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They draw a false conclusion....The only thing they can correctly say is that they were infected with Plasmodium sp when they died. The fact that they found two or more sp points toward chronic &/or recurrent infections, very common in that region at that time. A fulminant course of malaria leading to rapid death within days of exposure is less common than a more indolent course resulting in anemia and eventual organ failure. (Cf- Quartan Fever) https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/hcp/clinical-features/index.html

This article was already highlighted in the UNRV newsletter. It reminded me about previous discussions (see post below). It is a good example of sensory archaeology, the branch of archaeology that studies how people in the past experienced the world through their senses (smell, sound, touch, taste, and sight) rather than focusing on objects, architecture, and objects. The article also shows how small residue samples can reveal global economic connections and domestic religious behavior. Pompeii Incense Study Researchers analyzed 2,000-year-old ash residues preserved inside two Roman incense burners from Pompeii and a nearby villa. Techniques like GC-MS and phytolith analysis allowed researchers to identify burned substances and confirm they were heated intentionally. What the ash contained was determined by advanced biomolecular and microscopic techniques: • Local plant materials (wood, grasses, possibly laurel or fruit trees) Exotic aromatic resins from the Burseraceae family-plants native to tropical Africa or Asia and related to frankincense/ elemi Chemical traces of grape products, likely wine, consistent with ritual libations Provides the first direct physical evidence of what Romans actually burned in household religious rituals. Confirms that imported incense was used not only by elites but in ordinary domestic shrines (lararia). Shows that ritual practice involved intentional heating/ burning, verified through biomolecular and microscopic analysis. Implications for global trade The presence of African/Asian resins in ordinary households shows: Pompeii was deeply connected to long-distance trade networks Imported luxury goods were accessible even to non-elite residents Trade routes likely linked India, Arabia, sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt, and Mediterranean ports before reaching Italy The study is a major contribution to sensory archaeology, reconstructing ancient smells, materials, and ritual experiences. https://arkeonews.net/sacred-smoke-and-global-trade-pompeiis-ash-reveals-a-2000-year-old-network/

I'd like to know how the identity of such busts are made and by whom?

Amazing that the wood remained so well preserved after almost 2100 years. The article says that it may have been treated with resins as a preservative. They used copper nails-- you have to wonder if that also helped, copper being so toxic to living cells.....Shipwrecks in salt water are subject to invasion and destruction by screw worms, the big reason the wood parts usually deteriorate over time.....That's not a problem in fresh water. There are hundreds of shipwrecks well preserved in The Great Lakes where the cold, hypoxic water inhibits bacterial & fungal growth and there are no screwworms. As an aside-- I looked up Mithridates quickly cuz I always get them all confused- those guys all look alike to me.... This ship was from M. VI....But the embarrassing Battle of Carrhae was during the war with M. IV....I had to laugh at the Wiki entry about the death of Crassus when he was tortured and killed by pouring molten gold down his throat. Wiki says "he was killed during a scuffle.."

I won’t comment other than to say comedy was different in 1979.

This clip from Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” (1979) is why I could never learn Latin:

Hi All, Been busy putting together this series of video shorts investigating the little known world and ways of the Huns, around the time of Attila. Hope you like: Also check out the Romana Humanitas forum for a matching series about Romans of the same era!

Some Venn diagrams would be interesting because those Seinfeld scenarios were not just triumphs of the imagination. YT has an interview of Jason Alexander who played George, and said his scenarios were based on true experiences of co-creator Larry David, pictured below in a later series also based on his life. Excerpts sound like the writing is top notch but the acting not. Speaking of actor criticism, Jason described in his cold clinical way (opposite of his volatile character) the origin to what I think was their peak moments. Getting George free of his fiance (Susan?) eventually thru accidental invitations poisoning was because Jason couldn't bear working with that actress. Hopefully not based on a real involuntary manslaughter...

There have been numerous posts about Roman aqueducts recently (see below). Here is an exceptional short video on the aqueducts that gives a very informative overview.

