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Gaius Paulinus Maximus

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Posts posted by Gaius Paulinus Maximus

  1. Yes, very nice,

    for all that don`t use Firefox, there is a spellchecker integrated in the forum. You can read at my blog how to set it up

     

    I hate spellchecks. I always avoid them or disable them. Does anyone else agree with me? When those little red lines come up I find myself saying either

     

    I knew that already! I was just going to change it! Don't interfere!

     

    or

     

    You're wrong! You don't understand. I really mean this!

     

    I suppose the answer is that I suffer from a severe form of hubris.

     

     

    Haha you and me both AD :D

  2. The Phalerae:

     

    http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=912

     

    small "award discs" usually worn by the Centurion.

     

    Thanks for that Pertinax, what a great picture, i've heard of the Phalerae before, i believe it was originally a piece of a horses harness which used to cover the corner of the horses mouth and was also considered to be highly decorative.

     

    Check this website out for a few more pictures of the Phalerae

     

    http://www.legionxxiv.org/centurionpage/

  3. In a book i've recently been reading a soldier was given an award for bravery in battle, after a bit of research this is what i came up with.

     

    Corona - A crown. The term was generally confined to military decorations for the very highest valour.

     

    Corona Graminea - The grass crown, awarded to a man who saved a whole legion, or - upon rare occasions - even a whole army.

     

    Corona Civica - The civic crown, made of ordinary oak leaves. It was awarded to a man who had saved the lives of fellow soldiers, and held the ground on which he did this for the rest of the battle.

     

    Corona Aurea - The first of the more minor crowns,which interestingly were intrinsically far more valuble than the two above (an indication that they were far newer). This gold crown was awarded to a man who killed an enemy in single combat, and held the ground for the rest of the battle.

     

    Corona Muralis - A crenellated gold crown awarded to the first man over the walls of an enemy city when it was stormed.

     

    Corona Navalis - A gold crown adorned with ships beaks, awarded for outstanding valour during a sea battle.

     

    Corona Vallaris - A gold crown awarded to the first man across the ramparts of an enemy camp.

     

    Armillae - Wide bracelets of gold or silver, awarded as prizes for valour to roman legionaries, centurions, cadets, and military tribunes.

     

    Has anybody got anything else to add to this list, or any more infomation on theses awards or on anyone who has recieved them?

  4. I've just returned from working/drinking away from home, i've been to a lovely little scottish town called Jedburgh for a week then across to N Ireland for another week so have been far too busy checking out the local sights and taverns to stay in and watch the notorious Ancient Rome, and from what i've just read it dosn't appear i missed much.

     

    I suppose i'll watch tonight's effort seen as though it's the last one, fingers crossed they might even finish the series with a bang!

  5. One of the reasons Caesar attempted to invade Britannia was because he had heard that it was an island rich with minerals and ore, so he certainly had some infomation, probably a lot more than he was letting on

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    Like D.C says, Caesar was quite partial to the odd exaggeration now and then and if it helped to make his achievement that little bit more spectacular then why not keep a lid on it.

  6. NOTE: The Gordianus books are actually by Steven Saylor, NOT by Scarrow.

     

     

    Haha thanks for that Phil, ofcourse they were by Saylor, i was in a bit of a rush when writing it and didn't bother to check it.....sorry :bag:

     

    I've got all the books in the "Roma Sub Rosa" series aswell as the "Eagle" Series by Scarrow both of which are excellent historical novels.

     

    Would you recommend the "SPQR" series Phil ?, i've had a look at them but am not so sure wether i fancy them that much.

  7. I've read all the Simon Scarrow novels and think that they are great.

    has anyone read any of Simon Scarrow's novels about Gordianus The Finder, he's a private detective in ancient Rome during the late republic, i would highly recommend these to fans of Roman novels

  8. Great review Pertinax! I have a few books on Hadrian's wall but these are very short, basic stuff. If this is a must have then I better start saving up for it now. It sounds like a real classic.

     

    Its excellent value in paperback, and thank you DC.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hadrians-Wall-Peng...TF8&s=books

     

     

    I've just purchased this book from Amazon, but it's a different edition than the one pictured, it's from the 70's and the front cover is a picture of the wall in winter, all covered in snow, it's really is a beautiful shot of the wall and it cost me the princely sum of 99p plus p+p :rolleyes: , the book is in very good condition, the pages are slightly browned with age but i think this just makes the book even more special.

    i'm a third of the way through it and i must say that it really is a fantastic piece of work :(

  9. I came across this noble and touching tribute by Horace, he's thanking his father for giving him an education and it just set me thinking about schooling in ancient Rome, Did they have proper schools?, who could attend these schools?, were they only available to the Nobilitas ?

     

     

    Horace, Satires, I.6.xi.70-90

     

    If I dare venture to speak in my own praise, and say that I live undefiled, innocent, and dear to my friends, let me confess that I owe all this to my father. A poor man he was, and on a lean farm, yet he was not content to send me to a local school [at Venusia, his home town] under the pedant Flavius, though boys of pretensions, sons of prominent centurions, went there with their school bags and writing tablets slung over their left arms, and carrying their teacher the fee in their hands on the Ides of eight months in the year. On the contrary, he had the spirit to bring me even as a child to Rome, to be taught those liberal arts which a senator or eques requires for his children. If anyone had seen my dress and the slaves that attended me in the big city, he would have guessed that I was maintained by some hereditary estate. My father---most faithful of guardians---was ever present at all my studies. Why need I say more? He preserved my modesty (the first point of virtue) not merely untainted, but free from the very rumor of taint. He was not afraid lest any one should reproach him [for giving an education to a son] who turned out to be an auctioneer, or as my father was, a tax gatherer. I should not then have complained. But all the more is praise due to him, and from me the greater gratitude. As long as I keep my senses I will never be ashamed of such a father, nor apologize for my [humble] birth as do so many, asserting "it is no fault of theirs."

