Blog Feed: Roman News and Archeology

Roman Travel

Published on 2012-05-26 02:30:12

What would it have been like to travel through the Roman Empire? You wouldn't need a companion to try to figure out which direction to turn a fragile map repeatedly mis-folded into dozens of sections to steer you. You might have a delicate map though. One with paths depicted as the straight lines the Romans tried to make their roads by cutting or burrowing through geological structures. Such itineraries (like the Tabula Peutinger) would tell you the distance along the road to the next stoppin [..] > read more

Imperium Sine Fine: Teaching Pompeii: A Guide to Resources

Published on 2012-05-26 02:29:01

The study of Pompeii is one of the highlights of my teaching year. Pompeii offers so much for the student of the ancient world, from politics to business, religion to art, daily life to natural disaster. It also provides the opportunity to examine a very ordinary Roman city, much like many other settlements across the Empire. > read more

An Interesting Group…

Published on 2012-05-26 02:27:42

I am very busy right now, and the rest of the week may not have much from me (though I'll have more certain information on my potential future posts for the next week tomorrow); so, in the meantime, here's a little something to whet your appetite, if you like particular things on your menu, that my Thracian colleague alerted me to recently. This group is called Threskeia, and they are a Bulgarian pagan group that does a great deal of Thracian-related practice. Their main deities are Hekate as [..] > read more

Flower power restores colour to ancient Rome

Published on 2012-05-26 02:25:56

ROME — Italian archaeologists on Saturday inaugurated new flower gardens in the ruins of ancient Roman palaces on the Palatine Hill in a colourful reconstruction of what the area may have looked like 2,000 years ago. Purple petunias, white leadworts and medicinal vervain have been planted in the ruins of courtyards and shrines where scribes of the time described luxurious gardens created in imitation of the ancient Greeks. "The Palatine was not only about architecture. It was a game of c [..] > read more

Roman Emperors, Up To AD 476 And Not Including Usurpers, In Order Of How Hardcore Their Deaths Were

Published on 2012-05-26 02:19:15

84-65 (tie). Titus (died in AD 81), Nerva (98), Trajan (117), Hadrian (138), Antoninus Pius (161), Marcus Aurelius (180), Septimius Severus (211), Tacitus (276), Constantius I (306), Gallerius (311), Constantine I (337), Constantius II (361), Theodosius I (395), Arcadius (408), Constantius III (421), Honorious (423), Marcian (457), Libius Severus (465), Olybrius (472), Leo I (474): Natural causes. 64. Vespasian (79): Natural causes; quipped "Uh oh, I think I'm becoming a God" as he died. 6 [..] > read more

Wall Mile 6

Published on 2012-05-26 02:17:22

Continuing up the hill, we reach a roundabout and cross carefully. Here there is absolutely nothing of the Wall to see, other than its influence on the course of West Road (along which we are travelling), but in many ways that is the whole point of this suburban and urban odyssey of ours. Until now, we have been noting how the line taken by the Wall was dictated by the landscape and that has not changed (although it is difficult to see such influences in built-up areas they are, nevertheless, st [..] > read more

Planting the Palatine

Published on 2012-05-26 02:15:38

This just in from AFP: Italian archaeologists on Saturday inaugurated new flower gardens in the ruins of ancient Roman palaces on the Palatine Hill in a colourful reconstruction of what the area may have looked like 2,000 years ago. Purple petunias, white leadworts and medicinal vervain have been planted in the ruins of courtyards and shrines where scribes of the time described luxurious gardens created in imitation of the ancient Greeks. "The Palatine was not only about architecture. I [..] > read more

Morecombe and Wise: Antony and Cleopatra

Published on 2012-05-26 02:14:30

One of Morecombe and Wise's most famous sketches, this 1971 > read more

Greek and Byzantine-era tomb discoveries in Alexandria prompt construction freeze

Published on 2012-05-26 02:13:45

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered four Greek and Byzantine-era rock tombs in a section of old Alexandria's eastern necropolis in an area neighbouring Al-Ibrahimeya tunnel. The site was discovered during excavations carried out by the Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA) and stretches between the areas of Al-Shatbi and Mostafa Kamel. > read more

Last Statues of Antiquity

Published on 2012-05-26 02:11:51

Here you will find a searchable database of the published evidence for statuary and inscribed statue bases set up after AD 284, that were new, newly dedicated, or newly re-worked. To access the site, click on one of the buttons above: BROWSE, SIMPLE SEARCH, or ADVANCED SEARCH (or, if you need them, INSTRUCTIONS). We do not have the funding to up-date this resource continuously, but would welcome hearing of additional material, or of substantive corrections, by your emailing . This database i [..] > read more

Michael Auslin: Lessons from Byzantium ... The Empire Fell But Didn’t Have To

Published on 2012-05-20 06:20:45

The Byzantine Empire's long run — 1,100 years — may seem remote from the 21st century, but a reading of its history offers at least three timeless lessons. Understanding some of the fatal weaknesses in the Eastern Roman Empire may help clarify the political and economic problems that America faces today and the choices we have in responding to them. Founded in 330 by the emperor Constantine, the eastern half of the Roman Empire was centered in Constantinople, the New Rome. By the fourth c [..] > read more

Podcasts and videos on ancient medicine

Published on 2012-05-20 06:18:42

I would strongly recommend listening to the following podcasts and videos, if you have even a distant interest in ancient medicine. Helen King, professor in ancient history, talks about her work. Recent podcasts: On ancient medicine, and 'Gladiator', April 2012: http://www8.open.ac.uk/platform/news-and-features/professor-helen-king-ancient-medicine-and-the-flashing-midwife (NB the full content is not available if accessed on an iPad) On Agnodike the 'flashing midwife', March 2012: http:/ [..] > read more

Roman Economy Conference in Oxford

Published on 2012-05-20 06:17:40

Structure and scale of Roman urban economies: the case of Pompeii' that will take place in Oxford on 29-30 June, co-organized by the Oxford Roman Economy Project and the Network on Structural Determinants of Economic Performance in the Roman World (Flandres). The conference brings together Pompeii specialists and leading economic historians of the Roman world to explore what Pompeii's unique remains have to offer to the larger debates about structure and scale in the Roman economy. The topic wi [..] > read more

Un artisan d'Agendicum

Published on 2012-05-20 06:16:56

Je vous ai présenté la dernière fois l'une des mosaïques gallo-romaines conservée dans les musées de Sens. Aujourd'hui je vous propose de nous rendre dans une autre salle afin de découvrir la stèle funéraire d'un artisan local à peu près de la même époque. La stèle de Bellicus, le jeune forgeron C'est une stèle remarquable, car il s'agit d'un personnage sculpté dans une niche semi-cylindrique avec arrière-voussure sphérique accompagnée de deux oreilles, comportant elles- [..] > read more

Christianity and the Roman Empire – Part II The First Century

Published on 2012-05-20 06:15:47

During the third decade of the first century a new prophet appeared in Galilee. His message was consistent with the currents of the time, but he also placed a new focus on the poor and disadvantaged. Most importantly, he claimed to be inaugurating the kingdom of God on earth through his own special relationship with the creator. > read more

Wall Mile 8

Published on 2012-05-20 06:13:43

Now the road curves round to a major junction and we lose the line of the curtain wall for a while. Here, beneath the mess that is the A69, something rather unusual happens: the Military Road leaves the line of the curtain wall. Instead it takes a much older and more influential line, which will come to dominate the town planning of Newcastle. The wall is now to the south of the road all the way to the centre, the road being in the ditch. Sound familiar? It ought to. There is, as you will have g [..] > read more

Archaeological dig at Upton could find remains of a Roman suburb

Published on 2012-05-20 06:13:02

ARCHAEOLOGISTS hope to uncover up to 1,000 years of Northampton's history when they investigate a building site on the west of the town. A dig on the latest phase of the Upton development is planned to take place next month. Early examinations of the nine- acre site have suggested there could be both Iron Age and Roman finds beneath the ground. Steve Parry, from Northamptonshire Archaeology, said: "The exciting thing about this project is that it gives us the opportunity to look at quit [..] > read more

Smuggled Cargo Found on Ancient Roman Ship

Published on 2012-05-20 06:12:01

A Roman shipwreck, dating to the third century AD, has revealed signs of smuggling. Click to enlarge this image. Sebastiano Tusa Evidence of ancient smuggling activity has emerged from a Roman shipwreck, according to Italian archaeologists who have investigated the vessel's cargo. Dating to the third century AD, the large sunken ship was fully recovered six months ago at a depth of 7 feet near the shore of Marausa Lido, a beach resort near Trapani. Her cargo, officially consisting of as [..] > read more

L'année des quatre empereurs

Published on 2012-05-20 06:10:05

Période traumatisante et riche en rebondissement s'il en est, l'année des quatre empereurs marque une certaine césure dans le système du principat tel qu'il avait été forgé par Auguste. En effet, jusque là, les empereurs romains se succédaient, non de père en fils, mais dans un certain cercle familial, qu'ils s'y rattachent par branches parallèles ou par mariage, ils se placent donc directement dans l'héritage du premier empereur et forment une sorte de maison impériale qui semble e [..] > read more

Roman Beyrut

Published on 2012-05-20 06:09:10

I have now blogged about the new web pages about the Bekaa Valley and the Lebanon, about Niha, about Faqra, and about Machnaqa. There's a lot more to be written – think of Baalbek, Byblus, Sidon, and Tyre – but for the moment, I will only add Beyrut. We found it a lovely city, with two beautiful museums (the National Museum and the Archaeological Museum of the American University) and a couple of ancient ruins, which were not very special. Nevertheless, the city's history is quite interes [..] > read more

Cirencester Roman amphitheatre plans unveiled

Published on 2012-05-15 16:09:56

Plans to revamp Cirencester's Roman amphitheatre and surrounding area have been unveiled. The town council, which has taken over management of part of the site from English Heritage, wants to improve access and erect new information signs. Part of the scheme would see the restoration of the historic Chesterton Obelisk which is in woodland nearby. Martin Conyers from the town council said it was an "exciting project" for Cirencester. The earthworks, which still exist near to the centr [..] > read more

Spartacus: Vengeance arrive sur Orange Ciné Choc

Published on 2012-05-15 16:07:55

La saison 2 > read more

Une maison de maître du Ier au IIIe siècle à Grand

Published on 2012-05-15 16:05:53

Entre juin et octobre 2011, en amont de la création d'un lotissement, une fouille menée à Grand a permis la mise au jour d'une imposante villa au pied du rempart de l'agglomération gallo-romaine. Durant l'Antiquité, Grand est identifié à un sanctuaire des eaux dédié à Apollon Grannus. La découverte d'enduits peints permettent d'en restituer les décors et d'identifier la fonction de ses nombreuses pièces. La fouille d'une villa de cette envergure et de ce luxe dans son intégralité [..] > read more

Hadrian's Wall lights up to mark 1600th anniversary of the end of Roman rule

Published on 2012-05-15 16:04:53

Hadrian's Wall facing East towards Crag LoughHadrian's Wall (, "Aelian Wall" – the Latin name is inferred from text on the Staffordshire Moorlands Patera) was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today. The wall was the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. [..] > read more

Archaeologists Uncover Statues of the Children of Antony & Cleopatra

Published on 2012-05-15 16:03:06

One of the most famous love stories of history, that of Antony and Kleopatra, has had a new piece to the puzzle added with the discovery of a new statue that archaeologists believe depict their children: Alexander Helios (the Sun) and Kleopatra Selene II (the Moon). The children, twins, were Kleopatra's second and third child (having already given birth to Caesarion, the son of Julius Caesar). They would have a third child later, Ptolemy Philadelphus.Caesarion, a potential and dangerous heir to [..] > read more

Planning to protect our Roman heritage

Published on 2012-05-15 16:02:02

FIREFIGHTERS have drawn up new plans to protect South Shields's historic Roman heritage. They have taken details of the layout of Arbeia fort and museum to help them should fire break out. And a similar survey has also been done at South Shields Museum and Art Gallery, in Ocean Road. Ten other North East sites which store valuable objects have been specially scanned and surveyed in case of emergency. John Baines, area manager for community safety with the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescu [..] > read more

Did the Romans Suffer From Spring Fever?

Published on 2012-05-15 16:00:38

I was sure they did until I looked up the definition and symptoms. I think of spring fever as a sense of excitement with a hefty dose of fun-loving irresponsibility. Just the sort of excitement that leads to college kids' notorious spring breaks. A sort of spring Saturnalia. At the tail end of April the Romans celebrated a series of festivals I can't help thinking of as silly-sounding and proof that they suffered from (my definition of) spring fever. "Let's find something, anything, to pin it on [..] > read more

Pompeii wall collapses, despite new conservation initiative

Published on 2012-05-15 15:16:32

A 2,000-year old wall surrounding an ancient villa at Pompeii has collapsed – just two weeks after the Italian government launched a 105 million euro project (£86 million) to save the precious archaeological site. The Special Archaeological Superintendent for Naples and Pompeii confirmed the collapse of the red-frescoed wall next to an unidentified villa in an area already closed to the public. The collapse of the wall is particularly embarrassing for the government as it follows severa [..] > read more

Christianity and the Roman Empire – Part II The First Century A.D.

Published on 2012-05-15 15:15:12

Rome was in constant conflict with the Jewish people during the first century A.D. because the latter had become tired of enslavement by foreign rulers. By the seventh decade that conflict would erupt into the war that destroyed Jerusalem. Earlier, during the third decade, a messianic leader appeared among the Jews and spoke of the coming kingdom of God, before he was captured and crucified by the Romans. His followers, once they had overcome their grief, created a new religion based on Jesus' l [..] > read more

Scientists discover runes on ancient comb

Published on 2012-05-15 15:14:21

The ancient mails, called runes, were injured onto a 12.5 centimeter-long comb by Germanic settlers in the second century, scientists working on the site in Saxony-Anhalt believe. > read more

Une nouvelle preuve de l'existence de gladiatrices chez les Romains

Published on 2012-05-12 06:08:53

Une nouvelle analyse réalisée sur une statuette en bronze exposée dans un musée allemand semble témoigner qu'il existait bel et bien des femmes gladiateurs sous l'empire romain. Des combattantes dont il existe très peu de représentations. Le buste nu, l'arme à la main, prêt à sa battre, les images de gladiateurs combattant des adversaires ou des fauves dans de grands amphithéâtres aux gradins remplis sont loin d'être rares. Si les archéologues ont trouvé de nombreux éléments [..] > read more

$800-million ancient Rome theme park planned - in Rome

Published on 2012-05-12 06:08:01

The wonders of the ancient city of Rome will be re-created as a gigantic theme park a few kilometres from the original monuments, if Gianni Alemanno, the mayor, has his way. The grandiose project is being nicknamed the Disneyland of Ancient Rome or Romaland. Those backing the project envisage millions of tourists having the chance to stroll through the ancient forum, race chariots around the Circus Maximus, climb down into the catacombs or loll in the Baths of Caracalla. Visitors will get [..] > read more

‘Veni, Vidi, Vici’ patented in Turkey

Published on 2012-05-12 06:07:17

The municipality of Zile in the northern province of Tokat has announced the acquisition of the Turkish patent license for the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar's famous saying "Veni Vidi Vici" which is believed to have been uttered in district's 4,000-year-old castle. It took two and a half years to acquire the patent, Mayor Lütfi Vidinel said. "The copyright of the phrase belongs to our municipality for the following 10 years. We are planning to renew it every decade. A global tobacco company is us [..] > read more

Roman artefacts at Epiacum churned up by moles

Published on 2012-05-12 06:05:44

EARTH burrowing moles are responsible for digging up some of Roman Britain's deepest secrets in a remote corner of West Northumberland. They may be the bane of farmers across the land, but some moles are doing the human race a huge historical favour. Epiacum, an isolated Roman fort close to the Cumbrian border 12 miles south of Hadrian's Wall, is a scheduled ancient monument and as such, any excavation is banned on site. But humans has never yet introduced any law understood by Mr Mole [..] > read more

Call for delay on church site plan

Published on 2012-05-12 04:04:44

Archeologists have called for a halt to church redevelopment plans on the site of Ilkley's Roman fort until an excavation has taken place. West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service (WYAAS) is asking Bradford Council to defer its decision on plans for a link building between the historic All Saints Parish Church and nearby Church House. The proposed development is situated within the remains of Olicana Roman Fort, say archaeologists, which is thought to have been built by Agricola in A [..] > read more

Italian 'finds' sculpture of Antony and Cleopatra's twins

Published on 2012-05-12 04:02:33

An Italian expert said on Friday that she had identified a sculpture in Cairo's Egyptian Museum as depicting the twin children of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Egyptologist Giuseppina Capriotti of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) said that an approximately one-metre-high sculpture of a boy and girl embracing is of is the ancient lovers' offspring, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene II. The famous relationship between Cleopatra and Antony also produced a third child after the twins, Pt [..] > read more

Military Diploma in the Israel Museum

Published on 2012-05-12 04:00:46

We do not know the name of the Roman war veteran who owned this bronze certificate, which marked his discharge from active service 1,922 years ago. His name was engraved on the tablet when it was issued in Rome, but that part is missing. We do know that he was discharged in 90 CE and that he served in one of the empire's combat units stationed in the unruly province of Judea. Because a Roman soldier served 25 years before being released, we can deduce that this anonymous fighter was in acti [..] > read more

BiblePlaces Blog: Cave for Demeter Worship Identified in Judean Hills

Published on 2012-05-12 03:59:02

We often hear about how Jerusalem is holy to followers of the three major monotheistic religions. But what is less well-known is that the surrounding Judean hills were home to pagan ritual sites involving Greco-Roman gods. One such site, linked to the harvest goddess Demeter, has been identified at the Twins Cave, according to a study released by the Yad Ben-Zvi historical research institute last week. http://blog.bibleplaces.com/2012/04/cave-for-demeter-worship-identified-in.html > read more

