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That is a horrifying thought, indeed. (Scene from the movie “Gladiator” during the battle in Germania.) Did you make a video of the test shots?

(The expansion and splintering of the Mongol Empire from 1206-1294 AD.) Here’s a nice quick review of the Mongol Empire. “The Mongol Empire was a huge but short-lived empire that at its peak stretched from the Pacific Ocean to central Europe. But while vast — it was the largest contiguous land empire in history — it was united for only a few decades, before breaking apart into smaller empires in the 1260s as a result of civil war.” Climate changes may have impacted Mongol expansion: “Genghis Khan's campaigns may have been helped by good environmental conditions in Mongolia. A study published in 2014 in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" found that from 1211 to 1225 the climate in Mongolia was unusually moist — leading to more grassland activity. This may have helped fuel Genghis Khan's conquests as his army relied heavily on cavalry, which necessitated good pasture for horses.” https://www.livescience.com/the-mongol-empire https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1318677111

The Nok culture thrived in central Nigeria from 1500 BCE to 500 AD. The were well known for their terracotta figurines and iron working. Little is known about their diet, however. The acidic soil in the Nok territories did not preserve much organic material. Fortunately analysis on ancient pottery has shed new light on their diets. Summary: The use of chemical analysis on pottery vessels has yielded new insights into ancient cultures. [See posts below.] https://phys.org/news/2022-04-chemical-ancient-west-african-pots.html

Wow. T-Rex! I haven’t thought about them for more than a decade. They were early glam rock, punk rock pioneers. Here is an entertaining video of their jamming with Elton John.

(The Library of Ephesus, Turkey) The menorah is a symbol of the Jewish diaspora. An early depiction of the menorah is on the Arch of Titus (81 AD). The arch commentates the victory of Titus and his father Vespasian after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The arch contains panels depicting the triumphal procession of 71 AD. The menorah is depicted on the modern symbol of the State of Israel. (Menorah on the Arch of Titus in Rome) The menorahs of Ephesus, Turkey are more mysterious. King Attalos of Pergamum had left the city of Ephesus to Rome in his will in 129 BCE. Augustus later made Ephesus the capital of proconsular Asia. So far 3 menorahs were discovered in Ephesus. Here are their locations; The first menorah of Ephesus is located on the street connecting Celsus Library to the Grand Theater of Ephesus. The second menorah of Ephesus is located on the steps of the Celsus Library. The third menorah of Ephesus is located on the interior of the Mazeus and Mithridates Gate. Menorah carved in a column Menorah found on steps of Celsus Library Menorah on the Mazeus and Mithridates Gate These menorahs probably reflect a large Jewish community that existed in ancient Ephesus. https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.jpost.com/archaeology/article-704514/amp

There was an interesting late Roman coin hoard found in Switzerland. Although not a major news event, it was interesting that imaging with a CT scan was used to more closely assess the hoard. (Translations are from Google Translate and I’m not certain of their accuracy): Although the link is in German, the photos in the article are exceptional. Be sure to look closely at the embedded 3D image in the link. This article shows the new archaeological insights gained with modern technological analysis of ancient findings: https://www.archaeologie.bl.ch/entdecken/fundstelle/155/jackpot/

Here’s a nice review of the Emperor Caracalla: Above image of Caracalla came from this video:

“A floor mosaic believed to be part of a villa once owned by sixth-century AD Ostrogothic 'emperor' Theodoric the great has been unearthed outside Verona, local sources said Wednesday. Experts said the size and richness of the mosaic features indicated ownership by Theodoric (454-526) or one of his highest ministers. The find was made during digging to replace gas pipes at Montorio outside Verona“ https://www.ansa.it/english/news/lifestyle/arts/2022/04/13/theodoric-the-great-villa-mosaic-found-near-verona_f092783e-10af-4d05-92c0-6392fdf676a8.html

(The ruins of the Roman city walls and amphitheatre in Silchester are still visible.) A proposed 200 acre solar farm near a Roman city in Silchester, UK is causing controversy. There are challenges meeting both energy needs and preserving historical sites. https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/hampshire-news/hundreds-oppose-plans-solar-panel-6953454

There is now a campaign to conserve this wonderful Pictish stone in Alberlemno, Scotland https://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2022/04/14/pictish-stone-discovered-in-scots-field-prompts-campaign-for-conservation/ There have been previous posts on Pictish stones:

I always knew that the Roman province of Illyricum was the birthplace of many Emperors, especially during the Crisis of the Third Century. (The Roman province of Illyricum included Serbia, but also parts of today’s Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia.) I was surprised to learn more specifically that modern-day Serbia was the second most common origin of all Emperors. Italy, of course, was the most common origin. (Thanks MM@Milosevic for this factoid.)

