[Pre-columbian Contact With America]

Perhaps if the expedition was funded by a private person rather than a government or religious group than if they went down with the ship along with their family, the people left related to them would assume them to have died some where in the mediteranian rather than some where in the atlantic and they simply would've been documented as drowned some where in the mediteranian and that wouldn't be the type of thing to stand out.

 

However, I don't beleive that any of the european people up until the norsemen could've gotten to the americas. But I beleive it would be possible for people in asia to get their by island hoping if they could find the islands they needed to go to.

[Big New Roman Find In City]

thank you for providing the latin word flavius.

 

 

 

Question: Do you think the Romans drove on the left or right side?

 

A very interesting question Platus. I would assume that they drove on the left side of the rode for the same reason that the people of france and britian did, which is that when a horse is pulling a cart of some sort, it is generaly whiped on the right side causing it to move slightly to the right when it walks. When the horse drove on the right side of the road, the horse would go off the road and onto the side walk, wheras when drive on the left side, it is forced to stay in alighnment rather than shift becuase their is carts bypassing on the opisite side keeping it from moving that way too far.

[The Augurs]

So I ask you if you beleive the Augurs and other priests told the answer-seeker what was best in their opinion, or did they honestly consult the gods?

 

Sextus,

 

Except for the Oracle at Delphi (which seems to have had some geo-chemical assistance) I would say that in general, they were giving answers & advice based on their sagacious opinions. Does that mean they were lying & cheating? Not necessarily.

 

More than likely they were confident (through their training) that they were in fact acting on behalf of the Gods.

 

Though I agree that they usally used gimicks to wow their 'customers'...

 

I've read in a few places that even the Druid priests made use of what we would consider parlor tricks. Particularly, one priest would find out what the problem was from the 'customer' and then non-verbally communicate to the 'Oracle' priest (or what have you) via Ogahm signs using their shin as the writing stem line (kind of like how catchers & pitchers communicate). That way, the Oracle priest knew the problem and the solution before the customer even told them.

 

Point well maid Pantagathus. Perhaps it was a mixture rather than a majority and minority. The Idea that they were a speaking voice for the gods would allow them to tell their decision to the person while still beleiving that the gods were deciding it.

[Your Predictions For Future...]

Obviously not, but I'm specifying that it happens in a certain area, and the inhabitants of that place have people that can use that bias to their advantage, not calling it particular only to that region.

 

Sorry, we've digressed.

 

This has got me more pessimistic than I already was.

[Your Predictions For Future...]

In hindsight, my statement was very poorly worded, perhaps I can clarify my thoughts.

 

Here is a better and more detailed explaination.

 

The fact that, not nessacarily a bad life is given to children, but one that is not identifying all views, so the ability of those youth is limited becuase they can't see every side to the story, and this makes them easier to be swayed one way.

 

There is also much ignorance, steriotypes, and hate exhibited from western countries towards middle eastern countries created by the view of Islam as a trouble causing religion that has few, if any, good beleifs and this creates, in people in the middle east, a negative attitude towards western culture, even if they don't particularly hate westerners.

 

This creates for a person that isn't nessacarily dumb, bad, nor had a bad life in the sense of how they lived and worked, but one that has a negative opinion towards the west, that can easily be exaggerated by people who believe a more extreme form, aka Islamist terrorist groups and radicals.

 

Also, to add to the problem, becuase of the long standing tradition, many Muslims of the poorer classes (the type generaly that becomes terrorists) have many offsprings. Terrorists have realized this, and its best noted in a quote by Osama bin Ladin

 

"The destruction of Isreal lies in the wombs of the Palestine women."

 

This refers to Isreal, but it can be adapted to the rest of the world.

 

Perhaps that helps clarify.

[Hbo Rome and... BBC too]

I saw the season finaly over my vacation, honestly I was disapointed.

[The Augurs]

"Being and Augur is easy work. Lightning on the left, good, lightning on the right, bad. All you have to do is turn around and you give the required answer."