Italy's Famous Monuments Hit By Austerity Measures

Published on 2012-05-12 03:56:59

The Times of Oman reports that billionaire Diego Della Valle said he's thinking of withdrawing the 25 million euros ($33 million) he promised last year to restore the Colosseum, which has been crumbling due to lack of maintenance. An even more serious problem is Pompeii, which suffered a couple of spectacular collapses in 2010. http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/11/italys-famous-monuments-hit-by-austerity-mesures > read more

Mixed Martial Artist Recruited for Ancient Roman Army

Published on 2012-05-12 03:55:00

Flavillianus excelled at two sports, wrestling and pankration, winning victories in Athens, Argos and Neapolis. Both of these sports have roots in ancient Greece. CREDIT: Timothy R. Nichols | Shutterstock Millennia before modern-day military recruiters talked up potential soldiers in shopping malls or put up posters, one Roman city took a rather different approach to recruiting soldiers for the emperor's army. A newly translated inscription, dating back about 1,800 years, reveals that Oin [..] > read more

Camille Jullian - Vercingétorix _ Chap. XII p. 1 & 2

Published on 2012-05-12 03:52:46

Dès son arrivée chez les Lingons, César appela à lui toutes ses troupes : aux deux légions qu'il trouva sur sa route, aux recrues qu'il amenait, vinrent se joindre les six légions de Sens et les deux légions qui surveillaient les Trévires. La concentration achevée dans la vallée de la Seine, il s'achemina vers Sens avec toute son armée, et se proposa de passer la fin de l'hiver pour préparer la campagne. Du côté de la Province il était désormais tranquille. Brutus revint au [..] > read more

Pompeii Receives Rescue Cash

Published on 2012-05-12 03:49:37

Long term readers will now that there's been growing fear over Pompeii, the once buried Roman town, and the decay it was reportedly suffering in the face of inadequate funding. Well, the Italian government and the EU have teamed up to fund a 105m Euro project. While some criticisms have been levelled at this - twice the sum is supposed to be needed - it's certainly a start for a great ancient site which still receives over two million visitors a year. (Cited from the BBC.) http://europeanhi [..] > read more

Colosseum in Centurion Protest

Published on 2012-05-12 03:47:38

A war of words and protest has broken out in Italy between Roman impersonators, who pose with tourists in front of historical sites in return for payment, and the Italian government, who from April 4th banned commercial activity in front of the monuments, partly to protect tourists from feeling harassed into paying for the photos. This has boiled over, and a group of protestors dressed as Roman soldiers climbed into the upper reaches of the Colosseum, where they were cheered by tourists before p [..] > read more

$800-million ancient Rome theme park planned - in Rome

Published on 2012-05-12 03:46:22

The wonders of the ancient city of Rome will be re-created as a gigantic theme park a few kilometres from the original monuments, if Gianni Alemanno, the mayor, has his way. The grandiose project is being nicknamed the Disneyland of Ancient Rome or Romaland. Those backing the project envisage millions of tourists having the chance to stroll through the ancient forum, race chariots around the Circus Maximus, climb down into the catacombs or loll in the Baths of Caracalla. Visitors will ge [..] > read more

Colonnes romaines : les fouilles vont jouer les prolongations

Published on 2012-05-11 03:25:14

A la suite de la découverte, mardi, de trois intéressants fragments de colonnes romaines dans une fosse creusée au milieu de la rue de Puygarreau (à l'emplacement du local technique de la future fontaine située à l'arrière de l'hôtel de ville) une prescription de fouilles a été décidée conjointement hier par la Drac et les services de Cœur d'agglo. Ce travail sera confié à un opérateur archéologique pour une période d'une quinzaine de jours. http://www.lanouvellerepubliqu [..] > read more

La Rome Antique, un modèle d’intégration

Published on 2012-05-11 03:23:10

Des trouvailles archéologiques pour comprendre notre monde actuel: c'est le pari du Musée Vindonissa, qui met en évidence l'importance de la mobilité et de la globalisation à l'époque romaine. L'intégration de nombreux peuples au sein de l'Empire y est également soulignée. http://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/culture/La_Rome_Antique,_un_modele_d_integration.html?cid=32422234 > read more

Practice archaeological dig uncovers 2,000-year-old temple

Published on 2012-05-10 06:31:48

Lecturers at Bonn University had set up a mock archaeological dig at a building site on campus to teach hopeful historians digging techniques. What they did not expect to find were the 2,000-year-old foundations of a building, nestled into the dense, clayish mud. http://www.ablogabouthistory.com/2012/05/09/practice-archaeological-dig-uncovers-2000-year-old-temple/ > read more

Des colonnes romaines rue de Puygarreau

Published on 2012-05-05 12:04:36

Les jours se succèdent et les travaux de Cœur d'agglo continuent à égrener leurs découvertes archéologiques. Hier, à l'arrière de l'hôtel de ville, rue de Puygarreau, lors du creusement de l'espace qui abritera en sous-sol le local technique de la future fontaine, les archéologues Christophe Belliard et François Blanchet ont mis au jour trois éléments de colonnes gallo-romaines. Le lieu qui ressemble à un dépotoir de maçonneries révèle également des traces d'enduits peints ant [..] > read more

Une tombe de singe découverte dans une nécropole antique à Poitiers

Published on 2012-05-05 12:03:11

Dans la nécropole du haut Moyen Age, une quarantaine de tombes ont été fouillées. Certains squelettes humains y sont parfaitement conservés. C'est l'un des charmes de Poitiers. Partout, en surface ou dans son sous-sol, l'histoire est toujours là, en pleine lumière ou cachée… Rue des Caillons, en amont du projet de construction d'un centre d'hébergement et de réinsertion sociale (lire ci-dessous), des sondages puis des fouilles archéologiques ont été menées sur une surface de 2.0 [..] > read more

Ces trésors exhumés des limons du Rhône

Published on 2012-05-05 12:01:48

A quoi sert l'archéologie > read more

Roman-age farm estate opens in West Hungary

Published on 2012-05-05 12:00:13

Central Europe's largest uncovered Roman-age farm estate with more than 20 buildings, including the remains of baths, a lapidary and a cemetery, opened its gates in Nemesvamos in western Hungary on Wednesday, a spokesperson of the Dezső Laczkó Museum in Veszprém said. Although installation at Villa Romana Baláca is still under way to be fully ready for the summer, visitors can see museum experts making finishing touches, Mona Gaspar said. The site will be complete with a 700-thousand-piece [..] > read more

Exposition "Les Etrusques, civilisation de l'Italie ancienne" à Montréal

Published on 2012-05-05 11:58:42

Présentée en exclusivité mondiale à Pointe-à-Callière, Les Étrusques – Civilisation de l'Italie ancienne est une exposition qui porte sur l'une des plus remarquables et célèbres civilisations de l'Antiquité qui s'est développée en Italie, principalement dans la région de la Toscane, sur près de dix siècles, du 9e au 1er siècle avant notre ère. Cette exposition permettra de découvrir et d'apprécier ce peuple qui occupe une place importante dans l'évolution de l'humanité et [..] > read more

Les Gaulois retrouvés

Published on 2012-05-05 11:56:19

« > read more

Arminius in opera and Telemann's Germanicus

Published on 2012-05-05 11:54:30

Operatic appearances of Arminius are frequent yet forgettable. Some thirty-seven different operatic Arminiuses appeared in the eighteenth century, and a further eighteen in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Domenico Scarlatti and Johann Adolph Hasse are among the few composers that will have been heard of and in both cases the operas are much stronger musically than dramatically. I had thought that only two had been recorded in modern times. The former, called Arminio, counts as the fir [..] > read more

Rare Ancient Statue Depicts Topless Female Gladiator

Published on 2012-05-05 11:27:57

The newly identified bronze statue reveals what may be a female gladiator standing in a victory pose, while looking down at what is presumably her fallen opponent. CREDIT: Photo by Alfonso Manas, University of Granada A small bronze statue dating back nearly 2,000 years may be that of a female gladiator, a victorious one at that, suggests a new study. If confirmed the statue would represent only the second depiction of a woman gladiator known to exist. The gladiator statue shows a toples [..] > read more

Reports: Qatar Could Invest In Ancient Rome Theme Park

Published on 2012-05-05 11:26:53

Qatar could invest in a new ancient Roman theme park, Italian media reported Wednesday, a day after the Gulf state's emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani met with local officials in the Eternal City. "We showed the emir several plans. The one that most caught his attention and which he said he wants his people to work on is the idea of a theme park on ancient Rome" the city's mayor, Gianni Alemanno, was quoted as saying. The park would be located outside of the city canter and would allo [..] > read more

Pompeii holidays: Pomp and splendour at the greatest ruins of them all

Published on 2012-05-05 11:25:22

Pompeii and Herculaneum, I told my children, are without doubt, some of the world's most important archaeological sites. They didn't look convinced. I tried again: when nearby Vesuvius erupted in 79AD, the Romans living in the towns were buried in molten lava and it happened so fast, the bread they were baking was still in the oven - and still there was not a great deal of enthusiasm. In the firing line: Two thousand years on, Vesuvius still broods above Pompeii Fortunately, looking for h [..] > read more

Carnyx et meurtres en pays lémovice…

Published on 2012-04-26 16:14:23

Vous avez > read more

European Commission approves funding for Pompeii to restore important European heritage site

Published on 2012-04-26 16:13:11

The European Commission has approved funding from the European Regional Development Fund for a major project to restore the area of the UNESCO site of Pompeii, in Campania, Italy. The project 'preservation, maintenance and improvement of the archaeological site of Pompeii' will lead to the investment of 105 million euro of EU and national contributions combined. The objective is to preserve the site as a long term tourism attraction for the region. At the end of October 2011, torrential ra [..] > read more

Digging Jesus-- Jesus and the Archaeological Evidence

Published on 2012-04-26 16:12:16

From Craig Evans___It's March, Easter approaches, and new books about Jesus have appeared. It is an interesting and diverse batch this time around. Bart Ehrman's "Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth" (Harper) very ably assembles the evidence, showing that claims that there never was a historical Jesus fly in the face of common sense and more than sufficient evidence. "The Jesus Discovery" (Simon & Schuster) by James Tabor and Simcha Jacobivici argues that a south Jerus [..] > read more

Byzantine Route to Met - WSJ.com

Published on 2012-04-26 16:11:40

As the Arab Spring roiled the Middle East last year, curators at the Metropolitan Museum were watching anxiously. They were preparing an exhibition on art from southern provinces of the Byzantine Empire, including a swath of countries from Tunisia to Syria that were now suddenly consumed by revolutionary protests. The movement and its unprecedented demands for freedom captured the world's attention. It also made for unfortunate timing on the museum's loan requests. The exhibition, called " [..] > read more

Christianity and the Roman Empire - Part I

Published on 2012-04-26 16:05:18

A complex subject for sure – but interesting. We see one of the great cultures of antiquity in its death throes and, simultaneously, one of the world's great religions becoming established inside it. As interesting as the subject matter is, however, we find the study of early Christianity fraught with problems, including a lack of original sources, bias on the part of Christians for their cause, bias against them by their enemies, and changes within the church's perception of itself and its mi [..] > read more

Roman and Iron Age finds at college

Published on 2012-04-26 16:04:44

Roman remains have been discovered at an archaeological dig at a Cambridge theological college which is planning a £9 million extension. A major project to update and create state-of-the-art teaching and living space at Ridley Hall meant archaeologists were drafted in to carry out a survey. After removing the topsoil the experts from Access Cambridge Archaeology discovered the "tantalising possibilities" of a Roman settlement, and even some remains dating back 3,000 years to the Iron Age. [..] > read more

Camille Jullian - Vercingétorix _ Chap. XI p. V, VI & VII

Published on 2012-04-26 16:03:24

En arrivant dans la vallée du Rhône, César avait appris les dangers qui menaçaient ses légions et sa province. Le devoir auquel il pensa tout d'abord fut de se mettre le plus tôt possible à la tête de son armée. Mais comment faire > read more

3ème édition de la marche expérimentale

Published on 2012-04-26 15:59:49

Du 5 au 12 mai 2012, 10 légionnaires de la Huitième Légion Augusta vont rallier Autun - Bibracte à Alésia Samedi 5 mai > read more

Leptis Magna : la Rome d’Afrique

Published on 2012-04-26 15:58:54

Ancien comptoir Carthaginois, Leptis Magna est devenue une colonie romaine au 1er siècle de notre ère. Capitale de la province de la Tripolitaine, région qui recouvrait le nord-ouest de la Lybie actuelle, elle connut son apogée au début du IIIe siècle après J-C, sous le règne de Septime Sévère. Natif de Leptis Magna, il fut le premier empereur romain d'origine africaine. A cette époque, la cité se couvre d'édifices grandioses qui rivalisent, en splendeur et en dimensions, avec les m [..] > read more

Les acqueducs antiques de Poitiers

Published on 2012-04-26 15:49:12

Patrice Arbona, archéologue et correspondant du service régional d'archéologie (le SRA), est chargé de dresser l'inventaire des trois aqueducs qui alimentaient Lemonum, antique Poitiers (Cimeau, Basse-Fontaine et Fleury). En 1826, une toute première étude a tenté de dresser les itinéraires. Une exploration a ensuite été conduite en 1852 par l'ingénieur Duffaud. Il a publié ses conclusions en 1854 dans un rapport remis à la Société des antiquaires de l'ouest. Depuis, plus rien � [..] > read more

Differential Diagnosis of an Unusual Lower Leg Pathology in an Imperial Roman

Published on 2012-04-21 05:48:09

A suite of skeletal pathologies was discovered on the remains of an older adult male from Imperial Rome. Individual F10A (Male, 50+) was buried in a niche in the mausoleum, suggesting higher social status than those in the necropolis and/or membership in a funeral guild. No grave goods were found associated with him, however. > read more

Hadrian’s Wall receives £537,185 funding boost

Published on 2012-04-21 05:47:40

The Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site has received a £537,185 funding boost from the SITA Trust for a project to be managed by Hadrian's Wall Heritage. Linda Tuttiett, chief executive of Hadrian's Wall Heritage said: "This is fantastic news for Hadrian's Wall and we are very grateful to SITA Trust for recognising the importance of this project for the future of the World Heritage Site. "The grant means parts of the central section of Hadrian's Wall, some of which are currently on English Her [..] > read more

Roman Imperial Coinage AD 268-276

Published on 2012-04-21 05:46:57

Ce site web constitue le préalable à la révision du volume V.1 du Roman Imperial Coinage. La base de données présentée ici concerne les règnes de 268 à 276 de n. è., soit les règnes de Claude II le Gothique, Quintille, Aurélien, Tacite, Florien, ainsi que le monnayage des princes de Palmyre, Vabalath et Zénobie, émis par l'atelier impérial d'Antioche. La période couvre ainsi une phase importante de la «crise du IIIe siècle» que vit l'Empire romain, des règnes qui en symbolisen [..] > read more

CONF: Ego primus iambos ostendi Latio: Re-evaluating Horace’s Epodes

Published on 2012-04-21 05:45:19

Horace proclaims his Epodes an innovative triumph (ego primus iambos/ ostendi Latio, Ep. 1.19.23f.) yet until very recently they have remained in the gutter of the Augustan canon. For some his uncompromising iambic persona is considered too unsavoury for serious study; for others the Epodes pale in comparison with his Odes and are dismissed as Horace's poetic early years (the B-Side to the Satires). Contemporary scholarship, however, is beginning to readdress the balance: important studies on th [..] > read more

Megalensia: The sixth day…

Published on 2012-04-21 05:39:10

Today is the sixth day of the Megalensia, the last day before the "big day" itself of Magna Mater's dies natalis and the great celebrations for her, as they were celebrated in ancient Rome. It was the "Roman Spring Break," for certain! Rather than focus on the galli, as I did last year, or continue with the Thracian exegesis that I have been doing for much of this week, I thought I would take the implicit theme of discussing the galli–namely, the role of Magna Mater in the lives of everyday pe [..] > read more

Archéologie : un habitat des IV e -VI e siècles mis à jour

Published on 2012-04-21 05:38:28

Le voile se lève progressivement sur les vestiges archéologiques découverts par l'équipe d'ArchéoLoire, route de la Hunaudière. Des visites ont été organisées, cette semaine pour les élus, les scolaires et le public. « > read more

Les arènes romaines à l'heure de Coeur d'agglo

Published on 2012-04-21 05:37:34

Dans le quartier Magenta, la forme circulaire de la rue Bourcani et de la partie de la rue du Petit-Bonneveau qui la prolonge sont, pour le promeneur, les premiers indices de sa présence ancienne. En levant les yeux, quelques arcs de pierre pris dans différentes maçonneries sont les derniers témoins visibles de cet énorme vaisseau de pierre, qui, dès le premier siècle, fut l'un des plus vastes amphithéâtres bâtis en Gaule romaine. Avec ses 155,80 > read more

Exhibit shows Pompeian life before Vesuvius' wrath

Published on 2012-04-21 05:31:30

The UC team of archaeologists works on site at the Pompeii excavation. As doomsdays go, few can top Pompeii's. The volcanic cataclysm of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. buried the vibrant city and many thousands of its residents under layers of ash and rock several feet thick. It was a force so sudden and swift, there was no escape. The Roman populace near modern day Naples, Italy, was left frozen in the throes of death and hidden for nearly 1,700 years. The fate of Pompeii is one of history's endur [..] > read more

L'aqueduc se dévoile encore un peu plus

Published on 2012-04-21 05:30:29

La présidente de la Société d'archéologie et d'histoire, Michelle Le Brozec, espère que ce troisième numéro des « > read more

Saintes : l'aqueduc antique remis aux Etats-Unis maltraité

Published on 2012-04-21 05:29:19

Les relations diplomatiques entre les États-Unis et la France risquent d'en prendre un coup. Laisser un pan du patrimoine national, récemment classé au titre des Monuments historiques, croupir dans un coin, en piteux état, comme de vulgaires cailloux, relève du crime de lèse-majesté. Les membres de la Société d'archéologie et d'histoire de la Charente-Maritime (SAHCM) n'en sont pas encore revenus. Cinquante ans après avoir donné aux Américains un tronçon de l'aqueduc gallo-romai [..] > read more

Megalensia: The fourth day…

Published on 2012-04-19 16:45:56

Today is the fourth day of the Megalensia, the midpoint of the festival. And thus, it is fittingly dedicated to Cybele herself, the Magna Mater. I will be taking a brief break from my Thracian exegesis of the cultus of Cybele to simply pay homage to her, as much as it is possible for me to do so in this space. I am reminded of the connection of Cybele to lions, and the story–given by Ovid–that Atalanta and Hippomenes were transformed by her into lions for their offenses. I am also reminded [..] > read more

Roman Sculpture in The Art Museum, Princeton University.

