Crispina

By "dramatisations", do you mean video? Where did you find them?

Thanks for sharing the site. Makes you wonder just whose sandals walked across some of those mosaics, or who the artist was and did he ever think that we would be looking at them today.

I started at the beginning of the series and I'm now about halfway through the fourth book -- The Iron Hand of Mars -- in which Falco travels to Germania to deliver a new standard to legio XIV from Vespasian, and winds up embroiled in a murder mystery and legate abduction that appears to combine political intrigue with commercial competition. I can't believe it's taken me so long to discover this series! I'd say someone ought to make a film series adaptation out of these novels, except I'm skeptical of anyone doing it right. Davis' writing is vividly descriptive and evocative of ancient Rome, and her characters are wonderfully memorable. I've got to hunt down a copy of the next novel in the series now, so I'm not left high and dry when I finish this one! -- Nephele So how did you like "The Iron Hand of Mars"? I enjoyed this book, too; altho the "bull dancing" towards the end was a little much, even for Didius Falco! Ha. In fact the last few chapters seemed a bit rushed, but I think everything he set out to solve got solved. I'm still not sure if he gets paid for all his work or others continue to take the credit. Anyway I picked up "Poseiden's Gold" at the library today, the next book in the series, and am looking forward to starting it tonight. How far into the series are you?

Ok, I'm being really dense. I don't get the "one half belonging to the owing party would be deliberately shortened"

After reading Nephele's tooth brushing post, I thought I'd offer up this. I was watching a program on the Victorian printing press,and the guy said the term "got the short end of the stick" comes from the improper practice of lining up the letters on the "stick". I got to thinking, did the saying come from the Victorians or could it have orginated from the Romans - "he got the short end of the (sponge) stick".

How do I see the image of the monument at this link? Where and what do I click on?

Severus Snape...good or evil?

I just finished watching the fourth and final episode. I know you are going to enjoy the rest of the series too, Artimi.

Bored with television last night, I stumbled upon a web site that offers a wide variety of documentaries on many different topics. Remember the series "Medieval Life" with Terry Jones? It was listed so I spent all evening listening to the entire series. Anyway, tonight I began browsing, on the same web site, documentaries under the topic of "History". I found this series, "The Roman Empire in the First Century". I've just finished watching the first of the four episodes, titled "Order From Chaos", about Augustus. I really, really enjoyed the way this documentary was done. Lots of the same info, yes, but presented in a different way plus other things you don't see much in other docs on this subject. Like his daughter Julia, Ovid, ect. Perhaps someone else has already posted about this series here, sorry if I'm repeating; but I just thought it was worth mentioning if you were looking to watch a good doc on Roman history. Hopefully the other three episodes will be just as enjoyable. Here is the link to the doc (not sure if this will take you to the second episode or not The first one is called "Order From Chaos". http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/roman-empire-first-century/

Thanks for posting the link to the Lindsey Davis site. Some interesting info there.

I just finished the second book in the series, "Shadow of Bronze". I really enjoyed it.Altho most of the book is serious, there are those funny bits; and I laughed and laughed towards the end when Flaco is "picked up" and rescued from the Circus Maximus! James Bond, eat your heart out! What did you think Nephele? Have you started at the beginning of the series yet? I'm on my way to the library this morning to pick up "Venus in Copper". Looking forward to it.

I can't let you get away without Roman specifics Christina. I would be neglecting my duties. Darn.

Was this the one with Michael Sheen as Nero? The one from the "Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire" series? If so, I very much agree with your comments. It's one of several from that series that I have swilling about on the innards of my HDD TV box thingie, and have never got round to putting on DVD. If anyone fancies a copy, PM me and I'll sort you one out. I don't think so. This is a new documentary. That is, Nat.Geo channel has never shown it before. Here's a link I found to it: And it was "How Nero Saved Rome" not "Did..." sorry. I also see that they mention this one hour program will air again this Thursday at 9pm. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/how-nero-saved-rome-4024/Videos#tab-Videos/08773_00

Egypt would count, right? I was there in 1994. I forgot all about that.

Did anyone else watch this documentary on the Nation Geographic channel the other night? I found it interesting the way they brought up a new twist on the cause of the burning of Rome. Also posing the theory that perhaps Nero wasn't such a bad egg after all. His enemies just made all that stuff up! There were things about his life I never knew, though I haven't really read much about Nero. Loved how through animation they restored ancient buildings and esp. Nero's Golden House. I've forgotten the name he gave his palace? Also, did not know that his statue once stood in front of the Flavian Amphitheater thus it was afterward called the Colosseum. What happened to the statue?

I read this in the newspaper one day this past weekend. I feel very sad for him and hope he can continue to fight the disease. My Mom has had lymphoma for the five years now and keeps bouncing back from chemo and radiation whenever a new "bad lymph node" appears. It's now been a year since the last round.

As to why it could have been buried in a field, well, why not? Coin and silver hoards are often found in places that appear to be in the middle of nowhere but they may once have well been somewhere! A landscape can change dramatically over 2000 years. Objects are often buried for safekeeping in times of troubles or perhaps as a ceremonial or burial deposit. A good illustration may be the burial of a coin hoard in times of warfare. The person burying the hoard may have put hidden it say near the third oak tree to the north of a wooden bridge with a view to collecting it after the danger has passed. For whatever reason, the hoard is not collected, the bridge collapses over the years, the trees die, the land is put to pasture, and the landscape has changed beyond recognition. The hoard is found 2000 years later seemingly in the middle of nowhere! Very good points, makes sense to me.

But why would this helmet be found in a field? Did some ancient steal it and bury it? Was it ceremoniously buried? was in a grave? I really can't wrap my head around (no pun intended) how artifacts of this nature just "appear" in the middle of nowhere.

That is amazing.

Happy Birthday, many happy returns.

Cool! "Conan, the Barbarian" is an all-time classic, so I have a feeling I

Was it the "three gorgeous half-clad female characters"? That's when the film started to remind me of "Conan, the Barbarian".

Bored with daytime tv today, I decided to surf the On Demand channel on cable. At the last minute I browsed the "New Releases" list and came upon the movie "Centurion". Curious, I went head and ordered it, for $6.99! I thought that was a bit much, but hey it must be good for that price. Normally movies are $3.99 - $4.99. Well,the first part was not bad. The last half hour I nearly turned it off because it was getting way too predictable.And either I'm going deaf or the cable company is at fault, but I had a difficult time hearing some of the dialogue. Plus I was disappointed that they found it necessary to have not one but three "gorgeous, half clad" female characters - for once I'd like to see plain Janes in strong female roles. How did Arianne keep those blond tresses so beautifully permed?? I know - it's the movies. Anyway, it seemed I was watching an HBO series instead of a movie. Agree, the uniforms of the soldiers were great (not that I'm an expert on that). I disagree that it deserves any awards.

Look between the last topic heading in the forum listing that says "Tartarus" and "Today's Birthdays". There should be some phrases there.

The "buttons" are actually three and four word phrases. First one says "Todays Active Content".