 

I can't remember where I read this, but it brought a thought to my mind, were the Augurs and other preists/preistess just lieing in order to have the person do what was best, rather than what the gods dictated. After all, a common person seeking an answer would have no idea what certain things mean, how to figure out what they mean, or even what something was often times and they wouldn't know if the priest was lieing or telling what they thought their god wanted them to do.

 

A prime example of this, is the omen boc created by Heran of Alexandria. It looked like a small temple with a gold or copper bird sitting on top and a turnable wheel on one side. The answer-seeker would ask his question, turn the wheel, and if the bird sang the gods replyed positively, if not, it was a negative response. The Omen box was designed so that when some one asked a question to the priest, he would ready the omen box for the answer to the question he though apropriate by removing or inserting a cog into a slot, then would allow the answer-seeker to turn the wheel.

 

So I ask you if you beleive the Augurs and other priests told the answer-seeker what was best in their opinion, or did they honestly consult the gods?

[Ask The Expert - Dr Bryan Ward Perkins]

Professor,

 

I would like to ask you if you have an list, by date, of major battles durring the Roman Civil war. I can't seem to get ym head straight with them.

 

Sextus,

[Romes Superstitions]

How strange the world may be.

 

But to me, an atheist, it was luck. Ah well

 

The Romans had quite a interesting view of the vestals. Would hate to be one though.... such a boring life.

[The Circus]

Note that the Flavian Amphitheater is also the Colisseum, just different names, the Colisseum was adopted becuase of a collosal statue of Nero that stood there becuase the Flavian Amphitheater was built on the remnants of Nero's Golden House. I do agree that the mock naval battles would have been interesting, but they were later removed in order to make the 2 story network of tunnels we see underneath it today.

 

But your choice, not mine.

Mock naval battles were held prior to the building of the coliseum in different areas according to Suetonius and some were probably held in the circus maximus purely to meet space constraints after it was built.

 

While mock naval battles could have been held as where, as suetonius says, and I agree with you full heartedly on that. Though it is impossible, unless a water channel was completely removed, filed in, and all documentation was destroyed, that there were mock naval battles in the circus maximus becuase of two things.

 

1. There is no remains or documents discovered to point us that there was, infact, mock naval battles in the circus maximus becuase had there been, excavation would've unearthed them at some point. The starting gates would be a prime example too becuase non of that is water proof.

2. With the center island of the Circus Maximus with the markers and other objects standing up off of it would've created obsticals for boats which doesn't seem practical.

[Your Predictions For Future...]

Personaly, I think there is going to be a revolution in america in the near future of some sort or governmental reforms. After the end of two very bad terms, americans might finaly relize there is a world we've got to prepare for and that the current government no longer functions efficiantly, so that some one will lead a new party.

 

As for the rest of the world, there will be increasements in Islamist radical movements that will eventually tople on themselves when Europe and North America finally get fed up enough with them to do something serious and we may see the emergence of a religious war (not in the sense of war, war, but in guruellia, espionage, and terrorist attacks) which will lead to the lose of many lives for nihill.

 

Mainly, I beleive the entire problem for our future, is that Muslims produce so many kids and can't afford to give each one a decent life.

[Changing Forum Titles]

I'd recommend changing Elysium to "sepulchra" or something suitably Latin as the former is rather Greek.

 

Hmm, indeed. Perhaps Tartarus would be fitting?

 

I like that a lot, yes, very suitable. You have the green light from me.

 

Also, Flavius, chaos is good if you view it in latin, but the context that new comers would get or veterens of the site who don't speak latin wouldn't agree with what we are trying to use the asylum for.

[English to Latin Translation]

Thank you for the translations flavius

[The Greatest Roman General]

I personaly am a fan of Caesar and of Sulla, so caesar gets my vote with Sulla running as a close second.

[Big New Roman Find In City]

It depends on the ruling of the local and national officials, but hopefully they will be able to excavated the site. History should come before a new group of houses.

