Pertinax

The chart is excellent , I didnt realise how very closely related the "prime movers " were.

Those are all good points-id have been happy if the series had been twice as long to get the plot development. I hope that when the dvd is eventually released we will get a lot of additional materiel at that time, if we are fortunate to get more series in the future this has been a very promising start. The theme of human jealousy destroying the ambitious didnt rankle with me at all, after all petty hatredsand grudges abound in small offices and shops.

And that's pretty much the essence of New Age "paganism." yup

There is another tablet detailing rations including ....beer, gruel, pig's trotters and pork crackling. Doesnt sound too bad at all if you recall that gruel was ( and im sure you can give us the lowdown) a medium for meat/ assorted game if available. The Beer and crackling sound good if a bit indulgent. Lots of fat and calories for heavy work and fighting. I am just wading into the tablets at present , they are amazing -not least because they demonstrate how constant , written communication was used to overcome technological/logistical problems. A further note: I see that spelt was the grain of choice for brewing beer consumed at Vindolanda-more difficult to hull but more nutritious than modern wheat.

I wish to suggest that shamans were/are 1. drug dealers and healers (physical/spiritual/amatory) 2. ritual psychotherapists 3. passable dancers. 4. inspired seers -or possibly quacks . The longer Ive been involved with medicine the more I have come to the conclusion that people know they are "ill" (whatever that may be:-usually apart from direct physical injury, it tends to be inappropraite eating/drinking or an inability to actually make a life changing decision that will cause difficulty and upset (eg: get divorced , leave lousy job that pays well ) or stop letting other people make decisions for them. The latter point is the key one, a lot of people want to be "given permission" to act and take control of themselves as capable adults, in my experience this is seriously difficult -because a lot of people want someone else to decide for them ( be it a medicine intruding into the body or a belief system). A shaman/priestly caste/interpreter of omens/ witch/jungian therapist is a good way for sizeable portions of society to rationalise the irrational whilst also getting practical advice , from people, who are obliged to carry the weight of others expectations . This doesnt mean that the shaman is a fraud ,(he/she might be , but just as well may not) , what one nations shaman pronounces may be laughable to another nation, but this doesnt deny the need for the "interpreter of signs". There is also a strong tie in to the human desire to be given rules of proper conduct , defining appropriate behaviour and reassuring people of relative status. MPC is I think not innacurate concerning Paracelsus, but this doesnt stop societies needing a Paracelsus , nor does it stop a person of learning and discretion making unpalatable "prescriptions" (actual or psychological) to a needy person. Of course if you are a Jungian you would say (in classic Swiss/Germanic psychotherapeutic accent) " ah , but I am my own Shaman and seer! Now what is for dinner?" phew!

thats a very useful commentary , and gives the clearest indication of the sophistication of joint arms versus a hefty cavalry threat.

Letter from Masculis to Cerialis ( Vindolanda tablets III 628). Masculis to Cerialis his praefectus, Greeting.Please , my lord, give instructions as to what you want us to have done tomorrow. Are we to return with the standard to (the shrine at.....) the crossroads all together ,or every other one (ie half of ) of us?....most fortunate and be well disposed towards me , farewell. My fellow soldiers have no beer.Please order some to be sent! from Masculis ,Decurion.

I just watched the "directors cut" of Alexander. Visually great, especially the combat sequences.The fractured time sequences didnt help me with the narrative , the "sexual" element was totally immaterial, the real unhealthy theme ( in this film)was his mothers smothering, poisinous mental proximity. Everyone looked the part when they were killing ( or dancing, or getting drunk), but the dialogue was cringeworthy.Beautifully made with some memorable images ,(and I mean gloriously and honestly imagined ,visualised and lit) , utterly horribly mis-cast ( and im sorry Jolie has the emotional range of a plank), perhaps the cheesy "modern" emotional dialogue could have been saved if delivered by other actors. HBOs Rome is "total realism" in comparison. If Richard Burton had been in this version he would have brought the required grim brooding darkness to get away with the dialogue, can someone cgi him in?

laptops are , of course , inherently evil .They are possessed by numerous Demons and Affrits, and cursed by the Awful Doom of very short battery life. Human brains are far superior , the only real defect is the lack of a windows based spell check when tired

Ok at last the "Empire" review is done.So for the revival of my neglected medical thread I must move to Galen at long last, we will review a commentary on the maestros work quite soon.

yes , its an old italian recipe.Bit rich I admit.

spikenard-we must talk of this herb soon, in the meantime I will search out a picture.last time Madame pertinax made Hare (with chocolate sauce!!!) I had no peristaltic difficulties ( for quite a while).

The Empire of Pleasures also has a lot to say about the relative physiques of the empire-though I didnt mention that in the review. "Large greasy Gauls" seem such a commonplace as to almost stereotypical

ha ha ! I love this thread because I know so little of its learned and arcane arguments and discursions-if I was having a banquet you should all come and rowdily discuss this matter.

pheww! I was worried about a dagger in the forum. The thing isnt finished yet -but nearly there. Tell us about the cider in the Hora postilliae! I am re-reading "Dangerous Tastes" -a history of the spice trade by Mr Dalby.

The Romans were an excellent veneer of civilisation over a wild people, the Normans were a conquering overlordship, neither of their languages could take hold, Henry the Eigth considered the English to a "bloody, turbulent people" quite some time later . A national propensity to resistance seems to include language also.

may I add that the Britons were a terrifying sight to the Romans -but their chariots were to deliver a warrior to the battlefield and the charioteer was the person of highest status , displaying skill and virtue by ability to handle horseflesh above an ability to fight.Does this remind you of any other N American society?

squadra? theres a U

Battles would have been "interesting" in a technical sense ( a sort of very expensive re-enactment), I would have been happier with more politics all through the series, given that telesion audiences are so " dumbed down" I think HBO did a good compromise job all round . I started out saying I was pleased to see Cranham as Pompey and I think now that that was excellent casting.Sometimes the script seemed to falter in believability for each individual actor- as though the dialogue was a definite team effort, but these moments were never enogh to spoil the overall enjoyment for me. I aslso felt constant engagement with and sympathy for Vorenus and Pulo, often "nice guy" leads like Vorenus are dull and just there to build others around, not so here because of his rather stoical and plutonian personality.