guy

Below is the link to the Marathon 2500 project. It represents a year long series of lectures commemorating the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon. http://www.marathon2500.org/ Right now, the site seems clunky and full of technical glitches. Hopefully, since this will be a year long series of lectures, they will improve the site and its audio quality as time goes on. guy also known as gaius Dr. Thom: Thanks for the information and good luck with the lecture.

I am not a coin collector. Nevertheless, I enjoy the history I can learn from coins. Part of the success and relative stability that Ancient Rome achieved over a vast and diverse empire could be attributed to the Empire's willingness to tolerate and even foster local traditions and beliefs (provided one showed proper deference and respect to the Empire and Emperor, of course). This is an interesting coin with the image of Mount Argaeus on the reverse that reflects that concept. This is a coin of the Emperor Commodus made in Cappadocia (Central Turkey). On the reverse of the coin is an image of Mount Argaeus, which was held in special esteem and mythology by the local population. (Similarly, coins of provincial Egypt could show an image of Serapis, a god unique to Ancient Egypt.) Mount Argaeus (modern day Ericyes. Source: Wikipedia): Here is the coin description: Caesarea Cappadocia, Commodus 177-192, Didrachm Laureled head of Commodus right "AYT M AYP KOMO ANTWNI" "YPi ATOC D Pi AT Pi A" Mt Argaeus surmounted by a star Note that the coin inscriptions are in Greek, not the usual Latin. This would be in deference to the local population. Here is another image (Top and bottom images from Wildwinds.com.) Here is a previous discussion on the mythology surrounding Mount Argaeus. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11544&pid=106951&st=0entry106951 guy also known as gaius

I've been a harsh critic of Ms. Hughes before: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10863 Please be sure to view on my post the embedded program by Hughes about those peaceful Moors in Spain and their horrible predecessors (the Visigoths) and their hateful successors (the Spanish and their Inquisition). Take note of which site hosts the video. I will say no more. I think I look better with an attached head. guy also known as gaius

I used to really respect Bettany Hughes work. It seems her work has become increasingly politically motivated, however. So help me with this one. These nasty "imperialists" (the Romans) are the blood ancestors of many in Britain. Why are the Romans vilified, while those "peace-loving" Ancient Celts are admired and respected? The Ancient Romans were not the invading Spanish Armada, Napoleonic French, or the evil German Nazis. They were not even the later and more destructive Angles, Saxons, Jutes, or Frisians. (And how did the invasion of these Germanic barbarians turn out for everyone? I guess there's nothing like a few centuries of darkness and brutality.) So enough of this Roman bashing. We should all embrace our Greco-Roman heritage and stop this historical revisionism. I frequently ask my daughter which would she prefer: Visiting her father's Ancient Roman ancestors, relaxing in their heated baths, and enjoying sumptuous meals...or visiting her mother's ancient ancestors who slept in mud huts, made human sacrifices, and put rancid butter in their hair. guy also known as gaius

I am always left speechless by this quote. (I finally found the original Latin.) Tacitus AD 98 Germania Book 1.33: http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/tac/g01030.htm 33. After the Tencteri came, in former days, the Bructeri; but the general account now is, that the Chamavi and Angrivarii entered their settlements, drove them out and utterly exterminated them with the common help of the neighbouring tribes, either from hatred of their tyranny, or from the attractions of plunder, or from heaven's favourable regard for us. It did not even grudge us the spectacle of the conflict. More than sixty thousand fell, not beneath the Roman arms and weapons, but, grander far, before our delighted eyes. May the tribes, I pray, ever retain if not love for us, at least hatred for each other; for while the destinies of empire hurry us on, fortune can give no greater boon than discord among our foes. 33. Juxta Tencteros Bructeri olim occurrebant: nunc Chamavos et Angrivarios immigrasse narratur, pulsis Bructeris ac penitus excisis vicinarum consensu nationum, seu superbiae odio, seu praedae dulcedine, seu favore quodam erga nos deorum: nam ne spectaculo quidem proelii invidere: super sexaginta millia, non armis telisque Romanis, sed, quod magnificentius est, oblectationi oculisque ceciderunt. Maneat, quaeso, duretque gentibus, si non amor nostri, at certe odium sui: quando, urgentibus imperii fatis, nihil jam praestare fortuna majus potest, quam hostium discordiam guy also known as gaius

Sorry. I have recently been reading too much on the late Roman Empire and the many "barbarian" invasions. The group Lacuna Coil is from Milan. For some reason, this group (and especially this song) evokes my fascination and terror of the invading Gothic peoples: The singer Christina Scabbia's gothic dress and Gothic-Italian features are unforgettable. guy also known as gaius

