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Here’s an interesting article on the Rus’ attacking Constantinople in AD 860. Constantinople was almost defenseless at that time as the Byzantine Emperor Michael III was with his army fighting in Asia Minor against the Abbasid Caliphate while the Byzantine navy was in the Mediterranean Sea fighting Arab pirates. The Rus’ were originally Norsemen, mainly from present-day Sweden who settled and ruled the river-routes between the Baltic and the Black Seas from around the 8th to 11th centuries AD (Source: Wikipedia). The Rus’ gave their name to the Russians and Belarus. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/06/the-viking-russ-siege-of-constantinople/139507 For some reason, I never imagined that these Viking ancestors had attacked Constantinople. Here's a good article about the interactions between the Rus' and the Byzantines both as enemies and even allies. Viking graffiti in the Hagia Sofia Globetrotting Vikings: The Quest for Constantinople | HISTORY

Very little is known about the diet of the Celts outside of the very biased ancient sources. Here’s Strabo In Book IV, chapter 4 of “Geography.” http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/strabo/4d*.html Here’s an excellent article about the suspected pre-Roman Celtic diet: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8ced9f818eb94929b90ce2e6c28dfda6 So what did they drink? Studies looking at the organic residues found on Greek ceramic fragments found in Celtic hillforts in pre-Roman France show that the Celts drank imported Greek wines, as well as local beer in these imported ceramic vessels. https://amp.abc.net.au/article/11218012 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218001 Max Miller does a wonderful job preparing a Celtic meal based on Strabo and the other ancient sources in this episode of “Eating History with Max Miller”:

The skeleton of a suspected Roman ship was found in a coal quarry. Viminacium, a city of immense historical significance, was a major military camp and the capital of Moesia Superior (today’s Serbia). According to the Roman document Notitia Dignitatum, part of the Danube fleet was anchored at Viminacium. However, the veracity of these claims was long debated because the city lies far from any modern waterway. The discovery of a suspected 3rd- or 4th-century AD Roman water ship in a large coal quarry at least supports the idea that the Danube either flowed farther south than it does today or that a significant branch of the river was near the city. According to the Roman document Notitia Dignitatum, part of the Danube fleet was anchored at Viminacium. The veracity of the claims, however, was long debated since the city is not near any modern waterway. The discovery of a suspected 3rd- or 4th-century AD Roman water ship in a large coal quarry at least supports the idea that the Danube was either flowing farther south than it does today or that a major branch of the river was near the city. https://greekreporter.com/2023/08/04/ancient-roman-ship-serbia/

Magna Carvoran served as a Roman Fort near Hadrian’s Wall. The terrain surrounding the Roman community outside the fort typically becomes a boggy marshland in winter. Due to climate change, the dry, boggy soil surrounding the fort has dried up. As a result, the receding earth has exposed Roman structures and other buried archaeological evidence. New studies are being conducted to protect and record the area due to the risk of damage from changes in the terrain. Among the recent discoveries from these excavations is a balance beam that may have been used by customs officials to weigh items entering and exiting the area. https://romanarmymuseum.com/about/magna-first-discovery/

After many years of renovation, the Roman baths in Sarikaya, Central Turkey will be finally opened to the public. It is thought to be first constructed in the second century AD. Excavations began in 2014. The thermal mineral springs water reach a temperature of 50C (122F). https://www.bta.bg/en/news/balkans/500226-2000-year-old-roman-bath-in-central-turkiye-opens-for-tourists-on-august-15 https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/the-roman-basilica-therma-in-yozgat-maybe-the-oldest-thermal-treatment-in-the-world?format=amp

I keep wavering on the exact date in AD 79 (either August or October) when Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum (refer to my previous post). After listening to the excellent podcast by Tom Holland, I am leaning towards the later date in October. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rest-is-history/id1537788786?i=1000622818014 Holland puts a lot of credence on the graffiti that mentions October 16 (but not the year) and the heavier clothes some victims were wearing. https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/style/article/pompeii-eruption-inscription-date-intl/index.html There are some strong argument for and against the August 24 date, however. https://www.getty.edu/news/when-did-vesuvius-erupt-august-october-24

Sebastian has done another great video at his YouTube site Maiorianus. This video touches on the pivotal battles that spelled Rome’s demise.