Published on 2012-04-19 16:45:03

Fully illustrated, with over four hundred specially commissioned photographs, including twelve color plates, this book joins its companion volume, Greek Sculpture in The Art Museum, Princeton University, to offer one of the most comprehensive scholarly publications of any collection of classical sculpture in the United States. Edited by J. Michael Padgett, Associate Curator of Ancient Art, the catalogue is a collaborative project with entries on 163 sculptures by sixteen authors, including Hugo [..] > read more

Une mosaïque d'Agendicum

Published on 2012-04-19 16:42:13

Dans les premiers siècles de notre ère, les mosaïques constituaient un signe de prospérité économique. Elles ornaient les thermes, les temples et certaines villas en particuliers les salles de réception, les salles à manger,.et les salles de bains. Vitruve en parlait déjà au 1er siècle avant J-C. Elles ont fait leur apparition à Sens Agendicum dans le courant du 1er siècle après J-C avec la construction de la nouvelle ville romaine. Toutes celles retrouvées depuis un siècle et d [..] > read more

The Great Persecution

Published on 2012-04-19 16:41:11

Christianity may have begun as a small group of a few dozen followers of Jesus, but it grew at a steady clip for the next two centuries. By the late 3rd century AD this growth had exploded into a major religion within the Roman Empire. Many members of the upper classes had converted, especially women. Christians served in the army and held positions in the civil service. Christian churches were organized throughout much of the empire, with bishops in major cities and pastors leading local congre [..] > read more

Augustus or Julius Caesar? Ostia head another puzzle

Published on 2012-04-19 16:39:43

Lately, I've been working on images I took of the Roman remains of the ancient port of Ostia. > read more

Les Romains et leurs banquets

Published on 2012-04-19 16:38:33

À l'occasion de la journée «entrée libre» à Cassinomagus, aujourd'hui, Les Amis de Chassenon proposent dans l'unctorium (salle des soins) des thermes une nouvelle exposition sur le 18e centenaire de l'Édit de Caracalla. Cette loi, promulguée à Rome en décembre 212, donne la citoyenneté romaine à tous ses habitants. L'exposition est l'occasion de donner un coup de projecteur sur le IIIe siècle en Gaule et dans l'Empire. Elle présente une société qui évolue vite, pleine de contras [..] > read more

Megalensia: The third day…

Published on 2012-04-19 16:37:21

This third day of Megalensia, I'd like to talk about Attis, as I did last year. I shall be continuing my "Thracian exegesis" of the Graeco-Roman cultus of Magna Mater, as I did on the past two days with the beginnings/Cybele and Agdistis, picking up on a theme I began in particular with the latter.I've always loved this particular statue of Attis, leaning languidly on the head of the Sangarios river's god. For having been through the horrific madness and self-castration that he has been, he look [..] > read more

Le gladiateur thrace

Published on 2012-04-19 16:34:19

Après avoir vu dans de précédents articles les gladiateurs secutores et mirmillones, voyons aujourd'hui le thraex, autrement dit le thrace. La Thrace est une région des Balkans dont les frontières antiques englobent une partie de la Bulgarie, de la Grèce et de la Turquie. Il est difficile de dater précisément l'entrée de cet homme en gladiature. La théorie officielle veut que les guerres menées par Sylla en Grèce, contre les armées de Mithridate comprenant beaucoup de mercenaires Th [..] > read more

Roman camps in Scotland

Published on 2012-04-19 16:33:31

A new book just published reveals the true extent of the Roman Empire's attempts to conquer Scotland - and explores the archaeological legacy left behind. > read more

Wall Mile 15

Published on 2012-04-19 16:32:14

Our journey continues downhill from Harlow Hill, at the edge of a not-very-exciting field. Here the Wall is in stealth mode: the ditch is barely discernible, the curtain wall is under the road, and the Vallum shows up only as a cropmark from the air (under the right conditions). But is the curtain wall really there? We saw that it still existed on Walwick Hill at the beginning of the 20th century and it has been located near Heddon-on-the-wall, as we shall see, but along Wall Mile 15 and at Harl [..] > read more

Spartacus saison 3 : vers plus de noirceur

Published on 2012-04-15 14:51:20

Alors que l'esprit de révolte de Spartacus (Liam McIntyre) et ses gladiateurs affranchis pendant la saison 2, cela ne veut pas dire pour autant que les anciens esclaves auront droit au repos du guerrier cette année. Bien au contraire, le producteur exécutif Steven DeKnight qui promet une troisième saison qui ne fera pas dans le bon goût (en considérant que la série n'a jamais bâtie sa réputation sur cet élément). Mieux, on nous promet un héros plus sombre allant suciter de moins en m [..] > read more

Megalensia–The first day…

Published on 2012-04-15 14:49:50

Last year, I spent each day of the Megalensia focusing upon one aspect of the (Romanized) cultus of Magna Mater/Cybele. One the first day, for example, I focused on some aspects of the general history of the festival, and some of its modern implications and usages. This year, however, I'd like to kick off by drawing your attention to something else. The background of the cultus as it was transmitted to Rome was Phrygian. However, the culture of Phrygia–as well as a great deal of the other par [..] > read more

Wall Mile 17

Published on 2012-04-15 14:48:22

Soon after the Robin Hood, we slip back down into the ditch via some handily located steps in what looks like (but isn't) part of somebody's garden. We are back on the line of the northern lip of the ditch, although along here it has been greatly degraded over the years to the point where it is barely noticeable in places. The Wall climbs very gently to a crest, just before which it changes course onto a new alignment, almost due east (since Milecastle 20 we have been on a slightly more southerl [..] > read more

293 pièces de monnaie celte en argent datant du 1er siècle avant J.-C. découvertes en Suisse

Published on 2012-04-15 14:47:28

Le service d'archéologie du canton de Bâle-Campagne (Suisse) vient d'annoncer la découverte d'un trésor archéologique composé de 293 > read more

Eat Like the Romans

Published on 2012-04-15 14:41:37

While this article is not new, I've added a section on the more simple Roman food eaten by the poor, including two recipes for their daily staple and one of my favorite dishes, porridge, but made from wheat, instead of oats. One isn't quite so simple, as it involves honey, cheese, and egg. Although honey is mentioned, some Romans, from the late Republican period on, would have known vaguely about sugar cane. In Book XV of his Geography Strabo (c. 64 > read more

ERDF rescues Pompeii

Published on 2012-04-15 14:40:54

http://bloggingpompeii.blogspot.com/2012/03/news-erdf-rescues-pompeii.html On 29 March, the European Commission approved co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for a major project to restore the area of the UNESCO site of Pompeii in Italy. The project will lead to a total investment of €105 million of EU and national contributions combined. The objective is to preserve the site as a long-term tourism attraction for the region of Campania. At the end of October 2011, t [..] > read more

Leprosy in an Imperial Roman Child

Published on 2012-04-15 14:40:12

http://www.poweredbyosteons.org/2012/03/leprosy-in-imperial-roman-child.html There's an interesting article that's just been accepted for publication in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology > read more

Rome and the Visigoths – Allies against the Huns

Published on 2012-04-15 14:39:31

http://www.mikeanderson.biz/2012/03/rome-and-visigoths-allies-against-huns.html As I frequently note, real history is more interesting than fiction so you're better off with reality than a made up version. As this post will show, you can't make this stuff up. In the last post we described the sack of Rome which occurred in 410 > read more

Le mur d’Hadrien : la plus grande frontière de l’empire Romain

Published on 2012-04-15 14:38:17

http://www.mystere-tv.com/le-mur-d-hadrien-la-plus-grande-frontiere-de-l-empire-romain-v2665.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MystereTV+%28Paranormal+-+Ovni+-+Mystere+TV%29 Construit à partir de 122 après J.-C., le mur d'Hadrien marquait la limite septentrionale de la province romaine de Britannia, qui couvrait l'Angleterre, le pays de Galles et le sud de l'Écosse. Avec ses 5m de haut et ses 3 > read more

Wall Mile 18

Published on 2012-04-15 14:36:08

http://perlineamvalli.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/wall-mile-18/ The Trail takes us over the road and onto the north lip of the ditch for some 300m, recently cleared of vegetation so that it is now easier to see. Then we have a detour to negotiate, taking us to the north of Wall Houses farm. We return to the north lip of the ditch again for the next stint, which brings us to another Millennium Bridge which actually takes us over the ditch. We are then, rather spectacularly, trotting along the verge [..] > read more

Un forgeron philippin ressuscite les épées des Romains et du roi ...

Published on 2012-04-09 16:39:48

http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/culture/20120217.AFP7829/un-forgeron-philippin-ressuscite-les-epees-des-romains-et-du-roi-arthur.html Filomeno de Guzman ne connaît rien de la Sparte antique, de l'Ecosse médiévale ou du Japon féodal, mais ce forgeron philippin est expert dans la reproduction des poignards et épées prisés des guerriers d'antan et exporte sa production dans le monde entier. Dans la cour de son atelier au nord des Philippines, une quinzaine de fermiers en short et sandales t [..] > read more

The Stunning Defeat of Maximinus the Giant

Published on 2012-04-09 16:38:37

http://www.mikeanderson.biz/2012/03/stunning-defeat-of-maximinus-giant.html Our chronology of the empire now skips forward to 235 > read more

Exhibition: "THE GOLDEN BYZANTIUM & THE ORIENT", 3/31-11/4/2012

Published on 2012-04-09 16:36:29

http://byzantinenews.blogspot.com/2012/03/exhibition-golden-byzantium-orient-331.html At the end of March 2012, a major exhibition on Byzantium and its relations with and impacts on the medieval world will open at the Schallaburg in Lower Austria. Scientific partner of the exhibition is the Institute for Byzantine Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. From the description of the exhibition: "The Byzantine Empire has been brought back to life at the Schallaburg Castle, more than 550 years [..] > read more

Spartacus Vengeance: Libertus

Published on 2012-04-09 16:34:59

http://popclassicsjg.blogspot.com/2012/03/spartacus-vengeance-libertus.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FbcGi+%28Pop+Classics%29 OtherOldHousemate pointed out to me this week that Number One is one of the two brothers who conspired with Spartacus towards the end of season one, the other being the dead brother he keeps on about wanting to avenge. I had entirely > read more

The Gladiatorial Eagles : Roman Heroism and Single Combat on Early Battlefields.

Published on 2012-04-09 16:29:58

http://www.heritagedaily.com/2012/03/the-gladiatorial-eagles-roman-heroism-and-single-combat-on-early-battlefields-part-one-beginnings/ The idea of single combat in the Roman Empire immediately evokes the powerful image of the gladiator standing over a downed opponent, his gladius raised for the glory of the patron of the games, the crowds embroiled with the bloodlust so easily awakened. What is less known is this gladiatorial ethos in the context of open battle. Instead of the mobs of the Empi [..] > read more

Villains of History – Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla

Published on 2012-04-09 16:29:17

Villains of History – Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla http://www.mikeanderson.biz/2012/02/villains-of-history-septimius-severus.html The past century provides us with three of the greatest villains of all time based on the number of human beings killed. Mao, Stalin, and Hitler used modern technology to murder millions and protect their positions of power. Hitler was probably the oddest case as he used racial purification to justify murder using a corruption of > read more

The Bisextile Year

Published on 2012-04-09 16:28:39

http://aediculaantinoi.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/the-bisextile-year/ Today is a very unusual day: i.e. the "leap-day" of February 29th, which only happens once every four years. In my time as a devotee of Antinous, this day has only happened twice before, and this is thus the third time it has occurred since 2002. Many ancient societies reckoned leap-year in their calendars. The Romans had an interesting way of reckoning it, which gives its name to the present blog entry. Because February was a [..] > read more

L'expédition maudite

Published on 2012-04-09 16:27:04

http://www.graphivore.be/l-expedition-maudite-news-4931.html Egypte. An 739 après la fondation de Rome. Le tribun Aurelius Clemens est requis pour régler le sort d'un soldat romain ayant saccagé un champ pour manger. Il avait l'air d'un fou. Il portait sur lui le sceau du centurion Caïus Bracca, un ami d'Aurelius, aujourd'hui décédé. Aurelius décide d'interroger le prisonnier. Il dit s'appeler Marcus Livius envoyé par Bracca pour remplir une mission de tous les dangers. Thèbes, dix an [..] > read more

Thermae Romae : manga star au Japon

Published on 2012-04-09 16:26:19

http://magister-optimus.blogspot.com/2012/02/thermae-romae-manga-star-au-japon.html Le 4e tome du manga de Mari Yamazaki, Thermae Romae, a été la meilleure vente manga au Japon pour la semaine du 19 au 25 décembre avec 250.000 exemplaires vendus. C'est la première fois que ce manga atteint la tête du classement des meilleures ventes et qu'il en est vendu autant d'exemplaires en une semaine. Le précédent record de vente pour Thermae Romae était détenu par le tome 3 avec 194.612 exemplai [..] > read more

Tomb exploration reveals first archaeological evidence of Christianity from the time of Jesus

Published on 2012-04-09 16:24:13

http://archaeologyexcavations.blogspot.com/2012/02/tomb-exploration-reveals-first.html The archaeological examination by robotic camera of an intact first century tomb in Jerusalem has revealed a set of limestone Jewish ossuaries or "bone boxes" that are engraved with a rare Greek inscription and a unique iconographic image that the scholars involved identify as distinctly Christian. The four-line Greek inscription on one ossuary refers to God "raising up" someone and a carved image found on a [..] > read more

LABIENUS chez les SENONS

Published on 2012-04-04 15:25:08

http://agendicum.over-blog.com/article-labienus-chez-les-senons-102261441.html On ne connait pas avec exactitude la date d'arrivée des légions romaines dans le pays sénon et à Sens Agedincum en particulier. Je la situerais entre 57 et 54 avant J-C. Cette année là, le témoignage de César était plutôt flatteur pour les Sénons > read more

Inscriptiones Parietariae Pompeianae - CIL IV et suppl. partes I-II

Published on 2012-04-04 15:24:12

http://bloggingpompeii.blogspot.com/2012/04/inscriptiones-parietariae-pompeianae.html Since last year, the DAIR started to digitise all CIL volumes, in collaboration with other Roman libraries (AAR, EFR). 11 volumes have been released so far, with a free access after inscription. The first three volumes Pompeii are now on line, on Arachne (where some other Pompeian books are also available): Inscriptiones parietariae Pompeianae, Herculanenses, Stabianae (CIL IV, first volume by R. Schoene). > read more

Could Julian the Apostate have defeated Christianity?

Published on 2012-04-04 15:23:32

http://historybooksreview.blogspot.com/2012/03/could-julian-apostate-have-defeated.html Julian has continued to fascinate people down the ages. He tends to be viewed favourably. In life he must have had a lot of charisma to do many of the things he did. He has left enough of his own writing and there are enough eye witness accounts that you can feel that you have got to know him. > read more

The fall of the Roman empire and the rise of Islam

Published on 2012-04-04 15:23:01

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/mar/30/fall-roman-empire-rise-islam?INTCMP=SRCH Whenever modern civilisations contemplate their own mortality, there is one ghost that will invariably rise up from its grave to haunt their imaginings. In February 1776, a few months after the publication of the first volume of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon commented gloomily on the news from America, where rebellion against Britain appeared imminent. "The decline of the two empires, [..] > read more

Maps of Rome and the Roman Empire

Published on 2012-04-04 15:22:22

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/romeancientrome/ig/Maps-of-Rome-and-the-Empire/ In its more than a thousand years of history, Rome spread from what was once a single small settlement on the Tiber. First Roma spread to the surrounding territory, then all of Italy, and finally the Roman Empire covered most of western Europe, north Africa, Greece, and Asia Minor. > read more

Zenobia on the Queen of Sheba

Published on 2012-04-04 15:17:45

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html Whoever laid this mosaic worked neither quickly nor cheaply. Nagar believes the mosaic master was world-famous, and from the zoological repertoire, came from North Africa. Commissioned for this job, he would have arrived with a small entourage of assistants. After his patron - probably a wealthy merchant - picked the designs from a catalogue, the master would begin planning. The space was leveled and then overlaid with stones and pieces o [..] > read more

293 pièces de monnaie celte découvertes en Suisse

Published on 2012-04-04 15:17:15

http://religionsdelaterre.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/293-pieces-de-monnaie-celte-decouvertes-en-suisse/ Le service d'archéologie du canton de Bâle-Campagne (Suisse) vient d'annoncer la découverte d'un trésor archéologique composé de 293 > read more

Article: 174- The Sack of Rome Part II

Published on 2012-04-04 15:16:45

http://historyofrome.wm.wizzard.tv/174-the-sack-of-rome-part-ii?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheHistoryOfRome+%28The+History+of+Rome%29 Following the death of Valentinian III there was an Imperial power struggle in the West. In the midst of this struggle, the Vandals sacked Rome in 455 AD. > read more

Roman Bioarchaeology Carnival XV

Published on 2012-04-04 15:16:18

http://www.poweredbyosteons.org/2012/04/roman-bioarchaeology-carnival-xv.html All your Roman(ish)-skeleton-goings-on from the month of March. > read more

Le mécanisme d'Anticythère révèle certains de ses secrets

Published on 2012-04-04 15:15:42

http://decouvertes-archeologiques.blogspot.com/2006/12/le-mcanisme-danticythre-rvle-certains.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LesDcouvertesArchologiques+%28Les+d%C3%A9couvertes+arch%C3%A9ologiques%29 Découverte en 1900 par des pêcheurs d'éponges, dans une épave près des côtes de l'île grecque d'Anticythère, et datée des alentours de 87 Avant J.C., cette machine de bronze, de forme circulaire, actuellement fragmentée en 3 parties, occupe le volume d'un pe [..] > read more

So what have the Romans ever done for Ireland?

