DecimusCaesar

I have seen the original Battlestar Galactica (the 70's version) and I did see the Galactica miniseries (one or two episodes?) when it aired many years back. I've never seen the new episodes of Galactica though, so I have a feeling that watching the new series is a prerequisite to watching Caprica.

Yup. I've changed my mind. I might watch this on the half price Saturday morning matinee when it comes out. Perhaps it will be entertaining at the least. I still haven't seent that movie, even though the Late Roman Empire is my favourite era of Roman history. Any know if it's any good?

We have a pretty diverse set this month. Ill probably be getting Ross Cowan's book on Battle Tactics.

The use of the name Attila the Hun as a byword for barbarism seems to feature a lot in pop culture. it might also be worth mentioning the Monty Python sketch 'The Attila the Hun Show'.

There are some examples of Roman hats from Roman Military Dress by Graham Sumner. He displays types that go beyond the Phrygian types, including an odd looking multi-coloured hat found in Egypt, and what looks like an elongated version of an 19th century bicorn hat turned on it's side. It's not far off from looking like a Hellenistic era kausia (which was a type of beret), but unfortunately the hats aren't labelled or named.

Reading this list makes me wish that SpaceGauls would become a real film.

Have a very Happy Birthday Neil!

My own opinion is that it was a mixture of all those things. Personally though I'd say the events of his childhood had a large effect on his personality. He was the son of the greatest living military commander, Germanicus, while his mother Agrippina supposedly spoiled her son rotten. After his father's death he had some pretty terrifying years at Tiberius's court, and if we are to believe Suetonius then Tiberius was purposefully 'nursing a viper for the Roman people'. The mixture of terror at Tiberius's court on Capua, combined with his mother's smothering of him helped create a rather cruel figure. He had been given free reign to indulge himself when he was a child, while at Capua he indulged himself with watching bloodsports and various other cruelty.

Happy Birthday Aurelia!

I hope you enjou yourself there Klingan, and I look forward to seeing your photos.

Awesome find. The Cicero reading sounds as if he's in a freezer.

Moon, a Sci-fi movie by Duncan Jones (?). It's a good movie made on a small budget. Very well made considering.

There's an old film I haven't seen called The Last Roman/ Struggle for Rome (depends which country your in - it's actual name is Kampf un Rom ) . It's about a Roman politician called Cethegus and stars Orson Welles as Justinian I. Technically you could call the film a late Roman/Byzantine period film. here's a link from imdb: Kampf un Rom It also has a sequel - Kampf un Rom II Can't really judge it as I haven't seen it myself.

I haven't read Scarrow's books but I was tempted to buy a copy of Centurion when I saw it at a supermarket a few days ago. I then changed my mind when I realised that Centurion wasn't the first book in the series. maybe I'll give them a look some other time, but after Christmas my reading list has gone up.

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year (and decade) to you Doc!

Anyone played this game? I recieved a copy for Christmas and I've been playing around with the two tutorials (building and battles) for a while. Seems fun but it's pretty basic. I haven't gotten a Roman city builder since I got a hold of Caesar III a long time ago. As a result I'm pretty rusty when it comes to the interface. I've also been told that the game isn't worth getting if you are a Roman city building fan as it doesn't really offer anything new on the table. Having not played a city builder in years I'm finding it an enjoyable experience so far. Any opinions on it?

No, I don't agree that it was justified. I've read that the modern Olympics have been hugely influenced by the Nazis. It was they who came up with the idea of the Olympic torch for instance, but many people consider it an Ancient Greek tradition, something the Classicist Mary Beard discusses here - Olympics. I don't like the tone of that article either, and while I don't believe that Christianity played a pivotal role in the fall of Roman Civilisation (like Edward Gibbon), I do think it had a damaging effect on the Empire, especially in terms of culture and personal freedom.

Thanks for the info Ursus! In my previous post I shopuld have said that they've reached series 3 not I've.

No, but I've read some stuff by Guy De La Bedoyere before. I've also seen some of the documentaries by Bettany Hughes (at least that's whose face was reflected in the glass, I think) and i find them pretty informative. Hughes is more interested in Classical Greece rather than Rome, but Bedoyere is an expert on Roman Britain. Seeing that this show was released on the History Channel, I'm glad it actually showing history shows again and not just random stuff on UFO's, truckers, conspiracy theories, and Adolf Hitler.

It's amazing that I've reached series 3 and I still haven't gotten round to watching this show. Anymore series in the pipeline?

Here's some Christmas videos for you to enjoy - Merry Christmas Everyone: Jack Bauer meets Santa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6yUCbqAGrg This one's very well edited: Nice pictures here as well. Nephele, I don't know how we'd survive snow like that in Britain. The entire country goes into melt down if a snow flake hits the ground. Nice Christmas lights PP, I don't see much of that where I live.

I missed out on getting this at Christmas, so it might go on my birthday list. I've been meaning to get a book on daily life and culture in the late period for nearly two years now, but I haven't seen much about the subject.

Merry Christmas to everyone at UNRV! Your tree looks really nice Klingan, much better than the one in our house which is basically on the verge of falling over.

For those who haven't seen it, here is the new trailer for Spartacus: Blood and Sand - It seems to me to be heavily influenced by Zack Snyder's 300. If anything, it looks to be a completely new interpretation of Spartacus - something completely beyond Kubrick's and the 2004 Tv movie.

Have a great birthday C-M!