  10. He was if I remember correctly Caesar's fathers cousin.

     

    Caesar's father who was also called Gaius Julius Caesar had a brother called Sextus Julius Caesar so surely this would make him Caesar's uncle.......wouldn't it??

     

    There were quite a few Sextus Julius'.

  11. I too watched 'Extras'................"Is he avin a laugh??" haha very funny!

     

    As for the BBC's Ancient Rome which i recorded and watched later, i thought it was ok this week, again it was all a bit rushed and not enough info on the other events during that period, although in its defence this episode was called 'rebellion' and not 'Vespasian' or 'The year of the four emperors' so they had every right to just concentrate on the Jewish rebellion, which i thought they did a pretty good job of.(all be it a bit rushed)

    I think one thing they can be commended on is the accuracy of the costumes, over the past four episodes the one thing that has seemed to be spot on has been the armour and weaponary of the soldiers, it all fits in well with the battle dress of each particular era

  12. We all know Agrippa's millitary and building achievements, there's little left to be said, except that for an equestrian to win multiple triumphs, hold multiple consulships, to wield Tribunicia Potestas and Imperium Maius was unheard of for a man of his class, or any class for that matter.

     

    What about Gaius Marius?

  13. If you guys have not yet got THE CAESARS (Granada TV 1968) then you should order it NOW!

     

    It is concerned with all of the postvAugustus intrigue. I have not seen I,CLAUDIUS but will buy it soon.

     

    Richard2 was starved to death in the castle of my local town, Phil. Pontefract.

     

     

    I CLAUDIUS is being repeated at the moment on BBC 4 on thursdays at 11:00pm, it's only two or three episodes into the series, it's my first time of watching it and i must say that i'm really enjoying it!

  14. After a bit of research on Livia Drusilla it appears to me that there was a considerable change in her character from the time she married Augustus. Together, they formed the role model for Rome. Despite his wealth and power, Augustus and his family continued to live modestly in their house on the Palatine Hill. Livia would set the pattern for the noble Roman matrona . She wore neither excessive jewellery nor pretentious costumes, she took care of the household and her husband (often making his clothes herself), she paid no attention to his notorious womanising, always faithful and dedicated.

     

    It seems to me though that her one true goal in life was to see her son Tiberius as the only heir to the empire and maybe she had a hand in the deaths of those who stood in his way. Rumor had it that when Marcellus, nephew of Augustus, died in 23, it was no natural death, and that Livia was behind it (Dio Cassius 55.33.4). One by one, all the sons of Julia the Elder by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa died: first Lucius and then Gaius, whom Augustus had adopted as his sons, intending them to be his successors and then finally Postumus was imprisoned and mysteriously done away with leaving only Tiberius as the only possible successor to Augustus. There was even mention that she had something to do with his death aswell, Dio Cassius mentions a plot involving poisoned figs????

     

    Maybe Livia started out as the perfect Roman matron but the status, wealth, power and over whelming devotian in bringing Tiberius to power and maintaining him once he got there took over.

     

    Who knows, at the end of the day it all comes down to a little bit of imagination and a little bit of guess work, but either way it all good fun!

  15. It is interesting that Posthumus Agrippa was categorised as unsuitable even to be considered as an emperor. It might even be considered odd - given the alleged propensities of Gaius (Caligula) and Nero who both eventually inherited the purple.

     

    Posthumus was said to be vicious and like gladiatorial games and savagery too much. But whether that judgement reflected a son born of an ageing father who might have suffered from some mental ailment; or was politically inspired by rival claimants, is unclear to me. The lad was exiled and then murdered either immediately before or after Augustus' death - but whether on his orders or those of Tiberius is again unclear from the sources.

     

     

     

     

    Phil

     

    Postumus's banishment did ensure Tiberius's priority as Augustus's heir. Tacitus (1.3; 1.5) and Dio (56.30) give an account of how Augustus paid a highly covert visit to the island in 13 to apologize to his grandson and give him notice of plans to return him to Rome. Augustus was accompanied by a trusted friend, Fabius Maximus, and swore him to secrecy about the matter; Maximus then told his wife, Marcia, who inadvertently mentioned it to Livia. Maximus was soon found dead, and Marcia subsequently claimed she was responsible for his death. It is dubious whether this tale has any veracity.

     

    Regardless of Augustus' supposed visit, the emperor died the following year without having removed Postumus from Planasia, and very shortly after his death Postumus was executed by his guards. Inconsistent accounts of who ordered the death existed almost from the start, when Tiberius immediately and publicly disavowed the act upon being notified of it. While some suggested that Augustus himself may have ordered it via secret instructions in his will not to let Postumus survive him, it is more likely that either Tiberius or Livia (with or possibly without Tiberius's knowledge) gave the order, taking advantage of the confusing initial political situation upon Augustus' death.

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