Published on 2012-04-02 15:27:52

http://hnn.us/articles/so-what-have-romans-ever-done-ireland FIRST CENTURY AD. The Roman General Agricola reportedly says he can take and hold Ireland with a single legion. Some archaeologists have claimed the Romans did campaign in Ireland, but most see no evidence for an invasion. Imperial Rome and this island on its far western perimeter did share interesting links, however. The Discovery Programme, a Dublin-based public institution for advanced research in archaeology, is to investigate Ir [..] > read more

Warfare in Iron Age Britain – Part 1.

Published on 2012-04-02 15:27:17

http://www.heritagedaily.com/2012/02/warfare-in-iron-age-britain-part-1/ The two quotes were written by classical authors describing the Gauls of France as known at the time. Strabo would have been aware of Caesar's excursion to Britain and possibly have read his account of the people he had been in contact with. Diodorus Siculus (V 21, 3-6) describes Britain as, 'Inhabited by tribes that are aboriginal, and in their lifestyle preserve the old ways; for they make use of chariots in the wars…. [..] > read more

Albania to lease ancient monuments to businesses

Published on 2012-04-02 15:26:05

http://www.ablogabouthistory.com/2012/02/22/albania-to-lease-ancient-monuments-to-businesses/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ablogabouthistory+%28A+Blog+About+History%29 The government of Albania is set to lease it's ancient monuments to private businesses due to a lack of funds needed to preserve them. Bace says detailed plans for the use of these monuments will determine which parts of them are suitable for commercial activities and which parts should not be touch [..] > read more

Nouvelles épaves repérées au large d’Héraklion

Published on 2012-04-02 15:18:46

http://www.mondedelabible.com/actualites/nouvelles-epaves-reperees-au-large-dheraklion/ Une vaste prospection des fonds marins, conduite par l'éphorie grecque des Antiquités sous-marines au large de la baie d'Héraklion en Crète, a révélé la présence de quatre épaves datant des époques romaine et byzantine (Ier à IXe siècles) à une trentaine de kilomètres de la côte.D'après un communiqué de l'agence AMNA à Athènes, leur cargaison consistant essentiellement en amphores a été [..] > read more

The Day the Roman Empire was Auctioned - March 28, 193 A.D.

Published on 2012-04-02 15:17:15

http://www.mikeanderson.biz/2012/02/day-roman-empire-was-auctioned-march-28.html Following the death of Marcus Aurelius, his natural son Commodus was elevated to emperor, and the Roman people shared a hope that the Golden Age would continue. As the first natural son of a sitting emperor since Domitian, Commodus would end up proving the theory that prudent adoption beats genetics. This is the way Dio described what happened, "Our history now descends from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rus [..] > read more

Roman Jerusalem

Published on 2012-04-02 15:16:22

http://www.ritmeyer.com/2012/02/21/roman-jerusalem/ While studying Conservation at the Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies at the University of York, archaeologists of the York Archaeological Trustshowed us graphs indicating that the number of visitors coming to York during the month of February was always the lowest. That is why they organize the Jorvik Viking Festival every year, which includes the burning of a Viking boat on the river (incidentally, the website has a page on Barley H [..] > read more

Aelia Capitolina rediviva

Published on 2012-04-02 15:15:43

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/2012_02_19_archive.html TIMOTHY MICHAEL LAW has noted and posted (The Apostle Paul in Cairo!) a photo of a palimpsest manuscript from the Cairo Geniza whose upper layer is Mishnah Berakhot, but whose lower layer is, of all things, the New Testament Pastoral Epistles in Christian Palestinian Aramaic. He put up the post several days ago and I have been meaning to get to it. But now go and have a look to clear your palate of yesterday's ridiculously over-hyped, at [..] > read more

La bataille oubliée de la légion IV flavia felix dans une expédition au cœur de la Germanie, en 235 ?

Published on 2012-04-02 15:14:57

http://www.actu-histoireantique.com/article-la-bataille-oubliee-de-la-legion-iv-flavia-felix-dans-une-expedition-au-coeur-de-la-germanie-en-235-99778033.html En 2008, les archéologues allemands ont exhumé les vestiges d'un champ de bataille dans la forêt de Harzhorn, ayant opposé les troupes romaines et germaniques au début du III ème siècle de notre ère. Le souvenir de cette bataille n'a jamais été signalé par les textes antiques. Voir reportage sur la découverte (en allemand) > read more

Soigner une blessure par flèche dans l’antiquité et à l’époque médiévale…

Published on 2012-04-02 15:13:45

http://www.armae.com/blog/soigner-une-blessures-par-fleche-dans-lantiquite-et-a-lepoque-medievale.html Flèches et carreaux ont fait partie de l'arsenal de toutes les armées depuis l'antiquité et jusqu'à l'avènement de la poudre noire. Confrontés aux blessures occasionnées par ces traits, les médecins et chirurgiens ont du trouver le moyen de traiter les combattants touchés. Si le sujet est évoqué par plusieurs textes, les informations sont toutefois relativement limitées. L'époque [..] > read more

Roman Era Shipwreck(s) from Near Irakleio

Published on 2012-04-02 15:12:29

http://rogueclassicism.com/2012/02/20/roman-era-shipwrecks-from-near-irakleio/ Four previously unknown shipwrecks have been discovered some 30 kilometers off the Bay of Irakleio, Crete, in recent underwater exploration conducted by the ephorate of underwater antiquities. The new finds comprise two Roman era shipwrecks, one containing 1st and 2nd-century Cretan amphorae and the other containing 5th-7th century post-Roman era amphorae, and two shipwrecks containing Byzantine amphorae, dated from [..] > read more

Hoard of Roman coins found in England

Published on 2012-03-31 02:49:20

http://romanarc.blogspot.com/2012/03/hoard-of-roman-coins-found-in-england.html One of the largest collections of Roman coins -- over 30,000 silver pieces -- has been recovered in England from the building site of a new hotel in Bath, just 450 feet from the historic Roman Baths. > read more

Soldiers Recruited for Ancient Roman Army

Published on 2012-03-31 02:48:22

http://hnn.us/articles/celebrities-recruited-ancient-roman-army Millennia before modern-day military recruiters talked up potential soldiers in shopping malls or put up posters, one Roman city took a rather different approach to recruiting soldiers for the emperor's army. > read more

La mise au jour des vestiges d'un théâtre, sur le territoire de la ...

Published on 2012-03-31 02:47:35

http://www.lamontagne.fr/auvergne/actualite/departement/puy-de-dome/puy-de-dome-local/2012/03/31/la-mise-au-jour-des-vestiges-dun-theatre-sur-le-territoire-de-la-commune-invite-a-reecrire-lhistoire-1131906.html Les Gaulois, on l'a dit, ont beaucoup appris des envahisseurs transalpins qui, durant près de cinq siècles, ont marqué d'une empreinte durable la terre de nos ancêtres. > read more

CARTHAGE une histoire de trois millénaires

Published on 2012-03-31 02:46:16

http://www.lavantage.qc.ca/chronique-inter-voyage/29-03-2012-carthage-une-histoire-de-trois-millenaires > read more

Ancient Roman glass is being used to help research...

Published on 2012-03-31 02:45:31

http://novitas-romanitas.tumblr.com/post/20204522882/thesherd-ancient-roman-glass-is-being-used-to Ancient Roman glass is being used to help research safe disposal options for nuclear waste. > read more

Housesteads Roman Fort opens new museum as part of major redevelopment project

Published on 2012-03-31 02:44:53

http://www.culture24.org.uk/history%20&%20heritage/time/roman/art381747 Bernard Hill may be famous for his roles in Titanic, Gandhi and the Lord of the Rings, but for his latest project he has swapped Hollywood for Housesteads; the Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall. > read more

Pagans, Podcasts, and…(I can’t think of another “P”-word that is appropriate!)

Published on 2012-03-31 02:44:25

http://aediculaantinoi.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/pagans-podcasts-and-i-cant-think-of-another-p-word-that-is-appropriate/ A few days ago, Jason Pitzl-Waters of The Wild Hunt announced that he has started The Wild Hunt Podcast, and the first episode has been posted. A huge part of the episode is an interview with Caroline Tully, who recently had an article published in The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies, called "Researching the Past is a Foreign Country: Cognitive Dissonan [..] > read more

Roman statues rescued in Spain

Published on 2012-03-31 02:42:52

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2012/03/28/roman-statues-rescued-in-spain/ The Roman figures, valued at six million euros each, were taken from the ancient Roman site of Sacilis Marcialis and are believed to form part of the Castor and Polix sculpture in Cordoba. > read more

Spartacus Vengeance: Monsters

Published on 2012-03-31 02:42:13

http://popclassicsjg.blogspot.com/2012/03/spartacus-vengeance-monsters.html The Artist Formerly Known as Tiberius and some doomed random are guarding our heroes' ruined-temple-squat. Not very effectively, as Naevia ends up having to wake everyone with a warning that they've been invaded by Roman soldiers. Except they haven't - it's Gannicus and Crixus, testing them. This seems like a pretty stupid plan, given most of these characters' tendency to spear through the face first and ask questions l [..] > read more

Martial Arts Celeb Recruited for Ancient Roman Army

Published on 2012-03-31 02:40:52

http://news.discovery.com/history/roman-martial-arts-celeb-120330.html Millennia before modern-day military recruiters talked up potential soldiers in shopping malls or put up posters, one Roman city took a rather different approach to recruiting soldiers for the emperor's army. > read more

La villa gallo-romaine de Salouël

Published on 2012-02-20 14:44:45

En 2006, des photos aériennes effectuées au dessus de la ville da Salouël, dans la Somme, ont permis de révéler la présence de nombreuses aires d'habitats gallo-romains et d'enclos imbriqués les uns dans les autres. Au lieu-dit Les Croquets, une grande ferme d'époque gallo-romaine fut identifiée. Ce site présente de nombreuses particularités : sa position géographique en fond de vallée, sa proximité avec la ville antique, Samarobriva, sa durée, de la première moitié du 1er sièc [..] > read more

Cleopatra (dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1963)

Published on 2012-02-20 14:42:37

Having read a review a few years ago that suggested viewers skip this film and just watch Carry on Cleo, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It's best watched on the biggest TV screen you can find, particularly for set-pieces like Cleopatra's entry into Rome, but the three performances at the heart of the film hold it together and stop viewers from getting lost in the spectacle, including Taylor. Playing Cleopatra more as a desperate survivor with a fondness for Roman soldier [..] > read more

Roman remains discovered in Bath

Published on 2012-02-20 14:41:07

An archaeological excavation currently being undertaken by Context One, on behalf of Ashford Homes, on the corner of Bathwick Street and Henrietta Road, Bathwick, have uncovered the remains of several Roman structures with associated features, as well as a Roman road surface. Based on some of the finds recovered so far, it appears to be an early Roman site. A preliminary look at the structures suggests we've discovered at least one dwelling, divided into both domestic and industrial areas, the l [..] > read more

Ancient Roman ruins unearthed in Potters Bar

Published on 2012-02-20 14:39:05

By David Morris, Reporter Sunday, February 12, 2012 10:30 AM ROMAN ruins have been unearthed at the site of a new cycleway. The discovery was made during construction of a new path for cyclists running through Parkfield, linking High Street and Darkes Lane. However, the Roman tile fragments which were found are nothing too new to the Potters Bar field, because similar pieces have been dug up and found before, most notably a Roman kiln found in the 1950s. But more than half a century on, artef [..] > read more

Origin of ancient mosaics at BGSU suspect

Published on 2012-02-20 14:36:53

Dr. Stephanie Langin-Hooper, Assistant Professor of Ancient Art History, kneels near ancient mosaics at the Wolfe Center at Bowling Green State University, Tuesday. THE BLADE/ANDY MORRISON Enlarge | Photo Reprints BOWLING GREEN — BOWLING GREEN — A dozen mosaics from ancient Turkey that recently received a new, dramatic home at Bowling Green State University may be looted bounty. Dating to the second or third century, the mosaics were restored and installed in the floor of the Wolfe Center f [..] > read more

Eight Romans conquer York in one day

Published on 2012-02-20 14:34:07

By Wendi Terry (Head of YAC) Take eight intrepid staff and volunteers from the Young Archaeologist' Club (YAC) and the Council for British Archaeology (CBA), add in Roman tunics, helmets, spears, shields, swords, a standard and a replica Roman trumpet and you have a crack Roman unit, otherwise known as a contubernium, ready to conquer six laps of York's City Walls in aid of the Dig Deep for YAC campaign. And conquer it we did on Wednesday 1st February 2012! The Day begins Setting off at first li [..] > read more

Limes : définition et explications

Published on 2012-02-20 14:32:10

Le limes est le nom, donné par les historiens modernes, au système de fortification romain établi tout au long des frontières de l'empire. Il marque donc la frontière entre l'empire romain et le monde barbare, tel qu'il était entendu par les romains, à savoir les peuples ne parlant ni grec, ni latin. Il a un but défensif et douanier. Des limes plus ou moins élaborés ont ainsi été établis sur la plupart des frontières de l'Empire. Les plus célèbres sont ceux construits dans le nor [..] > read more

Les fresques dans le temple de Horta à Apamée illustrent des thèmes spirituels et historiques

Published on 2012-02-20 14:30:48

Hama / Les fresques découvertes dans le temple du Dieu Mithra situé à Horta au nord de la ville antique Apamée ont suscité l'intérêt des archéologues car elles démontrent la diffusion des pensées du paganisme dans les anciens cultes orientaux. Les fouilles menées dans le site à partir de l'an 1977 jusqu'à l'an 2009 ont découvert le temple du Dieu Mithra qui est celui des élites gouvernantes dans l'empire romain. Selon les archéologues, cette découverte archéologique documente [..] > read more

Monnaies de l’Empire Romain AD 268-276

Published on 2012-02-20 14:27:34

L'Association pour le Développement de l'Archéologie sur Niort et les Environs (ADANE) vous souhaite la bienvenue ! Actualités archéologiques, historiques et patrimoniales en Poitou-Charentes-Vendée et ailleurs. 11 février 2012Monnaies de l'Empire Romain AD 268-276 /un nouveau site web sur le serveur de la MOM Reçu via mail : Monnaies de l'Empire Romain AD 268-276 > Monnaies de l'Empire Romain - Roman Imperial Coinage AD 268-276 > http://www.ric.mom.fr > Ce site web constitue l'étap [..] > read more

Fréjus : Laissez vous conter !

Published on 2012-02-20 14:23:42

Fréjus : Laissez vous conter ! http://www.artcotedazur.fr/frejus-laissez-vous-conter,5042.html "Laissez-vous conter fréjus" ce sont des visites commentées, des animations et des activités tout public en accord avec les manifestations culturelles nationales. Tout au long de l'année, le service du Patrimoine de la ville en collaboration avec l'office de tourisme, vous propose une programmation destinée à découvrir et comprendre le patrimoine de Fréjus riche de 2000 ans d'histoire. La prog [..] > read more

Camille Jullian - Vercingétorix _ Chap. VIII p. 4

Published on 2012-02-19 11:32:40

Chapitre VIII - Vercingétorix, chef de clan. 4. La puissance d'un chef ; ceux qui dépendaient de lui. Arrivé à l'âge de porter les armes, le jeune noble paraissait à côté de son père à la tête du clan qu'il devait hériter plus tard. On a vu que Vercingétorix reçut, n'étant encore qu'un enfant, l'héritage de Celtill ; il eut maison et clientèle à l'âge où beaucoup de Gaulois n'étaient que les premiers serviteurs de leur père : peut-être prit-il plus tôt que d'autres l' [..] > read more

Roman Empire ran on camel power

Published on 2012-02-19 11:31:10

By Dan Vergano, USA TODAY Updated 21h 34m ago So much for chariots — Western Europe's Roman Empire appears to have partly run on camels, report archaeologists. Camel toe bones found at a Northern European Roman Empire archeological site Elsevier, JAS In a forthcoming report in the Journal of Archaeological Science, Belgian archeologists Fabienne Pigière and Denis Henrotay, report on the discovery of the bones of a Roman-era dromedary camel in Arlon, Belgium. And they inventory 22 site [..] > read more

How a Roman Aqueduct Works

Published on 2012-02-19 11:19:04

Unlike the Aqua Traiana, substantial remains of the Aqua Claudia, begun by the emperor Caligula in A.D. 38 and completed by Claudius in A.D. 52, still stand outside of Rome. The aqueduct traveled for more than 40 miles from its source and provided the city with an ample water supply. (Wikimedia Commons) Ancient aqueducts were essentially man-made streams conducting water downhill from the natural sources to the destination. To tap water from a river, often a dam and reservoir were constructed to [..] > read more

Pratiques funéraires gallo-romaines dans un village de la Drôme provençale

Published on 2012-02-19 11:17:14

Publié le 23 juillet 2010 · Mis à jour le 10 Février 2012 code opération : HB 22010601 Préalablement à la construction d'un lotissement à Savasse, dans la Drôme, une nécropole de la fin de l'Antiquité a été mise au jour sur une superficie d'environ 1 400 m². Située au pied du village médiéval, au nord de Montélimar, en bordure de la vallée du Rhône, cette nécropole pourrait être en relation avec une voie et des constructions antiques précédemment identifiées au nord-est [..] > read more

Une communauté gauloise à Ymonville

Published on 2012-02-19 11:15:27

Publié le 14 octobre 2010 · Mis à jour le 10 Février 2012 code opération : AB06098803 À Ymonville, entre Chartres et Orléans, un vaste habitat de plaine gaulois a été mis au jour entre juillet 2009 et avril 2010, sur une superficie d'environ huit hectares. Sa structuration et son étendue, la densité de l'occupation, la présence d'activités agropastorales, artisanales, domestiques, cultuelles et, dans une moindre mesure, funéraires, constituent un ensemble remarquable. Les fouilles [..] > read more

Spartacus Vengeance: A Place in this World

Published on 2012-02-19 11:07:50

We open on an extreme close-up of someone breathing hard, caked in - mud? clay? make-up? I'm not sure. He's fighting a smug person. Our guy (we know he's our guy 'cause he's an underdog. Maybe that's the Brit in me coming out) gets up and they go at each other. We're back in Roman Fight Club! And women have their breasts out again - truly, we are back in Spartacus-land. Our guy takes a beating but wins with a well-placed knife-bone-thing to the gut. And the throat. And the face. And the eyes - e [..] > read more

La pratique du banquet et des repas communautaires en Gaule et en Italie

Published on 2012-02-19 11:03:45

Journées d'études : La pratique du banquet et des repas communautaires en Gaule et en Italie http://blog.apahau.org/?p=6499 Posté par Olivier Bonfait, le 10 février 2012: Date et lieu de la journée d'étude: 15-16 mars 2012, Dijon, MSH, 15-16 mars 2012, Dijon, MSH La pratique du banquet et des repas communautaires en Gaule et en Italie (fin de l'Age du Bronze-époque augustéenne)IIIe atelier Université de Bourgogne, UB-Dijon, Programme FABERMSH, Amphithéâtre, jeudi 15 et vendredi 16 m [..] > read more

A dozen mosaics from ancient Turkey that recently received a...