This is a small, but interesting find outside of Alexandria, Egypt: https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/41/464431/Antiquities/GrecoRoman/GraecoRoman-pottery-workshop,-storage-facility-une.aspx

Here is a fun video on food in Ancient Rome:

(Inca child from earlier study of ancient Inca ritual sacrifice victims.) Child sacrifices were a part of ancient Inca culture. Toxicology reports of the nails and hair belonging to two young victims found in Peru have recently found cocaine and the hallucinogen ayahuasca inside the bodies. Comment: This must have been a horrible ending for these children. I'm not sure that the drugs cocaine and the hallucinogen ayahuasca would have helped much to diminish the fear and suffering of these victims. Here are older threads and videos about other well-preserved Incan children who were sacrificed: https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/50311/20220407/ritual-drug-sacrificed-children-found-cocaine-ayahuasca-bodies-during-inca.htm https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352409X22000785

The 'heads' of a contemporary coin, with a head of the god Bacchus, that was sampled as part of the project. Credit: University of Warwick This is an interesting article that gives evidence of an any early coin debasement In 86 BCE. This debasement probably resulted from the pressures that threatened the Republic at this time: 88 BCE: The bloody Social War ends, but Mithradates VI of Pontus massacres tens of thousands of Italians in the East. The struggles of Marius and Sulla soon escalated. This is just one early example of the many coin debasements that occurred throughout ancient Roman history. I think that the article goes too far in tying a quote by Cicero, however, to this debasement. The quote is from “De Officiis” that was written in 44 BCE, forty years after the debasement: https://phys.org/news/2022-04-analysis-roman-coins-uncovers-evidence.html

Although brief, this is a wonderful video about road construction in Ancient Rome:

There has already been a post on the vanilla in ancient Judean wine (see below). The spice was found by chemical analysis of an ancient jar of the First Temple Period. Vanilla would have had to come from either distant Africa or India (reflecting an extensive trade network). Now the taste test: A good video on the find:

It is nice to see numismatic evidence is being used to further understand life in the Roman Empire: The fact that the coins were minted from around the Empire may reflect a vibrant trade network in Roman Britain during the fourth century. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-60955255 https://malmesburycoinhoard.uk/coin-facts/

(Scene from HBO's "Rome depicting the defeat of Mark Antony at Actium.) Many historians and scholars have reevaluated Mark Antony's role in Roman history. We have written numerous threads on this subject. (See posts below.) Sure, here is the revised text: There is a new book focusing on the death struggle between Mark Antony and Octavian, and it is generating renewed interest. Barry Strauss explores this subject further in his book "The War that Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium." You can find an interview with him at Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/04/a-fresh-take-on-why-octavian-won-the-war-against-antony-and-cleopatra/ Here’s a video interview with Professor Strauss on the book:

The Avars are now a forgotten barbarian tribe. They allied themselves with the Lombards and helped to destroy the Kingdom of the Gepids in the mid-sixth century AD. The Lombards would then migrate west to occupy Italy. The Avars, on the other hand, would later establish themselves in Pannonia for more than two centuries and repeatedly threatened the Byzantine Empire. They established the Avar Khaganate from the late 6th century to their rapid disappearance by the early 9th century. They dominated the Pannonian region (much of modern-day Hungary) as well as considerable areas of Central and Eastern Europe. This study uses genetic evidence proving their origin from Mongolia and their rapid dominance of Central Europe. https://www.science.org/content/article/mystery-warriors-made-fastest-migration-ancient-history Ancient genomes reveal origin and rapid trans-Eurasian migration of 7th century Avar elites: Cell

I think the Roman presence in Wales is becoming more appreciated. There have been a few posts on Roman findings in Wales before.(See below.) Here’s a recent finding: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10676689/amp/Skeleton-Roman-mercenary-unearthed-Welsh-countryside.html https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-60935927.amp

Here is an interesting video discussing the fate of Caesar if he had survived his assassination attempt: I agree with the video that Caesar’s health was precarious at the time of his death at the age of 55. If he were suffering from mini-strokes (as opposed to just epilepsy), his lifespan may have been very limited, anyway.

Welcome to UNRV. We need younger scholars in ancient history to invigorate the field. Obviously, you can look under the subforum at UNRV "Salutem et Sanitas." And the search function on this site is rich in resources. Four books that I would recommend: "Doctors and Diseases in the Roman Empire" by Ralph Jackson: This is an older book that is very readable and enjoyable. You might be able to find this book on Abesbooks.com "Ancient Medicine" by Vivian Nutton: A wonderfully rich book by a brilliant author "Roman Medicine" by Audrey Cruse: Considered the classic book on Roman medicine "The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire" by Kyle Harper: A young professor who brings new insights to disease in ancient Rome. Fortunately, there are many other resources now online, including several good videos: Good luck in your endeavors.

An Israeli prison in Megiddo, Israel will be moved to allow further study of an early Christian prayer hall buried underneath the prison yard. The finding was during excavations between 2004 and 2008. The prayer hall is thought to be the earliest found. It will also be accessible now to tourists. https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/foundations-of-christianity-unearthed https://m.jpost.com/christianworld/article-702712

Here is an interesting article that supports the belief that there was an extensive trade network in the ancient world. In this article, the spice vanilla, probably originated in India, was found in wine jars from ancient Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/324890 There have been previous posts about the analysis of contents in ancient vessels: