Trethiwr

Circular discs of cardboard with a huge variety of coloured pictures on them. Derived from milk bottle tops of a bygone age (source wikipedia ) and also closely connected with a Passion-fruit, Orange, and Guava drink from Hawaii. Children collect them and trade them and play a game involving making stacks of them and knocking the stacks down. They had they commercial heyday in the 90s The vast majority are cardboard but you can also get heavier ones in plastic and I think even metal but I am getting into conjecture now. I am too old to have played with them and my kids are too young to have got into them in a big way as well.

Well I'm a grumpy old man who is dreading Christmas as well. Every advert that comes on my kids are screaming "I want that I want that." The Paterfamilias doesn't have nearly enough power in the modern world.

Well quite possibly not. But to explain where I am coming from. I was thinking specifically about low value things that a kid might have in his pockets, just by chance. Although of course the discussion of wider things is quite interesting, with some insightful suggestions coming in. Also my list was more intended as a query rather than an assertion. The bigger pogs are made of thick plastic and the pictures are quite detailed. They would surely arouse some curiosity at least. I think if you showed a Roman a photograph of yourself they would be pretty impressed. But if you took a photograph of them it would seem like some sort of witchcraft? I ended up using a box of Swan Vesta matches in the story.

Door knobs?? Really? I presume you mean specifically ones which turned the latch as well as acting as a handle. I mean there have to have been handles on doors since doors were invented. Interesting fact. The front door of Ten Downing Street, in London has NO handle or anything on the outside. If everybody went out and shut the door it would be impossible to get back in. (Although I presume they would have a difficult job shutting it in the first place.)

The article said the races were held at the Colosseum. (unless I misread it) I know the Flavian amphitheatre could house a great variety of spectacles but surely most chariot races still took place at the circus maximus and other purpose built chariot racing circuits didn't they?

Ha ha, so true. Two good points. Fancy that though; a sportsman being paid more than a top politician. Couldn't happen today could it? Errrm...

If I were to travel back in a time machine just 50 years there are possible areas of misunderstanding, especially in casual spoke English. 100 - 200 years ago I could understand most of a conversation with an ordinary Englishman although there would be an awful lot of possible misunderstandings and sticking points. Words that have completely reversed in meaning or just fallen out of use would make up about a quarter to a third but I could probably work it out from context. If I were to travel back 500 years it would be unlikely that I could understand half of anything that was said. Probably much less Just 1000 years ago at the time of my 29 x great grandfather William the conqueror I would not have the first clue what anyone was talking about. The ruling elite spoke medieval French and the peasants spoke Saxon.

MATCHES, of COURSE! They would be worth a kings ransom to anyone who had to use flint and steel. Also of course a time traveller with a box of swan vestas would not cause more than an infintessimal ripple in the fabric of space time. Thank you thank you. Does anybody think there is a danger of the matches being taken as some form of dangerous magic? A compass is good as well. I'm not sure about the sponge on a stick thing. I can see how keeping everything at arms length is handy but the disposability of paper is a HUGE advantage. Slaves would be nice but only if EVERYBODY had them! LOL

I just read that thread the other day. And then yesterday on the radio they were discussing a book that some woman has written about urine and all its many uses. They obviously did stuff to it first though. In a book I'm reading about prehistoric Britain the author makes the point that roundhouses could not have been freezing cold, leaky waterlogged hovels as earlier archaeologists had implied because simply, 'People aren't stupid' Nobody, not even an ancient Spaniard is going to have a wee mouthwash!

There seem to have been several different types of bulla or at least several ideas about them Wikipedia (that fount of incontrovertible knowledge!) says "They were enigmatic objects of lead covered in gold foil" then " A bulla was made of differing substances depending upon the wealth of the family" and also "a neckchain and round pouch containing protective amulets (usually phallic symbols), and the bulla of an upper-class boy would be made of gold.[1] Other materials included leather and cloth." I followed links (courtesy of Nephele I think) on an older post to two "make your own bulla" sites which may have been more or less authentic. I get the impression that whilst a rich boy might have a proper gold locket a poorer boty might have to make do with a leather pouch like a little drawstring purse. I'm surprised at cloth though which would surely not last very long and need to be replaced repeatedly in the 14 years of its main use. I would like to know, if a boy lost his bulla how big a problem would this be. Surely it wouldn't mean he would no longer be treated as free born since his parents, tutor, and friends, would surely know his status? This is assuming he didn't lose it in extreme circumstances like being kidnapped or whatever. Say it got pulled off in a fight (boys fought back then right?) and fell into a river or something. He goes home and tells his pater that he has lost his bulla. Does he get a beating? what would happen?

