Gaius Paulinus Maximus

Sorry guys I've got to disagree with you. I think Formula 1 is great entertainment. The Chinese GP was especially good, a great start, some nice over taking moves, a laughable error by Jenson Button, and a win for Lewis Hamilton not to mention the amazing drive from Mark Webber, starting 18th on the grid, dropping down to 20th then battling his way through the field to overtake button on the last lap to take third place and earn himself a deserved place on the podium. Now there's no way you can call that dull is there?? The skill and concentration required to even finish a Grand Prix let alone win one is remarkable. not to mention the technology involved. IMO it's by far the best motorsport around!

I've just seen a trailer for it on the new Sky Atlantic channel here in the UK. Not sure when it starts though?? Historical.......sex.......violence........drama????? What more could a guy ask for!!!! This should nicely fill the void left by the excellent Tudors.

Wow Doc, sounds like a pretty hectic month you've just had, hope the next one one is a bit more easy going on you! Hope the weather sorts itself out for you, a bit of sunshine always makes the days feel less stressful don't you think?

Re the foriegn delivery, a couple of years ago I was working in Madrid I was in my van with English plates taking a delivery from a van from Hannover in Germany!! It gets better!! I was installing signs for Lexus which is owned by Toyota which is Japanese, so an English firm was in Span installing signs made in Germany for a Japenese company !! Figure that one out? I wasn't compaining though!!

Very nice review Lanista. I love these easy going and hugely enjoyable books that Maty keeps producing, they really do make learning about ancient Rome a pleasure. This one is definately next on my hit list.

Hey caldrail we may be related because you've just perfectly described my Auntie! If wittering on was an Olympic event then she would most certainly be odds on for the gold medal! Bless em!!

I must admit, most of my days at work are spent working outside and when ever it's cold and miserable when lets face it is quite often, all we say is "can't wait till it's warm......bring on the sunshine" but after yesterdays stifling heat, all we were praying for was a bit of cloud cover, " wish that sun would piss off, it's too warm for work!!" I suppose we're never happy are we? It didn't help though that right opposite where we were working was quite possibly the most inviting beer garden I've ever seen, which just got fuller and fuller as the day went on!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIRGIL !!!!! Hope you had a great day

Thanks for the nice welcome! I'm busy reading and absorbing information here - making up for lost time as I had zero interest in ancient history until I stood in the Forum, amazed and captivated by Rome's history last August! Yeah I know where you're coming from, the first time I visited Rome and especially the Forum and Palatine it just blew me away, it truly is a captivating and special place!

The amount of errors in this book due to what appears to be poor editing is quite worrying but I've gotta say that I do like the sound of the book as a whole, the main protagonists that are discussed are some of the most interesting people and some of my favourite characters from this era of Roman history, plus I do like the fact that the author maybe strays from the path occasionally, so for that reason I just might invest in these essays! Btw nice review Bryaxis

thanks again everyone for your Bday wishes!

Welcome to UNRV Noricum and Raunman. I'm sure you'll love it around here, and by the way Raunman, we are NOT sad souls!!!!

Dr Mayor, Thanks for your time. Firstly, with regards to Mithridates total resistance to poison, how true would you say this is? Had he really concocted the perfect antidote or was it a case of exaggeration and the Myth of the poison king expanding over time. Secondly, if Mithridates did perfect his antidote then do we still have an examination of his pharmacology available to us and are his methods still used in anyway in todays medicine? Thank you.

To paint yourself with dusty mud, and then wander around in the highlands of Scotland of all places . . . well, it wouldn't last very long is what I'm saying. I'm venturing up to the highlands of Scotland in a couple of months to climb Ben Nevis, after watching The Eagle I'm thinking of leaving the hiking gear at home doing it starkers with just a bit of dusty mud to hide my dignity........ not that there'll be much "dignity" to hide with the temperatures up there!!

Congrats Vig! Noce choice of book too, could it possibly be a candidate for a review???

I've been to see The Eagle today and I thought it was really good, it's been a while since I've seen the Romans on the big screen. I'm also glad that it stayed reasonably true to the book and I thought that Jamie Bell was excellent as Esca, he was just as I imagined him from the book. I'm just wondering if they will go on to make "The Silver Branch" and "the Lantern Bearers" ?? I thought that the ending seemed to indicate that there was more to come?

Cheers guys! I've had a great birthday today! Aurelia, that is quite possibly the best birthday cake I've ever seen!! Infact it looks very similar to the numerous one's I had last night! only problem was, I kept burning my lips!!!

Hey there Scipio! Welcome to UNRV!

Welcome back vtc, where have you been hiding?? I may be wrong but I seem to remember that you were in the proccess of writing a novel set in ancient Rome the last time you were around here??? Did you ever manage to get the book finished? or have I got you completely mixed up with somebody else

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYAXIS !!! Hope you had a great day!!

Two rare, carved altar stones found in East Lothian could shed new light about the Roman period in Scotland, it has been claimed. The Roman stones were found during the redevelopment of a cricket pavilion in Lewisvale Park, Musselburgh. Experts said they may help re-write the history books on the Roman occupation of Inveresk. Although they were found in March 2010, it has only now become safe to fully inspect them. Archaeologists said the stones were of "exceptional quality". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12771243

Thanks for the recomendations Corax, I'll definately look into those. The novels I've been reading are a series of books called the Forgotten Legion chronicles by Ben Kane. It's set in the late Republic around the time of Caesar, Pompey, Crassus etc. Mithras doesn't appear till the second book but then the religion plays quite prominent role in the storyline. http://www.amazon.co...gion+chronicles I did a review for UNRV on the first book in the series a while ago.

Personally I think it's just a case of believing their own hype and completely underestimating the Romans proffesionalism.Tthe Britons recent successes over the romans would of more than likely gone to their heads plus the fact of their by far superior numerical advantage. The Brits would have been supremely confident of destroying such an "inferior" force and would have seen no need to use flanking tactics etc, an all out frontal assault would have been sufficient enough to ensure a comprehensive victory, numbers would win the day............Oh how wrong they were!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PP! The big 4-0 !! :clapping: Hope you have a great day

Welcome to UNRV Corax, I'm sure you'll love it around here! In a novel I've been recently reading the cult of Mithras plays quite a big part, it's got me wanting to learn more about this mysterious God worshipped mostly in the legions, could you recommend any good books on the subjects? thanks