In a previous post I wrote long ago (and had forgotten), I suggested that Tiberius (ruled AD 14-17) had banned public kissing to prevent the spread of herpes (pictured above and below). I now have to review the evidence supporting the statement from ancient sources. Suetonius reports that Tiberius prohibited kissing. The Life of Tiberius, 34.2, Suetonius 2 He issued an edict forbidding general kissing and the exchange of New Year’s gifts after the Kalends of January The reason for this ban, however, remains unclear. The prohibition on public kissing may have been intended to preserve court etiquette and public decorum rather than to address public health concerns. Tiberius may have been more concerned with regulating Roman social behavior and restoring “traditional standards.” Note: Suetonius is the only ancient source to mention this ban on "general kissing" "Suetonius never explicitly states that Tiberius’ ban was limited to public kissing; his term—“general kissing”—is broad and unspecified. While modern authors often interpret this as a ban on all public kissing, this is a subjective interpretation rather than a definitive ancient fact. Since Suetonius provides no specifics on where the ban was in effect, who it affected, or how it was enforced, scholars generally assume it concerned public decorum, given Tiberius’ reputation for austerity and other etiquette measures. Ultimately, the actual extent of the edict remains unknown: Suetonius is the only ancient source, and his brief mention leaves it unclear whether the ban applied to public greetings, court conduct, or broader social practices." It’s interesting that near-contemporary Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79) mentions a facial fungal infection (tinea barbae or sycosis barbae, pictured below): "Mentagra was a notorious skin disease in early Imperial Rome, first noted during the reign of Tiberius. Pliny the Elder describes it in Natural History (AD 77) as a disfiguring eruption that began on the chin and spread across the beard, cheeks, neck, chest, and even the hands. The lesions were scaly, painful, and so unsightly that Pliny remarked death might be preferable to enduring them. The name itself is a Roman joke: mentum (chin) combined with agra (attack). Although initially associated with fashionable elites—its spread linked to intimate contact such as kissing—later medical writers, including Galen, Archigenes, and Celsus, classified it under sycosis, or “wild lichen,” a follicular disease of the beard region. Pliny also recorded herbal treatments such as plantago and lichen mixed with honey, situating mentagra within broader Roman anxieties about “new diseases” arising from luxury, excess, and moral decline." Summary: The precise reasons for the ban on public kissing remain uncertain, possibly related to public health concerns or issues of decorum and morality. Nonetheless, this ban is recorded by Suetonius.

Hi All, Just thought you might be interested in my new novel 'The Eagle & the Wolf'. Set in the early 5th century AD, it explores the encroaching worlds of the Huns and the Romans, as tensions ramp up between the two superpowers. Here's the blurb: As Hun hordes and Germanic tribes maraud through Imperial lands, two legendary men – Attila the Hun and the “Last of the Romans” General Flavius Aetius find their fortunes entangled with the chaos. Flavius Aetius, a noble Roman son, is an outsider in a savage land. He has been banished, given as hostage to the barbaric Huns and sent to the edge of the world. What the Huns do not know, however, is that his father and mother have been murdered in a coup. He is an orphan, with no value at all. His life hangs on a lie. In this new harsh world, he manages to find one grudging ally, a young boy named Attila. A brotherhood is formed. One that, the shamans foretell, will shatter the world. If it sounds of interest, you can pick up a copy at bookstores worldwide, or order online from the websites listed here: http://books2read.com/b/Attila1 Thanks! G

Hope everyone, including Canadians, are coping with the air pollution from the fires. Pretty bad here the last couple of days - Northeast Ohio. Suppose to start dissipating before midnight tonight.

The Torlonia collection is on its final stop of North America in Montreal this month. The Torlonia collection contains 622 ancient marbles, assembled in the 19th century from aristocratic Roman families (Giustiniani, Albani, Cavaceppi) and Torlonia estate excavations. For decades it was inaccessible, making this tour a landmark event. The Torlonia sculptures now on exhibit form one of the most important Roman sculpture showings in decades: 57 masterpieces from the Torlonia Collection, touring North America for the first time and currently on view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) until July 19, 2026. The exhibition is historically significant: the Torlonia Collection—long considered the greatest private collection of Roman sculpture—was inaccessible for most of the 20th century, stored away since WWII and known mainly through 19th‑century catalogues. Its recent restoration and release to the public is one of the major events in Roman art scholarship. Here is a good video review about the exhibit while previously in Fort Worth at the Kimbell Art Museum earlier this year: Here is a short video of the exhibit now in Montreal:

The article below about the reopening of the House of Carbonized Furniture at Herculaneum made me wonder: Why were wooden objects preserved at Herculaneum in AD 79 (and not at Pompeii)? Pictured above and below are some of the wooden objects preserved there. The wood did not burn because the pyroclastic surge that hit Herculaneum was not the same type that destroyed Pompeii. Instead of open-air ash fall, Herculaneum was engulfed by a 20‑meter‑deep mass of superheated pyroclastic mud. Temperatures reached ~400 °C, hot enough to carbonize wood but—critically—oxygen was almost completely absent. At Herculaneum, when the first pyroclastic surge struck the town, it produced carbonized wood. The surge raised temperatures to around 300–500 °C, but it contained almost no oxygen. In such conditions, wood doesn’t burn; instead, it undergoes a process called carbonization. This is a chemical change that drives off volatile compounds, leaving behind a stable, charcoal-like material. Because the surge quickly buried the buildings and sealed them beneath meters of hot material, beams, doors, furniture, shelving, and even architectural panels were remarkably preserved in their original shapes, only transformed into carbon. This process accounts for the incredible preservation of many wooden objects at the site. On the ancient shores of Herculaneum, a different preservation process took place (see the picture below). Waterlogged wood creates a very unique environment for preservation. In several parts of the site, especially where volcanic mudflows and wet deposits settled, timber was buried in saturated, oxygen-poor layers rather than being heated enough to turn into charcoal. When submerged in this special anaerobic environment, decay-causing organisms couldn't thrive, allowing the wood to stay chemically 'alive.' It kept its cellular structure, species features, and even tiny growth rings. That's why archaeologists can tell the difference between fir, cypress, and spruce at the site: the wood wasn’t burned or charred but preserved through long-term saturation. Above are a boat prow painted red and a vertical winch (used to pull boats ashore), both wonderfully preserved. Pompeii’s wood mostly burned or decayed over time, but Herculaneum’s unique circumstances—such as higher temperatures, deeper burial, and lack of oxygen—preserved the world’s largest collection of Roman wooden artifacts. You can find doors, beds, shelves, roof beams, furniture, and even carbonized scrolls there. https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2026/07/10/herculaneums-house-of-the-carbonized-furniture-reopens-after-30-years_26911e38-10bd-434f-8f29-da719b60a565.html https://the-past.com/feature/wooden-wonders-of-herculaneum/ Below is an interesting video from Darius Arya highlighting the wooden objects preserved at Herculaneum.