I'm wondering if there is anything from the present day that is not considered especially valuable to us but might impress the average ancient Roman. I'm not thinking about stuff like radio's or MP3 players which wouldn't work anyway but more simple stuff. I had an idea that something as simple as a marble with a little coloured swirl inside might seem pretty amazing but then I was looking at some actual Roman glass and they had all the bases covered there really. I'm really thinking of the sort of things that kids (usually boys) have in their pockets or in a tin under the bed. And specifically would be more valuable in real terms 2000 years ago compared to now. Polished semi precious stones Drill bits modern money Pogs 3D picture cards magnets etc etc.

I have to agree about the possibilities of different stories using Vesuvius as a backdrop. The eruption of Vesuvius must have affected tens of thousands of people and every one of them would have had a story to tell, from the many who were killed ending all their plans and dreams at a stroke, to the survivors who escaped at every level from being microns from death, to those who left the day before the eruption, for whatever reason, and thought "there but for the grace of the Gods go I" losing everything from their homes and possessions to entire families, friends, patrons, and clients.

OK first off I don't have HBO Rome on DVD but it looks like it might be a handy thing to have. I read that whilst some of the historical events were not totally accurate and some characters who were important in actual history were left out that nevertheless, the general authenticity of the scenery etc was supposedly good. I guess it would be worth checking out on Amazon or wherever. Meanwhile Melvadius has given me a useful looking site and of course two new search terms. Thank you. This is chapter 21 of a 25 chapter story and I have to get my hero arrested, and either thrown to lions or riding chariots or maybe even both? and rescued and escaped back to Gaul by the end of the book. Also I have to set up a sequel in which my hero has unrecorded and yet historically significant effects on Caesar's invasion of Britain. I can't see how its going to happen but then that's how it always is near the end of a book isn't it. If my hero is incarcerated in the mamertine he is going to have a slow but boring death. If however they decide to throw him to the lions or whatever then would he in fact be imprisoned somewhere else. As I understand it there were still gladiatorial contests but of course they did not take place in the Colosseum, which had not been built yet. Wasn't there somewhere near the forum that was the main place for that?

OK so Rome needed a police force. So they introduced the vigiles. But up before then i.e. late republic, if someone was silly/angry enough to start a fight with a legionary in the middle of the city in broad daylight. Who, other than the winner, would stop it? Who would bring the perpetrator to justice? Would they be tried in a court or what?

Can anybody tell me in detail about prisons in the city of Rome, in the last century BCE. I'm assuming that if you did something to get arrested they would have to put you somewhere until you were tried and I suppose that custodial sentences must have existed. Was there one big prison or several? How difficult were they to escape from with outside help. Guarded by regular soldiers or corruptible jailers? I'm specifically interested in late republic era and the Capital city itself so watching the Life Of Brian won't help me.

I can't give you any facts about what the Romans made of Stonehenge although I can't believe they were a. unaware of it or b. unimpressed, or c. left it completely undisturbed (there's always someone who will mess with stuff that should be left alone) I do know however that Stonehenge was a product of people living in the neolithic to bronze age and was never of any interest to the iron age Celts. It had fallen into disuse even before the Celts arrived as far as I understand.

Been ages since I posted anything. Wanted to a while ago but forgot the name of the forum. Went back to google but forgot the search terms I used to find this site. Does anybody find this funny. I kept searching for the term ROMAN FORUM ha ha haaaa, I don't know how many tourist websites, and articles about the forum in Rome. Anyway, thanks for the email reminding me about yourselves. Sometimes one man's SPAM is another man's MEAT.

I might be seeing this from a 21st century perspective but I can't imagine them renting a town house from a private citizen unless they already knew them. Since they are trying to be anonymous having caused a lot of trouble in Ostia I was really hoping that there was some kind of hotel system in existence. I know horses were not as fundamental to the Romans as they were to the Celts but surely they must have had people arriving in Rome in need of stables and a bed? I have this rather vague idea lurking in the back of my mind that horses and wheeled vehicles were practically non existent in Rome. But did I just imagine that? Again, maybe my image of the insulae is faulty. I sort of imagine something that vaguely resembles the apartments built in converted wharves by the Thames in London. Big crumbling brick buildings with very little space for anything.

