guy

Although it is always good to hear the non-Roman perspective, parts of the series are both sheer fantasy and sensationalistic. Jones, for example, insists on telling us that the Sassanians, who supplanted the weakened Parthians as a result of Roman aggression, were less culturally developed and more brutish than their Parthian successor. Oh, how simplisitic...and wrong. Not surprising, however, he fails to make the same criticism about the successors to the Sassanian Empire, the Arabs. Interestingly, it was the bloody and enervating conflicts with the Roman and later Byzantine Empire that weakened the Sassanian Empire and that led to its eventual decline and collapse. But let us not discuss that. It might upset some people's sensibilities. guy also known as gaius

I have missed this thread before, but I was intrigued by the bust. I'm sorry I missed the answer. Looks like one of the third century of crisis emperors. Two sons? Carus or Decius? Both of those emperors (like most the emperor busts of that century) have a scruffy beard and a worried look with the furrowed brow. And no wonder: Life expectancy for most emperors of the third century was very short. Decius: Carus: So who did everyone decide that this bust was? guy also known as gaius

Don't forget to look at the numismatic sources of Augustan art and propaganda: http://www.dirtyoldcoins.com/roman/id/Coins-of-Roman-Emperor-Augustus.htm guy also known as gaius

Well, I saw the movie. Despite the many historical inaccuracies and moments of pure fantasy (and there were many)...I liked the movie. The medical scenes could have been better portrayed, also. That said, I liked the film because it gave more than a Romanocentric view of the interactions between Rome and the indigenous populations. It also went beyond depicting the non-Romanized peoples as merely "noble savages." The movie gives a potential perspective from the invaded indigenous peoples, creating a more balanced picture of the relationship and tensions between Romans and indigenous peoples. (We never got the Germanic tribes' perspective in the movie Gladiator, for example. We just saw the Germanic tribes as giant brutish barbarians, with no attention paid to the Germanic tribes' motivations or grievances.) My inner-Scotsman and Roman enjoyed the movie. Question for the group: How far away are the mountain scenes of Scotland in the movie from Hadrian's Wall? (I assume they were filmed in Scotland, although parts of the movie were filmed in Hungary.) guy also known as gaius

I certainly enjoy a good discussion. First, the "Gracchi" coin refers to the possible moneyer (the person who physically makes the coin), but does not have the image of the any of the Gracchi. Interestingly, the coin description is incorrect: http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=416217 The reverse appeared with Rome's first gold coin minted during the darkest hours of the second Punic War: We discussed the significance of this image on a previous post: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11283 The obverse of the coin is an image of Mars, not one of the Gracchi brothers. Second, all the coins minted in Rome with a living human portrait were made after the infamous Julius Caesar coin. Once the taboo against portraits was broken, coins portrayed various images of Romans. (Note the dates of the coin in your post.) The Sulla coin is almost an exception to rule: http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=3999 Although the obverse of the coin is an image of a helmeted Roma, on the reverse of the coin Of great significance was that this coin was probably made by a traveling mint outside of Rome. Even Sulla had a limit to his ego. guy also known as gaius

Not being a coin collector, I'm not writing this with any authority. First, there was no "Gracchi" coin. Portraits of living Romans didn't begin until Julius Caesar and we all know what happened to him. (The one notable exception was the Roman General Flamininus 150 years before on coins minted in Greece.) Second, your older Roman Republican coin was relatively pure silver. After Gordian III in AD 240, the increasingly debased denarius would have been replaced by an increasingly debased double-denarius (antoninianus) and later, the billon "radiate coin" also called an aurelianianus. Later coins had a lower and lower amount of silver until they were only coated with a trace amount of silver wash (less than 5% silver). So if your merchant were savvy enough, he would recognize the coin's inherent value despite the coin's no longer being seen in circulation (as a result of coin hoarding and its demonitization). guy also known as gaius Source of the last graph: Brown, Augustus. (undated booklet) The Financial Collapse of the Roman Coinage in the 3rd Century A.D. 20 pp. 1 plate. Published by Augustus Brown, Kyrenia, Kingston, Canterbury, Kent. extracted from an article Crisis of the Third Century by Hugh Kramer at the Ancient Coin Club of Los Angeles site. http://www.accla.org/actaaccla/kramer.html#Brown, Augustus