Published on 2012-02-19 10:58:48

A dozen mosaics from ancient Turkey that recently received a new, dramatic home at Bowling Green State University may be looted bounty. Dating to the second or third century, the mosaics were restored and installed in the floor of the Wolfe Center for the Arts, which opened in December. They're lit and covered with thick protective glass. .. They were purchased for $35,000 in 1965 at the suggestion of former art faculty member Hugh Broadley with the blessing of then-BGSU president William Jer [..] > read more

Le déclin de la population de l'Empire romain

Published on 2012-02-19 10:54:15

Jeudi 9 février 2012 4 09 /02 /Fév /2012 08:55 Certaines régions de l'Italie ont été affectées dès le IIe siècle av. J.C. d'une dépopulation qui s'est poursuivie sous l'Empire. La volonté de limiter les naissances qui est évidente dans les classes supérieures et dans les masses populaires urbaines, se retrouve-t-elle chez les habitants des provinces ? La civilisation romaine a pénétré de façon différente dans les diverses régions du monde méditerranéen : la Gaule, l'Espagne [..] > read more

The Burnt House in the Old City of Jerusalem

Published on 2012-02-19 10:52:18

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Leen Ritmeyer Avigad would be pleased! Yesterday we received Vols. IV and V of the final reports of the Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem, Conducted by Nahman Avigad 1969-1982. The first four volumes were edited by Hillel Geva and the fifth by Oren Gutfield. More volumes are in preparation. This web page contains descriptions and downloadable PDF flyers, with pictures of the book covers, contents and order forms. It was a mammoth task to prep [..] > read more

Camille Jullian - Vercingétorix _ Chap. VIII p. 1, 2 & 3

Published on 2012-02-11 10:45:53

Vercingétorix Chapitre VIII - Vercingétorix, chef de clan. 1. Rôle effacé des Arvernes depuis l'arrivée de César. Nous connaissons déjà le peuple arverne ; nous savons pourquoi il avait commandé à la Gaule libre et pourquoi il pouvait lui commander encore le jour d'un soulèvement général. Ses montagnes menaçaient les grandes routes où circulaient les légions romaines. À la Gaule soulevée, il offrirait ses terrasses fortifiées propres aux longues résistances ; il lui appo [..] > read more

1,000-piece puzzle may unlock secrets to the Roman conquest of Britain

Published on 2012-02-11 10:43:09

Historians and archaeologists are trying to solve an ancient mystery that is already shedding remarkable new light on the Roman conquest of Britain. After years of painstaking conservation work, experts at the British Museum have succeeded in reconstructing the finest Roman battle helmet ever found in the UK. Originally discovered by a metal detectorist, as literally hundreds of corroded fragments buried in a field in the East Midlands, the helmet has gradually been revealing its secrets to Bri [..] > read more

The splendour of a Roman Villa once buried at Lullingstone

Published on 2012-02-11 10:40:46

A typical Roman villa was built round a courtyard, by Peter Jackson Men digging holes for a park fence found, beneath their spades, a beautiful mosaic floor. Their find was later to set archaeologists on a trail of discovery which was to take them far back into Roman Britain where they were to unravel the intriguing story of a villa's creation and destruction and of the people who lived and died within its walls. Once the house had teemed with life and worship. But nothing could save it now. It [..] > read more

Archéologie : une maison de maître antique dans les Vosges

Published on 2012-02-11 10:38:20

Publié le mercredi 18 janvier 2012 · Mis à jour le mardi 7 Février 2012 Une visite du site avec Michiel Gazenbeek, archéologue responsable d'opération Inrap, Nathalie Froeliger, archéologue Inrap, Thierry Dechezleprêtre, conservateur du site Entre juin et octobre 2011, en amont de la création d'un lotissement, une fouille menée à Grand a permis la mise au jour d'une imposante villa au pied du rempart de l'agglomération gallo-romaine. Durant l'Antiquité, Grand est identifié à un [..] > read more

Archaeologists excavate ancient Populonia

Published on 2012-02-11 08:43:11

A team of archaeologists, students and volunteers will return again during the summer of 2012 to investigate the remains of a major Etruscan port city that straddles the Mediterranean coast of Tuscany, Italy. Located near the town of Piombino, it features one of the most important necropolises in the country, as well as an acropolis, a history that goes back to Etruscan settlers around 900 BCE, and a Bronze Age culture that dates to about 1200 BCE. The ancient site is known today as Populonia, a [..] > read more

Spartacus and the Slave Revolt of 73-71 B.C.

Published on 2012-02-11 08:40:29

The story of Spartacus has reached the point of popular culture, most recently realized in the Starz min-series Spartacus Blood and Sand. This series utilizes facts we know to be accurate and weaves them into a story designed to entertain. Here we will take a look what history tells us about the revolt (from Plutarch and others) and put it in the context of the Italian geography. The slave revolt of 73 B.C. began when a group of gladiators (78 to be exact) broke out of the training camp of one [..] > read more

Subway excavations yield countless treasures

Published on 2012-02-11 08:38:09

Greek Macedonians discovered a valuable treasure hidden in the bowels of the earth, thanks to the methodical excavations undertaken in the construction of the Thessaloniki metro.Many artifacts found in the archaeology excavation, from items such as gold hoops, benches, and thousands of everyday objects, up to whole churches, remnants of the glorious, long history of Thessaloniki, have come to light. The excavations were completed by the end of the year, leaving behind thousands of "mosaics" of c [..] > read more

What did the Romans do for Cumbria?

Published on 2012-02-11 08:34:52

Jupiter was the king of the Roman gods, the mighty god of thunder and lightening. Ruling over laws and social order, the Romans believed he led their armies to victory.From left, curator of the Senhouse Roman Museum Jane Laskey, project director Professor Ian Haynes of Newcastle University, site director Tony Wilmott and Dr Nigel Mills, director of world heritage at Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ltd It's fitting perhaps that evidence of Jupiter's importance to a 2,000-year-old civilisation was found [..] > read more

The Dissemination of Divination in Roman Republican Times – A Cognitive Approach

Published on 2012-02-11 08:32:59

The Dissemination of Divination in Roman Republican Times – A Cognitive Approach By Anders Lisdorf PhD Dissertation, University of Copenhagen, 2007 Introduction: At the climax of the play Casina by the Roman playwright Plautus, there is a scene, where the two slaves Olympio and Chalinus have to reach a decision on which of them gets to marry the beautiful Casina. Today one might expect that the female part be heard in such a case, but Roman times were different, so they choose to decide it lik [..] > read more

Découverte d’un site hydraulique Gallo-Romain à Luxé en Charente

Published on 2012-02-11 08:31:22

Cette semaine, Laurent Vaudin et Claude Brège, deux prospecteurs bénévoles travaillant pour le service régional d'archéologie, ont mis au jour un mur gallo-romain percé d'un système hydraulique, dans un état de conservation exceptionnel. Cette découverte a été faite sur un chantier de consolidation d'une route départementale, près du village de La Terne (commune de Luxé), situé à une trentaine de kilomètres au nord d'Angoulême. Le site a révélé deux canaux hydrauliques datan [..] > read more

The City of Constantinople in the Age of Justinian I

Published on 2011-07-05 09:12:02

An architectural and civic survey of Constantinople during a particularly important period of its history in the mid 6th century. The city of Byzantium, an Archaic Greek colony, was totally rebuilt during the reign of Constantine. Indeed such was Co > read more

Exposition sur les Étrusques à l’université de Sydney

Published on 2011-07-05 09:03:49

Une nouvelle exposition à l’université de Sydney offre un aperçu d’une civilisation autrefois dominante de l’Italie antique : Les Étrusques. « Les Étrusques: une fantaisie classique » sera à l’affiche à partir du 6 juillet 2011. Bas > read more

Roman Binchester Dig: Day Sixteen

Published on 2011-07-05 09:01:06

Last week was the calm before the storm, as around 60 people started on site this morning. The new team consists mainly of the US team and members of the Durham and Northumberland Arch & Arch (plus a small band of miscellaneous extras and hangers > read more

Mithras, Mithraism and Christianity

Published on 2011-07-05 08:57:41

In attempts to represent Christianity as a historical phenomenon, the relationship between it and Mithraism is often cited. How accurate is this connection? The Roman cult of Mithras, an apparently Persian god whose communication to Roman worship an > read more

Contraception and abortion in the early Roman Empire

Published on 2011-07-05 08:51:59

The primary sources contain substantial evidence that contraception and abortion were common methods of birth control during the early Roman Empire. The medical, legal, and literary source texts support the notion that chemical means were most often > read more

Teutonic Tribes Spread Out Through Europe

Published on 2011-07-05 08:45:29

The history of civilization is, in reality, an account of the dominance of one nation after another. A nation rises to great peaks of power and civilization, establishes an empire over all the second-rate nations within its reach, passes through a re > read more

How the Expansion of Rome Was the Start of the End for the Roman Empire

Published on 2011-07-05 08:40:21

The story of Rome is one of adaptation. Rome lasted as an imperial power for about 800 years, but only because it kept changing. The early growth of Roman power sprang from a zealous and rapacious republicanism that eventually threatened to destroy t > read more

Religious Troubles in the Age of Justinian I

Published on 2011-07-05 08:22:58

The issues of Christology, secularism, the divine right of kings and the authority of organized religion raised during the reign of the dynamic Justinian I. At the time of Justinian (who ruled between 527 and 565), the Christian world was divided by > read more

Bon accueil à Chassenon

Published on 2011-07-05 08:16:53

Le pavillon d'accueil du parc archéologique de Cassinomagus a enfin été inauguré samedi. La première tranche est achevée Place à la deuxième phase. Le hall d'accueil est terminé depuis plus d'un an, mais il a fallu attendre ce we > read more

Les trésors cachés de Pétra - video

Published on 2011-07-05 08:11:40

Aujourd’hui, nous allons explorer l’un des sites archéologiques les plus spectaculaires du monde, Pétra. Situées en Jordanie, cette ville a été taillée dans la roche de montagne. Rendu célèbre grâce au film d’Indiana Jones et la derni > read more

Museum of Roman Mosaics to Open in Turkey

Published on 2011-07-04 09:13:31

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Turkey is opening a new museum to display priceless mosaics dating back as far back as the 1st century BCE.The Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep encompasses pre-Hellenistic cultures and the Greek and Roman empir > read more

Miami professor aims to tell Cleopatra’s full story

Published on 2011-07-04 09:05:28

When the name Cleopatra is mentioned, images of a powerful, exotic seductress may come to mind. While that may not necessarily be false, a Miami University professor is looking to flesh out the infamous femme fatale in a presentation working in conju > read more

Roman Fathers

Published on 2011-07-04 08:51:46

We have cer­tain ideas about Roman fathers, but those ideas are undoubt­edly wrong, based on mis­un­der­stood bits of leg­endary his­tory and legal codes. We all know about the patria potes­tas, and the right of life and death over one’s ch > read more

The myth of New Rome

Published on 2011-07-04 08:45:23

Recently a minor debate arose on the Byzans-​​L list­serv as to whether Con­stan­tino­ple was orig­i­nally named by Con­stan­tine ‘New Rome’ (in Greek Νέα Ῥώμη, in Latin Nova Roma). I’ve read this claim uncrit­i­cally a nu > read more

Saul Paulus of Tarsus: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Published on 2011-07-04 08:38:19

Saint Paul's mission as Dux Frumentarii of the Imperium Romanum Secret Service during Julio-Claudian dynasty led to recreation of Empire as Church State. For over two thousand years, the Catholic-Christian world has worshiped a man, known altern > read more

Top Five Gladiatorial Combats

Published on 2011-07-04 08:27:34

I'm once again buried under an enormous pile of exam marking, so forgive me if things are a little quiet around here this week! Once I emerge, I can promise posts on Priam playing Augustus, some more Classical Places, more maenads and vampires, m > read more

Important Roman altar stone unearthed at Cumbrian dig

Published on 2011-07-04 08:17:56

The excavation at Camp Farm is being led by Professor Ian Haynes, of Newcastle University with leading field archaeologist Tony Wilmott. The site is internationally famous as the place where 17 altar stones found in 1870 - they are now on display in > read more

Was Iron Age Britain Open to the Roman Conquest?

Published on 2011-07-04 08:08:16

It is often argued that trade between the Romans and pre-conquest Britain 'softened up' the latter for cultural assimilation. How valid is this perspective? Historically, Caesar's unsuccessful attempts to occupy Britain in 55 and 54BC pr > read more

Conspicuous Consumption and Roman Tomb Architecture

Published on 2011-07-04 08:05:08

To what extent can the modern economic theory of conspicuous consumption be applied to the ancient world? Here Roman tomb architecture serves as an example. What is it that makes those items we define as luxurious so desirable? Thorstein Veblen' > read more

'Luxury' and Diet in the Roman Provinces of Europe

Published on 2011-07-04 08:02:42

The changing definition of luxury items among the populations of central European Roman provinces reveals something about the notion of luxury itself. 'Luxury' is one of the most difficult social concepts to define. The four values which mos > read more

Roman Dodecahedron May Remain Mystery Forever

Published on 2011-07-01 10:13:47

World’s first Wiffle Ball or ancient Roman Chia Pet -- we asked you to explain what distinguished archeologists could not. What in the world is a "Roman dodecahedron?” This mysterious object, named for its 12 sided shape, is generally made o > read more

Sleeping Romans

Published on 2011-07-01 09:20:36

At Arbeia (South Shields) fort, you can see life size reconstructions of a gateway, the luxurious commanders house and one of the barrack blocks as seen above for the soldiers. The commander would have had heated flooring, many large decorative rooms > read more

Zenobia and the Manichean Convert

Published on 2011-07-01 09:05:57

A new religion was founded in Mesopotamia in the third-century by the Persian prophet, Mani (216-277 CE).  Mani deliberately created a universal church that incorporated Christian, Zoroastrian, and Buddhist concepts.   Previously considered by sch > read more

Capita consultant on Cumbrian Roman visitor centre

Published on 2011-07-01 09:00:03

Capita Symonds is the lead consultant and architect for a Roman visitor attraction centre in Cumbria. The £10.7m Roman Maryport development is at Camp Farm, a Victorian model farm that includes a Roman fort and civilian settlement in the Solway Coas > read more

Roman Law in Europe in the Early Middle Ages

Published on 2011-07-01 08:47:21

The influx of Germanic tribes into Europe, which had begun even before the turn of the 3rd century, produced many groups who charged for territorial dominance after the collapse of the Roman Empire, wedging against one another to define the areas whi > read more

Journées romaines d'Autun

Published on 2011-07-01 08:40:46

Comme chaque année la municipalité d’Autun organise ses journées romaines. Situées au cœur de la ville et intégrant  différents monuments de son patrimoine antique aux animations, elles s’adressent à un large public. Cette manifestation > read more

Rosemary Sutcliff speaks to BBC Radio Times

Published on 2011-07-01 08:35:54

As I wrote first here in March 2010, when the BBC TV series of Rosemary Sutcliff‘s historical novel The Eagle of the Ninth was broadcast on TV, the BBC’s Radio Times wrote of her approach to children, books, the Romans and her hero Marcus – ‘ > read more

New Byzantine and Roman galleries open at the Royal Ontario Museum

Published on 2011-07-01 08:27:50

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, Canada will be opening a new set of permanent galleries tomorrow that will showcase its impressive collection of artifacts from the ancient civilizations of Rome, Byzantium and Nubia. Highlights of the colle > read more

Experts uncover stunning 1,400 year old fresco of St Paul in Roman catacomb

Published on 2011-07-01 08:24:41

Vatican officials today described the discovery of a 1,400 year old fresco of St Paul in an ancient Roman catacomb as ‘sensational.’ The painting was found during restoration work at the Catacombs of San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) in the port cit > read more

Trade Protectionism in the Roman Empire

Published on 2011-06-29 10:08:00

"It appears from the newly discovered treatise of Cicero de Republica, that there was a law of the republic prohibiting the culture of the vine and olive beyond the Alps, in order to keep up the value of those in Italy. Nos justissimi homines, q > read more