Thanks Sylla. Asterix eh? Well you can't get any more historically accurate than that can you? Yes he is a Briton, he has been trying to pass himself off as Salluvi since that gives him some rights. So, if the merchant sold him he would have to pay slave tax and his details would be on record? Which would make it difficult if there was any comeback. If he took him to the courts then the lad's guide would surely turn up. She knows her way around and speaks Latin like a native. Having said that there was the little incident in Ostia which could catch up with him. His brothers stole a tiger and a chimpanzee. Trouble is then I have to learn all about the Roman court system as well! It seems I will have to do that anyway. Based on what Caldrail said I was thinking that if the merchant spent money helping him then he would be in debt and if he couldn't pay then he might be made a slave but perhaps that is a bit extreme? I guess if the merchant who's tiger was stolen came across my hero, he could make a more serious accusation against the lad. Would the courts hold him responsible as the brother of the perpetrators. There was plenty of confusion surrounding the incident so almost anything goes I suspect. Could he perhaps be given as a slave to the wild animal trader? Particularly if it came out that he was a Briton and not from a subject state.

I don't think C "missed" this one. May I ask you for your source on this statement? What I understand is that the left-handed Roman soldiers were simply forced to use their right hand. Oh right. Sorry. I was rather hoping I had something there. My kids told me about this recently, and I'm not sure if they got it from school or one of their books. Hardly a 100% reliable source, but it sounded pretty plausible to me. However your assertion that they were simply forced to use the right hand is also pretty plausible. I'm easily convinced.

Ah, that's going to give me a problem. They have two horses in particular which they would rather die than lose. They have to be able to stable them securely. They have got quite a bit of pure gold and silver on them if it helps. I haven't written them a contact in Rome. Due to some unfortunate circumstances in Ostia they are trying to keep a low profile.

Caldrail didn't you miss one in your list. Couldn't a young man, determined to avoid military service, simply learn to do EVERYTHING with his left hand? I understand that for the greater part of Roman history left handedness was an absolute barrier to military service because the testudo did not work with one southpaw messing up the formation. Also that would make a nice round TEN possible ways for your list. Of course if anyone threw him a ball he might accidentally catch it with his right hand which would give him away but maybe ... maybe he could get away with this?

OK, is this scenario plausible? Late evening - 16 year old argues with younger brothers and storms out of taverna/inn. (highly likely) Walking blindly through streets he crashes into off duty contubernium coming round the corner. (a bit pantomime?) Since he is in such a bad mood he tries to fight them and gets a good kicking for his troubles. He is left battered by the legionaries and a little later is subsequently robbed by a lucky thief who also beats him up a bit more and leaves him for dead in a rough part of town. The next day he is found by a merchant who helps him but expects payment. The youth has no money and is clearly an alien (although he has learned some Latin its not enough to pass himself off as a Roman) Could the merchant "adopt" him as a slave or would he need to go through the courts? I sort of want to keep him out of the courts as his friend and guide would probably be able to find out and help. Could the merchant sell him to a slave trader, were there slave auctions in Rome or is the whole idea or slave auctions a bit of an invention?

Where would visitors stay in Rome assuming they had money but not high status? Is there the equivalent of an inn where horses could be stabled and rooms and food be bought? I'm referring to late republic rather than say Christian era when I'm guessing there would have been monasteries etc. I did a bit of googling first and have come up with tavernae but I'm getting the impression these were more "wayside" inns rather than in cities and towns.

Hi, I stopped writing for ages because at every sentence I needed advice. I have finally dragged myself back to the book but I still need loads of help. My heroes who are three brothers aged 16 14 and 12, accompanied by a very athletic and striking woman, are now in Rome. C. 84BCE They are Celts from Britain and Gaul although they are telling people they are from Gallia Narbonensis so as to claim hospitium. They have learned quite a bit of Latin especially the eldest. I presume first of all that this has a reasonable chance of working at this time? However I can't really have them visit Rome and have a nice time sightseeing and then leave without incident. This is supposed to be a book after all. I want to get the eldest arrested or kidnapped and sold into slavery. He is quite hot headed although not really much of a fighter. He tends to mouth off first and realise he is out of his depth later. Am I right in thinking that citizens do not normally carry arms in the city? Am I also right in thinking that soldiers carry arms both on and off duty? Is there any practical way in which someone wearing a toga could conceal a weapon? If the eldest were to lose his temper with an off duty legionary would he kill him, or bring him to justice or might he just dispose of him in a convenient way such as selling him to a slave trader? If not can anyone suggest a plausible device for getting my hero roughed up a bit and ending up as a slave. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm asking everyone to write my book for me. Once I get them back to Gaul I will be on firmer ground.