In recent years a Roman fort in modern Burscough (in West Lancashire, England) has been discovered. It will soon undergo more extensive research after LiDAR technology in 2020 showed a more extensive structure. It is believed that this fort was built between AD 69 and 79 to support the Romans in their struggles against Celtic uprisings. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/most-important-buried-roman-fort-27402278

A Roman cargo ship dating from the second or first century BC has been found near Civitavecchia, about 50 miles north of Rome in a seabed about 160 meters (525 feet) deep. The ship contained hundreds of amphorae. https://www.businessinsider.com/ancient-roman-cargo-ship-food-jars-was-near-the-coast-of-italy-2023-7

Here’s some interesting insights to the case from an article by CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/28/world/worm-resurrected-frozen-siberian-permafrost-intl-scli-scn/index.html Here's an interesting article on the risks of permafrost degradation: lethal viruses, bacteria, fungi, and toxic chemicals. Although somewhat hysterical, this article is thought provoking, nevertheless: Emergent biogeochemical risks from Arctic permafrost degradation | Nature Climate Change

Nero’s theater is thought to be discovered outside the Vatican. Its exact location till now was unknown. The site is under the garden of a future Four Seasons Hotel. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/ruins-of-ancient-roman-emperor-neros-theater-unearthed-in-exceptional-discovery-in-rome

Tiny nematodes like this one were found to be unexpectedly hardy, reviving after thousands of years frozen in Arctic ice. (Image credit: Shutterstock) The nematodes measure about 1 mm (0.025 inches). There was a previous post about the possibility of “resurrecting” a woolly mammoth (see post below). A 46,000-year-old worm is now reportedly revived from the Siberian permafrost. The revived nematodes were found in the permafrost near the Kolyma river in Eastern Russia Thought initially to be a contaminant, recent carbon testing of associated plant material has dated the specimen to 46,000 years: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/46-000-year-old-worm-possibly-revived-from-siberian-permafrost/?amp=true https://www.livescience.com/63187-siberian-permafrost-worms-revive.html

Potential maritime spice trading routes from India to both Rome and Óc Eo, Vietnam. Several previous posts have discussed the probable robust trade that existed between Rome and India. New evidence seems to confirm the ancient spice trade between India and Vietnam (a distance of 1394 km or 1985 miles) between 1800 and 2000 years ago. By examining starch elements found on cooking tools, researchers found Cylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka and turmeric from India. Other spices found included nutmeg, ginger, clove, and nutmeg Possible origin of spices found on cooking tools examined at Óc Eo. Food preparation tools examined including mortars, pestles, and grinding slabs https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh5517

A wonderful discovery of glass artifacts from a suspected Celtic Iron Age glass workshop in Nemčice, Czech Republic north of the Alps has been announced. It is thought to date from 2300 years ago. The presence of more than 2000 Celtic gold and silver coins suggest that the site was also important in regional trade. [I’m looking forward to more in-depth numismatic information.] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/nemcice-research-at-a-key-la-tene-site-in-moravia/F060689835C2D55D44B1764DE0D08CB2 https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/2300-year-old-glass-workshop-littered-with-celtic-coins-is-oldest-known-north-of-the-alps https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/nemcice-iron-age-site-0018931 Němčice, Czech Republic

Sketch of small-dog discovered The has been a previous post on small dog breeding in Ancient Rome (see below). A recent excavation in Oxfordshire has uncovered a small dog (20 cm or 8 inches) that was probably a house pet. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-66294261

A Roman cargo ship from the second century AD his currently undergoing further research. It contained exclusively glass and was found off the coast of France at a depth of 350 meters (about 1100 feet). https://www.heritagedaily.com/2023/07/archaeologists-recover-ornate-glassware-from-roman-shipwreck/148062?amp=1 https://www.patrimoniosubacqueo.it/capo-corso-2-un-relitto-romano-carico-di-vetro-a-350-m/