Remnants of Roman Main Street Unearthed in Bulgaria's Capital

Published on 2011-06-29 09:50:50

New sections of a Roman main street (decumanus) have been unearthed during archaeological excavations in the underpass between the Council of Ministers and the Presidency in Sofia. "They are in excellent condition, including the elements of the > read more

Gloucestershire's oldest coin discovered in field

Published on 2011-06-29 09:28:48

EXCITING new archaeological finds could shed light on the area's history. A Roman coin more than 2,000 years old has been discovered near Huntley, and a dog walker has been puzzled by finds of iron ore in the same village. David Hutton, from Tayn > read more

Roman Centre at Maryport

Published on 2011-06-29 09:10:13

Plans for large Roman visitor attraction in Maryport, Cumbria have been submitted to Allerdale Borough Council by Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited. The £10.7 million Maryport development will be at Camp Farm, which is a Victorian farm and will in > read more

1,400-year-old St Paul fresco discovered in ancient Roman catacomb

Published on 2011-06-29 08:59:48

The fresco was found during restoration work at the Catacombs of San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) in the southern port city of Naples by experts from the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Art. The announcement was made on the feast day of St Peter and Pa > read more

Asterix the Gaul: Asterix and the Banquet

Published on 2011-06-28 10:14:36

By Juliette Harrison It's been years since I read any Asterix the Gaul, which my parents sometimes used to buy for my brother (in English) when we went to France on holiday. What I'd remembered most was the wonderfully punny names - the old man Geria > read more

Archaeologists Unscramble Ancient Graffiti In Israel

Published on 2011-06-28 10:06:59

Aramaic is the lingua franca of the ancient Middle East, the linguistic root of modern day Hebrew and Arabic. "Once you understand Aramaic," says Karen Stern, "you can read anything. You can read Hebrew, you can read Phoenician. I always call it the > read more

Archaeologists follow the evolution of a French town

Published on 2011-06-28 10:01:07

Between the 3rd and the 5th centuries AD, a vast necropolis was established on the site. With more than 400 graves, it has now been partially excavated. The deceased were placed in coffins of which archaeologists have occasionally found traces of woo > read more

The Christian War Against Paganism - Part Two

Published on 2011-06-28 09:53:50

As the classical world collapsed, Christianity followed the armies everywhere and the church became a secular power in its own right. Emperors and barbarians alike converted to Christianity for political reasons since the majority of the subject popu > read more

Enkomi Digitisation Project

Published on 2011-06-28 09:51:35

The idea for the proposal of this assignment was triggered by the corresponding project undertaken by the Greek and Roman Department of the British Museum, which consisted partly of the digitization of the material excavated by the British at Enkomi > read more

The Christian War Against Paganism - Part One

Published on 2011-06-28 09:47:12

The West has been Christian for so long that we've forgotten that Christianity is a fundamentally alien religion, a Near Eastern mystery cult that was imposed on the pagans of Europe through a long, violent process of political repression, mass conve > read more

Those about to Die......

Published on 2011-06-28 09:17:30

The iconic Colosseum in Rome used for large scale gladiatorial events is in need of a good clean and repair. It suffers from heavy pollution from traffic and its foundations are being effected by the vibrations of a nearby subway line. Sadly the Ital > read more

La vie des Romains éclairée par leurs fèces

Published on 2011-06-28 08:02:42

Des chercheurs italiens ont étudié les vestiges des excréments des habitants d’Herculanum, l’antique cité détruite par une éruption du Vésuve. Conclusion: le régime alimentaire de ces Romains était plus diététique qu’on ne le pensait > read more

A Lake or a Roman Fort?

Published on 2011-06-27 10:19:51

We have been rained out of the dig about half the time. The dig site resembles a lake. I have learned a new skill - bailing out. Who knew how much water a medium size sponge would soak up? Bail out the little puddles first and > read more

Cleaning up after the Bar Kokhba revolt

Published on 2011-06-27 10:17:54

Israeli archaeologists have uncovered an 1800-year-old bathing pool used by the Roman Tenth Legion and dating from the second and third centuries AD in the old Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem known by the Romans as Aelia Capitolina. The archaeology excav > read more

Israel: Day 26: A Return to the Cistern

Published on 2011-06-27 10:06:25

When I arrived at the site this morning at 5 a.m., I expected to spend a day measuring and drawing features of the two squares in our area. Thirty minutes later, I was face first in a dirt filled tunnel, wriggling to get my body through the nar > read more

A bit of Roman Bling

Published on 2011-06-27 09:59:36

The Tullie House Museum over in Carlisle has a major new Roman Frontier exhibition opening today, which features a very rare Roman cavalry parade helmet from the Valkhof museum in Nijmegen (top picture). These masks as shown in the lower picture were > read more

The Search for Cleopatra

Published on 2011-06-27 09:53:46

Where, oh where is Cleopatra? She's everywhere, of course—her name immortalized by slot machines, board games, dry cleaners, exotic dancers, and even a Mediterranean pollution-monitoring project. She is orbiting the sun as the asteroid 216 Kleopatr > read more

Tests support 'Jordan texts' authenticity

Published on 2011-06-27 09:26:57

Preliminary lab results indicate that a collection of metal books unearthed in northern Jordan may indeed represent the earliest Christian texts ever discovered, according to experts.According to the Department of Antiquities (DoA), initial carbon te > read more

Roman Fort Project needs your support

Published on 2011-06-27 09:21:00

The Roman Fort Project is an opportunity to enable people of all ages and abilities to engage with the past. For this dream to become a reality your help is needed. Paul Harston of Roman Tours previously built a temporary camp at Chester in 2008. The > read more

Varangians:The enigmatic Byzantine imperial guards(1rst part)

Published on 2011-06-27 09:12:30

The name Varangians(Norse : Vaeningjar) derives from the Norwegian word var which means speech of honour or more commonly oath of honour. This etymology is considered to be linked with populations of Scandinavians(Swedes in majority) who initia > read more

The Roman Catapult

Published on 2011-06-27 09:03:47

Descriptions of Roman sieges of fortified cities invariably feature siege engines, the most familiar of which are the battering ram or aries, which came first, and the catapult (catapulta, in Latin). Here is an example from the first century A.D. Jew > read more

Gabii 2011 • first week

Published on 2011-06-27 08:49:03

Monday morning was fiercely hot and more humid than it has been - but no matter, we were on-site with nearly our full complement of staff and students. Since this was 'day one', the morning was given to orienting newcomers and re-orienting returning > read more

NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY ARCHAEOLOGY STUDENT MAKES FIRST FIND AT MARYPORT

Published on 2011-06-27 06:09:22

First year archaeology student Eric Waters from Jarrow, part of the team from Newcastle University excavating at an internationally important Roman site in Maryport, Cumbria, has made the first find - just days into the dig.The find is a carved red s > read more

The Lost Roman Province of Occidentia-Part Three

Published on 2011-06-24 09:32:49

Having perhaps had a little fun with some of the less plausible evidence of contact between the Americas and the world of Antiquity, it should be noted that there are a few enigmatic clues that suggest that just maybe a few Romans made it to these di > read more

What the Romans can teach us about refugees

Published on 2011-06-24 09:28:50

Archaeologists working at the Roman legionary fortress at Hadrian's Wall have reportedly uncovered what they suspect is a refugee camp established for friendly tribespeople from north of the wall who were fleeing serious unrest in the early third cen > read more

Gobi Desert Romans Are Unfounded Speculation

Published on 2011-06-24 09:19:28

I've written before (1 - 2 - 3) about the Kenyan village with a poorly supported and recently concocted origin myth involving Medieval Chinese sailors. Now my buddy Axel Andersson has alerted me to a similar case. But here it's sort of the other way > read more

Review: Master of Rome by John Stack

Published on 2011-06-24 08:57:35

The glamor surrounding Hannibal and his amazing trek through the Alps with a cadre of elephants during the Second Punic War has captivated history buffs for so long that the First Punic War has been virtually overlooked by many historical novelists.& > read more

Sacks of Human Waste Reveal Secrets of Ancient Rome

Published on 2011-06-24 08:12:33

You might turn your nose up at sifting through hundreds of sacks of human excrement, but researchers are doing just that in Italy—and happily. The unprecedented deposit is said to be yielding new insights into everyday life in the ancient Roman Emp > read more

Travaux herculéens à Tivoli

Published on 2011-06-24 07:50:44

Le sanctuaire d’Hercule à Tivoli en Italie va bientôt ouvrir au public après des années de restauration et d’importants investissements. Bâti à la fin du IInd siècle ap. J.-C. comme lieu de culte en l’honneur d’Hercule Victor, le vaste > read more

BIN11: Day Fourteen

Published on 2011-06-24 06:37:14

Sunshine and showers today. We were badly down on numbers and the site was not in good condition due to the rain, nonetheless, we still got a good day's work done today. The camera crew were out againand a number of us were interviewed about the proj > read more

Excavations in the centre of Bondy : vestiges from almost two thousand years ago

Published on 2011-06-24 06:22:01

For more than six years, several operations of preventive archaeology have been carried out in the centre of Bondy. The successive excavations have revealed, between the Church and the Hôtel de Ville, traces of ancient and medieval occupations, dati > read more

Archaeologists plan to protect Ambleside Roman fort

Published on 2011-06-24 06:17:59

Experts are planning to record and protect exposed Roman masonry at a fort in south Cumbria. The work on Ambleside Roman fort at Waterhead, is being undertaken by the National Trust, with the help of volunteer archaeologists. Masons will remove the t > read more

Nativité de Saint Jean Baptiste

Published on 2011-06-24 06:07:25

Écoutez-moi, îles lointaines ! Peuples éloignés, soyez attentifs ! J'étais encore dans le sein maternel quand le Seigneur m'a appelé ; j'étais encore dans les entrailles de ma mère quand il a prononcé mon nom. Il a fait de ma bouche une ép > read more

La Saga de Wotila

Published on 2011-06-23 05:39:43

Nous sommes à la limite de deux époques, la fin de l’antiquité et le début du moyen-âge. Les goths thervinges (ou wisigoths) fuient les huns et cherchent une nouvelle terre qui les accepte. Après de terribles affrontements, et avoir fait vaci > read more

John The Baptist Relics Moved to Renovated Church in Bulgaria's Sozopol

Published on 2011-06-23 05:37:45

The relics, unearthed last summer off Sozopol on Bulgaria's southern coast and purported to be St. John the Baptist, will be moved to SS Cyril and Methodius church in Sozopol. The relics are expected to arrive in the renovated church on June 25 and w > read more

Mar Saba Monastery, a Reminder of the Byzantine Empire

Published on 2011-06-23 05:36:05

The Greek Orthodox St Sabas (Arabic Mar Saba) Monastery clings precariously to the high cliffs above the Kidron Valley only a few miles east of Bethlehem. For safety reasons Mar Saba's magnificent library is now housed in the Greek Orthodox Patriach > read more

BIN11: Day Thirteen

Published on 2011-06-23 05:33:59

We finally lost our run of good luck with the weather today- after a fair morning the rain descended at lunch time and never let up, so we lost the afternoon's work. It was too wet to even do much planning and recording, but it did give the supevisor > read more

Roman gladiator's death 'down to dodgy ref's decision'

Published on 2011-06-23 05:33:03

But now a study into Roman tombstones has shown that, at least in the world of ancient gladiatorial combat, a dodgy umpiring decision could once have had drastic consequences. The epitaph on a previously little known memorial appears to blame the de > read more

Roman baths are uncovered in York

Published on 2011-06-23 05:28:50

The baths, which date from the second and third centuries AD, were discovered during construction of a new council headquarters building. The edge of the complex was first discovered in the 1840s when the original railway station in the city was buil > read more

The Lost Roman Province of Occidentia-Part two

Published on 2011-06-23 05:27:46

Lets talk about coins turning up in odd places. It is a common occurrence. The best survey on the subject was by Epstein who looked at 40 accounts of Pre-Columbian coinage in North and South America. He noted a few early examples, b > read more

Solstice d’été à Tivoli

Published on 2011-06-23 05:23:50

Par la présence boréale du soleil au plus loin de l’écliptique, ce jour sera le plus long de l’année dans l’hémisphère nord. Le moment précis, au cours duquel le soleil arrête son ascension dans le ciel est celui du solstice d’été q > read more

BIN11: Day Eleven

Published on 2011-06-23 05:19:51

Another day in which the rain stayed away (although it's sheeting it down as I write this). Things are really crystalising as far as our 'tannery hypothesis' goes- we've been able to a little background research and things seem to converging. So let' > read more

Greek inscription of a Roman gladiator's tombstone decoded after 1800 years

Published on 2011-06-23 05:18:22

The epitaph and art on the tombstone suggest the gladiator, named Diodorus, lost the battle (and his life) due to a referee's error, according to Michael Carter, a professor at Brock University in St. Catharines, Canada. Carter studies gladiator cont > read more

Les trésors cachés de Pétra

Published on 2011-06-22 03:54:16

Aujourd’hui, nous allons explorer l’un des sites archéologiques les plus spectaculaires du monde, Pétra. Situées en Jordanie, cette ville a été taillée dans la roche de montagne. Rendu célèbre grâce au film d’Indiana Jones et la derni > read more

Tullie House Museum is Loaned Helmet

Published on 2011-06-20 06:54:40

This eerily familiar, shimmering androgynous face with lips slightly parted and squinting eyes is not the infamous Crosby Garrett helmet, "for which a small museum in Cumbria raised an astonishing £1.7m last year, only to be outbid at auction, spark > read more

A petty tyrant hides behind the relics of a magnificent civilisation

Published on 2011-06-20 06:52:26

For the past four months I’ve been trying to access the ancient site of Leptis Magna, but geopolitics have rather got in the way. Seventy-five miles or so from Tripoli, Leptis has not seen any active conflict – yet. Still, it would have felt not > read more

Ancient Roman Reenactment Promotes Cultural Heritage of Northwest Bulgaria

Published on 2011-06-20 06:44:07

A two-day conference on the cultural and historical heritage of Bulgaria's northwest region gathered scholars and experts in the city of Montana. The event, held June 16-17, was the second of its kind within a week, and was organized by the Buditel C > read more

A 1,500 Year Old Public Building Dating to the Byzantine Period was Revealed in Excavations

Published on 2011-06-20 06:42:22

For the first time in the history of the study of Akko, a public building from the Byzantine period has been exposed in the city. In an archaeological excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted c. 100 m west of Tel Akko – next to the Azr > read more

‘Inspired’ and inspiring

Published on 2011-06-20 06:33:55

The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem is celebrating its 19th anniversary. While that is a substantial number in museum years, it is a drop in the proverbial ocean in the context of the collection that it houses. Spanning the history of civilization from > read more

'Refuge' huts found at Roman Vindolanda Fort & Museum

Published on 2011-06-20 06:29:16

Archaeologists at the Roman Vindolanda Fort & Museum have unearthed dozens of circular huts which they believe could have been used as temporary refuges. The excavation at the site in Hexham, Northumberland, has unearthed various finds from Roman Bri > read more

Excavations shed light on ancient Paphos city

Published on 2011-06-20 06:23:35

ARCHAEOLOGICAL investigations at the edges and to the south of the Hellenistic-Roman theatre of Nea Paphos have identified significant structures of the ancient city, according to an official announcement by the Department of Antiquities yesterday. T > read more

Ancient Excrement Excavation Provides Clues To Rich Roman Diet

Published on 2011-06-20 06:22:09

When southern Italy's Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it preserved the buildings, monuments and mosaics of Roman cities Pompeii and Herculaneum forever. But not everything in the lava's path was quite so picturesque. Herculaneum's pristine cobblesto > read more

Hadrian's buildings catch the Sun

Published on 2011-06-20 06:20:05

Hadrian's villa 30 kilometres east of Rome was a place where the Roman Emperor could relax in marble baths and forget about the burdens of power. But he could never completely lose track of time, says Marina De Franceschini, an Italian archaeologist > read more

Les égoûts d'Herculanum : une "fenêtre" sur la vie quotidienne des Romains en -79 après JC !

