Cato Cornelio Sullae Memmio Albucio censore omnibusque in foro SPD

Yes, Sulla, but so often the original intent of a thread wanders off, no?

And I find this fascinating. Albucius, the underlying current of your argument is troubling to me in some ways, however. It seems as if there is a desire for some kind of orthodoxy that would have been unknown among our ancient forebears.

The gods have made quite clear what They expect: certain prayers and sacrifices at certain times in a certain manner; adding anything to that takes an enormous amount of hubris since by definition you are second-guessing the gods after They've already *told* us what They want. You are adding things to the contract - the pax Deorum - that are neither wanted nor required by Them, telling Them that the actions They've set up as requirements aren't quite ... good enough - for you. A dangerous path to tread, with the temperaments of the gods being what they are.

If I were to walk through ancient Rome and bow my head whenever the Name of the Founder of my private cult was mentioned, I have no doubt that my neighbors would simply assume that He was a household god peculiar to my family for some reason or another - they would not immediately jump to the conclusion that I was of necessity defaming the gods of the State cult.

In fact, it is precisely *only* when members of my private cult refused to publicly offer specific sacrifices that they ran into trouble; otherwise, as Pliny said, they might have been foolish and deluded but they were certainly not dangerous. As long as members of my cult publicly respect and act in accordance with the necessities of keeping the pax Deorum in our Respublica, there is nothing wrong with *also* paying respect to our Founder, as in when I capitalize references to Him. I capitalize pronouns for *all* the gods - and He's one of Them.

Since it is a foundational - and explicitly Constitutional - element of our Respublica that we treat *all* religions with respect, we should strive to do so.

Valete bene,

Cato

Cn. Lentulus Dec. Palladio et Tulliae Scholasticae SPD
 
 

>>>> Like you I am no fan of some aspects of the current SCU, namely the damnatio memoriae aspect of it, but am under no illusions that a major component of the dictatorship, beside being an attempt to seize power, would have been a fairly lengthy list of proscriptions. <<<<

 
 
For the record, I must remind everyone that the proposed dictator was Cn. Marinus Censorius, and not Piscinus. I don't know if it matters to anyone, but I was in a relationship of mutual respect with Cn. Marinus, and from time to time, he asked my opinion, sometimes I asked his'. It's not a matter of secrete to those who were in any closer relationship with Cn. Marinus that he was at odds with Piscinus, and their disagreement was getting to be more and more intensive as the events of 2010 went. At the time when Piscinus pushed the dictatorship promoting Marinus, Piscinus was in a false hope that Marinus would do what he just ordered to him. Not at all. Piscinus committed these false calculations with people not infrequently. When I contacted Marinus back then, and I asked him to swear an oath that he would not purge anyone from NR (which request he did and he swore to me), he also told me that he was fed up with Piscinus thinking Marinus was his
tool and Marinus also said Piscinus would have been likely the first person to be sent in the corner, if any.
 
As stubborn as he was, as dry and hard he was, as imperative as he appeared many times, yet Cn. Marinus was rational, and very much his own master. And you don't even suspect how much he was annoyed with Piscinus.
 
 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

p.c. / FYI



_____

Da: Ass.Pomerium [mailto:info@...]
Inviato: venerdì 18 marzo 2011 0.01
A: Ass.Pomerium
Oggetto: Mercoledi 23 Marzo: il Museo di scultura antica Giovanni Barracco








Associazione Pomerium

L'Associazione culturale Pomerium è lieta di invitarvi mercoledi 23 marzo ad una visita in nostra compagnia per una visita al museo di scultura antica Giovanni Barracco.

Riapre al pubblico il Museo Barracco dopo alcuni anni di chiusura, impegnati nel restauro architettonico dell’edificio, nell’adeguamento dello stesso alle norme di sicurezza e nella realizzazione di un’idonea accoglienza, date le problematiche delle barriere architettoniche dell’edificio cinquecentesco, per coloro che non hanno facilità d’accesso. A tal fine sono state realizzare al piano terra delle aree di accoglienza al pubblico con difficoltà motorie. E’ così possibile conoscere la Collezione Barracco attraverso una postazione informatica che permette una visita virtuale del Museo, ammirare alcune opere selezionate della Collezione, accedere alla Biblioteca Barracco e alla Biblioteca Pollak, due importanti fondi librari conservati presso il Museo. La prestigiosa collezione di sculture antiche donata da Giovanni Barracco nel 1904 al Comune di Roma, ritenuta da tutti una delle più belle raccolte museali del panorama romano, con i recenti lavori è ora a disposizione di un pubblico più vasto. L’eclettismo storico-artistico fra la sede del Museo, edificio cinquecentesco del rinascimento fiorentino, e la collezione archeologica di sculture antiche presenta una grande armonia, che finalmente potrà essere fruita anche da coloro che a tutt’oggi ne erano stati privati.