Gildas (AD 450 or 500-c570) is foundational for understanding the collapse of Roman Britain because he is the earliest surviving British voice describing the period after Rome withdrew. Every later medieval historian—Bede, Nennius, the Anglo‑Saxon Chronicle—depends on him. Without Gildas, our picture of 5th‑century Britain would be dramatically thinner. This article explains how medieval Britons remembered the fall of Roman Britain, focusing on the 6th‑century writer Gildas, whose account shaped all later narratives. It shows that medieval memory of Rome’s departure blended history, trauma, and legend, and that some of Gildas’s claims align with contemporary Roman sources. Gildas wrote De Excidio Britanniae (shown above) around AD 540, making him the first British author to describe the post‑Roman world from inside Britain rather than from Rome or Gaul. No earlier British chronicles survive from the period of AD 410–540. Gildas identifies the usurper Maximus (AD 383) as the figure who removed Britain’s troops, effectively beginning the end of Roman rule. He highlights the AD 410 message from Emperor Honorius telling Britons to defend themselves, marking the official end of Roman administration: Gildas writes that after repeated appeals for military help, “the Romans told them to look to their own defence, and no longer to expect help from them,” a line that marks the moment Britain was formally abandoned and forced to face Saxon pressure without imperial protection. Gildas describes the later Battle of Mount Badon (around AD 495 or 500) as a decisive victory in which the Britons defeated the Saxons, ending decades of warfare and ushering in a generation of peace. https://share.google/xievpPhoTFyOUWTmJ

Magister Craft's take on the baths M

Archaeologists digging near Binyamina in Israel uncovered two remarkably well-preserved Roman marble statues dating to roughly 1,700 years ago. They were found in a collection pit used for a Roman–Byzantine winepress. Rather than being displayed as originally intended, they had been carefully laid face-down in the pit, suggesting they were intentionally buried after the winepress ceased operation. The sculptures are marble protomes—heads and upper torsos—depicting figures from the Greco-Roman era. One statue bears a Greek inscription with the name “Lycurgus,” and researchers are trying to determine whether it represents Lycurgus of Sparta or Lycurgus of Athens, both well-known historical figures. The statues were first noticed when an unusual object emerged from the soil; further digging revealed marble instead of the usual pottery fragments found at such sites. Their quality suggests a considerable investment in imported art, likely originally displayed in a public building or an elite household in Caesarea, where similar portrait sculptures have been discovered — although such finds are rare, with the last comparable discovery dating back to the 1990s. The statues are now undergoing cleaning, conservation, and detailed study, including efforts to determine their original placement and the reason they were deliberately hidden for nearly seventeen centuries. 1,700-year-old Roman marble statues found buried in ancient winepress near Caesarea | Archaeology News Online Magazine

A marble bust of the Roman goddess Venus was discovered during beach restoration work on the Spanish beach of La Almadraba in Alicante. The bust dates from the 1st-2nd century AD. https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-899027

Did Roman legionaries use spiderwebs to speed wound healing? Possibly, but not for the reasons suggested in the video below. The video suggests that the vitamin K in spiderwebs would have stopped bleeding. Although vitamin K is essential for making clotting factors (and stopping bleeding), there is no evidence that spiderwebs contain any meaningful amounts of vitamin K, and any tiny amounts of topical vitamin K on spiderwebs would not be useful for controlling bleeding anyway. Were spiderwebs used for wound care? Pliny the Elder mentions the use of spiderwebs in Naturalis Historia (Chapter 36): https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137%3Abook%3D29%3Achapter%3D36&utm_source=chatgpt.com So, how could spiderwebs potentially assist in wound care? Spider silk could form an extremely fine mesh. When pressed onto a wound, it acts like primitive gauze: The mechanical lattice effect works because spider silk forms a dense, flexible mesh that lightly adheres to the skin and immediately traps blood at the wound surface, giving platelets a stable scaffold to cling to while the body initiates clot formation. In practice, this makes the web function like an early form of gauze, slowing blood flow long enough for a natural clot to form. Also, some webs might have harbored mold or dust with antibiotic properties, and spider silk proteins themselves have rudimentary antimicrobial effects. This might have reduced infection, making the treatment appear more effective overall. Contrary to the video, spiderwebs would not have stopped bleeding like an ancient styptic. But spiderwebs would, at least, be better than a dirty rag and probably wouldn’t adhere to a wound.

