Pertinax

Sorry Lacertus I overlooked your Birthday! belated greetings-Pertinax :bag:

Before I sign off and start a Barbarian beer-fest (Chimay, Kriek, Dogfish, and Cuvee des Trolls for Pantagathus's learned palate), I salute you all! Frateres!

Thank you so much! I am preparing for two big nights out and a party next week. :fish: :fish: I think I may be slightly hungover and absent from the Forum for a short while

Oddly the original acquisition of the Marbles was satirised as an act of stupidity when popular agitation over the the price of Corn was at its height. Also If my memory serves me right were the "marbles" not seen as idolatorous materials by the then Ottoman authorities ?

A couple of things to add to the thread; I suggest that the view of Augustus is because of Tacitus's commentaries: they would still have a (fading) role as Latin readers to actors of that generation and status. Not forgetting that Tacitus says he deals with Augustus in decline rather than ascendant. Doubting the Emperors divinity in Japan would have classified the doubter as insane.

Yes I think I may be turning into either Nero or Homer Simpson

I apologise unreservedly! :bag:

Australian , New Zealand and Canada. A-NZ- and C . tough guys. And I do not forget to mention Nova Scotia nor Rhodesia and South Africa. Men who put their lives on the line in two World Wars.

My birthday approaches like the tread of doom. I therefore ask you to share with me your most terribleand most excellent dining experiences 1. worst meal-potato crumble ie: potatoes with bread crumbs in a veggie cafe in Edinburgh.Tasted of absolutely nothing.(1988). 2. strange meal- dim sum including prawns in custard and roast dog ( excellent) Hong Kong ( 1994) 3.best meal-jugged hare in chocolate ( I kid you not-an Italian recipe ) (2001-at home). 4. strongest tasting food-sea urchins genitalia (London 2000). 5. best "indigenous " meal tie between-Eels ,pie and mash ( Dagenham 1985) and Black Pudding (pigs blood and fat with barley-possibly known as hot boudin in the Southern USA thoug I may be mistaken here ) recent. 6. best service-Tokyo-food was excellent but was served alone in huge room by several persons with exquisite manners . :fish: Salve! I forgot the Tortoise-it was very tough. Snake -how could i forget that? very nice ,a cross between a delicate fish and chicken.(shenzen 1994). My doom is now upon me ! my hair goes grey,my stomach expands and Homer Simpson is younger than me.

Tobias-Strength and Honour!- no -one here has forgotten the ANZACS

do you see this chap ("guy" to our North American cousins) reclining? Only over the bodies of unbelievers I would say.He looks like the Duke of Edinburgh on a very bad day-dont get me wrong I like the Duke but he doesnt talk in two directions.

my point is thatt sexuality and sexual roles were of a totally different nature -I merely illustrate this by citing modern presumptions about "femaleness" and suggest that we cannot presume to know about sexual orientation in a modern sense The idea that say , someone could be a "career girl " would be incomprehensible. Children were admonished to be solemn and adult like ( in the Patrician classes), and were adults at 14. My point is our ideas of sex,sexuality and gender are off the map and we have to suspend our disbelief or misinterpretation of sexual behaviour in the past.

Favonius Cornelius is very pertinent here-the Legions were the epitome of professional excellence ,consider what they actually achieved ,and their utter deadliness. The Stoic ideal is often overlooked but may I suggest strong parallels with Samurai Zen ? Extreme physical effort and life threatening situations often give a sublime mental clarity beyond the actual event. The Stoic ideal gives a very calm and centred view of the world and the fleeting nature of the flesh, and is a comfort to the rational man beset by enemies, neither does it belittle human endeavour . Quintus in Gladiator and General Kurugame in Ran are worth looking at as modern sketches of such philosophies.Philosophy is fine as an abstract goal but remember the prodigies of valour the Legions actually achieved.

the questions could reasonably be described as "leading questions"

check out wikipedias painting of Jupiter and Tethis by Ingres-does he look like a relaxed deity?

of the two episodes screened here so far I have to report that both sexes are avid viewers-the portrayal of hard boiled dames has gone down well with women of spirit and brains, they see themselves in Rome in charge of their destinies. I think what ive seen so far is an mirror of modern attitudes held up as history and with no detriment to the storyline.

Budhha I can see relaxed-and indeed you can see him looking very much at ease in major temples, in a state of somnelent equipose. Jupiter seems a more "in your face deity" , tough guy not to be messed with -"father with a strong sword", like expecting Odin to be someone who used a soup spoon without slurping. Was it his being guest of honour that was critical to the ceremony and being relaxed in the presence of his devotees?

Ragusa was latin or rather colony of the latinised (becoming Dubrovnik when Slavicised) does anyone have a good source for its early history? Ive visited the city in the past and found it very beautiful.