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In the Tarim Basin in China, genomic studies suggest that the mummies discovered were of North Eurasian descent. “The genomic study found that the Tarim Basin mummies were not newcomers to the area but rather appear to be direct descendants of Ancient North Eurasians.” “With over 300 tombs, the Little River (Xiaohe) Cemetery, a Bronze Age burial located in the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, Western China, contains the largest number of mummies found at any single site to date. Located on the Silk Road at the confluence of the Eastern and Western cultures, the naturally mummified human remains in boat coffins dating to circa 2,000 BCE to 200 CE have inspired speculations on their enigmatic origins.” “Despite being genetically isolated, the Bronze Age peoples of the Tarim Basin were remarkably culturally cosmopolitan—they built their cuisine around wheat and dairy from the West Asia, millet from East Asia, and medicinal plants like Ephedra from Central Asia.” The wooden boat-shaped coffins covered on cowhides are an unusual finding since the region is far from any large body of water: https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/mysterious-mummies-found-in-chinese-desert-have-an-unexpected-origin/ An excellent video on the discovery:

Please don't underestimate Ms. Loren:

Underwater archaeology continues to yield great discoveries: “According to the ministry, the wreck is dated between the end of the 5th century BC and the middle of the 4th century BC, and appears to have settled on the bottom of the sea intact, since the dispersal of the objects follows the shape of the ship.” “The amphorae were raised between 24-27 September from a depth of 222 meters in a salvage operation by the Underwater Antiquities Ephorate. [The] shipwreck from the Classical era [was] discovered in the narrow channel between the island of Kythira and Neapolis on the Peloponnese in 2019.” https://neoskosmos.com/en/2021/10/26/life/arts/shipwreck-lying-in-sea-off-peloponnese-carried-a-load-of-amphorae/

Here’s a good article about debasement of coinage in Nero’s reign: https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/9477/

There have been previous threads about the importance of salt and salt mining in the ancient world: A recent study looking at fecal samples found in an Iron Age Hallstatt salt mine give some interesting insights. Hallstatt is a town in Austria known for its Iron Age salt mines and salt production. This analysis of the fecal samples found the two fungal species used for fermentation. These species could be used for beer and blue cheese production. Fermented foods require microorganisms to be produced or preserved. These include beer, cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, kimchi, nattō, among others. The fungus Penicillium roqueforti, for example, gives blue cheese its distinct blue-green veined appearance and taste: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211013114028.htm Summary: Modern analysis, including DNA and microbial studies, is shedding light on ancient life. These findings in the article are the result of analysis of ancient fecal samples.

I always confuse Constantius III with Constantine III (the Western Emperor of Britain). Most of us know little about Constantius III. His wife Galla Placidia is better known to most of us. (Her life is worthy of a television series.) This will be a valuable resource for students of Roman history. Ian: Were you able to find many ancient sources on Constantius III? Archaeological and numismatic evidence? This will be your fifth book in my library. Congratulations!

Mummified cats from Ancient Egypt in the British Museum Here is an entertaining article from Antigonejournal.com on the subject of cats and their special place in ancient society and folklore: https://antigonejournal.com/2021/10/egyptian-cats-greek-curiosity/

Here are two excellent videos on Roman inflation and coin debasement.

Written evidence by Pytheas of the Greek contact with ancient Britain predated the Roman presence as discussed in the thread below: The Mycenaean Greeks may have had an even earlier contact with Britain around a thousand years before in 1700 BCE: https://greekreporter.com/2021/10/24/greek-presence-in-britain-history/ The debate remains, however, whether these items are really Mycenaean or were brought to Britain at a much later date. These findings, as well as the writings of Pytheas (see above) suggest an earlier than expected contact of Britain with Ancient Greece.

It is great to see that Augustus (Brian Blessed) and Livia (Siân Phillips) are still alive. Both are well into their 80s.

A nice reunion of two of the main characters:

The catastrophe continues with no end in sight: https://scitechdaily.com/sulfur-skies-over-la-palma-no-signs-that-cumbre-vieja-volcanic-eruption-is-calming/amp/

The archaeological museum in Hatay, Turkey looks like a wonderful place to visit. This newest mosaic on display will be an added marvel, for sure. https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/mosaic-depicting-grape-harvest-to-go-on-display-in-turkeys-hatay/news https://m.bianet.org/english/culture/252229-roman-vineyard-mosaic-to-be-showcased-in-southern-turkey

Pictures of the wood items from L'Anse aux Meadows that were studied https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-vikings-occupied-settlement-in-what-is-now-newfoundland-1000-years-ago/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vikings-landed-north-america-470-years-before-christopher-columbus-research/

A piece of wood from the Norse deposit at L'Anse aux Meadows M. Kuitems https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-dating-method-shows-vikings-occupied-newfoundland-in-1021-ce-180978903/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03972-8 This must have been a fascinating original encounter:

The amount of lava flow from this volcano is overwhelming. (This could also explain why so few bodies have been found at Pompeii.) The controversy of the number of survivors after the volcanic explosion of Pompeii was discussed on a previous thread:

Pytheas (b c350 BCE) was a Greek explorer and geographer. He was also the first person to write about Britain. Strabo later stated that Pytheas had traveled “the whole of Britain that was accessible.” https://www.livescience.com/first-western-description-british-isles Short video about Pytheas by Professor Cunliffe: Great video on the ancient explorers. (Pytheas begins at 8:50.)