Two additional points to your excellent post-- Vit K is a cofactor in the manufacturing of clotting factors, mostly in the liver, so any present in an applied spiderweb would be of no consequence at the wound site. Clotting at a wound is enhanced by anything that increases surface area for fibrin to adhere too. Native Americans & woodsmen used moss By coincidence, I just watched a video today about the advantages the Roman legionnaires had in wearing their traditional tunic rather than pants. Among them was easier access for care of lower body wounds....I wonder where they found enough spider webs after a major battle?

There have been previous posts about thermopolia—fast-food counters in Ancient Rome, found in excavations of Pompeii (see below). A thermopolium (plural thermopolia) was a street‑front food shop where customers could buy hot food and drink. The name derives from Greek: thermos = hot poleo = to sell They catered especially to residents of insulae (apartment blocks) who lacked kitchens and relied on street food for daily meals. Because of this association with the lower and middle classes, elite Romans sometimes looked down on them. Here is a good video summarizing the thermopolia:

A pre-Columbian Bolivian mummy was found to contain Streptococcus pyogenes, the bacteria that cause strep throat. It proves that the infection was already present in the Americas before European contact. Interestingly, 4000-year-old European samples have also shown the infection. Although never found in Roman DNA, Galen, Celsus, and other Roman physicians describe an erysipelas-like infection, usually caused by Streptococcus. The sharply demarcated redness and rapidly spreading swelling associated with fever that characterized erysipelas is described by Galen and other ancient physicians (pictured below): Streptococcus was one of the known infections to impact both the Romans and the Americas. Many virulent infections are thought to be confined to Europe rather than the pre-Columbian Americas: smallpox, measles, influenza, typhus, etc. The standard epidemiological narrative holds that the New World lacked epidemic-scale pathogens because it lacked the population density and animal domestication that drove the evolution of Old World diseases. But the Eurac study shows S. pyogenes, a globally distributed, human-to-human pathogen capable of causing scarlet fever, toxic shock, and invasive infections, was already circulating in Indigenous South American populations between AD 1283-1383. This means at least one “Old World‑type” pathogen did not arrive with Europeans. The article shows that the Old World–New World disease divide was real but not absolute. At least one major pathogen long assumed to be European was already present in the Americas centuries before contact, revealing a more entangled and ancient global disease history than previously believed. https://www.eurac.edu/en/press/the-bacterium-responsible-for-scarlet-fever-was-not-introduced-to-the-americas-by https://archaeology.org/news/2026/04/21/scarlet-fever-bacterium-detected-in-700-year-old-tooth/

April 21-- the traditional birthday of Rome. Originally a community of shepherds, the day corresponds to the traditional holiday celebrating the god of shepherds, Pales, hence, the celebration was called the Parilia. https://youtu.be/rSxGLtN1ClE?si=oalm_kqCS1L2ZJhf (click the cc for English subtitles)

Gaius Appuleius Diocles (AD 104 till at least 146) may have been Ancient Rome’s most successful (and wealthiest) sports figure. A monument made in his honor at his retirement states: ‘Gaius Appuleius Diocles, charioteer of the Red stable, a Lusitania Spaniard by birth, age 42 years, 7 months, 23 days.’ ‘He raced four horse chariots [similar to the scene above from “Ben-Hur”] for 24 years.’ His earnings are recorded to have been 35,863,120 sesterces. This is equivalent to hundreds of millions of dollars today. Achievements (Unmatched in Antiquity) • Total Races & Wins Number Total races started 4,257 Total victories 1,462-1,463 Second-place finishes 1,438 Wins in single-entry races 1,064 Wins in the most prestigious opening race 110 Chariot racing was the single most popular sport in Ancient Rome, surpassing even gladiatorial combat in scale, frequency, and cultural impact. The Circus Maximus drew crowds in the hundreds of thousands, and Romans devoted far more festival days to racing than to any other form of entertainment. The Circus Maximus could hold 150,000-250,000 spectators, making it the largest sports venue in the ancient world. Some estimates suggest 200,000+ people attended major race days More Race Days Than Any Other Sport Rome scheduled around 60 days per year for chariot racing. Gladiatorial games, by contrast, had about 10 days annually. Below is a short video describing this incredible athlete: https://earlychurchhistory.org/entertainment/diocles-the-most-successful-charioteer/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Appuleius_Diocles