Thank you for reading my post and responding. Being neither a coin-expert nor British, I might be wrong on this one...but that never stopped me from commenting before. You are correct that the image of Britannia is no longer used on coins meant for circulation. I, too, miss the classic image of Britannia on British coins. The more modern image of Britannia is still used on bullion coins, however. These are coins are collected for their precious metal content (gold or silver, for example) and are not meant for general circulation. I admit that I'm slowly warming up to the more modern version of Britannia. See the coins above and the last three coins from my initial post. Here is an interesting article on the subject: http://www.coinlink.com/News/world-coins/royal-mint-unveils-new-britannia-coin-design/

Although I am not a coin-collector, I am always interested in the messages coins attempt to convey, whether it is one of national culture and mythology or one of official government propaganda. When looking at my daughter

Alhtough I can't comment on your point about Roman sculpture, I have to agree that Professor Garland's course is a great one, one of the best that the company has to offer. I feel that this particular course is sort of the "graduate level" course of all the numerous Ancient courses offered by The Teaching Company. guy also known as gaius

Thank you for reading and responding to my post. I agree that Suetonius, a Flavian apologist, must be approached skeptically as he had an agenda and he wrote this rendition of events more than a century after they occured. Cassius Dio, who wrote after Suetonius, at least seems to agree with Suetonius about many aspects of this story. I agree, however, that we should approach with caution any source and not accept it as unbiased dogma. I have written several times before on this forum about my skepticism concerning other long held "truths," including: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11470 http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10381 guy also known as gaius

Most of us know that Augustus was a sickly man. Surprisingly, he lived nearly 77 years. But what were the maladies he suffered? Suetonius gives us some insight. Writing more than a century after Augustus' death, Suetonius describes Augustus' health in his sometimes scurrilous Lives of the Caesars. [My comments are listed below]: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/suet-augustus-rolfe.html LXXX. It is said that his body was covered with spots and that he had birthmarks scattered over his breast and belly, corresponding in form, order and number with the stars of the Bear in the heavens [ursa Major, aka "the Big Dipper"]; 1 also numerous callous places resembling ringworm, caused by a constant itching of his body and a vigorous use of the strigil.2 He was not very strong in his left hip, thigh, and leg, and even limped slightly at times; but he strengthened them by treatment with sand and reeds. He sometimes found the forefinger of his right hand so weak, when it was numb and shrunken with the cold, that he could hardly use it for writing even with the aid of a finger-stall of horn. He complained of his bladder too, and was relieved of the pain only after passing stones in his urine. 3 LXXXI. In the course of his life he suffered from several severe and dangerous illnesses, especially after the subjugation of Cantabria [23 B.C.], when he was in such a desperate plight from abscesses of the liver, that he was forced to submit to an unprecedented and hazardous course of treatment. Since hot fomentations gave him no relief, he was led by the advice of his physician Antonius Musa to try cold ones. 4 He experienced also some disorders which recurred every year at definite times; for he was commonly ailing just before his birthday; and at the beginning of spring he was troubled with an enlargement of the diaphragm, and when the wind was in the south, with catarrh. 5 Hence his constitution was so weakened that he could not readily endure either cold or heat. My footnotes and comments: 1. I'm not sure exactly what these "birthmarks" were. They could have been cafe au lait spots, a benign pigmentation (first picture) or , more likely, nevi or moles (second picture). 2. A classic description of eczema. This is a recurrent itchy rash made worse by scratching or rubbing (with a strigel, for example). Typical pictures of eczema, "resembling ringworm:" Strigil used to bath and scratch oneself: 3. Bladder or kidney stones can be quite painful. Treatment and removal in the Ancient world is unimaginable. 4. Antonius Musa was Augustus' personal physician (and my avatar). In 23 BCE Augustus suffered a near fatal illness. Musa achieved great fame and wealth by "curing" Augustus with cold baths and cold moist compresses. It was during this illness that Augustus signaled Agrippa (his friend and general) to be his heir-apparent over Marcellus (his nephew) by giving Agrippa his signet ring on his sickbed. Musa was not successful in later treating Marcellus who died shortly after Augustus' recovery. Horace also writes about Musa's cold bath treatment. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/53*.html http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/HoraceEpistlesBkIEpXV.htm#BkIEpXV1 5. Catarrh is an old medical term. Catarrh is defined as an inflammation of any mucous membrane which results in a thick mucus production of the membrane. Hay fever is the result of the mucous membrane of the eyes and air passages being inflamed, for example. Catarrh of the nasal mucous membrane is known as rhinitis (stuffy nose). Asthma is another form of catarrh and is the congestive swelling of the bronchial mucous membranes. Catarrha symptoms would be more frequent during the spring with dust or pollen in the air, made worse by the winds. People with eczema also frequently have asthma and hay fever. Apparently, Augustus suffered from all these things. Although very different from us in many ways, people of antiquity suffered many of the same medical ailments we commonly face today. They did not benefit from many of the simple treatments and pain reliefs we have today, however. It is hard to imagine the possible level of pain and suffering endured on a daily basis by people of the Ancient world. guy also known as gaius