 

Also, any city with "chester" in some part of its name (e.g. westchester, etc) were likely roman forts by defualt of the name. Chester comes from a latin word meaning "fort" essentaily, so it would be expected that most towns with the word in their name were originaly some form of ofrtification with a town that grew up around them (as often happened with forts)

[Worst Roman Punishment?]

Yes, it's beleived that he played the lyre since that is how he is pictured in many pictures from after and durring his reign. Though some people think he played the fiddle becuase of the phrase:

 

"Nero fiddled while Rome burned"

 

But, if we take the time to look into the music of the period, one will quickly notice there is no such thing as a fiddle, which is also a violin.

 

BTW I'd heard that women had given birth durring the concerts but I'd never heard that people jumped off the theater walls, thats got to leave a worse headache than Nero's music.

[The Praetor Peregrinus]

Congratulations Germanicus, I myself have experianced a promotion over the holiday, but thats not as important as yours. All hail Germanicus, may he rule long and wise!

[English to Latin Translation]

Ahhhh, This is my first post getting back from my vacation in Michigan over the Thanksgiving break which has left me exhausted, but there was something to cheer me up the minute I signed on, a promotion to equestrain! It seems I married into a good family at last...

 

Anyways, I was wondering how to say "Yearly Bright Eyes" not a very usual thing but I'm having fun with a friend by playing a elaborate set of clues and would like to know how to asy it.

 

Also, I want to know how to say "The Trials of Sextus Rocius"

[English to Latin Translation]

hmmmm, I've wanted to know how to say "The roman empire fell becuase of its number system."

 

P.S. Viggen, there is now a link to the page you are already on from my post.... thats got to be silly.

[Worst Roman Punishment?]

Like the worm eating its own tail.

[Did The Romans Have Crowns?]

I'm amazed that no one brought up the gold crowns given to soldiers for being the first to mount the walls during the taking of a town...

 

"In the capture of a town those who are first to mount the walls are presented with a gold crown. So too those who have covered and saved any citizens or allies are distinguished by the Consul with certain presents; and those whom they have preserved present them voluntarily with a crown, or if not, they are compelled to do so by the Tribunes.

 

For the recipients of such rewards not only enjoy great glory among their comrades in the army, and an immediate reputation at home, but after their return they are marked men in all solemn festivals; for they alone, who have been thus distinguished by the Consuls for bravery, are allowed to wear robes of honour on those occasions: and moreover they place the spoils they have taken in the most conspicuous places in their houses, as visible tokens and proofs of their valour. No wonder that a people, whose rewards and punishments are allotted with such care and received with such feelings, should be brilliantly successful in war." - Polybius, 6.39

 

Also see: Corona

 

I beleive a Similar reward was given to the first sailor who boarded a enemy ship durring a naval battle, was it not?

[Worst Roman Punishment?]

Thank you for that P.P.

 

Wasn't another punishment simply being starved to death as with who ever tiberius's second heir was besides Caligula who was starved to death under the imperial palace, its rumoured that on the last few days before he died he was forced to eat his mattress stuffing!

[Changing Forum Titles]

A rebellion quelled before it began?

[Changing Forum Titles]

Here's how I translated it:

 

Archaeological News: Roman Empire

 

Archaeologica Novella: Romana Imperium

 

and

 

Archeological News : The World

 

Archaeologica Novella: Mundus

 

note: Mundus can also mean universe

 

I like it, like it alot, but It seems the administration has taken to their original settings

[Changing Forum Titles]

Perhaps new names for the aercheological (spelling, sorry) forums would be nice, though I'm at a lose of words to be used.

 

hmm, not a bad idea, however the majority that subscribes and read those forums are newcomers and visitors via the search engines, i fear those people would be confused with a new name that means nothing to the average person...

 

cheers

viggen

 

Thanks for taking time to notice it, but perhaps we could add a translation to it such as in the military, and religoius forums? Or is the admin trying to do with out that, I'm sure people would understand, since you have changed the ethics forum and the empire forum's names without translation, I assume these would be more populated by new subscribers than the arecheological forums. Also the little caption underneath the topic could do a lot to tell them about it, so all in all I beleive it could be done and make the site look more professional than it already is.