cornelius_sulla

I think I'll change my plea. Africanus was truly a Roman of the Romans and he defeated Hannibal and the Carthaginians who I consider Rome's greatest enemies. He was a man of great culture and a warrior without equal. He had his own Cato to contend with. In comparison to Africanus, after some forethought, Caesar seems less of a patriot.

Good luck with the date, stud.

My mates and I refuse to buy the stuff in the grounds. The powers that be have shot themselves in the foot, really. When we could drink our own beers in the grounds, we'd be sensible about it. Now, we get hammered and that often leads to some pretty unsavoury behaviour. That's what they get for taking our tradition off us!

I've read some books by a British author by the name of Sophia MacDougall that cover just this topic. They are called 'Romanitas' and 'Rome's Burning'. I liked them. She includes a timeline in the back of the books from the time of Septimus Severus up until 2004, when the books are set. Have a read if you can get them. They are very character driven, but Ms. MacDougall does spend some time in her novels on illustrating how the Empire managed to dominate the globe.

Man, sometimes it really sucks living at the bottom of the world. I mean we've got all this fresh air and mountains and greenery and stuff but do we get any kind of theatre like this? No! I am a bilious green with envy.

Happy Burfday, Primus Pilus. Let the competitive drinking commence!

Denia, do you have a title for your book yet?

Sounds a whole lot like car boot (that's the trunk, for you Americans) parties that we have here before and after big Rugby games at Eden Park (sometimes, even without the Rugby match!). Over the past few years, the stadia in our country have not permitted fans to bring their own piss into the stadia (they make us drink watered down sponsor's product served in plastic thimbles) so the pre match/after match boot party has become an important and revered institution.

Nah, I don't really get Little Britain either. But come on guys, The Young Ones! Perhaps my sense of humour is way too retarded. I thought it was classic.

I hear you, brother. Coming from a building background, I couldn't stand sitting around all day. I can do that fine if it's my leisure time but when I'm at work I like to be working. A lot like you, probably, my work'mates' started to resent me because I was making their lazy arses look bad. None of them had the nuts to say it to me though; they got a posse together and told the boss. The boss actually called me into his office and told me that I was affecting company morale! I couldn't frikkin believe my ears. IT workers in general, I have found, are conceited, lazy, arrogant slugs. As a result, I always investigate IT firms now and go with the firms recommended to me by my friends who still work in IT. My first question is always 'how long does it take for their support to turn up if something goes wrong?' Luckily for me, most things to do with hardware and software I can fix myself. Still an idiot when it comes to the internet, though!

There are some quite good books (fiction) written by a woman called Sophia MacDougall that are based on the premise that Rome survives to encompass the whole world as part of it's empire. The books are called 'Romanitas' and 'Rome Burning'. Personally, I don't think that Rome ever truly died, (witness the American Capitol Hill, Senate, etc) but nor do I think the Western Empire could have survived much longer than it did. If it had? Well, lets just say I'm glad it didn't because chances are I'd be a slave.

If it's at the after match function and you're competing against opponents that just beat you out on the pitch, then hell yeah!

What a final that was in 2003! Hah! Northern Neil, you must be English. I always tip my hat to that English World Cup winning team, Clive Woodward played to his strengths and had a wonderful captain in Martin Johnson. I must say though, that I am one of about two Kiwis who feel that way, though! The other one is Martin Johnson's wife!

I for one have noticed how slow IT people are. I used to be one. I used to do upgrades. Coming from a building background, I was castigated by my fellow IT workers for doing a job too quickly and too efficiently. It was like we were doing the client a favor. The first thing I do when buying computer gear is ask what their support is like; I pride myself that I can tell when an IT guy is trying to BS me.

BUT! To answer the question, I agree with my friend dianamt54 - Caesar hands down. People these days identify him with Rome and he stands head and shoulders above all the other famous Roman historical figures when it comes to 'greatness'.

I love hiking with my kids. I could never get worked up about basketball - not enough contact! I come from a country where a team sport (Rugby) is practically the national religion.

I used to watch the show religiously as a kid. It was that show that put me onto Python at a very young and impressionable age thereby warping my sense of humour for ever. Did you like The Young Ones?

Yep, you were right Augusta. I'm reading Funeral Games now and it's bloody good. I was put onto Mary Renault by a bookworm friend and am actually embarassed that I was unaware of her work before this. I don't know a whole lot about Alexander, but her characterisations of him and his father and mother, Hyperion, Ptolemy etc, well, it's like you're in the room with them or shoulder to shoulder on the battle field. I also enjoyed her matter of fact approach to Alexander's homosexuality - I have read other historical fiction about Alex that skirt that issue completely, I presume because of the social mores of the 20th/21st century, and I've resented the authors for it. I'm a Renault fan now, for life.

I love sports almost as much as I love Roman history. Although I'm considered one of the old men at my Rugby club, I still get out there and rattle my dags on a Saturday, and turn out for a social Soccer (football to purists) team on the odd Sunday. In the summer I play cricket and Touch Rugby. How many of you are actively involved in sports? And by that I mean playing out on the pitch - not couch potatoe-ing.

G.O, when you went to school, dinosaurs probably still roamed the earth!

Obviously, I like Sulla. He was a ruthless bastard and I like that in my egomaniacal tyrants. I also admire L. Quinctius Cincinnatus for completely different reasons although I think that much of his story was convenient Roman propaganda.

So I tried it, the kids dug it, a success all up. Plates were wiped cleaned with bread and seconds were had by all. Cheers again for the recipe. Much better than a stew. Does this recipe translate well to seafood?

Bill Oddie - wasn't he one of The Goodies?