Maresita Nota Santi, Responsabile Museo Barracco (http://www.museobarracco.it/museo/editoriale)

(ulteriori informazioni su: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museo_Barracco )

L'appuntamento è per le ore 17.45 in Corso Vittorio Emauele 166/A, costo dell’ingresso 5,50 € (1 € in meno per residenti a Roma; ridotto 4,50 €); avvertire della propria partecipazione a info@... entro martedi 22 p.v..

A seguire, intorno alle ore 19.30, ci intratterremo per un aperitivo in compagnia. L’appuntamento è davanti all’Irish Pub in Via del Plebiscito 101 B, nei pressi di Piazza Venezia.

( per info dell'ultimo minuto chiamate il cell. 333. 8527265).

Vi aspettiamo!



Info:www.pomerium.org

e-mail: info@...
<mailto:info@...>



_____



Per informazioni:
Associazione Pomerium - www.pomerium.org <http://www.pomerium.org/>
c/o Marocco F. - Viale Alessandrino 477 - 00172 Roma

info@... - amministrazione@... - segreteria@...



Vive ergo moribus praeteritis, loquere verbis praesentibus (Vivi perciò con la moralità degli antichi, ma usa le parole della modernità; A.Gellio - Notti Attiche)



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Caesar Lentulo sal.

I have no doubt he was ticked at Piscinus. Marinus always wanted to be the only bus driver. It would have annoyed him at the idea he would have been expected to share the wheel. I am sure they would have tussled for control.

Interesting he gave that oath to you, since to me he said in email he couldn't say for sure there would be no expulsions. It might rest on his definition of whether a "chance" given had been violated, but he reserved the right.

Of course my question to him was how long did he think he would last as Dictator if he didn't perform according to Piscinus's expectations. I got the impression that was an unknown in his mind.

Yes Marinus always said he was his own master and certainly didn't like even the Senate or the Constitution to trammel him. None of that would gives any hope that his dictatorship would have been benign, unless you were on the Marinus fan bus that is.

Optime vale

--- On Thu, 3/17/11, Cn. Cornelius Lentulus <cn_corn_lent@...> wrote:

> From: Cn. Cornelius Lentulus <cn_corn_lent@...>
> Subject: R: [Nova-Roma] Re: Once again we interrupt this discussion...
> To: Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Thursday, March 17, 2011, 4:59 PM
> Cn. Lentulus Dec. Palladio et Tulliae

Vale omnis,
I've not been folowing this particular str system)ing to appreciate how it started but the last entry by Cato is one in which I agree, as I may illustrate:
With moving to an area of north Alabama, I noticed that it was prudent to join one of the dominant churches therefore I became a member of one that was conservative enough but also open-minded enough to be a good environment. In doings this, I gave deference to the predominant social force of religion in this area and at the same time continued my pagan/wican ways in private. Also in doing this I gave homage to my ancestors who are very inportant to me. Seems similar to the prospect of doing the same in Ancient Roman society.

Claudius Appius Scipio (lost citizenship due to glich)

Vale Omnis
Sorry for the deviation from proper etiquette, I a little rusty. by [st system)ring] I meant to write string, and please excuse the other type errors.
Vale
Appius Claudius Scipio

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem XV Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.

"If you wish to know who raised that falcon to heaven,
It was when Saturn had been dethroned by Jupiter:
Angered, he stirred the mighty Titans to battle,
And sought whatever help the Fates could grant him.
There was a bull, a marvelous monster, born of Mother
Earth, the hind part of which was of serpent-form:
Warned by the three Fates, grim Styx had imprisoned him
In dark woods, surrounded by triple walls.
There was a prophecy that whoever burnt the entrails
Of the bull, in the flames, would defeat the eternal gods.
Briareus sacrificed it with an adamantine axe,
And was about to set the innards on the flames:
But Jupiter ordered the birds to snatch them: and the Kite
Brought them, and his service set him among the stars." - Ovid, Fasti
III

"Three other sons were born of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Sky) - great
and doughty beyond telling, Kottos and Briareos and Gyes, presumptuous
children. From their shoulders sprang a hundred arms, not to be
approached, and each had fifty heads upon his shoulders on their
strong limbs, and irresistible was the stubborn strength that was in
their great forms." - Hesiod, Theogony 147

"The Korinthians say that Poseidon had a dispute with Helios about the
land, and that Briareos arbitrated between them, assigning to Poseidon
the Isthmos and the parts adjoining, and giving to Helios the height
above the city." - Pausanias, Guide to Greece 2.1.5

"But the glorious allies of loud-crashing Zeus [the Hekatonkhires]
have their dwelling upon Okeanos' foundations, namely Kottos and Gyes;
but Briareos, being goodly, the deep-roaring Earth-Shaker [Poseidon]
made his son-in-law, giving him Kymopoliea his daughter to wed." -
Hesiod, Theogony 817

"On this altar the gods are thought to have first made offerings and
formed an alliance when they were about to oppose the Titanes. The
Cyclopes made it. From this observance men established the custom that
when they plan to do something, they make sacrifices before beginning
the undertaking." - Hyginus, Astronomica 2.39



The Hekatonkheires were three gargantuan figures of Greek mythology. They were known as Briareus the Vigorous, Cottus the Furious, and Gyges (or Gyes) the Big-Limbed. Their name derives from the Greek (hekaton: hundred) and (kheir: hand),and means "Hundred-Handed". They were giants with a hundred arms and fifty heads and incredible strength and ferocity, even superior to that of the Titans and the Cyclopes. They were children of Gaia and Uranus. In Latin, the Hekatonkhires were also known as the Centimani.

Soon after they were born, their father, Uranus, threw them into the
depths of Tartarus because he saw them as hideous monsters. In some
versions of this myth, Uranus saw how ugly the Hekatonkhires were at
their birth and pushed them back into Gaia's womb, upsetting Gaia
greatly, causing her great pain, and setting into motion the overthrow
of Uranus by Cronus. In this version of the myth, they were only later
imprisoned in Tartarus by Cronus.

The Hekatonkhires remained there, guarded by the dragon Campe, until
Zeus rescued them, hoping they would serve as good allies against
Cronus. During the War of the Titans, the Hekatonkhires threw rocks as
big as mountains, one hundred at a time, at the Titans.

Afterwards, the Hekatonkhires became the guards of the gates of
Tartarus. In the Iliad, there is a story, found nowhere else in
mythology, that at one point the gods were trying to overthrow Zeus
but were stopped when the sea nymph Thetis brought a Hekatonkhir to
his aid. Homer also referred to Briareus as aegaeon ("goatish"), and
said he was a marine deity and son of Poseidon. The Hekatonkhires were
often considered sea deities, and may be derived from pentekonters,
longboats with fifty oarsmen.

Briareus was one of the Hekatonkhires; His mother, Gaia, was the most
ancient Greek goddess and was known as mother earth. He also had two
brothers. One of his brothers was Gyes (or Gyges), the king of Cydia,
and the other was Coltus. Briareus was thrown into Tartarus by Ouranus, but was then rescued by Zeus, whom he then urged to help him struggle against the Titans. The war lasted ten years, with the Olympian gods and Prometheus on one side, and the Titans and the Giants on the other.

Eventually Zeus releases the Hundred-Handeds to shake the
earth, allowing him to gain the upper hands, cast the fury of his
thunderbolts and throw the Titans into Tartaros. Zeus later must
battle Typhoeus, a son of Gaia and Tartaros created because Gaia was
angry that the Titans were defeated, and is victorious again.

Because Prometheus helped Zeus, he was not sent to Tartaros as the
other Titans. However, he would later steal fire from the Olympian
gods to give to mortals, along with other knowledge, thus angering
Zeus. Zeus punishes Prometheus by chaining him to a column and
inflicts on him a long-winged eagle that would feed on his liver.
Every day, the liver would be regenerated to be fed on again.
Prometheus would not be freed until Herakles, a son of Zeus, comes to
free him and encourage him to tell Zeus the prophecy of who would
overthrow Zeus. (A digression: It would later turn out that Thetis, a
nymph that Zeus was chasing, would have a son that would be greater
than his father. Zeus promptly marry her off to Peleus, who together
would give birth to Achilleus. In the wedding, Eris, who resented not
being invited, would roll a golden apple for the most beautiful
goddesses. Paris would choose Aphrodite over Athena and Hera to get
the most beautiful woman at the time, Helen, and start the Trojan
War.) Another trickery Prometheus made was to divide an animal
sacrifice, giving meat to humans and bone and skin to the gods. It
forms the origin of sacrificing animals to a deity.