A nice selection of Judaean coins by David Vagi at NGC-Ancients: http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1044 And Josh Illingworth examines the coins of the Bar Kokhba revolt (AD 132-135): http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1487&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=ngc_enews_12_2011 Nice review of the coins of Pontius Pilate: http://www.numismalink.com/fontanille1.html guy also known as gaius

One has to love those modern Roman manhole covers: guy also known as gaius

Since you asked (from acsearch.info): http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=5194 Thank you, Maty, for your input. guy also known as gaius

Here is the latest example I can find so far. It is on a coin of Constantine I (Image from Wildwinds.com): Constantine I AE3. 312-313 AD. IMP CONSTANTINVS PF AVG, laureate, cuirassed bust right / SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, legionary eagle between two vexilla, R P in ex. Cohen 558. guy also known as gaius

First, thank you for reading my post. A couple things on the issue of coins in jewelry. First, once a coin is placed in jewelry, the numismatic value of the coin is destroyed. I've seen some beautiful and expensive coins ruined once they were placed in jewelry. Second, the coins (and thus, the jewelry) are usually overpriced. I recommend finding the coin more inexpensively from a reputable site (such as forumancientcoins.com) and having your own jewelry made. Third, (and here comes the numismatic heresy), I think a coin in jewelry can be a beautiful piece of art. I've seen a professor of the Classics wear a ring with an authentic ancient coin and it was rather impressive. Such a piece of jewelry would certainly be a source of conversation and a potential teaching tool. Remember that many, many beautiful authentic Ancient coins can be purchased relatively cheaply. (Just because a coin is old does not make it expensive.) guy also known as gaius

As a non-coin collector and novice numismatist, my knowledge about coins is limited. I know even less about Ancient mythology. This post was inspired by an inexpensive coin (under $35) that I saw at a local collectibles show. I learned greatly from this common and inexpensive coin about Ancient Romann coins and Roman mythology. Here

Since I'm not a coin collector, I depend on others for their insight and research into coins. I appreciate the images. I agree with Maladict that the Wildwinds databank is an excellent resource for both expert and novice collectors: http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/vespasian/t.html Ref Vespasian Denarius, RIC 772, (RIC [1962] 90), RSC 366, BMC 161 Vespasian Denarius. 75 AD. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right / PON MAX TR P COS VI, Pax seated left holding branch. RSC 366. IMP: Imperator AVG: Augustus PON MAX: Pontifex Maximus "high priest" TR P: Tribuniciae Potestate "power of the Tribune" COS VI: Consul sixth time Attributing coins can sometimes be difficult. In this case, the image of Vespasian (and his nose) is very distinct. Also important, of course, is being able to decipher the coin inscription. guy also known as gaius

Great program. Thanks. Especially hilarious were the scenes of Garrett Fagan's being strigiled and his visit to an ancient toilet. Too funny. Thank you, again. guy also known as gaius

What level of proficiency are you hoping for in Italian and Dutch? Just enough to order a gelato in Firenze and a "whatever" in an Amsterdamage coffee house? Or, are you hoping for a more fluent grasp of the langauge? I've studied and spoken Italian (probably not as well as I think) to my cousins in Italy for over 15 years, so I have a few opinions. Learning Dutch is different for several reasons. First, there are fewer resources to learn Dutch. It is a "dying language." Second, the Dutch have little patience for your efforts to speak their language. The Dutch feel they speak English better than they really can. (This creates little incentive for visitors and immigrants to learn any language other than English.) Let me know and I will write further on the subject. guy also known as gaius

