Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Welcome aboard everyone, hope you enjoy it around here! your first task is to tell us "What did the Romans ever do for us????" Sorry couldn't resist!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corax Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Apologies that I did not introduce myself before starting to post on other fora but I am still finding my way round the site and only just fell upon this one! So - here goes - My twenty-first century name is Sukey and I am a semi-retired civil servant with some lovely extra time on my hands to learn about the past. I have always been interested in history but my interest in the Romans started with the Hadrian exhibition at the British Museum a few years ago. I then promised myself a visit to the Wall and this exceeded all my expectations. This was followed by a visit to Rome a couple of times and this has just encouraged me yet further! One of my main areas of interest is anything to do with the emperor Hadrian. After visiting the mithraea at St Clemente in Rome and Brocolitia on the Wall I became particularly interested in the mysteries of Mithras and am currently reading everything I can get hold of about them. (Amazon is doing well out of me!) My ambition is to visit every mithraeum still in existence but this may well be a tall order! So that explains why I am calling myself Corax as we Ravens have to start somewhere! I am so pleased to have found a site full of people who are so enthusiastic about all things Roman and I look forward to joining in many more discussions and learning from you. Many thanks - Corax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Welcome Corax. Hadrian is my favorite emperor since I had read Hadrian's Memoirs by Yourcenar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 No need to apologise Corax you are very welcome to the fora, although we will nbe moving this thread to join onto the main intorductions pages. BTW We all have to start somewhere and if I remember correctly it also took me some time to find the introductions page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) Welcome to UNRV Corax, I'm sure you'll love it around here! In a novel I've been recently reading the cult of Mithras plays quite a big part, it's got me wanting to learn more about this mysterious God worshipped mostly in the legions, could you recommend any good books on the subjects? thanks Edited March 13, 2011 by Gaius Paulinus Maximus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corax Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Welcome to UNRV Corax, I'm sure you'll love it around here! In a novel I've been recently reading the cult of Mithras plays quite a big part, it's got me wanting to learn more about this mysterious God worshipped mostly in the legions, could you recommend any good books on the subjects? thanks Thank you everyone for your kind welcome. Gaius - As regards an introduction to the mysteries of Mithras, I found David Ulansey's "The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries - Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World" - to be a good starting point. One slight warning: he identifies Mithras as representing the constellation of Perseus in the tauroctony (bull-killing icon)and quite a few scholars part company with him there and prefer to interpret Mithras as the Sun. But he is good on the background to the religion and, for me, the book was detailed enough to give a good introduction. Part of Robert Turcan's "The Cults of the Roman Empire" has a section on Mithras - cannot comment on it as it only arrived yesterday but it looks good.! IMO the most impressive work I have found so far is Roger Beck "The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire - Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun. " It is not an easy read for me as I know very little about ancient astronomy or astrology but it is well worth the effort if you want to gain an idea of how complex a religion it was. By the way, what is the name of the novel you are reading? It sounds tempting! Happy reading! Corax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Thank you everyone for your kind welcome. Gaius - As regards an introduction to the mysteries of Mithras, I found David Ulansey's "The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries - Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World" - to be a good starting point. One slight warning: he identifies Mithras as representing the constellation of Perseus in the tauroctony (bull-killing icon)and quite a few scholars part company with him there and prefer to interpret Mithras as the Sun. But he is good on the background to the religion and, for me, the book was detailed enough to give a good introduction. Part of Robert Turcan's "The Cults of the Roman Empire" has a section on Mithras - cannot comment on it as it only arrived yesterday but it looks good.! IMO the most impressive work I have found so far is Roger Beck "The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire - Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun. " It is not an easy read for me as I know very little about ancient astronomy or astrology but it is well worth the effort if you want to gain an idea of how complex a religion it was. By the way, what is the name of the novel you are reading? It sounds tempting! Happy reading! Corax Thanks for the recomendations Corax, I'll definately look into those. The novels I've been reading are a series of books called the Forgotten Legion chronicles by Ben Kane. It's set in the late Republic around the time of Caesar, Pompey, Crassus etc. Mithras doesn't appear till the second book but then the religion plays quite prominent role in the storyline. http://www.amazon.co...gion+chronicles I did a review for UNRV on the first book in the series a while ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corax Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 