Valete bene!

Cato

FYI



Dear Friend,

Whether you have followed us from our beginning in 2001, or are just now
learning about the

world's center for classical studies, humanities, and spoken Latin, I hope
you can see that the

Academy Vivarium ovum is a sign of great hope for the future of our
common Western culture

and its heritage, amidst this confusion of relativism and consumerism. And
thus, I want you to be

aware of a matter of crucial importance to the future of the College.

Recently, the Academy has felt a major financial crunch. Last year we
expanded our school's

capacity due to great demand and have struggled to balance our income and
our growing overhead.

Since that time, several generous benefactors have stepped forward to help
us meet our financial

obligations, but in order for the Academy to continue to flourishg we must
close the sizable gap in

finances which remains. As a result, the Academy is now facing the most
difficult financial period

in its history.

This situation is a poignant reminder that Vivarium ovum is a still young
school: we do not yet

have a strong alumni base, there is not yet a perpetual endowment, and we
enjoy no permanent

institutional support or backing. I turn to you therefore, not in
desperation, but with a stronger than

ever sense of hope and belief in our mission - and in your faith in this
school as well.

The irony of this unexpected challenge is that it comes at a time when so
much good is happening

here:

. The Academy has doubled in size in just one year;

. We continue to attract excellent students from more than 15 different
countries;

. We will graduate our largest class ever this coming June - 40 well-rounded
and liberally

educated leaders ready to change the world;

. Our mission and educational model - with the goal of helping young men,
especially those

that are under-privileged, study in the heart of western culture - is truly
unique.

I have no doubt that the economy is affecting everyone. I also understand
you likely receive many

requests each day for financial help. But, despite the challenges, we should
all be absolutely

determined to keep the Academy Vivarium ovum going. Please seriously
consider our situation

and your ability to help, and then please send your most generous gift
possible today. Your gift

may be the most significant, life changing contribution you make this year:
you will enable us to

continue providing this unique education to the students we serve - for the
conservation of Western

culture.

Our faculty, staff, and students thank you for your generosity.

Sincerely,

Dr. Luigi Miraglia

President of the Academy Vivarium ovum

P.S. Visit the "Donate" section of the Academy's website -
www.vivariumnovum.net - to make an

immediate donation. There you can also dowload capital campaign's brochure
"NOURISH THE

SEED". If you are interested in making a planned gift or other special
donation, please contact

Alexis Hellmer, the Academy's Vice President for Institutional Advancement
at

info@...



M IVL PERVSIANVS





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>>two things will be allowed to occupy the same space at
> the same time...but you might as well save your time and skip it, since that
> is impossible in this universe.<<

Salvete,

Actually, if you study quantum physics you will find that it is perfectly possible and happens all the time ;-)

Valete,

Laenas

Ave!

Well you know about Scholastica and Math...So........

Vale,

Sulla

On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 8:17 AM, Gaius <gaiuspopillius@...> wrote:

>
>
> >>two things will be allowed to occupy the same space at
> > the same time...but you might as well save your time and skip it, since
> that
> > is impossible in this universe.<<
>
> Salvete,
>
> Actually, if you study quantum physics you will find that it is perfectly
> possible and happens all the time ;-)
>
> Valete,
>
> Laenas
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salve et Salvete;

Consul Maior Venator scripsit...

Your Senate voted a Consultum enabling the removal from Citizenship of
members seen to be acting against the best interests of Nova Roma.

The first, major, test case is a man who (when he seemed well and
above board) contributed towards the goal of Nova Roma; building a
Roman Community in this New World of ours.

However, the Senate deemed that his founding - helping to found - an
organization, which appears to be at cross purposes with Nova Roma is
an imminent danger to Nova Roma (in my understanding).

Imminent Danger is a condition mentioned in our Constitution.

Nova Roma is a free will community of folks who hold Romanitas as an ideal.

I pity anyone who sees it as the be-all and end-all of their raison d'etre.

--
In amicitia et fide
P Ullerius Stephanus Venator
Civis et Poeta

Salvete;

> >
> > ATS: Periodically Yahoo likes to send things to Pluto.
> >

Proof that Pluto is, indeed, a planet.

In felicitas - Venii

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem XIV Kalendas Aprilis; hic dies nefastus publicus est.