A Roman cargo ship, dating from AD 20 to 50, has been found in the Swiss lake of Neuchâtel. A Roman shipwreck discovered in Lake Neuchâtel, Switzerland, has yielded hundreds of exceptionally preserved artifacts-including ceramics, amphorae, chariot parts, and weapons-offering a rare, intact snapshot of early Roman trade and transport between AD 20-50. The cargo's condition is so extraordinary that it is considered one of Switzerland's most significant inland-water Roman finds to date. Identified via aerial photography in November 2024, followed by dives and excavation in 2025. Represents the remains of a Roman merchant vessel operating in a freshwater transport network. The finds so far include Several hundred ceramic vessels: dishes, plates, cups, bowls-mostly regional Swiss Plateau products. Amphorae from Spain: evidence of long-distance olive oil trade. Tools and utensils: insights into daily life and shipboard activity. Chariot and harness components, including remarkably preserved wheels— the only Roman examples ever found in Switzerland. Weapons (including swords): suggesting the merchant ship traveled under military escort. The presence of: Two gladii A military pickaxe (dolabra) A belt buckle A fibula used to fasten a soldier's cloak ...suggests the cargo was either: Escorted by Roman soldiers, or Intended for a Roman legion operating along the Rhine frontier. This aligns with the early-1st-century dating (Tiberius era). Details about the swords discovered: Sword 1 (the sheathed gladius) Still inside its wood-and-metal scabbard Scabbard construction suggests: Wooden core Metal fittings (likely tinned or bronze alloy) Typical of early-1st-century legionary equipment Sword 2 Described simply as a complete gladius No scabbard mentioned Why the swords survived so well: Lake Neuchâtel's chalk-rich, low-oxygen freshwater environment is known to preserve organics unusually well. This explains: Survival of the scabbard, Preservation of wooden chariot wheels and Intact wicker basket found with other cargo https://www.heritagedaily.com/2026/03/rare-roman-treasures-found-on-shipwreck-in-swiss-lake/157564

Here is a good discussion on the planned excavations later this year of the suspected Roman villa at Port Talbot, Wales. The discovery of a Roman villa in Southern Wales will rewrite British Roman history. This discovery forces a rewriting of Roman Wales: It shows elite Romanized life deep into western Britain. It provides a rare non-military high-status site in Wales, where most Roman remains are forts or camps. It may reshape understanding of 3rd-4th century Romano-British society.

Thanks. Guy....You're right-- the correct term is senatores pedarii (I read a note somewhere calling them "walking senators" which I then translated literally but incorrectly as senatores ambulantes). There's at least two theories on the term-- curile senators (those who held high office) who arrived by cart (carrus) and sat in curile chairs vs the pedarii who arrived on foot...or from the fact that pedarii never got to speak but merely expressed support of the speaker by walking to his side. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2007.01.0072:book=3:chapter=18&highlight=pedarii Another interesting treatment of the Senate during the Republic https://youtu.be/QcWqu0Ifxjc?si=bT4glKAbINhePaGa

This is an interesting article about the fascinating frescoes at the Pompeian property of the House of the Thiasus, named after the term for a Dionysian procession. The article describes the discovery, excavation, and interpretation of a spectacularly decorated Dionysian dining hall in a massive Pompeian residence now called the House of the Thiasus. Its vivid frescoes-painted between 40-30 B.C.-depict ecstatic followers of Dionysus, violent maenads, and lavish food imagery, offering new insight into Pompeii's deep, centuries-long engagement with the mystery cult of Dionysus. One of the article's most important contributions is showing that Pompeii's relationship with Dionysus was: Older than previously thought More pervasive across social classes More deeply tied to household religion than to public cult This article contrasts the findings of the House of the Thiasus (located in Pompeii) and the Villa of the Mysteries (located outside the city walls) House of the Thiasus Located inside Pompeii, embedded in an elite urban neighborhood. Part of a massive townhouse complex, renovated repeatedly to project status. The Dionysian room is one chamber within a multifunctional domestic environment. Villa of the Mysteries A suburban villa outside the city walls. A self-contained estate with agricultural, residential, and ritual spaces. The famous fresco room is part of a villa designed for retreat, leisure, and elite display. Implication: The House of the Thiasus shows Dionysian ritual inside the everyday fabric of city life, not just in secluded villas. The Villa of the Mysteries is a Dionysian initiation environment— a place where individuals underwent symbolic transformation through a structured ritual narrative. Both are Dionysian, but they represent two different faces of the god: Dionysus the bringer of ecstasy and abundance (House of the Thiasus) Dionysus the initiator into mystery and rebirth (Villa of the Mysteries) https://archaeology.org/issues/march-april-2026/features/pompeiis-house-of-dionysian-delights/ Here is a previous thread on the find from early information:

Lost Treasures of Rome documentary series is at this moment playing nonstop season 2 on Nat Geo TV, and above is season 1. I guess a couple more seasons exist, but I somehow channel surfed past them due to the low-key approach. It can be a refreshing change from the usual sensational themes, especially when they take on lesser known (and advertiser unappealing) stories of Rome.

