Ludovicus

Hogarty, author of the podcast series, states flatly that the collapse in Britain was much more serious than on the Continent. What I found interesting was Hogarty's tracing of the long history of relationships between the Romans and the barbarians near the frontier.

Yes, lots of information and visuals. Taken all together, the episodes could easily be designed as a semester course on the origins of Eurpean civilization.

Very interesting, thank you. Reviewing this old post I see that I never thanked you for the transcription. Thanks indeed!

The first seven episodes of this Joseph Hogarty podcast/slide show series contains very interesting commentary and rarely seen (for me, at least) art work on the transformation of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires during late antiquity. http://www.ahistoryofeurope.eu/A_History_of_Europe/A_History_of_Europe.html The emphasis here is on transformation rather than fall of the West. I'm generally of the fall position alla Ward Perkins, but Hogarty provides some good evidence and visuals for something more gradual, especially in Gaul and Hispania.

Decimus, Thanks! The more I read accounts of the tomb in the Italian press the more I realize that he's called Macrinus after a first reference to his entire name, just as in your suggestion.

Thanks so much!

The tomb of Marcus Nonius Marcrinus was discovered about two years ago along the Tiber. The find was spectacular owing to the high rank of this individual, a confidant of Marcus Aurelius. Unfortuately, the Italian government lacks the funds to adequately excavate and secure the site for the enjoyment of future generations. If no funds are forthcoming, the most interesting site in Rome in decades will have to be reburied. I think that here we've all been aware of the loss of precious sites in Pompeii for lack of proper upkeep, e. g. the House of the Gladiators. The Uffizzi lost some of its ceiling frescoes just last week. I'm looking for statistics and budget figures that reveal the lack of funding for the maintenance and development of Italy's cultural and archaeological sites. Perhaps, it not just a lack of funding, but the way cultural sites are viewed in general by the Italian government. No doubt, the current austerity measures directed at the economic crisis have played a role, as well.

I'm doing a presentation on the recently discovered tomb of Marcus Nonius Macrinus, confidant of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (and inspiration for the movie The Gladiator). How do I refer to the occupant of the tomb? M. Nonius Macrinus, M. Nonius, M.? It's quite a long name. Any suggestions?

The government-backed institute has recently finished analysing components of the glass beads, measuring five millimetres (0.2 inches) in diametre, with tiny fragments of gilt attached. It found that the light yellow beads were made with natron, a chemical used to melt glass by craftsmen in the empire, which succeeded the Roman Republic in 27 BC and was ultimately ended by the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. For the full story: http://news.ninemsn....aspx?id=8488215

Sorry for the omission. I meant to ask about the ships found near the train station in Pisa, Italy. Has anyone visited the museum constructed to show the Pisan vessels?

I enjoyed the documentary. Thanks for posting. A few years ago a number of Roman ships were found near the train station ( ancient harbor area). What's become of them? As I remember, they were full of well preserved wares, ship equipment.

The financial industry, in securitizing (making stocks out of) debt, produces nothing except huge profits for those willing to gamble. And they have even riskier games than most people can begin to understand. Then, when the banks lose their shirts in the Casino of Risky Financial Instruments, as in 2008, the public is made to bail them out. At least the robber barons of the 19th Century, corrupt and ruthless as they were, created great wealth for the country: railroads, industries, commerce, innovations, and infrastructure. This new bunch of 21st Century capitalists are endangering capitalism as a productive system. I, for one, would like to see enough regulations to prevent another 2008 bank rescue.

Income inequality has been a feature of our US society from the beginning. It would be utopian in the extreme and even harmful to eliminate it. Greater productivity should receive greater compensation. The phenonom that we see developing now in the US is extreme income inequality. Those receiving the greater compensation--bankers and investment managers--are the very ones destroying wealth, yet their salaries and bonus are sacrosanct.

In a series of studies, Ian Moyer explores the ancient history and modern historiography of relations between Egypt and Greece from the fifth century bce to the early Roman empire. Beginning with Herodotus, he analyzes key encounters between Greeks and Egyptian priests, the bearers of Egypt's ancient traditions. Four moments unfold as rich micro-histories of cross-cultural interaction: Herodotus

There is evidence that the Romans stored wine in glass bottles. See: http://www.sutton.com/articles/view-24 Corks weren't used. The Romans floated a layer of olive oil on top of the bottled wine to keep it from oxidizing. Yuck!

I was under the impression that the storage of wine in bottles didn't come about until after the middle ages. There's some thing about this article that doesn't ring true. Bottle never opened, yet wine was "analyzed" in the 19th Century.

Weren't a few provincials writing about conditions in 5th Centuary Gaul? Check to learn what sources author Ian Pears used for the Late Roman Provence scenes in his excellent novel "The Dream of Scipio."

http://www.penn.museum/collections/list.php?id=36 Here's a selection of Roman and Italic glass.

P,Here's the animated Atrium of the Hagia Sophia from the same artists:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ2eYZz3iWg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Felix natalis dies, Kosmo! Though one day late.

From vivid still reconstructions of Constantinople to this new animated view of the harbor of Theodosius, Byzantium1200 does spectacular work. All you Eastern Empire fans, enjoy:

Thanks. More realistic than most game settings.

Far from the cliches of warmongering hunter-gatherers with winged helmets, the show reveals them to be sophisticated farmers, craftsmen and traders. ''The Gauls didn't wait for the Romans or Greeks to civilise them,'' said archaeologist Francois Malrain, one of the show's curators. ''They lived in a refined society

Do you have a link?

This looks like it may answer some of your questions. The book was published earlier this year. "Roman Aristocrats in Barbarian Gaul" http://www.amazon.com/Roman-Aristocrats-Barbarian-Gaul-Strategies/dp/0292729839/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I289ZWDX38UN6H&colid=ZQCEJLBI4BIW