Thanks, but I'm still looking for something on the mythology of the mountain on Earth. Here's some information I found: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=25089.30;wap2 guy also known as gaius

I was hoping to start a post in Numismatica revolving around the subject of Mt. Argaeus. This mountain is found in Cappadocia, appeared on coins, and may have influenced the Emperor Julian. (Stay tuned: more on this later.) My question: What was its role in Ancient mythology? What was the myth surrounding this mountain? Thanks ahead of time. guy also known as gaius

You be the judge: http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/james-cameron-flirting-with-cleopatra/ guy also known as gaius

I also want to thank Aurelia for remembering the link. As Caldrail sugggested in his post (#3), fighting left-handed must have been rare since Commodus prided himself in mastering a left-handed technique while playing gladiator: Source: Cassius Dio Roman History 73.19 http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html guy also known as gaius

Wow. Thank you for the article. This must be one of the few times I agree with Krugman. I thought one of the responses posted by MJCIV on 10/4/10 quoting Victor Davis Hanson was spot on: Thank you, again, for linking the article. Here's some other views by Victor Davis Hanson: http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson071307.html http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson021410.html and the article quoted: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/arewerome.htm guy also known as gaius

One more reason Not to visit Ireland by Strabo (63/64 BCE - AD 24) from Geography Book IV, Chapter 5.4: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/4E*.html guy also known as gaius

Here's a nice coin with Serapis: http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=114962

Similarly, the Roman Republic was involved in the internal politics of many foreign nations simultaneoulsy in order to protect Roman interests. guy also known as gaius

(On a much lighter note ) On a different thread, the question was asked "Why Rome didn't conquer Ireland." This was my (possibly inappropriate) reply: I think there was great fear among the legionaries about the possibility of encountering this remorseless foe: guy also known as gaius

I wonder how we can trust Tacitus on this because he incorrectly believed that Ireland was found between Britain and Spain. "In that part of Britain which looks towards Ireland, he posted some troops, hoping for fresh conquests rather than fearing attack, inasmuch as Ireland, being between Britain and Spain and conveniently situated for the seas round Gaul, might have been the means of connecting with great mutual benefit the most powerful parts of the empire." guy also known as gaius

Unfortunately, this is as close as I can get for now. (Not a bad second choice, however.) guy also known as gaius

Maty, this is exactly why I have my doubts about the legendary plant. There are not many places I can visit if I want to see the Loch Ness monster or consult the Oracle of Delphi. (The Oracle, at least, had a great influence over several societies for centuries. Does this make it any more real?) Rarity makes silphium even more in demand. It (or some imitator) was a major source of income for the city of Cyrene and the surrounding region. It is profitable to be unique. And on the subject of numismatic evidence, here is your mythical griffin on a coin with the lady of Ephesus in more modest attire (source: acsearch.info): Otherwise, I think your argument is very persuasive. Thank you for responding. g.

I want to thank people who read my post and responded. Trust me, I am not adamant about my beliefs on this. That said, I would rather discuss Silphium (and its purported medical value or reasons for its extinction) than almost any current political issue. Then again, the heated debates today around here in California concerning the legalization of marijuana and its supposed medical benefits and possible risks make for interesting discussions, too.

Ghost: Thank you for reading my posts. I do think that if silphium did exist (and I have some doubts), I am certain that no plant could have as diverse and varied a range of medical uses as reported (treating everything from warts and cough to being an effective contraceptive). Exaggerated claims of medical benefits are not uncommon. Remember when Vitamin C was thought to cure everything from the common cold to cancer? And let us not forget the long list of benefits attributed to cabbage by Cato: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cato/De_Agricultura/K*.html I'm suspicious of silphium's extinction, if it ever existed. It seems unlikely that a plant would become extinct from such an unusual confluence of events (overgrazing, war, global warming, Roman greed, resistance to cultivation, etc.) Although I can accept silphium's existence, I doubt that that any plant could have such great therapeutic potential. The fact that such a plant is extinct creates a mythology that cannot be tested by any scientific method.

Here's a good article on silphium (or at least one its relatives): http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200904/devil.s.dung-the.world.s.smelliest.spice.htm Addendum: One of the aspects of the silphium myth I find disturbing is that the studies done on the medicinal properties of these "silphium related" plants is that they were done a half century ago...and have not be repeated. Warning signals, anyone?