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Ursus

Plebes
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Everything posted by Ursus

  1. In the last couple of years there have been a number of books on Constantine and the Nicean Council. I have read at least 1 bio of Constantine that took an even handed approach (he did have some political and military acumen, regardless of what I think of his religious policies). http://www.unrv.com/...ntine-great.php The main problem was that it was not, strictly speaking, academic.
  2. Roman-Celtic Wife Swap There is a bunch of other stuff, but the boards don't let me post more than one media link in one post.
  3. Ursus

    Like a circle in a spiral

    They are a booming industry where I live, and I am for them. I am all for Green Energy. But like in your neck of the woods, some of the locals find them unsightly. Or perhaps demonic. There are also some environmentalists opposed to them. Yes, environmentalists. Why? Because a few dozen birds every year get too close to the blades and get chopped up.
  4. Ursus

    Those about to plumb salute you

    I would go to see the gladiatrixes.
  5. Ursus

    Cynicism and the Common People

    I agree. Furthermore .... did any philosophy really appeal to the commoners? I think you had to have a certain education and certain amount of leisure time to appreciate the heady speculation of Hellenic philosophers. I don't think peasants toiling in the fields or townsmen working in their shops would be really inclined for that sort of thing.
  6. Oops. Must have missed that one.
  7. A group of classical philologists, mathematical historians and surveying experts at Berlin Technical University's Department for Geodesy and Geoinformation Science has produced an astonishing map of central Europe as it was 2,000 years ago. The map shows that both the North and Baltic Seas were known as the "Germanic Ocean" and the Franconian Forest in northern Bavaria was "Sudeti Montes." The map indicates three "Saxons' islands" off the Frisian coast in northwestern Germany -- known today as Amrum, F
  8. Ursus

    Spartacus Star has passed away

    Sad to die so young.
  9. Ursus

    What's the last book you read?

    "The Lost Gods of England" by Brian Branston. I found the lost gods ... they were behind the couch.
  10. I think we must agree to disagree on matters of "artistic" taste.
  11. I enjoyed The Theogony. He has a slightly different take on the Greek gods than Homer. The influence of Near Eastern motives on Greek mythology also come across strongly in Hesiod's works.
  12. Camelot I received an advanced copy of the first episode through my company (I work for cable television). James Purefoy is back. He is essentially playing the same exact character, except that Marc Antony is now a Dark Age warlord. And the series is basically the same as HBO:Rome, with sex and violence and political intrigue. But now you get some stunning Irish scenery thrown in. (Although, amusingly, Camelot castle is said to be a fortress built by the Romans, another Rome link). This looks likes another sexy, costume drama piece that adults can enjoy as long as they don't analyze the historical background too seriously. And even if James is playing basically the same character, I admit he is pretty damn good at it.
  13. Anyone else on the American east coast feel that sucker?
  14. Ursus

    Did the earth move for you too?

    Does she operate a bulldozer?
  15. Ursus

    Sand Of The Arena By James Duffy

    I remember the first review or two I did, I used Senators (e.g, four out of five Senators). I think Viggen edited that out when we went "professional."
  16. Ursus

    New Roman History Books (September 2011)

    If only Pertinax were still around ....
  17. Ursus

    Now That Irene Has Left

    Oh great. The cable company I work for just finished cleaning up the last hurricane's damage on the eastern seaboard.
  18. Nice review. I had been curious about the book. But given the review, I don't think it is my cup of tea.
  19. Ursus

    Did the earth move for you too?

    I live in western Pennsylvania, which is reasonably far from the coast. Chilly weather and a few sprinkles is all we got.
  20. A planet 5 times as large as earth but 18 times as dense as water is strangely crystaline in nature. It orbits a pulsar in tight formation. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/08/110825-new-planet-diamond-pulsar-dwarf-star-space-science/
  21. Ursus

    Did the earth move for you too?

    I'm not sure about the geological implications, but there are far less earthquake proof buildings on the east than in the west. Were there a major earthquake, we'd be devastated. We're used to hurricanes, major snowfalls and the occasional tornado, but not earthquakes.
  22. Ursus

    What's the last book you read?

    I read The Meadhall by Stephen Pollington (2nd edition). It explores the role of said building in Anglo-Saxon culture. A nice look at Germanic religion and culture, and adds some nuance to many passages of Beowulf. Prior to that I had read Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic by Bill Griffiths. That book is a textbook example of how a stuffy academic's dull prose and overly dry analysis can kill a subject that should otherwise be inherently interesting.
  23. I enjoyed reading Fukuyama back in '99 when I was a college senior. But even then I felt he was being overly optimistic or naive. I felt Samuel Huntingdon's "Clash of Civilizations" was the better prophecy. I think in the years since, and in the aftermath of 9/11, Fukuyama more or less admitted he was wrong.
  24. Ursus

    Terry Jones` Barbarians (DVD)

    I just watched: http://www.amazon.co...duct/B001KL3H1W While not perfect, it's a hell of a lot better than Jones.
  25. Ursus

    The Eagle

    I hate to be anal, but I think this discussion should be moved to the main Colosseum forum. It's in the game subforum, for some reason ...
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