Pertinax

I stuck my neck out last week by being first off the mark to comment.So here goes. Nero was a masterpiece in comparison to this shambles. Caesar was not well portrayed with any one firm purpose (for good or ill) , Karl Johnson as Marcellus was such a mis-applied piece of casting (did they hope to give "dignitas " from HBO? ) Playing an immediately adjacent character to his previous incarnation. Did I detect Alexander at Gaugamela as GJC before Pharsalus? The soldiers kit looked quite good. Shrapnel as Pompey did as well as he could (Gaius from Gladiator).

Oh No! Who did the casting! Karl Johnson as "not quite " Cato, er Marcellus.

Im sorry to hear that GPM, dont worry we will strive to get you to the next one!

Dont forget its GJC tonight , I read today that this was supposed to have been the lead episode but , as usual , the "sexed up" Nero episode got thrown in first for maximun sensationalism.

I was searching for a suggested "Roman" digestive aid, but was sidetracked by two items that I saw in the text. regarding cumin: Cumin was a commonplace spice, medicinally it is excellent, though we tend to think of the seed-the Romans used the green leaf also.Theophrastus (VII) enjoins us to curse and shout when sowing the plant to encourage its growth.The sympathetic aspect of the herb is its alleged encouragement of human seed, Pliny suggests easier impregnation if a woman scents the herb during coitus.(Pliny NH XX). Allegedly Julius Vindex ( a contemporary of Nero) ate great quantities to encourage a pale complexion, thus to give hope to false flatterers seeking an inheritance (I presume that he , in effect, purged himself). Culpepper says thus: Formerly Cumin had considerable repute as a corrective for the flatulency of languid digestion and as a remedy for colic (GO notice the languid disposition reference here). regarding Rue: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=336 rather the opposite of the cumin herb, as I have written in the note appended to the image. The snippet I gathered lately mentions that a guest fearing poisoning by aconite (monkshood) would take rue beforehand. Some species of Aconite were well known to the ancients as deadly poisons. It was said to be the invention of Hecate from the foam of Cerberus, and it was a species of Aconite that entered into the poison which the old men of the island of Ceos were condemned to drink when they became infirm and no longer of use to the State. Aconite is also supposed to have been the poison that formed the cup which Medea prepared for Theseus. (Note---Aconite and Belladonna were said to be the ingredients in the witches' 'Flying ointments.' Aconite causes irregular action of the heart, and Belladonna produces delirium. These combined symptoms might give a sensation of 'flying).

Here is the famous ,offending vegetable. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=135 Basically, a very starchy root that needs a lot of pulping and cooking to render it 1. safe 2. at all edible.

Tremendous post Prometheus.

Impressive

Yes , 14th /15th April 2007. I will be in York on the previous evening of the 13th if anyone cares to join me. For those as yet undecided , dont forget to look at this small album of images: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...um&album=20

I have recently recieved this (excerpt) from a pm: "Would you good enough to tell me where I can get more detailed information about the tools shown in the photo in the tent of the Architectus? I would be particularly interested to know what graduations are used on the ruler and also the weights used in the unequal arm balance which I noticed in the lower right corner". This refers to this image : http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=907 alas, of corsue John the Architectus was untimely taken from us: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showto...p;hl=john+davis otherwise I would have asked him direct , as yet I do not know if anyone fills his most learned shoes. Would knowledgable persons care to speak?

You may have it in the "blitzkrieg" moniker. One thing about innovative warfare (in its social/time frame context) is the (overused expression) thinking outside the box in terms of speed and movement (as a gambling strategy) the enemies moral/tactical stability versus your ability to prosecute an advance with sufficient force (petrol/fodder).

One can hardly believe that a man of such calculating nature (take that as compliment or curse as your heart dictates) would have been so foolish as to be bereft of foodstuffs.Of course Caesar may be emphasising the lack of provender as an audience pleasing ploy , as regards the toughness and dedication of his men (to himself) , it may be the truth and "provender" might perhaps be admixed with "spoils" as a more potent carrot.

Apologies not needed! Just tidying

Whjte pudding brings us full circle ! As we have argued previously that the Roman's invented "Haggis", as a "marching food" , the essential omission is the blood! Every other pig organ/tissue can go into the mix, save the blood, so you tend to get the "caul" and other fats that would appear in a faggott (no jokes please Gaius). Its one of the few gustatory items that I cannot eat-I find that the intense fattiness causes me heartburn. To cleanse our palates here is another Apician special: 1 round , sweet , ripe melon generous fresh ground black pepper 3 tsp of fresh pennyroyal (mint if you must!) 1 dessert spoon fish sauce 2 dessert spoons vinegar 2 dessert spoons runny honey Cut the melon (quarters would be fine) take off the skin.Dice the flesh up.Whisk all other ingredients together.Add the mix about 15 mins before you serve, and make sure the melon is well covered.Try and chill before serving. Smack! that will wake you up!

Aha! Good news. Finally had time to rent the movie, watched it, and will write up a review within the next two days. which version have you got?

York has a plethora of good hotels and guesthouses: and Ive stayed in a lot of them. Phil has asked about rooms at the Uni, I see my favoured location has now been re-named:- http://www2.yorksj.ac.uk/Default.asp?Page_...p;Parent_ID=446 I am aware that "delegates" pockets may be short or long ,(though WW who is the "penurious jaunty young academic" at the start of his glorious career has found a haven already), so -please pm saying if your preference is: 1.to seek a hotel yourself 2.send me a link to a particular hotel/guesthouse and ask my opinion 3.prefer a "conference" booking. which brings me to the nub of the matter.Food and Drink.Please also pm with your personal preferences for gustatory excess and inebriation . I should warn you all , that I will automatically move toward this establishment on auto pilot: http://www.itchyyork.co.uk/venues/43.html but-check this link out: http://www.itchyyork.co.uk/eating/ I presume The Augusta and Phil 25, by virtue of given location are experts in the cusine of the Subcontinent? ps: Lacertus cant you jet in for the weekend ?

A great loss to scholarship indeed, I foresaw Dr Dalby lecturing to the UK Forum on this very topic.

Nothing to report. I particularly remember being online when Decimus pmd-he was having quite a bad time-but my connection was stable and all areas were available,.

Worry not , the main thing is that we plan steadily in advance, a stitch in time etc.

We are (mercifully) clear of subduction zone activity.

That is where I will probably be staying anyway: I have a student friend already residing there. If you want, I can ask her if there are many rooms available during term time. Excellent WW ,please do so . I was nitending to contact the college of Ripon and St John , but please proceed!

I will try Ripon and St John College, York ( I will see if they give a particular date to commit to) I have stayed with them before (plain and clean) when I was on a Surveying tour of the Minster Works- but there are numerous places to stay!

That is much better! Direct fast train to York, short distance. If you are worried about Hotels/guest houses pm me.

It transpires that our Beloved Imperator would fly to Stanstead! Which is seriously awkward for anywhere but London-I have suggested he seeks a flight to Luton ( :bag: -hopefully it will be dark) ,if anyone can help please post!