Wow. I'm impressed by the knowledge of Roman baths around here. One day, I hope to visit this famous bath in England: I'm probably wrong on this theory...but that never stopped me from spouting my nonsense : I always thought the concept of the "Roman baths" to be a modern oversimplification and obsession. The "Roman baths" were really part of a much larger "leisure or pleasure center," with the baths only the main modern focus of a much larger complex. I read somewhere that the "Baths of Diocletian" could accomodate 3000 bathers, but the entire complex was 32 acres with lecture halls, libraries, gyms, and gardens. Pictures of the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla: Modern depiction of the Baths of Caracalla: Some strigils and an Ancient Roman Hugh Hefner's strigil party. Oh, well. It's time for my bath now. "Hey, who's got my strigil?" guy also known as gaius

The societal acceptance of public nudity has evolved over the millennia. Even today, the range of acceptance by politicians has run the gamut, from extreme unease with the display of nudity even in classical statues to

Thanks for reading my post. The site mentioned is probably the best for reference. One needs to know the number of the tablet of interest, however. My post is based on tablet 154 and one must enter 154 to bring up the tablet in question. (Or, one can click on the "View all tablets" option and go through each tablet, one at a time.) http://vindolanda.cs.../TVII-2-1.shtml guy also known as gaius

This section of Vindolanda tablet (154) sheds interesting insight of the troop strength and health of the soldiers from a Tungrian auxiliary cohort at the fort of Vindolanda in Northern England during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian near the later constructed Hadrian's Wall. (Enter tablet 154): http://vindolanda.csad.ox.ac.uk/tablets/TVII-2-1.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindolanda_tablets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjx9Qjhiv1o The Tungrians were a tribe from modern day Belgium. Interestingly, about 60% of the total cohort was not in the fort, presumably on duties elsewhere. Of those remaining in the fort (296), 31 (more than 10%) were unfit for duty (sick, wounded, or suffering from eye inflammation). I am surprised at the large number who were absent because of eye disease. Eye disease was a common condition is the Ancient Rome. Trachoma, for example, was apparently a common ailment. It is caused by a highly contagious infection that occurs in crowded settings with poor hygiene and malnutrition. Although rare today in the industrialized world, it continues to cause misery and blindness to millions in the Third World. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachoma This and other surviving tablets from Vindolanda supplies us with a wealth of knowledge about the everyday lives of the Roman Army and their families. guy also known as gaius Background information from the youtube clp: Published on Mar 16, 2012 Vindolanda was a Roman auxiliary fort (castrum) just south of Hadrian's Wall in northern England. Located near the modern village of Bardon Mill, it guarded the Stanegate, the Roman road from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth. It is noted for the Vindolanda tablets, among the most important finds of military and private correspondence (written on wooden tablets) found anywhere in the Roman Empire. The first post-Roman record of the ruins at Vindolanda was made by the antiquarian William Camden, in his Britannia (1586). Occasional travellers reached the site over the next two hundred years, and the accounts they left are useful because they predate much of the stone-stealing that has damaged the site. .The garrison were auxiliary infantry or cavalry units, not components of Roman legions. From the early third century AD onwards, this was the Fourth Cohort of Gauls. It had been presumed that this title was by this time purely nominal, with auxiliary troops being recruited locally, but an inscription found in a recent season of excavations suggests that native Gauls were still to be found in the regiment and that they liked to distinguish themselves from British soldiers. The inscription reads: CIVES GALLI DE GALLIAE CONCORDES QUE BRITANNI Of which a free translation would be "The troops from Gaul dedicate this statue to the goddess Gallia with the full support of the British-born troops". The fort was originally constructed in turf and timber before Hadrian's Wall was built around 122 AD, and was repaired and rebuilt several times. Later, apparently after a period of abandonment when the garrison transferred to a fort on the Wall itself (probably Vercovicium, now known as Housesteads), a new stone fort was built approximately on the same site. Some of the archaeological deposits reach depths of six meters. The anoxic conditions at these depths have preserved thousands of artifacts that normally disintegrate in the ground, thus providing an opportunity to gain a fuller understanding of Roman life -- military and otherwise -- on the northern frontier.

I don't know what to think of this: http://www.chretiente.info/noel/ guy also known as gaius