Pertinax

Pullo and Vorenus are the continuty threads to keep the thing together-Madame Pertinax commented-"hmm a bit Monty Python and the Holy Grail, black knight at the ford ". (its just a flesh wound!).

BBc announced a " second series" as the first concluded-next year.

final parts shown together-unexpectedly! and an announcement that a new series will be shown next year. Excellent , in sorry its over . the 13th! the 13th!

Empire of Pleasures-Review -Preamble. (I have quite a lot to say about this work , and I will do as before and produce a 2/3 part post that can be welded together by the moderators). I was very pleased to find this book as I was aware of Mr Dalby's previous works, and it is evident that his sources are well researched and his excellent eye for language digs out subtle interperative nuances that may be lost to the monolingual. ...to the review of The Empie of Pleasures by Andrew Dalby

Life of Brian-though I must say The Book isnt quite the same as the film exactly why are the cheesemakers blessed? I agree with supporters of Dune-some of the "imagined" things and situations are outstanding-guild navigator in slime dripping 1930s retro iron lung, sardauker face panels, the greenish vileness of all things Harkonnen, Brad Dourifs eyebrows. If you require me not to "be silly" (as in "lets not go to Camelot, tis a silly place"). then Das Boot is equally powerful as film or book.

Amen to that Longbow. I suspect a lot of warfare has a ritualised/social element, -when one group smashes the convention a lot of people get killed, directly, no-nonsense. The Legion is one such killing element-it didnt matter if you were a brave Gallic chieftain , you got ground up by a Legion like everyone else. French Knights-oh dear , some plebs with deadly weapons let em loose, maximised fatality regardless of perceived rank or "proper " warfare.

I agree ,and letting the Gauls get away to tell of the fate of their army.

I agree with Jaden-what is the single most effective cavalry stopping weapon? heavy infantry, horses just arent dumb enough to run or walk into a pointy steel hedge, be they cataphract or light auxiliary. I wish to suggest that in many ways Roman cavalry was a tactical arm , in the way velites/light infantry were used to seal flanks and fluidly move to pressure points.Also cavalry were a deadly "coursing" arm after the battle had broken down and the enemy was in flight. Mounted knights are also , in later times, a social phenomenon as well as a response to a lack of properly trained and accoutered infantry. Witness the Hussite Wars when a bunch of determined plebs acoounted for mounted opposition. Every time an "innovator" re-invented the phalangite/legionary cavalry was in trouble as a strike arm-be it Scotish Schiltorn, Spanish "Tortoise" or the Landschnekts, British squares at Waterloo and the Zulu "rounds" of Shaka.

the constant conundrum of grouped infantry impervious to a cavalry charge but susceptible to artillery intrerdiction, a constant theme until mass killing potential made combat dispersion essential.

Did I mention the Romans constant attention to roads as a strategic weapon? I think another thread went in a similar vein-on top of all the team work, killing efficiency and casevac excellence, troops were dispatched and delivered with alacrity.

This is the specific "naming of names " that I was hopeful you would achieve.The Doctor seems to be quite definite in his identification and in his pleasure at your commitment to the proper "understanding" of the site.

I was cross checking the contents of the "Roman Herbal Gallery" and I see that a fair amount of information has built up . For quick reference I am now adding a list of names versus main properties: Orchis-aphrodisiac/mucilage-(Roman amatory stimulant) Ruta graveolens (Rue)-antaphrodisiac/bitter (Roman "cold shoulder", stomach medicine) Absinthum (Wormwood))-anthelmintic/hallucogen (and to counteract Hemlock by the Greeks) Convolvulous (morning glory)-purgative/abortifactant Primula (Freya's Keys )(cowslip) -sedative/asthenic (possible Ligurian usage/certain Norse/Medieval) Digitalis (foxglove)-cardiac tonic/poison (early usage for cardiao insufficiency) Hyosccymaus (henbane)- anaesthetic/poison (Medicus herb) please note the henbane administered to Pullo after Vorenus rescues him. Conium (hemlock)-sedative/poison (greek usage of course/Roman anaesthesia) Atropa (belladonna)-narcotic/sedative -its milder cousin Mandrake was a Medicus herb (alleged to have poisoned the troops of Marcus Antonius during the Parthian Wars) Papaver (poppy)-narcotic/sedative (Medicus herb) Achillea (yarrow)-vulnery/wound salve (Medicus herb key Soldiers Herb ) Viscum (mistletoe)-cardiac tonic/sedative/poison.(key sacred Druidic herb ) Hypericum (St John's Wort) anti depressant/ urinary tonic ( Roman urinary herb) Passiflora-mild sedative (American provenance only) Althaea (mallow)-mucilage/expectorant (Roman cough lozenge and foodstuff) Lilium (Lily)- nice for chatting up the Girls ( Now and Then) Arum (cuckoopint)-aphrodisiac/starch (Roman starchy food and amatory stimulant ) Ricin (castor bean)- anthelmintic/purge/nerve poison (key Egyptian herb-as an oily purge-they already used the peach kernel (cyanide) as a state poison, as the greeks used hemlock ) Symphytum (comfrey)-wound salve/pulmonary health ( european alternative to mallow) Ekballium (squirting cucmber)-abortifactant (Roman birth control-both pre//post coital) Datura (stramonium) -respiratory aid/hallucogen/narcotic (widespread Early Med. use) Pyrus (Rowan)- gargle (sacred herb of Greek Mythology and secret beer brewing ingredient of the Welsh ) Stachys (Lambs Ears) wound dressing-literally the leaf itself (celtiberian key herb) Alchemilla (lady's mantle) astringent , styptic ( brigantian range)

I did and ive been scouting for a dvd or tape of it-but ive had no luck.I thought the series was quite well done, with a decent attempt at realism. http://www.action-tv.org.uk/guides/eagleninth.htm heres the BEEBs link.

yet another request:-what do you think would be a reasonable Roman interpretation of a name meaning " son of the champion" or " son of the hero"?

her I think I read " The Beast Master" in about 1960