"After a one day interval, the rites of Minerva are performed,
Which take their name from the sequence of five days.
The first day is bloodless, and sword fights are unlawful,
Because Minerva was born on that very day.
The next four are celebrated with gladiatorial shows,
The warlike goddess delights in naked swords.
Pray now you boys and tender girls to Pallas:
He who can truly please Pallas, is learned.
Pleasing Pallas let girls learn to card wool,
And how to unwind the full distaff.
She shows how to draw the shuttle through the firm
Warp, and close up loose threads with the comb.
Worship her, you who remove stains from damaged clothes,
Worship her, you who ready bronze cauldrons for fleeces.
If Pallas frowns, no one could make good shoes,
Even if he were more skilled than Tychius:
And even if he were cleverer with his hands
Than Epeus once was, he'll be useless if Pallas is angry.
You too who drive away ills with Apollo's art,
Bring a few gifts of your own for the goddess:
And don't scorn her, you schoolmasters, a tribe
So often cheated of its pay: she attracts new pupils:
Nor you engravers, and painters with encaustics,
Nor you who carve the stone with a skilful hand.
She's the goddess of a thousand things: and song for sure:
If I'm worthy may she be a friend to my endeavours.
Where the Caelian Hill slopes down to the plain,
At the point where the street's almost, but not quite, level,
You can see the little shrine of Minerva Capta,
Which the goddess first occupied on her birthday.
The source of the name is doubtful: we speak of
`Capital' ingenuity: the goddess is herself ingenious.
Or is it because, motherless, she leapt, with a shield
From the crown of her father's head (caput)?
Or because she came to us as a `captive' from the conquest
Of Falerii? This, an ancient inscription claims.
Or because her law ordains `capital' punishment
For receiving things stolen from that place?
By whatever logic your title's derived, Pallas,
Shield our leaders with your aegis forever." - Ovid, Fasti III

"I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed,
inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities,
courageous, Tritogeneia. From his awful head wise Zeus himself bare
her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the
gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head
and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear:
great Olympos began to reel horribly at the might of the grey-eyed
goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved
and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the
bright Son of Hyperion [the Sun] stopped his swift-footed horses a
long while, until the maiden Pallas Athena had stripped the heavenly
armour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad. Hail to
you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis!" - Homeric Hymn 29 to
Athena

"Da, Diva, veniam si te non pecudum fibris, non sanguine fuso, quaero
nec arcanis numen coniecto sub extis. Dies admoniet et forti
sacrificare deae, quod est illa nata Minerva die. Pallada nunc oremus.
Qui bene placavit Pallada, doctus erit. Nec quisquam invita Pallade
faciet bene licet antiquo manibus conlatus Epeo sit prior, irata
Pallade mancus erit. Vos quoque, Phoeba morbos qui pellitis arte,
munera de vestris pauca referte deae. Nec vos, turba fere censu
fraudante, magistri, spernite; discipulos attrahit illa novos.
Mille dea est operum. Si mereramus, studiis adsit amica nostris.
Domina haec domii sodalitatisque patrona, te hoc sacrificio obmovendo
precamus uti sies volens propitius nobis domi familiaeque nostris;
harumce rerum ergo, macte hoc sacrificio. Sulis Minerva Belisama,
Medica, Sollertissima, Pallas, Athena, Propugnatrix, sive quo alio
nomine appelari volveris, aegida semper super nos extende." - Prayer
to Minerva, N. Moravius Vado

(Grant, Goddess, pardon, if I seek you not with the bodies of slain
beasts, nor with blood poured forth, nor divine heaven's will from the
secrets of their entrails. This day reminds us to sacrifice to the
strong goddess, for today is Minerva's birthday. Let us pray now to
Pallas, for whosoever wins Pallas' favour shall be learned. No one,
though more cunning in handiwork than old Epeus, can do well; he shall
be helpless, if Pallas be displeased with him. You too, who banish
sickness by Phoebus' art, bring from your earnings a few gifts to the
goddess. Schoolmasters, do not spurn her either, nor cheat her of
your earnings: she will bring you new students. She is the goddess of
a thousand works. May she be friendly to our pursuits, if we deserve
it. Lady, protectress of these households and this fellowship, in
making this offering to you we pray that you be propitious toward us
and our families; because of these things, be honoured by this
sacrifice).

Today we celebrate a festival of Minerva, the "Greater" Quinquatrus.
Ovid says that this festival was celebrated in commemoration of the
birthday of Minerva; but according to Festus it was sacred to Minerva
because her temple on the Aventine was consecrated on that day. The
temple stood outside the pomerium, and the exact year of its
construction is unknown, though it is first mentioned during the time
of the Second Punic War (218-202 B.C.). In keeping with the Roman
custom of temples serving purposes other than those specifically
religious, the Aventine temple was used as the headquarters of a
writer's and actor's guild.