Published on 2011-06-20 06:10:39

Les dépotoirs, latrines et autres égoûts antiques sont souvent une mine d'information pour les archéologues sur la vie quotidienne des habitants , notamment sur leur alimentation et les maladies et parasites les plus fréquents. C'est en recherch > read more

Astérix distribue les baffes, les neurochirurgiens diagnostiquent les dégâts…

Published on 2011-06-20 06:00:06

Publiée dans la très sérieuse revue médicale Acta Neurochirurgica, une analyse exhaustive, réalisée par des spécialistes allemands, recense les quelque 700 blessures crâniennes reçues par les divers personnages dans les 34 albums d'Astérix. > read more

2000 ans après son naufrage, la barge romaine d'Arles va refaire surface

Published on 2011-06-20 05:56:47

Après avoir livré ses innombrables trésors, une barge du 1er siècle immergée dans l'ancien port romain d'Arles, sur les berges du Rhône, va être relevée à partir de cet été, avant d'être restaurée puis exposée au public en 2013 au musé > read more

Une école gallo-romaine découverte sous un parking

Published on 2011-06-20 05:53:57

Lors de fouilles préalables à un chantier de travaux publics à Autun, en Saône-et-Loire, des archéologues ont découvert d'importants vestiges, peut-être ceux d'un édifice dédié à l'éducation des élites, dont parlent certains textes ancie > read more

À ta santé César! Le vin chez les Gaulois — L'épopée du vin, de l'Antiquité jusqu'à nos jours

Published on 2011-06-20 05:51:50

Comment les teigneux Gaulois trinquaient-ils après une bonne bagarre contre les romains de Jules César, pour célébrer ou panser leurs blessures? Vous trouverez une partie de la réponse cet été au musée de Pointe-à-Callière, dans le Vieux-Mo > read more

L’Antiquité, une passion d’aujourd’hui

Published on 2011-06-20 05:49:34

Le péplum, un genre désuet ? Que nenni, répond l’exigeante Arte. La chaîne franco-allemande diffusera cet été les deux saisons de Rome . Cette série télévisée, qui raconte la fin de la République romaine à travers le destin de deux sold > read more

Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Roman Villa of the Antonines

Published on 2011-06-17 07:58:29

For many years, the ruins of this ancient Roman villa retreat for the family and guests of four Roman emperors remained unnoticeable, far from the limelight of scholarly research and exploration. Now, it is the focus of new excavations and research b > read more

Britain Is More Germanic than It Thinks

Published on 2011-06-17 07:56:19

How Germanic is Great Britain really? Archeologists and geneticists have unveiled surprising revelations about the historical origins of people in the modern United Kingdom -- many of whom have ancestors who once crossed the North Sea. The fear of a > read more

Dig reveals Acre’s importance to early Christianity

Published on 2011-06-17 07:52:44

A 1,500-year-old building from the Byzantine period was discovered in Acre during construction of an uncompleted shopping mall parking lot. A 1,500-year-old building from the Byzantine period was discovered in Acre during construction of an uncomplet > read more

Vatican archeologists reveal 3rd century paintings hidden beneath Rome

Published on 2011-06-17 07:49:39

he Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology is the Vatican body responsible for the care of ancient cemeteries and other artifacts from the early Christian centuries. They recently unveiled this 3rd century hypogeum, or underground burial chamber, > read more

African Roman Emperor's influence highlighted in film

Published on 2011-06-17 07:43:22

A FILM commissioned by York Museums’ Trust showcasing the impact of an African Roman Emperor on York will be shown at City Screen on Tuesday as a prelude to York Roman Festival. Severus & The City (PG) will explore York’s Roman heritage, inc > read more

Roman Fathers List

Published on 2011-06-17 05:59:45

In the ancient world, women might be known primarily as mothers, but this wasn't the case for men. Even a man who allegedly fathered a hundred children is likely to be better known as pharaoh (Ramses) than father. The following is a list of famous fa > read more

Libya – Civil War Amongst the Roman Ruins

Published on 2011-06-17 05:57:42

Thousands of years ago, what we know as Libya today was a land of ancient civilizations. From Phoenician and Carthaginian dominion to Hellenistic kingship and finally to Roman hegemony, Vandal colonization and Arab expansion, the land formerly known > read more

BIN11: Day Nine

Published on 2011-06-17 05:55:54

We are now heading towards the end of our second week on site. In Trench 1, there is activity happening in four main areas. In the space between the buildings we've unpicked more cobbles, almost certainly medieval as we found a long-cross penny (so p > read more

Locusta- Rome’s Professional Poisoner

Published on 2011-06-17 05:53:06

Poisoning was often used in ancient times. Whether it was knocking off one’s siblings to put someone more in line for the throne or getting rid of an unfortunate spouse, poison was, in some areas, almost an art form. Many plants such as hemlock and > read more

Asterix comics contain 700 traumatic brain injuries, say academics

Published on 2011-06-17 05:51:35

The German scientists calculated that the “plucky little Gaul” and his sidekick Obelix were responsible for causing more than half of the wounds, “under the influence of a doping agent called ‘the magic potion’”, with Roman soldiers their > read more

Spartacus: Vengeance – le créateur parle des difficultés rencontrées par la série

Published on 2011-06-17 05:48:42

Nous devons recréer la Rome antique avec un budget limité et savoir équilibrer l’exactitude historique et les besoins pour la dramatique. Et, dans le cas de Spartacus, il ya le processus délicat pour filmer les scènes peu habiller afin de pouv > read more

Production and supply in the Roman world. Conference

Published on 2011-06-17 05:46:04

The Oxford Roman Economy Project is organizing a one day colloquium on Production and Supply in the Roman World at All Souls College, Oxford on July 20th, 2011. The colloquium focuses on the world of production and supply in the Roman Empire and addr > read more

Le foie de Plaisance et l'art étrusque de la divination

Published on 2011-06-17 05:39:56

Les Etrusques étaient réputés pour interpréter la volonté des dieux par la lecture des entrailles des animaux. Le foie de Plaisance a été retrouvé en 1878, dans la campagne, près de Plaisance, en Italie. C’est une maquette en bronze d’u > read more

La ville de Pétra, la capitale des Nabatéens

Published on 2011-06-17 05:38:13

Pétra étaient une vraie capitale antique, elle possédait des palais, des temples, des thermes, des constructions publiques monumentales. Quand on évoque Pétra, on songe en premier lieu à ces impressionnants tombeaux creusés et sculptés dans > read more

BIN11: Day Eight

Published on 2011-06-16 06:38:00

A slightly abbreviated overview of site today as I spent most of the morning at the top end of Weardale (of which more below) and most of the afternoon trying to get my car nailed back together again, so I wasn't on site much. In brief, however, Tren > read more

Villa des Papyri

Published on 2011-06-16 06:14:13

À Herculanum, la villa des Papyrus, villa appartenant à Pison, beau-père de Jules César, a été ensevelie par l'éruption du Vésuve en 79, et dégagée lors de fouilles archéologiques en 1750, commandées par Charles de Bourbon. Par la richess > read more

Shock and awe: Nijmegen helmet gives Carlisle museum a boost

Published on 2011-06-15 08:30:09

The beautiful face with lips slightly parted and a shimmering androgynous appearance is eerily familiar. It could be the cousin of the world-famous Crosby Garrett helmet, which a small museum in Cumbria raised an astonishing £1.7m for last year, onl > read more

Latin dictionary is a lifetime career

Published on 2011-06-15 08:23:25

FOR 32 years, Dr David Howlett has been scouring medieval Latin texts, picking out unusual words and compiling them in one of the world’s most extraordinary dictionaries. But, if that sounds like a lifetime’s work, it’s just a fraction of the > read more

Anglo-Saxon warrior burials – a link with late Roman Colchester?

Published on 2011-06-15 08:22:23

Archaeological excavations on the site of the Hyderabad and Meeanee barracks off Mersea Road in Colchester have revealed a number of burials including two ‘spearmen’ likely to be of Germanic, possibly Saxon, origin. The two men had each been equi > read more

BIN11: Day Seven

Published on 2011-06-15 08:17:22

Down on numbers a little today, as six of out students were back in Durham doing an introductory session on Environmental Archaeology alongside some members of the Durham Arch & Arch. Environmental archaeology is a key element of the project, par > read more

Archaeological dig set to unearth Northumberland's past

Published on 2011-06-15 08:14:54

The medieval secrets of Northumberland Park could be revealed in the next few weeks during an archaeological dig. Up to seven trenches will be dug within the park, which lies between Tynemouth and North Shields. The dig is part of work to rediscover > read more

Dormice, sea urchins and fresh figs: the Roman diet revealed

Published on 2011-06-15 08:09:25

Dormice, sea urchins and fresh figs were among the delicacies enjoyed by ordinary Romans, British archaeologists have revealed after discovering a giant septic tank at one of the ancient cities destroyed by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius. Archaeologists > read more

NATO refuses to rule out bombing Libyan Roman ruins

Published on 2011-06-15 08:06:29

NATO refused to say Tuesday whether or not it would bomb ancient Roman ruins in Libya if it knew Moammar Gadhafi was hiding military equipment there. "We will strike military vehicles, military forces, military equipment or military infrastructure th > read more

Archaeologists find new gems in ancient Roman waste

Published on 2011-06-15 08:03:38

Herculaneum, June 13 - Archaeologists are discovering new insights into how the Romans lived in Herculaneum 2,000 years ago by what they left behind - in the ancient city's sewers.Herculaneum, which lies on the Bay of Naples in southern Italy, was bu > read more

Mosaics of Zeugma - pics

Published on 2011-06-15 08:01:17

Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology is best known for its collection of mosaics, most of which were excavated from the ancient Roman city site of Zeugma of Commagene. The museum in its current form dates from 2005, when it was substantially enlarged to h > read more

Crap! It's Herculaneum!

Published on 2011-06-15 06:32:48

There are folks who think archaeology must be one of the best jobs in the whole, wide, world. Many of them have added hot air to this ubiquitous thought-bubble after having watched a vintage Indiana Jones movie. They are magic, these movies. But unli > read more

BIN11: Day Six

Published on 2011-06-15 06:29:56

We have had lots of rain over the weekend, which has done wonders for the site, which was far too dry. In Trench 1, it was a fairly quiet day. Hilary finished recording the current stages of the big pit, and we're ready to make real movement with it > read more

The Aqua Augusta and control of water resources in the Bay of Naples

Published on 2011-06-15 06:28:05

This paper investigates the Aqua Augusta, one of the most difficult and costly aqueducts ever constructed by an ancient civilization. It focuses particularly on the control and use of the Augusta’s water.It is likely that at least a promise of the > read more

Villascopia, Scénovision original

Published on 2011-06-15 06:23:59

Au XIXe siècle, Jean-Florimond Boudon de Saint-Amans, botaniste et archéologue, découvre la villa antique de Lamarque dans un champ, à Castelculier. Aujourd'hui, dans ce même champ, se dresse un Scénovision unique en son genre. Mariant images e > read more

Cultural artifacts seized in Canada returned to grateful owners

Published on 2011-06-15 06:22:22

A cultural treasure trove of more than 20,000 rare coins, jewels and other artifacts from ancient Europe — much of it seized from suspected smugglers by police and Canadian customs officers four years ago in Montreal — was handed over to Bulgaria > read more

Mola Salsa

Published on 2011-06-15 06:20:09

Before the conclusion of Vestalia I should return to the Vestal Virgins in order to once again show the special role women play in the religio Romana. When Numa Pompilius founded our tradition he laid down regulations on the conduct of Roman sacrific > read more

Archaeologists discover skeleton in doctor’s garden

Published on 2011-06-15 06:15:34

A skeleton, possibly dating from Roman times, has been unearthed by archaeologists from the University of Bristol during a dig in the garden of vaccination pioneer Dr Edward Jenner in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. The archaeologists, led by Professor Ma > read more

Thermes de Caracalla

Published on 2011-06-15 06:10:48

Les thermes romains (en latin thermae, du grec thermos, chaud) étaient des établissements de bains publics chauds et froids de la Rome Antique. Inaugurés à Rome sous l’empereur romain Caracalla (212-217) en 216 ap. J.-C., les thermes de Caracal > read more

Rififi après des découvertes archéologiques exceptionnelles

Published on 2011-06-15 06:03:14

L'archéologie préventive sait que ce qu'elle découvre est éphémère. Mais quand la découverte est exceptionnelle, comment concilier impératifs présents et sauvegarde du passé ? Le cas de figure se présente à Trémonteix. UN éco-quartier d > read more

La céramique romaine en Méditerranée : production, typo-chronologie et diffusion

Published on 2011-06-15 06:00:05

La IVe édition de l’École d’été internationale sur la céramique romaine aura lieu à Aix-en-Provence, à la Maison méditerranéenne des sciences de l’homme, du 24 au 28 octobre 2011. Cette réunion scientifique de haut niveau entend offri > read more

On This Day in Ancient History - Nero's Suicide

Published on 2011-06-12 07:52:29

On this day in ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins made special salted cakes for the Vestalia, and so the day became a bakers' and millers' holiday. It was also the day the last of the Julio-Claudian emperors, Nero, committed suicide, leading to a year > read more

Bronze statue of Mars of Zeugma of Commagene

Published on 2011-06-10 10:36:13

Mars, the god of war, found amongst storage jars in the larder of one of the Zeugma villas, stands with his furious glance, a spear in his hand and flowers in the other hand, Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology. Zeugma was an ancient city of Commagene; c > read more

Roman BInchester: Day Four

Published on 2011-06-10 10:33:34

Lots of movement today, and happily no rain. In Trench 2 we completed taking out the post-medieval ditch. Some people then got to work cleaning our trench sections- not very glamorous, more gardening than archaeology, but an important job. Others got > read more

Learning Latin

Published on 2011-06-10 10:32:10

I Read this opinion piece in the Strib this morning and I found it a unbelievable that this person could be a teacher. At least I know that any children I have in the future will not be attending Lake Harriet Community School. I am sympathetic to M > read more

Massacre at the Teutoburg Forest

Published on 2011-06-10 10:29:35

Rome’s greatest defeat came in the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, which I would rather label the Massacre or Ambush at Teutoburg Forest. To me, a battle results from a conscious decision on the part of two commanders to engage one another. There was n > read more

Bones tell of beheading at the henge

Published on 2011-06-10 10:29:11

STONEHENGE was the setting for a ritual public execution nearly 2,000 years ago, English Heritage said yesterday. According to a new study, one of four complete skeletons found among the stones belonged to a man beheaded with an iron sword at some t > read more

Skeleton found in Berkeley is important historical find

Published on 2011-06-10 10:29:03

A HISTORICALLY important skeleton has been unearthed in the grounds of a museum in Berkeley. Archaeologists have uncovered a Roman or Dark Ages skeleton in the grounds of the Edward Jenner museum. The Roman occupation in Britain ended in 410AD, mak > read more

Ephesus- the Ancient City with One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Published on 2011-06-10 10:28:54

Ephesus, a former city of the Greek and later became an ancient Roman city port which lies in Selcuk, near Kusadasi, southwestern of present day Turkey is a heritage attraction. This ancient city have became a centre to the ancient conquerors from Gr > read more

Religio et Pietas

Published on 2011-06-10 10:28:45

Felicitas. Today begins the festival of Vestalia, which will last through 15 June. In ancient times it meant that the inner sanctum of the House of Vesta would be opened to the matrons of Rome. They were led by the Flamenica Dialis who was the wife o > read more

Jerash ruins show artistic influence of Christians, Muslims

Published on 2011-06-10 10:28:35

Called the "Pompeii of the East," Jerash, in the nation of Jordan is a beautiful Greco-Roman ruin located 80 miles north of Amman. The preserved ruins of Jerash include places of worship and other buildings from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and > read more

Visite virtuelle d'une villa gallo-romaine

Published on 2011-06-10 10:28:09

À l’occasion des journées nationales de l’archéologie qui auront lieu les 21 et 22 mai prochains, le ministère de la Culture et de la Communication lance le site Internet villa.culture.fr Cette création multimedia présente des reconstitutio > read more

Les dieux oubliés

Published on 2011-06-10 04:47:58

Ce film explore les cultes et les religions qui régentaient de grands et puissants empires. Trois civilisations antiques qui ont émergé des rives de la Méditerranée dominaient le monde : l'ancienne Egypte, la Grèce antique et l'Empire romain. L > read more

The Pont du Gard

Published on 2011-06-09 10:09:40

The Pont du Gard I’ll admit it. I have a serious fascination with the Roman Empire and their mad architecture skills. So when I had a chance, while visiting Avignon, I leaped at the chance to tour the Pont du Gard, one of France’s most popular t > read more

The Roman Empire: An Overview

Published on 2011-06-09 10:07:30

In this lesson we are going to talk some more about Ancient Rome. Last time we talked about the Roman Republic. For almost 500 years, the city of Rome was governed in a largely democratic system. No one man could hold too much power. During this tim > read more

Roman BInchester: Day Three

Published on 2011-06-09 10:04:21

Another really constructive day today- we're making real progress already this season. In Trench 1, the most important development was the identification of a new stretch of wall that lies to the east of the barrack block. Pleasingly, this appears to > read more

Archaeologists discover skeleton in doctor’s garden

Published on 2011-06-09 09:53:02

A skeleton, possibly dating from Roman times, has been unearthed by archaeologists from the University of Bristol during a dig in the garden of vaccination pioneer Dr Edward Jenner in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. The archaeologists, led by Professor Ma > read more

Bulgarian Antiquities and Coins to be Returned from Canada

Published on 2011-06-09 09:51:57

In August 2010 it was reported that a large group of antiquities and coins had been seized in Canada ("Bulgaria's Culture Minister Demands Archaeology Items from Canada", novinite.com (Sofia) August 5, 2010). On Thursday, the Exterior Ministry annou > read more

Malton's Roman Festival to return

Published on 2011-06-09 09:50:57

Malton is to stage a repeat of last year’s successful Roman Festival. One of the organisers, Paul Andrews, said the event, being organised by Malton and Norton Events Group on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24, will see legions of Roman soldier > read more

Musée romain d'Avenches

Published on 2011-06-09 09:38:47

« L'original du célèbre buste en or de Marc-Aurèle est visible au . La présentation de ce trésor archéologique au public est exceptionnelle. L'original du buste est habituellement conservé dans un lieu tenu confidentiel. Ce n'est que la deuxi > read more

Les Romains et les poils…

Published on 2011-06-09 08:28:51

Scipion n’a pas seulement vaincu les Carthaginois en rasant leur capitale, il a aussi lancé la mode des crânes rasés. Le vainqueur de la troisième guerre Punique impose cette mode d’influence Hellénique. Dès lors, d’autres grands personna > read more

Les cultures et les pratiques agricoles antiques dans la cité de Béziers

Published on 2011-06-09 08:27:40

Les opérations archéologiques réalisées préalablement à la construction de l'autoroute A75, entre Pézenas et Béziers (Hérault), ont permis d'enrichir le dossier de la viticulture antique dans la vallée de l'Hérault et de documenter celui d > read more

Oxford projects

Published on 2011-06-08 09:06:47

Le 17 mai, Oxford lançait le site qui concrétise son projet de web sémantique sur l'art de l'antiquité grecque et romaine à travers d'importantes collections partenaires : Beazley Archive, Ashmolean Museum, Arachne archive, Lexicon of Greek Pers > read more

Arenes de Tintignac, un complexe gallo-romain monumental

Published on 2011-06-08 09:05:44

« Une agglomération éclatée avec des espaces publiques dispersés » voilà ce qu’était le site du sanctuaire de Tintignac d’après Christophe Maniquet, archéologue limogeois de l’Inrap qui depuis 2001 dirige les fouilles et les recherche > read more

Mos Maiorum

Published on 2011-06-08 09:02:27

Tradition is never static. It flows with many currents in and around obstructions, sometimes even in contradictory directions. Little pools may form at high water, becoming separated later from the main stream, just as sects may break off from a trad > read more

Prosopography of the Byzantine World

Published on 2011-06-08 08:57:22

There are several instruments for the study of Byzantine men and women's lives: Prosopography of the Later Roman World: 3rd to 7th century. Prosopography of the Byzantine World (King's college): aims to record all surviving information about every i > read more

Saving Hadrian's Wall

Published on 2011-06-08 08:55:55

A few pictures I took of the section of Wall mentioned in the below post, prior to its preservation. You can see the classic neat cut Roman Wall stone very clearly and the farmer would simply pile up on top of the Wall any new fallen stone, in an eff > read more

Late antique Latin patchwork poems piece together genre and original text

Published on 2011-06-08 08:54:01

Bust of Virgil Texts comprising only quotations of somebody else's work are often referred to as plagiarism. Many researchers have also rejected Late Antique Latin cento poetry – cento means patchwork in Latin – as being of no literary merit. H > read more

The Roman Empire: a history

Published on 2011-06-08 08:52:04

Our special interest is the appearance of divine men in Classical Antiquity, a long period of cultural history for the Greco-Roman world ending with the dissolution of classical culture at the close of Late Antiquity (300–600 CE) and blending in > read more

Christian Persecution

Published on 2011-06-08 08:50:00

As Christianity gained a foothold in the consciousness of the ancient world, the Roman authorities initially reacted slowly. As Jewish Christian migrations, and certainly the work of Peter, brought the new cult to Rome, it became largely identified w > read more

Chemtou (Tunisie) : carrière de marbre, ville et musée

Published on 2011-06-08 08:46:26

Le marbre jaune de la carrière de Chemtou, dans l'ouest de la Tunisie, fut exploité de l'antiquité à l'époque contemporaine Ce site majeur de l’archéologie antique en Tunisie se situe au nord-ouest du pays, non loin de la frontière algéri > read more

Un aquarium geant a bord a bord d un navire romain ?