The Passage of Commodus has finally been opened to the public. This article is a follow-up to an earlier post (see the post above). Colosseum Archaeological Park — Rome The article announces the first-ever public opening of the Passage of Commodus, the hidden corridor Roman emperors used to enter the Colosseum unseen. After a major restoration, roughly 30 meters of the passage are now accessible. Key Points The Passage is a secret imperial corridor leading directly to the emperor’s box in the Colosseum. 1. Restoration Highlights Marble-clad walls restored, with visible traces of ancient metal clamps. Stucco vault decorations depicting Dionysus, Ariadne, and arena scenes (see picture below). Painted plaster and reconstructed vault sections recreate the original play of light. A tactile map and digital reconstructions help visitors understand lost iconography. 2. Accessibility & Visitor Experience Restoration funded partly through Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). It was made handicap-accessible with a retractable staircase. Small groups of eight visitors at a time may enter Visitors can watch ongoing restoration work through a glass door at the end of the route. 3. Where the Passage Led (Still Unknown) Two main hypotheses: - It was connected to the imperial palaces on the Palatine Hill. - It was linked to the Ludus Magnus, the gladiators’ training complex. Inside the Colosseum’s Passage of Commodus, where emperors once walked | Popular Science

It’s been a while since there has been a post about Hannibal’s elephants, which he brought over the Alps to terrorize Roman troops in 218 BCE. (See post below) Researchers have found ancient bones in Córdoba, Spain, that belonged to an African elephant, the type of elephant used by Hannibal and the Carthaginians (pictured below). The African elephant was not native to Spain. Hannibal used African elephants, in contrast to the larger Asian elephant used by Pyrrhus and later by the Seleucids, against Rome. These findings suggest that the elephant may have been: A Carthaginian war elephant stationed in Iberia before Hannibal’s march. A gift or trade animal from North Africa. A local elephant (unlikely, since native elephants were extinct by then). A symbolic or ritual animal used in elite ceremonies. The researchers also found spherical stones thought to be used for Carthaginian catapults (picture below) https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/landmark-elephant-bone-finding-in-spain-may-be-from-time-of-hannibals-war-against-rome https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352409X2600012X?via%3Dihub A good video about Hannibal’s drunk elephants:

Here is a map of Hannibal's route thru Spain although it probably is speculation, biased by a presumption that coastal lowlands aren't as rugged as they are. Then a topographic map showing inland Cordoba is indeed on a river valley coming close in the east to another river snaking east thru mountains. But again those valleys may be really rugged. So IMHO even if 100 elephants were led thru and occasionally died in Spain it seems unlikely to find any ancient death site vs souvenir pieces spread far and wide.

It's unclear how many elephants Hannibal started out with- 37 is a commonly quoted number- and even less clear how many survived the crossing of the Alps. Some sources say only one-- but Livy uses the plural "elephantes" when talking about subsequent battles....and he clearly states that it was the Roman cavalry horses that panicked "not only at the sight but at the unaccustomed smell of the elephants." He says that the Roman soldiers stood up well to them and quickly learned to "shoot darts at the animals' sides and stab them under the tails where the flesh is soft." (Livy Ab Urbe Condita https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0144%3Abook%3D21%3Achapter%3D55 ) Livy also says that his sources give conflicting numbers about the size of the Punic army and number of animals involved.

(Scene of Brutus feasting with Cato and Pompey while besieging Caesar from the HBO series “Rome.”) The above video made me wonder: How did Romans preserve food for storage and long journeys? Here are a few ways: 🏺 Core Preservation Methods Salting: One of the most widespread preservation methods, salting drew moisture from meat and fish, slowing bacterial growth. Romans relied heavily on this technique for pork, fish, and even certain vegetables. Smoking: Meat and fish were suspended over low, smoldering fires. The smoke dehydrated the food while infusing it with antimicrobial compounds and distinctive flavors. Pickling: Many foods were preserved by submerging them in brine, vinegar, or a combination of both. This method worked especially well for vegetables, fruits, and some meats. Drying: Fruits, meats, and grains were commonly dried in the sun or wind. The warm, dry Mediterranean climate made dehydration a particularly effective and accessible technique. Storing in oil or honey: Items such as fruits, cheeses, and even prepared dishes could be submerged in olive oil or honey to limit air exposure and slow spoilage. Fermentation: Certain foods, most famously garum (a fermented fish sauce), were preserved through controlled decomposition aided by salt. This process created long-lasting, nutrient-rich condiments. Cool storage: Wealthier Romans sometimes used deep cellars, snow pits, or imported ice to keep food cool. While effective, this method was limited to those with the resources to maintain such facilities. 🍇 Why These Methods Worked Roman preservation techniques focused on controlling moisture, acidity, salt concentration, and exposure to air—the same scientific principles that underpin modern food preservation. These methods were essential for sustaining large urban populations and provisioning armies, enabling food to travel long distances and remain edible across changing seasons. A previous post on Roman cool storage: Here is a longer video on Roman food preservation:

The Basilica of Vitruvius has been discovered in Fano, Italy. Vitruvius was the great Roman architect of the first century BCE. The basis for the claim is Vitruvius himself, who described this specific building in De Architectura, the only structure he attributes to himself. https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-confirm-fano-discovery-as-vitruvius-legendary-basilica-a-turning-point-for-classical-architecture/ Archaeologists state that the uncovered ruins correspond to the proportions, layout, and architectural features Vitruvius described for the basilica. These features include a rectangular public building, along with consistent dimensions and structural elements. Here is Vitruvius’ description of the structure: https://share.google/JZKoQhGBTuwm3QfVw