A wall painting of a woman at the well, perhaps the earliest known representation of the Virgin Mary, is from the baptistery of the Christian building. It is painted on plaster, 3rd century AD. Dura-Europos was the easternmost Roman stronghold in Mesopotamia, located in what is now Syria. The Romans, led by Lucius Verus, took control of the city from the Parthians in AD 164, and it stayed under Roman rule until the Sasanians, led by Shapur I, captured it and deported the population around AD 256-257. Archaeological evidence shows that this border town was a place of religious tolerance, where different faiths were practiced. This included Christianity, which was still facing persecution at the time. Notably, it may have been home to one of the world's oldest churches. Above: Woman at the empty tomb of Christ Here is a good article on the religious diversity of Dura-Europos: Much of this religious imagery was destroyed by ISIS during the Syrian war in 2015. https://the-past.com/feature/the-gods-of-dura-europos/ The synagogue of Dura-Europos dates to AD 244: Mithraeum of Dura-Europos Here’s a previous thread on evidence of chemical warfare found at Dura-Europos:

The imagery of Britannia first appeared on Roman coins during the reign of Hadrian (see below): Britannia reappeared on British coinage several centuries later. Here’s an excellent article by NGC Ancients that shows how iconography on modern coins and stamps was inspired by ancient coins: https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/11888/Ancient-coins-reborn/

A Roman roof tile with a dog print on it A Roman settlement has been found in North East Lincolnshire. Fragments of painted wall plaster found at settlement. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-66246156

Here’s a recreation of the Fayum mummy portraits:

Announced in July, this is the second lead sarcophagus from the Roman era has been found at a cemetery near the Gaza Strip. (See previous post for information about the first sarcophagus.) More than sixty Roman-era tombs have been found in the area. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230717-roman-era-sarcophagus-uncovered-in-gaza/amp/

Evidence of Roman wine making has been discovered in Cambridgeshire. If these findings are true, I imagine that the climate in Britain was different two thousand years ago. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12309845/Grape-Britain-Scientists-discover-evidence-Romans-produced-wine-Cambridgeshire-2-065-years-ago.html

The Sphere, the latest entertainment venue in Las Vegas, looks breathtaking. It seats around 16,000 and will be a sports and music facility. It will open this fall.

I am the last person to ask about religious or philosophical matters. But here I go .... Every society, including secular ones, needs to have a belief system to explain the surrounding world. Even Revolutionary France needed a replacement for Christianity that had been suppressed. It created a Temple of Reason for the Cult of Reason based on the ideas of reason, virtue, and liberty. Temple of Reason - Wikipedia As a highly superstitious and Proto-scientific society, Romans needed many gods to explain the many natural phenomena and unexplained events around them. The Romans, therefore, developed their complex belief system that included numerous gods to explain natural events and observations. Here are just a few examples: Candelifera: Goddess of childbirth Cardea: Goddess of hinges and doors Cloacina: Goddess who presided over the sewers in Rome iris: Goddess of the rainbow Tempestes: Goddess of storms ≡ Roman Gods and Goddesses List 170 Legendary Roman Gods (adducation.info) List of Roman deities - Wikipedia Since Jupiter was the King of the Roman gods, lord of the skies, and patron deity of Rome, I wonder how many of the "lesser gods and goddesses" were merely venerated and not truly worshiped. An example of venerated entities would be saints in modern-day Catholicism, many of whom have a more local significance and even fall out of veneration. (Although still recognized as a saint, Christopher no longer has his feast day appearing on the Church's universal liturgical calendar, for example.) Here is a good video based on the series "Rome" discussing the gods in Ancient Rome.

(Scene from the movie “Gladiator” of the attempted assassination of Maximus) A body was found face down in Wales, believed to be a higher-ranking Roman with a sword from the third or fourth century AD. Strangely, the person was found with metal nails near his neck, back, and feet, suggesting he was constrained at the time of death. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/elite-roman-man-buried-with-sword-may-have-been-restrained-in-death