problem is twofold-we know Eborascum had a long period of occupation and was a thriving international trade centre after its initial usage as a "jumping off point: , 1. the physical fabric underwent repeated changes (Wacher-1974: Towns of Roman Britain is a good thorough intro to the various possible phases) 2. River levels changed dramatically within the span of occupation and , for instance , the original harbour works were swamped. The Colonia might well be a strategic hub-and the last convivial outpost of urban civilisation heading north toward the hadrianic/antonine frontiers , but I agree with NN I tend to visualise it as a trading Entrepot first and an admin/military centre secondly-especially in its "late " period development. For the uninitiated I have an "Eboracvm " gallery posted, I will add a shot of the fortress/minster ground plan model and a shot of the difference in levels to illustrate how deep down the Roman level is-so much may be hidden.If you check the "multangular tower" shots the Roman level is vividly seen because of its quite striking materials.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2099-2091049,00.html An interesting article in the Sunday Times regarding , what appears to be, a military unit that may have fallen foul of the somewhat unpleasant Geta . Note in particular the physiognomy of the victims , an average height of 5'10" with heavy bone structure.

The Emperor Hadrian was, as a useful example, particularly concerned that those in garrison units be alert and ready for active duty if required, if you read about his frontier tours this is a constant theme: the exercising of units in otherwise quiet sectors . However the policing,census work, taxation related duties and patrolling dont sound like an entirely cushy number. The common problem ,then as now, is that nothing softens up a "hard " unit as quickly a nice stay in a well supplied city with fleshly diversions.Some ascribe to the construction of the various boundaries in Brittania and Germania the quality of a "team bonding" exercise, with various Legions and Auxilliae competing in efficiency to produce sections of Wall or frontier.

"conflation" is perhaps a useful principle to remember-as an example: Sulla Minerva , the Romans felt that the deity Sulla of the British tribes shared attributes with the lady Minerva of their own pantheon -as a practical people they felt it quite appropriate to celebrate the person of the Deity "as one" most notably at Aqua Sullis (Bath -fashionable healing centre of Empire wide repute).We have a sort of "identity branding " to bring locals into the orbit of approved deities (Boris Johnsons latest book is good on this topic-Dreams of Rome), and to take on board any neglected/previously unknown local deities it might be prudent to appease.The attributes might be quite close-Hermes and Lugh have some rich social/psychological history behind them ,or rather more tenuous via a Deities particular area of influence being similar-ish.

What of the Plinaiin ephemera regarding the Goby Fish? " It is said that at the battle of Actium Antony's flagship was brought to a halt by a goby fish as he toured the fleet to encourage his men" and " within living memory a goby fish stopped the Emperor Gaius' ship on his voyage back from Astura to Actium" so the goby wasnt all bad then. The clincher is this-that the goby is a dread omen, soon after Gaius returned to Rome he was struck down by his own men , the Goby had been found attached to the rudder and ws said to have foiled the exertions of 400 rowers. I was very remiss in not mentioning the use of a rope , used by a suicide, to relieve a headache.

He didnt like that mentioned though did he?

I always enjoy Pliny-he seems very British in his aloofness from vulgarity and superstition. The "earth apple " alluded to is, by the way , the cucumber not the humble spud,ladies still apply this to the eye of course. The rubbing of spittle on warts is still a folk remedy here-though little known save amongst the elderly. I would mention though the use of spittle to pre-digest starchy plants prior to fermentation ( pytallin is the enzyme (sp?) and given the power of human digestive fluids , I am not inclined to dismiss this totally. The spittle thing is very interesting , im inclined to value Jung's comments on this as the offering of "living substance " to the deity, ( if I didnt say it was his study of the Elgonyi in Kenya, offering outstretched hands with spittle to the sun). Exploding amphibians are outside my experience.

:bag: Hyperborea is further left as everyone knows and Greece is coloured pink (usually). Otherwise fine apart from detailing of Northern Caledonia ps: where is the edge of the world?

AS your Physician I insist that you have a beer.Pantagathus will probably suggest sacrificing a black ram as well to be on the safe side.

You may need counselling.