The “House of the Griffins” is an aristocratic home on the Palantine Hill, dating from the first and second century BCE during the Roman Republican era. Due to the fragile frescoes and narrow access, the public will be able to visit only by tours led by guides using head-mounted smartphones. It is hoped that this method will allow access to while minimizing humidity and CO2, preserving the delicate art. The house is well known for its frescoes and mosaics, including the griffin (lion/eagle) imagery. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-01-13-ancient-roman-home-opens-to-public-with-remote-guided-tours/

Everything reminds me of something else. The little body parts are no doubt from votives. We moderns continue the practice with little statues of the saints, for instance. Motorists often keep a small but stately St. Christopher on the dashboard of their cars....I thought bad drivers should have one where he's cringing and holding his hands & arms up to protect his face contorted in an expression of terror. The Tiberina island that sits in the river in Rome between the Forum Boarium and Trastevere district is actually man made. It formed when silt built up after the king Tarquinius Superbus was deposed in 509BC. His wheat fields just across the river were devastated by the angry Romans and thrown into the river there. With low water levels, they collected silt over time....200 years later, with a plague threatening Rome, the Senate sent a delagation to Greece to get some medical advice. They brought back a snake thought to be the god Asclepius. The snake jumped ship in the river and settled itself on the Tiberina, thereafter a refuge for snakes and the sick....and it of course is a great place for quarantine separated from the general traffic of the city.

I like this video history of why some gladiator types were phased out and in:

Seven skeletons have been discovered in a well in Osijek, Croatia (near ancient Mursa), and are believed to be Roman soldiers from the last half of the third century AD. The date was confirmed by carbon dating and a coin minted in AD 251 of Decius' son Hostilian. The deaths may have resulted from a battle in Mursa (AD 260), fought between Gallienus and the usurper Ingenuus. During that battle, Ingenuus was defeated by Gallienus’s cavalry, commanded by Aureolus. (Below is a link to that forgotten battle) A closer look at this discovery may reveal fascinating insights into legionary life. The seven skeletons were all adult males: four young adults and three middle-aged. They were first discovered in 2011, and the results of their analysis were released in the fall of 2025. The skeletons showed bone stress markers typical of trained soldiers. The average height was 172.5 cm (five feet, 8 inches). The lack of armor or other personal items suggests that these bodies were members of the losing Ingenuus’ forces. The lack of memorial stones or other markers supports the belief. Evidence of puncture wounds was found on the skeletons (shown below: sounds on the upper sternum and posterior side of the right hip): https://archaeologymag.com/2025/10/skeleton-filled-well-in-croatia-reveals-roman-soldiers/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/seven-skeletons-found-in-a-croatian-well-were-likely-ancient-roman-soldiers-who-died-during-a-troubled-time-for-the-empire-180987566/ Remains of Seven Roman Soldiers Fallen in the Battle of Mursa in 260 CE Found in a Well in Croatia The scientific article on the find: 🧾 Key Findings Archaeological context: Excavated in 2011 at Mursa, a Roman colony in Pannonia. The grave held seven fully articulated skeletons deposited at the same time. Radiocarbon dating indicates the burial occurred between 240–340 CE, aligning with mid-3rd century events. A coin minted under Emperor Hostilian (251 CE) was found in the fill, supporting the dating. Demography & health: All individuals were adult males, aged 18 to 50, with an average height of approximately 172.5 cm. Pathologies included vertebral changes, dental disease, and stress markers such as cribra orbitalia and enamel hypoplasia. Evidence of healed injuries indicated previous combat exposure. Two skeletons exhibited perimortem trauma from sharp weapons (puncture wounds in the manubrium and ilium, as well as cuts on the ribs and humerus). Dietary evidence (stable isotopes): The diet mainly consisted of C3 plants (possibly wheat and barley, the main components of Roman military rations) and C4 plants (possibly millet, widely grown in Central/Eastern Europe and used in Roman diets), with limited terrestrial animal protein. Very low marine protein consumption, aligning with the inland Roman military diet. Genetic analysis (aDNA): Four individuals yielded usable genome-wide data. Results showed heterogeneous ancestry, including Northern/Central European, Eastern European (Pontic-Caspian), and Eastern Mediterranean genetic components. No continuity with the local Early Iron Age population, suggesting they were non-local recruits. Distinct paternal haplogroups (N1a1, R1b1, I2a1b, I1a3a1) confirmed diversity. ⚖️ Interpretation The combination of male-only burial, combat injuries, strong physiques, and diverse backgrounds clearly indicates these were Roman soldiers. The burial probably indicates casualties from a major military event, most likely the Battle of Mursa in 260 CE, when Emperor Gallienus defeated the usurper Ingenuus. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0333440 The Battle of Mursa 260 AD - Free Source Library

Ignore, having issues with other forums this morning i.e. not able to bring up pages, post etc. Thanks.

