Pertinax

Nero flipped from visionary re-builder to sexual deviant rather too quickly. I think, if like many here, one is aware of his life as reported the key events were not badly done, just rather truncated in presentation. The cinematic presentation was good I thought.

It is a vigorous weed here, but one needs to bruise the plant to see its colouration. Ive posted previously as regards its properties, (an excellent external "buffer" and ready use wound salve-but very poisonous as an internal medication, most blue things are(prussic acid) ) its strong anti-tumour properties are being looked at by scientists presently. So not just a striking and warlike ornamentation, but a useful epidermal protector.

So what did you all think of Nero? My thoughts: a lot was crammed into one hour, but I suppose in modern terms it was a serious exposition of plot. Nero's rather sudden switch to madness was a little alarming , but I think the key scenes were vivid and gave a lot of food for thought.It was rather like a well acted "power point" presentation and the look of the thing was good. One might have to say " a bit hysterical" (how else could Nero perhaps be presented?) but not unworthy.

The show version is not correct. Like the reduction of overall charachter numbers and "telescoping" of personalities (Quintus as mentioned previously), this seems to be a continuty device . The version Plautus has is the version I have always taken to be correct, save I would add that he chastised a slave who tried to prevent the original suicide attempt. The "Eagle" tunics are snazzy, handy go anywhere , wash the blood/wine off garments,with a rough macho styling. Ill take a dozen in XL .I mentioned in my review of "Daily Life" , that sleeping in a rough tunic and then setting about the days tasks ( till visiting the baths) was perceived as a plebian norm.If HBO havent designed one for sale we should get a UNRV version produced! http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...si&img=1281

I love the smell of napalm in the morning? no?

I hate Deli in the Morning-you are becoming Colonel Kilgore!

That is because we do not see them until episode two: Attia offers Pullo dormice when both he and Vorenus return young Octavian to her. We also have the 'savoury dormice" of the unsavoury Erastes Fulmen.

According to Mary Beard (writing for the Guardian), the dormouse scene occurs roughly 30 minutes into episode one. I'm pretty sure we wrote about the dormouse in a previous thread. Was this not as regards "the Dormouse Moment?" , that is the point in a given Roman themed programme when one of the main charachters is offered a dish of dormice? As a sort of sensory indicator of hoped for decadence/sophistry in that particular show? I think AA Gill in the Sunday Times made a waspish remark as to this in his review of the series.

This makes good sense if one considers the number of Legionary attestations , regarding birth , "in castrum" That is, they are numerous -inded remarkably so as regards men of accomplishment.

Would such a marital dispensation be common? Can anyone help. Vorenus' suggested early poverty rings true as regards his career as a soldier, ie: a better alternative to starvation, to a man of spirit. Does anyone have attested examples of the indulgence of marriage (at this time period)?

Works for me! Muchas gracias (or whatever the Welsh version would be), Nepilla! Most pertinent-The Nectar of the Gods!

April 14 / 15 2007 seems like a good date for me ... I'll have to fly in from Boston and then take a train ? to York ? I may spend a couple of days in London around that time. Ah, a distinguished Colonial guest! Kings Cross (London) to York, a fast straightforward journey. Your presence would be most welcome. Worry not, I was thinking August/September as well ! But we have to start small and work toward a sustainable timetable/modus operandi.

I think we should now narrow the dates down to the 2nd and 3rd choices 31 March/1 April or 14/15 April 2007. Not that I have any hope of better weather, but perhaps a little more daylight to see by. Andrew Dalby has graciously agreed to give a brief Oratorical Disquisition , (on a topic of his choice). I suggest possibilities such as circumnavigation of the Medieval Walls, a visit to the Museum of Yorkshire (excellent range of Roman artefacts) , light refreshment in the Roman Bath Public House. An evening adjournment to a Curry House might be useful? The undercrypt of the Minster and the Jorvik "Viking" centre are also possibilities. Some members are relatively "local" or have visited previously , so navigating about town should not be difficult.

Certainly women may attend, obviously with a short note from their Paterfamilias saying that its appropriate for them to leave the Mansio with their heads covered in a modest fashion. Your Cyrenian porters must however wait outside Please do not go to the extravagance of sacrificing a whole football team to Magna Mater!

You refer to this image perhaps? http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...si&img=1270 The dormice however, M P Cato has me stumped (and certainly I was paying strict attention to the food scenes), I have previously alluded to a dormouse confit -perhaps AD will give hs attention to this weighty debating point? Against all this here is a shot showing some very good detailed work on set design: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...si&img=1275

I seem to remember a very recent survey as regards the "attractivness" of men , for some reason it boiled down to how much money they had regardless of , say stomach size or witty conversation.......

Well its nice to see you back, I wondered where you were!

The work put into series one of "Rome" is enormous , those possessing the box set will be aware of the "Historical Advisor" who was employed to ensure veracity of the "world" of Rome. As can be divined from the commentaries some things "slipped the net" , some were unavoidable and others were open to interpretation. A couple of my favourite things were : the "stunt dog" ie: the labrador/cross that spent a lot of time eating scraps of food (when Pullo and Octavian emerged from the sewer for example) offset from main camera shot,but you can see him often if you look hard! Also the non-Roman parrot in Attia's house, how did he fly from Australia? These are minor geek things , what of more obvious difficulties? The disciplinary lashing of Pullo is a case in point , 10 lashes in the Legion were a serious punishment, and the light cuts he suffered were not anywhere near the reality of this severe punishment: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...si&img=1271 That Pullo could walk away from such a punishment seems unlikely. On the other hand there are "creative ideas" that may not be verifiable, but that give flavour to the narrative: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...si&img=1273 Cleopatara's hair may be outrageous, but is it an unreasonable conceit?

I thank you most humbly Sirrah!

Carbo was , I think ,explicitly named as his assasin by Cicero? Certainly S Aemilianus' "justly slain" remark (as regards Gracchus ) made the Populares howl . The subjugation of Numantia alone would have been a remarkable feat.

Ill be interested to see a screen portrayal of Vespasian.Will he be the "bluff old cove" shacked up with an old freedwoman? or mad tyrant? About time we had some more disquisition on the Flavians.

Ursus produced a top notch review of the First Season; http://www.unrv.com/hbo-rome-review.php as usual articulate and perceptive without getting over excited. A lot of people visit the site in search of this particular topic , and all its collateral baggage. I have therefore kicked off a Gallery devoted to the series: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...um&album=67 this album can be as big or small as members wish, what i think might be useful would be to look hard at the historical veracity of the re-created Roman world , this can be in any topic from architecture to costume detail versus weaponry to street mime. The selection I have posted is right across the board , we see our friends (T.Pullo and L.Vorenus ) our possible villains (Cato and Pompey (boo! hiss!)) , our beguiling feminine cast ( ) , our possible heroes (Caesar and Antony ) and our confused moderates (Cicero and Brutus )...or perhaps the heroes and villains are different? It cannot be denied that the series looked wonderful , and on ocassions the immediacy of the story was stunningly delivered. I personally feel the real triumph was in the street level detail, and the casting of support roles-McNeice as the newsreader, Posca "Caesars creature" and the wonderfully camp Egyptian Court. I hope the images add to everyones enjoyment and provoke some comments on accuracy and detailing.

Ill go with Heracles!

LW incredibly , I found this defunct site with a murex article. http://www.jolique.com/dyes_colorants/purple_passion.htm