Thank you too for the info about Ben Kane. I had not hear of him before but he will definitely go on my increasingly long wish list! Corax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viggen Posted March 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Thank you everyone for your kind welcome. Gaius - As regards an introduction to the mysteries of Mithras, I found David Ulansey's "The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries - Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World" - to be a good starting point. One slight warning: he identifies Mithras as representing the constellation of Perseus in the tauroctony (bull-killing icon)and quite a few scholars part company with him there and prefer to interpret Mithras as the Sun. But he is good on the background to the religion and, for me, the book was detailed enough to give a good introduction. Part of Robert Turcan's "The Cults of the Roman Empire" has a section on Mithras - cannot comment on it as it only arrived yesterday but it looks good.! IMO the most impressive work I have found so far is Roger Beck "The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire - Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun. " It is not an easy read for me as I know very little about ancient astronomy or astrology but it is well worth the effort if you want to gain an idea of how complex a religion it was. By the way, what is the name of the novel you are reading? It sounds tempting! Happy reading! Corax Thanks for the recomendations Corax, I'll definately look into those. The novels I've been reading are a series of books called the Forgotten Legion chronicles by Ben Kane. It's set in the late Republic around the time of Caesar, Pompey, Crassus etc. Mithras doesn't appear till the second book but then the religion plays quite prominent role in the storyline. http://www.amazon.co...gion+chronicles I did a review for UNRV on the first book in the series a while ago. ...we are going to do reviews of both follow up books (Silver Legion and Road to Rome) in the near future... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corax Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Thank you everyone for your kind welcome. Gaius - As regards an introduction to the mysteries of Mithras, I found David Ulansey's "The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries - Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World" - to be a good starting point. One slight warning: he identifies Mithras as representing the constellation of Perseus in the tauroctony (bull-killing icon)and quite a few scholars part company with him there and prefer to interpret Mithras as the Sun. But he is good on the background to the religion and, for me, the book was detailed enough to give a good introduction. Part of Robert Turcan's "The Cults of the Roman Empire" has a section on Mithras - cannot comment on it as it only arrived yesterday but it looks good.! IMO the most impressive work I have found so far is Roger Beck "The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire - Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun. " It is not an easy read for me as I know very little about ancient astronomy or astrology but it is well worth the effort if you want to gain an idea of how complex a religion it was. By the way, what is the name of the novel you are reading? It sounds tempting! Happy reading! Corax Thanks for the recomendations Corax, I'll definately look into those. The novels I've been reading are a series of books called the Forgotten Legion chronicles by Ben Kane. It's set in the late Republic around the time of Caesar, Pompey, Crassus etc. Mithras doesn't appear till the second book but then the religion plays quite prominent role in the storyline. http://www.amazon.co...gion+chronicles I did a review for UNRV on the first book in the series a while ago. ...we are going to do reviews of both follow up books (Silver Legion and Road to Rome) in the near future... I look forward to reading them - by the way, I tried to find the review of the first book but could not find it ..probably looking in the wrong place.... Corax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 I look forward to reading them - by the way, I tried to find the review of the first book but could not find it ..probably looking in the wrong place.... Corax The link to this review is here but usually the way to search the reviews is to click on the 'books' link on the left of any forum pages (under the UNVR History logo) and then go to the 'History Books Index'. The index should normally be at the top of the page and then search alphabetically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corax Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 I look forward to reading them - by the way, I tried to find the review of the first book but could not find it ..probably looking in the wrong place.... Corax The link to this review is here but usually the way to search the reviews is to click on the 'books' link on the left of any forum pages (under the UNVR History logo) and then go to the 'History Books Index'. The index should normally be at the top of the page and then search alphabetically. Thanks for that - I was looking in the wrong place..a senior moment strikes again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scipio Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hello everyone, not sure where to put my introduction so I'll do it here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Welcome Scipio I hope you enjoy the fora,. BTW Don't worry about posting in the wrong place we moved your post here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Hello everyone, not sure where to put my introduction so I'll do it here OK, Scipio . . . off you go . . . tell us about yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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