In reading The Aeneid again recently, in particular the end of Book IV where Dido kills herself with Aeneas' sword. Vergil doesn't use the word "gladius."...and as I thought about it, it was apparent he rarely uses the word gladius in the whole work..... The Perseus site has a tool showing word frequencies among the common Latin works of lit.... https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/wordfreq?lookup=Ensis&lang=la Vergil usually uses words like "ensis," "ferrum" (cf- our "steel") or "arms" (arms). More rare words like pugio (dagger), sica (knife as a murder weapon) or culter (cutting edge, as in our cultivate) occur only once or twice in every 10-20,000 words. According to the Perseus tool, Vergil uses gladius only 9 times in the whole Aeneid. Livy uses it 96x in Ab Urbe Condita (Books 1-10) while Caesar uses it 24x in his Gallic Wars, a shorter work. For the word ferrum-- Livy 169x....Vergil 174x....Caesar 43x Arma-- Livy 750x ...Livy 554....Caesar 182 and Ensis-- Livy only once...Caesar not at all....and Vergil 63 times....so I guess we're justified in calling "ensis" a poetic word for sword.

Certainly an impressive curriculum vitae.....but we could turn this into a discussion like the classic one in American baseball history-- who was the best center fielder, Mickey, Willy or The Duke? If you were chosing up sides for a stick ball game in the street, you couldn't go wrong no matter who you chose. Other Roman soldiers of notable bravery mentioned by Livy-- Horatio Cocles, Gaius Mucous Scaevola, Marcus Furious Camillus, and even a woman, Cloelia, who bravely led other women & children hostages to freedom back across the Tiber. Eg- https://pjmedia.com/spencer-klavan/2014/08/11/the-10-most-badass-roman-war-heroes-n154853#google_vignette In the account given by Guy above, Livy at least has the honesty to state that the speech is reproduced "as handed down to us" (a more direct translation from the Latin "fertur" in the original)....Livy says in his introductory remarks to Ab Urbe... that perhaps we should regard the stories coming from ancient authors as works of poetry rather than factual documents. Pretty smart cookie. Dionysius of Halicanarssus, OTOH, reproduces speeches on a regular basis that are pages long as if a stenographer were always present to record things in a Congressional Record. His work reads more like an historical novel than a credible history.

Pressure mounting due to sensing the crumbling resolve of western civilization, with it's woke readiness to appease in a spirit of suicidal empathy. Egypt has long been on the brink of radical islamic takeover (think Afghan buddha demolition or Syria Roman destruction), and suffered thousands of artifacts looted from museums and archeo sites in 2011 revolution. Still there are a six figure surfeit of items remaining under the watch of tiresome Z. Hawass, whose "reinstatement sparked protests from museum workers and archaeologists, who struck in April 2011 demanding his removal over alleged cronyism and suppression of dissent within the antiquities sector" according to https://grokipedia.com/page/Zahi_Hawass Let's stiffen our spine and preserve selected hieroglyphs and Greek sculptures in the 1st rather than exclusively 2nd or 3rd world! Look how much Egypt benefited by the stone laying around France and England for scholars to eventually solve the puzzle. Think how many hieroglyphs have meanwhile been sandblasted in Egypt. Egypt is awash in same-theme artifacts as is Greece in same-theme artifacts. Maybe they should instead ask for donation of artifacts from outside-civilizations for local museums for diversity and education. (Athens does have a cool Hellenic Air Force museum if you are need a change of pace or the regulars are on strike.) Following graph shows world bank estimate of negative Egyptian political stability:

4 years into restoration of medieval tower, it partially collapsed. When rescue workers gesture they have found a survivor, the cheers of crowd appear to trigger further collapse which results in death of worker. Italian news site full of finger pointing that may take a while to sort out. I can't embed dramatic video due to busy factor, so click on https://youtu.be/VuolVj6K0Yk?si=RhGm7pXfvDvmQ83W or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsYSCGaWWbA

Impressive, but then I'm from Chicago where the oldest building is that grotesque Water Tower, only about 150 years old. I wonder if they'll try to restore it/save it? ...Actually, most of the ruins we see in and about the forum are the remains of late Empire restorations, not the originals of the early Empire. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7560/760783 ....kinda reminds me of seeing George Washington's original hatchet with which he chopped down the cherry tree. Of course, after 300 years, the head had been replaced twice and the handle three times. Thanks for posting.

Arrgh, at least there is still hope they enscribe more than just the usual niceties.

While most of us who've ever had 2 of 3 y/o kids to care for know the strong temptation to rub out the over-active, little nuisances, most us resist the urge. Apparently neither the Mayans nor the Cartiginians had such good self control. Long thought to be anti-Carthage propaganda, Roman and Greek reports of child sacrifice there now have been confirmed by archeological evidence. https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2014-01-23-ancient-carthaginians-really-did-sacrifice-their-children