Published on 2011-06-08 08:44:35

L'épave, qui repose à environ 10 kilomètres au large de la ville de Grado en Italie , a été découverte accidentellement en 1986. D'environ 16,5 mètres de long, il date de la moitié du 2ème siècle et il pouvait contenir une cargaison d'envir > read more

Visiting Masada

Published on 2011-06-07 10:14:08

Masada As you are enjoying one of the many tours through Israel, you will most likely find yourself visiting Masada. It is one of the most interesting and mysterious stories of Jewish history. Masada is a site that is located at the top of a lonely r > read more

The Dead Sea and Masada

Published on 2011-06-07 10:11:27

This last 24 hours have been a bit of a blur. We rented cars and drove to the Dead Sea, camped in a field in the dark, woke up at 3am and drove to Masada, hiked up and watched the sunrise from an ancient wall (almost getting fined 1200 shekels in the > read more

Wreck suggests Romans shipped live fish

Published on 2011-06-07 09:59:24

Italian archaeologists say evidence from a sunken Roman ship suggests fish could have been kept alive in on-board tanks as they traded around the Mediterranean. Due to a lack of refrigeration, historians have long assumed Roman ships catching fish > read more

Replica of Magdala Stone, Vital to Jewish and Christian History, to visit Denver

Published on 2011-06-07 09:57:26

The Israeli Antiquities Authority has sent an exact replica of a 2,000 year-old coffee-table-sized to Denver, an engraved stone depicting the oldest carved menorah ever discovered. This replica will be unveiled at The Galilee Gala, a benefit being he > read more

Marcus Aurelius, Dead for 2,000 Years, Can Set You Straight Today

Published on 2011-06-07 09:54:21

Marcus Aurelius As I write, the minions of X have just waged a campaign on Wikipedia to revise the facts of one of the best known episodes in American history so its entry will conform to their idol's dazzlingly dumb word-salad version of that event > read more

The tale of a Roman vessel, for 22 centuries at Xlendi

Published on 2011-06-07 09:52:24

Outside Xlendi Bay, near the fort, is a spit of land with some salt pans at its tip. The cliff face right outside that promontory descends from just a few metres under sea level to an awesome 60 metres and there, right under the cliff, lies the remai > read more

Major archaeological investigation launched on Roman religious site at Hadrian's Wall Maryport

Published on 2011-06-07 09:51:01

A major archaeological investigation into the mystery of a group of Roman stones found more than 140 years ago has begun on the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site in Cumbria. The Roman altars, dedicated to the Roman God of Jupiter, were found by l > read more

Roman ring found in Weston declared treasure

Published on 2011-06-07 09:47:01

AN ARCHAEOLOGY enthusiast has unearthed a valuable piece of Weston’s ancient past after a Roman ring he discovered near the town was declared treasure trove. Treasure hunter Andrew Stanley found the antique silver treasure two years ago in a farm > read more

Statue Leaves Italy for the First Time Since 1816 for Exhibition at the National Gallery of Art

Published on 2011-06-07 09:45:05

Capitoline Venus One of the best preserved sculptures from Roman antiquity, the "Capitoline Venus," has left Italy for the first time in nearly 200 years for a special display at the National Gallery of Art. The installation goes on public view Sa > read more

Pompéi, les causes d’un "scandale à l’italienne" ? - audio

Published on 2011-06-07 09:21:33

Dans la nuit du 5 au 6 novembre 2010 Schola Armaturarum, dénommée aussi Schola Juventutis, s’effondrait. Donnant directement sur l’artère principale de Pompéi -la via de l’Abbondanza- cette grande bâtisse, peinte dans les années 62-70 de > read more

Cleopatra Lecture at Sierra College, CA

Published on 2011-06-06 11:29:31

Since her death in 30 BC, the image of Cleopatra VII, last queen of Egypt, has been re-imagined and re-shaped, in large measure reflecting the time and culture that produced these divergent images. To the Romans of her era, she was a sexual temptress > read more

Fall of the Roman Republic – Anatomy of a Collapse

Published on 2011-06-06 11:22:28

Everyone seems to write about the fall of the Roman Empire – Gibbon et al. I guess they look at the end of the Empire as the seminal event because it marks the end of a thousand years of Roman power and the onset of the Dark Ages. I, however, would > read more

How Would the Etruscans Have Approached Panda?

Published on 2011-06-06 11:20:29

If you have been dealing with falling pageviews since Google's algorithm and Panda changes, you may wonder what to do to regain your website's visitors. No clear techniques seem to be emerging, so might I suggest looking to the ancients for guidance? > read more

Bulgarian Archaeologists Embark on Alpine Mission to Thracian Kings' Residence

Published on 2011-06-06 11:18:33

Bulgaria's National History Museum are starting the largest alpine expedition in the history of Bulgarian archaeology in order to excavate the residence of the rulers of the Odrysian Kingdom, the state of the most powerful tribe of Ancient Thrace. > read more

Etruscan House Reveals Ancient Domestic Life

Published on 2011-06-06 11:01:26

Italian archaeologists have discovered the first-ever intact Etruscan house, complete with furniture, bricks and terracotta tiles identical to the ones still used in Tuscany today. Found at an archaeological site called Poggiarello Renzetti in the > read more

Segontium Museum closes for summer amid Cadw takeover

Published on 2011-06-06 10:59:04

Welsh heritage body Cadw will take over the management of the Segontium Museum and Roman fort in Caernarfon, Gwynedd. The financially-troubled museum will remain closed this summer, although the external areas of the fort will continue to be open t > read more

Shock, cajole, and embarrass

Published on 2011-06-06 10:56:21

Hugh Eakin has written a response to Chasing Aphrodite ("What Went Wrong at the Getty", New York Review of Books June 23, 2011). Eakin's sympathy appears to rest with the North American museums and collectors who seem to have been happy to build thei > read more

Romans in Haltern preferred wine from home

Published on 2011-06-06 10:52:16

Battle of Teutoburg Haltern remains for me one of the most fascinating sites in Germany. On the banks of the Lippe and abandoned pretty soon after the Battle of Teutoburg Forest in AD9, the museum is wonderful. A lovely story has been picked up by > read more

More re concerns over development in the Faiyum

Published on 2011-06-06 10:47:53

Egypt's popular uprising may have arrived just in time to save a Neolithic site that holds the country's oldest evidence of agriculture and could yield vital clues to the rise of Pharaonic civilisation. The site lies in a protected nature reserve al > read more

Stoicism in Early Christianity

Published on 2011-06-06 10:45:13

Plato Stoicism in Early Christianity is a collection of thirteen scholarly essays dedicated to exploring the relationship between Greco-Roman philosophy and the development of Christianity in the first and second century. The editors acknowledge in > read more

Herculaneum. Past and Future. Part 6

Published on 2011-06-03 09:08:21

In chapter 10 AWH considers many of the differences between Pompeii and Herculaneum beyond those of preservation, challenging many frequently held assumptions. He explores the subtleties in the towns’ legal status and identity, their social conditi > read more

Bulgarian-Italian Cooperation in Archaeological Research and Promotion of Historical Heritage

Published on 2011-06-03 09:06:57

The Italian-Bulgarian expeditions during the last century in north-western Bulgaria have a significant role in the history of archaeological research. In the period 1941-1943 under the scientific guidance of Antonio Frova, who then acted on behalf > read more

Military Dedications

Published on 2011-06-03 09:05:46

The large Roman fort at Maryport on the west coast is undergoing some summer excavations. The fort was part of a series of forts and smaller milefortlets which extended along the west coast beyond the end of the actual Hadrian's Wall line at nearby B > read more

Mystery mound in England turns out to be ancient monument

Published on 2011-06-03 09:03:15

Sillbury Hill Marlborough Mound in Wiltshire has long been a mystery. The flat-topped cone of earth looks like a smaller version of Silbury Hill, pictured here. The bigger mound was finished around 2300 BC at a time when Neolithic farmers were erect > read more

Greek and Roman armies in Northern Balkans

Published on 2011-06-03 08:58:41

This is a conference very close to my research interests. I would have liked to participate. Is anyone else going? Call for Proposals – Annual Conference of the Metropolitan Library of Bucharest, Sinaia, Romania, 20-22 September 2011. Section IV > read more

Wulfila 311-2011

Published on 2011-06-03 08:50:53

First page of the Codex Argenteus The Gothic factor in European history is embraced by many countries. Today the province Moesia is part of Bulgaria. It was once the part of the Roman Empire where Bishop Wulfila settled down with his Gothi minores, > read more

Ibsen's Emperor and Galilean

Published on 2011-06-03 08:46:17

Henrik Ibsen’s 1873 play about Julian, Emperor and Galilean has been described as “bad history and bad theatre”. It is not that bad, but it is certainly not an easy play. Let's see what the National Theatre in London makes of it: Live like Co > read more

Roman ships had on-board fish tanks

Published on 2011-06-03 08:43:37

Historians have assumed that in ancient times fresh fish were eaten close to where they were caught, because without refrigeration they would have rotted during transportation. But if the latest theory is correct, Roman ships could have carried live > read more

Arthur: King or Commander?

Published on 2011-06-03 08:41:14

The title really should be ‘Arthur: King, Commander, both, or neither’, but it’s not quite as catchy. Those not au fait with the Arthurian subject and the search for an historical 5th or 6th century figure will just assume Arthur was a king. > read more

Meet the Romans in Serbia

Published on 2011-06-03 08:38:19

My still un dug seat on the top of cop was equivalent to the Y51 seat at the Royal Opera House: very high up with restricted view. Looking down at the cop and behind half naked archaeologist unmoved by burning sun I could see Russell Crowe fighting f > read more

Le Destin de Rome, un docu-fiction en latin sur Arte

Published on 2011-06-03 05:40:31

Le 18 juin 2011, à partir de 20h40, Arte diffusera "Le destin de Rome", un docu-fiction sur l'Empire Romain, réalisé par Fabrice Hourlier. Il est composé de deux épisodes de 52 mn, “Venger César” et “Rêves d’Empire”, tournés au plus > read more

Isle's roman heritage celebrated at Portland museum

Published on 2011-06-01 09:47:10

A ROMAN invasion will be coming to Portland this half term to celebrate the island’s heritage. ‘Meet the Romans’ will take place at Portland Museum next Wednesday, June 1, during the half term week, from 10.30am to 4pm. The event will be ce > read more

Roman soldiers battle the rain to conquer Hull's streets

Published on 2011-06-01 09:45:50

ROMANS came back to life as parents and children flocked to the city this weekend for the launch of National Family Week. Despite the rain, Hull city centre was packed out with families, who enjoyed a range of activities and events in Queen Victori > read more

From lionesses to latrines: five treasures of Roman Scotland

Published on 2011-06-01 09:44:19

The Cramond lioness : This statue, dating from the Roman occupation of Cramond west of Edinburgh in the second and early third centuries AD, was found in 1997 in river silts adjacent to the ferry steps on the east side of the River Almond. Spotted > read more

Maps of Byzantium

Published on 2011-06-01 09:42:23

Europe Map 1092 When the western Roman Empire dissolved, the Eastern portion survived, its boundaries growing and shrinking as it conquered and lost territory over the centuries. It had a sometimes subtle but always undeniable effect on western Euro > read more

Bioarchaeology of Roman Seafood Consumption

Published on 2011-06-01 09:37:15

As more Americans are developing an interest in the local food movement, preferring to purchase and consume perishable foods closer to home in order to cut down on economic and ecological costs of food production, we're also learning more about how t > read more

Britain Britain a treasure seeker's paradise

Published on 2011-06-01 09:35:45

Britain is bursting with ancient buried treasure and the masses have been bitten by the bug for digging it up -- ironically with the full approval of the government and leading museums. Latest figures released by the British Museum showed a "massiv > read more

“Twitter” in Latin?

Published on 2011-06-01 09:33:46

This past weekend, I was pondering whether anyone had bothered yet to render the word “Twitter” into Latin, and threw the question out — naturally — to my Twitter followers. What I didn’t want was simply a transcription in Latin of somethi > read more

Rome: Kalends of February

Published on 2011-06-01 09:32:36

I was wrong in my last review; it turns out that, somewhat counter-intuitively, this actually is the episode in which Julius Caesar gets murderlised. There is a reason for this - it's on the Kalends of February that, in the Rome version of events, Ca > read more

Ruins of ancient city much closer to Rome than Pompeii

Published on 2011-06-01 09:29:08

Insula at Ostia A visit to Ostia Antica is at the top of my list for day trips from Rome. Even though Pompeii gets all the press as Italy's most important archeological site, many historians consider the ruins of the port city at Ostia Antica to be > read more

Roman ship had on-board fish tank

Published on 2011-06-01 09:27:18

A Roman ship found with a lead pipe piercing its hull has mystified archaeologists. Italian researchers now suggest that the pipe was part of an ingenious pumping system, designed to feed on-board fish tanks with a continuous supply of oxygenated wat > read more

Basilica of Aquileia

Published on 2011-05-31 09:10:12

Basilica of Aquileia In the year 181 BCE Roman Senate wanted to set a strategic base for shipments to maintain control of the Alps. So Aquileia was established and after he became an important trading center in Italy and flourished and their crafts, > read more

Unpublished Fayum Portraits Come to Life at the National Archaeology Museum in Madrid

Published on 2011-05-31 09:07:39

Fayoum portait The Fayum Mummy Portraits continue to surprise to this day with their modern sensibility and vitality. Made between the first and fourth centuries A.D. they come from the tomb of Al- Fayum as well as from other places across Egypt, an > read more

Archaeologists hope to uncover part of Chester’s secret history

Published on 2011-05-31 09:05:00

An archaeological dig underway in Chester’s Grosvenor Park may find previously unknown buildings associated with a great mansion house that was destroyed in the Civil War in the 17th century. Experts from Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Hist > read more

Destruction of Herod's Temple by Titus in CE 70

Published on 2011-05-31 08:58:33

Spoil of Jerusalem temple The destruction of Herod's Temple coincided with the rebellion in Judea, ruthlessly suppressed by Vespasian and his son Titus. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in CE 70 is commemorated in Rome on the Arch of Tit > read more

Tunisia protects ancient treasures

Published on 2011-05-31 08:55:06

Tunisian officials are launching renewed efforts aimed at preserving the country's ancient treasures while at the same time educating the next generation on the nation's rich history. As part of those efforts, the culture ministry chose Internation > read more

L'Aphrodite profanée - Cristina Rodriguez

Published on 2011-05-31 08:39:43

Vent de panique sur Rome : plusieurs enfants (le la haine société ont été enlevés et les prétoriens qui mènent l'enquête, incapables de les retrouver, sont ridiculisés. Leur chef Kaeso se voit confier, en guise de mortification, la surveilla > read more

Villa, villae en Gaule romaine

Published on 2011-05-31 08:31:06

La civilisation de l'’Empire romain est encore visible de nos jours à travers les sites archéologiques. Rome en abrite beaucoup et une bonne partie de l’Europe occidentale garde des traces de ce vaste empire. C’est le cas de la petite commune > read more

De nombreux Landais l'ignorent : le département regorge de trésors archéologiques

Published on 2011-05-31 08:29:36

Landais, si vous saviez ! Le département regorge d'un patrimoine archéologique que tout le monde ignore. Oui, peut-être une majorité pourra citer la Dame de Brassempouy. Avec beaucoup de chance, certains évoqueront le site unique de Sorde-l'Abba > read more

Fabriquer des amphores 3/3: La cuissson

Published on 2011-05-31 08:12:50

Et vient le grand jour! La cuisson des amphores! Il a fallu transformer et agrandir un de mes anciens fours, qui m'avait permis les cuissons expérimentales de céramiques mérovingiennes. D'abord agrandir et réhausser la chambre de cuisson. Passer > read more

"Peak Civilization": The Fall of the Roman Empire

Published on 2011-05-30 09:22:38

This text describes the presentation that I gave at the "Peak Summit" in Alcatraz (Italy) on June 27, 2009 (the picture shows me speaking there). It is not a transcription, but something that I wrote from memory, mostly in a single stretch, while I h > read more