Pertinax

I see you on google earth! As a matter of scale for a person from a Small Island, what distance are you from Salinas? I hope your wine is safe!

Thank you yes, (for myself that is , Julianus may need more sources if anyone has them), at least I have a target to aim for now ,the perseus links are minimal. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/9004107...ce&n=266239 oof! pricey.Secondhand bookshop trawl for this one.

My Lord Don Giovanni: You can get that and probably an A-Bomb. to boot. And I am serious! Excellent , home defence for the prudent!

Oribasius seems to be sadly obscure, and his collated work is only a partial survival. I also would be keen to have any references and links to any textual work.My own interest is in his apparent role as the collater and presever of texts extant in the Roman world.

Good , keep your choices coming in please. York has a good selection of museums as well, one of which is actually in a pub http://www.britainexpress.com/cities/york/...n_Bathhouse.htm What could be more convenient.

Excellent , another sensational claim by AD " Baby pterodactyls hindered supply of Roman Spices and Table Condiments". Below we see the " alleged assailant" thence the cassia bark , which does look very similar to cinnamon but is known in the trade as "bastard cinnamon" and a cinnamon tree with fresh growth.Lastly we see the sort of lunar environment that olibanum gum is retrieved from. the link leads to a gallery entry and some notes for myrrh ( a valuable balm) http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=362

The quote ,as regards our Glorious Monarchy, was " the English finding themselves without a natural heir to the throne , hired one".

A great deal of ADs "Dangerous Tastes", is about the mystique and superstitions surrounding the various trades, I hope he might deliver a pithy comment to us.By the way has anyone on forum been to Oman and seen the trees? http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0714127...ce&n=266239

Granted, I was merely saying that its a tough environment to signal in consistently.

If you make the simple experiment of taking a walk along Hadrian's Wall , you will, even in "spring" find that weather conditions would probably favour direct contact . The weather can close in very quickly , the wind and rain can drive you off the Wall .

Thank you Sirrah... and here is a very interesting attempt at an "ancient world" psychoactive timeline, notice that in my own favoured specialism Dioscorides is the earliest Roman World source .Here I must post this "modern" snippet for those who do not wish to peruse the whole thing:- http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/histor..._article1.shtml Two of Columbus' crew, de Jerez and de Torres, are the first Europeans to witness tobacco smoking by Native Americans.15 De Jerez becomes the first European tobacco smoker and brings the habit back to Europe. It is said that de Jerez was accused of demonic possession and imprisoned by the Inquisition after frightening a neighbor by blowing smoke from his nose and mouth. He is released years later after smoking becomes widespread in Spain.28 edit:Peganum harm. would be potentially damaging to any female devotee were she pregnant, one of its properties is that it is an abortifactant.

More in the Times today: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,...2281235,00.html

Do you have a catalogue? I require surface to air missile capability.

Fair point, perhaps we should have a "day trip" to Chester just to get the ball rolling? If we are lazy we can take a tour:- http://www.romantoursuk.com/

Given the utter desolation of the areas where the Olibanum gum is collected ( the trees look like writhing skeletons growing from gravel) I can only suggest the locust as a creature capable of surviving , in numbers , in such desolation , whilst "in transit ". However I think AD will have something to say about the "background information".

Merely to say I second Phil's remarks here. The Forsyte saga is a good analogy, why try and fix it when it can be re-mastered nowadays from a great original? Both "The Caesars" and "I, Claudius" are well worth buying now, my only "complaint" would be differentiating Freddie Jones from Derek Jacobi (both as Claudius) in terms of quality -I like both! I suggest that The Caesars is the definitive screen portrayal of Tiberius , interpreted with real gravity. Personally I would like to see something on Trajan and Hadrian.

Back to Peganum harm. again. The nature of the ceremony (including initial vigil or purification) and the point at which the psychoactive was ingested may be clues to the use of Peganum harm. . The difficulty that might arise is simply this, rapid , heavy dosage would produce a euphoric state of delirious happiness followed by paranoia , terror and rigidity.If hallucogenic fungii are combined with the subject plant, the narcotic effects are greatly potentiated. If the subject had never undergone any such entheogenic experience previously , then the experience would be intense and hyper realistic , and the period of recuperation would need to be quiet, prolonged and closely supervised.

Good, a lot of the "locals" have reported in . I to am "booked up" for this year , though I could make some time in September. Ok lets try and get some basics sorted: 1. here are some suggestions firstly for venue: I would like everyone to give a first and second choice from this list, its not exhaustive but lets keep it very simple: London, York, Chester, Bath , Twice Brewed (Hadrian's Wall ). 2. for how long should we meet? Day 1: I suggest a two night meeting, ie: informal meet on a Friday, eat/drink be merry but possible learned discourse during meal before drunkeness sets in, screening of "Roman " film? Day 2 AM A tour of locality (possibly guided by local experts). This is my only hesitation as regards London, all the other localities are reasonably compact and with identifiable remains that can be navigated with reasonable ease. PM some learned discourse , perhaps a couple of not-too long papers/presentations ( on topics to be agreed -sp be prepared ! ) followed by a roaringly splendid feed and imbibing of beverages. Day 3 hangovers, informal chat ,disperse early PM. 3. If opinion is divided, I shall seek guidance from the Imperator whose word is Law. :notworthy: and though its a long way ahead, I say April or May next year , because Tempus Fugit!

Pertinax: In all seriousness, is that a circumcised penis? What is he holding in his left hand? I think not , in this instance though the item does seem phallic in nature , but many of the pieces from this genre are ribald in the extreme, we must surely consider that an ecstatic/dionysiac condition is being hinted at. Odysseus does not have the toned body one would expect of a great hero , his splendid paunch hinting at both great wealth and bibulousness. http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/dlevine/Kabeiroi.jpg The flautist is about to be "surprised" in a most , er....surprising, way.

I did rather scratch my head at that , also, please apply a paste of same in case of baldness :bag:

clarification please on American terminology: NPR? obviously not "Napiform Prosthetic Rhubarb"