A pair of stone sphinx statues that a couple bought for £300 and put in their garden for 15 years have sold at auction for £195,000. They were originally thought to be 19th Century ornaments. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-58883391.amp

https://www.livescience.com/rock-cut-chamber-tombs-turkey https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailysabah.com/arts/1800-year-old-rock-tombs-found-in-turkeys-ancient-city-blaundus/news/amp https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailysabah.com/life/travel/the-ancient-city-of-blaundus-anatolias-stonehenge/ampI’m

Although I agree with your statement, I would also caution students about the veracity of traditional sources (both modern and ancient). LOL I agree, for example, that the Persians in the movie “300” where caricatures. That said, the movie did spark renewed interest in an ancient conflict.

Video games have become increasingly historically accurate. It is not surprising that they are being used as a learning tool, especially for a generation more accustomed to these games. The game “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” has a historical plot set in ancient Greece (431-422 BC) during the Peloponnesian War. https://greekreporter.com/2021/10/15/ancient-greek-history-video-games-part-college-curricula/

Thank you for reading my post. Athletes (and presumably gladiators) need a diet high in protein—maybe 2-3x the normal diet. Protein would be essential to maintaining and repairing muscles, for example. Barley is a poor source of protein: ”Barley contains about 3.6 grams of protein per one-cup cooked serving. It provides less protein than some other whole grains. As a basis for comparison, brown rice provides about 4.5 grams of protein, quinoa provides about 8 grams per one-cup cooked serving, and Kamut provides 9.8 grams per one-cup serving.” https://www.verywellfit.com/barley-nutrition-facts-and-health-benefits-5114758 Although barley may have been a diet staple, the diet would require other dietary sources to sustain a gladiator’s health and fitness. Maybe bread from other grains could be a source: More likely, the protein requirements were derived from these food sources: I doubt that a barley-based diet could sustain the dietary needs of a gladiator. In fact, I am skeptical that either gladiators or legionnaires survived on an exclusively vegetarian (let alone a barley-based vegan) diet. More likely, their diets reflected the availability of local found sources: pork, fish, eggs, diary products, etc. Gladiators, despite their low status in society, represented an investment. Their health would be important to any owner (lanista).

An interesting find at a Roman military base near the modern city of Svishtov, Bulgaria on the Danube border. This is a map of some of the Roman fortresses in Bulgaria. The Roman fortress of Novae is on the Danube near the modern city of Svishtov. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/10/roman-cookware-discovered-in-the-centurion-house/141669?amp

The funerary stele of gladiator Palumbos, depicting him with a palm leaf symbolising victory. (Courtesy of: Martin Steskal) Assessment of the gladiator cemetery in Ephesus, Turkey had been the source of new insights and research into the daily life of gladiators. Although this is an older discovery, the scientific analysis has changed our current understanding about the life of gladiators. The research supporting a vegetarian diet: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289536254_Dying_in_the_Arena_the_Osseous_Evidence_from_Ephesian_Gladiators The background information: https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/turkey-s-gladiator-graves-tell-a-different-story-about-the-ancient-warriors-50717 Summary: I was always skeptical about the almost exclusive reliance of the Roman military and gladiators on a vegetarian diet. Interestingly, the gladiators were referred to as the “barley men” (hordearii). Presumably, this resulted from their eating barley to give them strength and stamina. This research supports the theory that gladiators, at least in Ephesus, were mostly vegetarians.

The marble head of a statue from the Roman period of Greece was found recently in the sea off the city of Preveza, along the Epirus Riviera in Greece. The head is thought to date back to the second or third century AD. Credit: Greek Ministry of the Interior “An exquisite sculpture of a head made of Pentelic marble was discovered in the sea off Preveza, in Epirus, western Greece, this week“ https://greekreporter.com/2021/10/12/roman-era-marble-head-found-in-sea-off-preveza-greece/ I had to look up Pentelic marble: “A white, fine-grain Marble that has been quarried at Mt. Pentelikon north of Athens since the 1st millennium BCE. Pentelic marble was used for sculpture as well as for buildings. Pentelic marbles often contain inclusions or veins of Quartz, iron oxide, Graphite, Mica, or Pyrite. Graphite inclusions in marble, called graphitic marble, show as gray or silver flakes when polished. The Parthenon, including the Elgin marbles, were made of Pentelic marble.” http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Pentelic_marble