Sacrifices were offered to Minerva, the goddess of war as well as
wisdom, arts and crafts, dyeing, science and trade, and patroness of
trumpet players. She was also the patroness of scholars and
pedagogues, who enjoyed a holiday at this time, with the pupils giving
their pedagogues gifts, dedicated to Minerva, at the close of the
festival. We see her depicted in art with Iuno and Iuppiter on the
Great Arch of Trajan, and she frequently appears on sarcophagi
offering a new life beyond the grave. The Roman goddess Minerva
probably derived from the Etruscan goddess Menrva, and was later
modelled on Greek Pallas Athena. Menrva was the Etruscan version of
Athena, and depicted similarly (with helm, spear, and shield). Like
Athena, Menrva was born from the head of a god, in her case Tinia, and
she is part of a triad with Tinia and Uni. Minerva sprang fully armed
from the head of Iuppiter, whose head had been split open with
Vulcan's axe.

Valete bene,

Cato

Q Caecilius Metellus A Tulliae Scholasticae Quiritibusque sal.

I'm certainly glad to know my aunt is doing much better; when I spoke to
her this past Sunday, she sounded very much like her usual self, humour
and all.

Why it is that she needs to know about the various political
miscreations, or what Ms Kirshner and my friend Cordus have to do with
any of this, certainly remains to be seen. At any rate, though, it is
always a good thing to know that good people are faring well even when
tragedy has struck them: a testament, in my opinion, to their greatness.

Because Scholastica thinks she can use caeca as a political tool. If Scholastica left caeca alone it would have never been said. Use your venom on the person on the ml.

Vale,

Sulla

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 19, 2011, at 11:40 AM, Q Caecilius Metellus <q.caecilius.metellus@...> wrote:

> Q Caecilius Metellus A Tulliae Scholasticae Quiritibusque sal.
>
> I'm certainly glad to know my aunt is doing much better; when I spoke to
> her this past Sunday, she sounded very much like her usual self, humour
> and all.
>
> Why it is that she needs to know about the various political
> miscreations, or what Ms Kirshner and my friend Cordus have to do with
> any of this, certainly remains to be seen. At any rate, though, it is
> always a good thing to know that good people are faring well even when
> tragedy has struck them: a testament, in my opinion, to their greatness.
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>
>
> A. Tullia Scholastica Q. Caecilio Metello quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>
>
> Q Caecilius Metellus A Tulliae Scholasticae Quiritibusque sal.
>
> I'm certainly glad to know my aunt is doing much better; when I spoke to
> her this past Sunday, she sounded very much like her usual self, humour
> and all.
>
> ATS: I assume you mean Caeca. Yes, she does sound quite well, strong and
> ready to rejoin us.
>
> Why it is that she needs to know about the various political
> miscreations, or what Ms Kirshner and my friend Cordus have to do with
> any of this, certainly remains to be seen.
>
> ATS: She is very interested in keeping informed about what is going on in
> NR, and even asked me to bring her up to date. That, too, is a sign of
> improving health. As for Ms. K. and Cordus, your roomie brought them into
> this, so ask him. At home. He seems to confuse me with Ms. K., though we are
> nothing alike. Please inform him that I am not using Caeca as a political
> tool, but keeping her informed about the doings in an organization about which
> she cares very deeply. I never cease to be amazed at the permutations of
> reality of which he is capable.
>
> Caeca is very strong, physically and mentally, even after a horrendous
> accident which would have terminated the earthly existence of many of us. It
> is a testament to her strength and improving health that she is eager to learn
> what is occurring in NR. How anyone can turn a simple statement that I was
> keeping her informed about NR into such a politically-based attack I don¹t
> know, but maybe you can figure this out. Perhaps quantum physics can help.
>
> I didn¹t notice any venom in your remarks this time around...where did he
> find it? There must be another universe occasionally in phase with ours...
>
>
> At any rate, though, it is
> always a good thing to know that good people are faring well even when
> tragedy has struck them: a testament, in my opinion, to their greatness.
>
> ATS: Yes, it is.
>
> Vale, et valete.
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>
>
> A. Tullia Scholastica P. Ullerio Venatori quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>
>
> Salvete;
>
>>> > >
>>> > > ATS: Periodically Yahoo likes to send things to Pluto.
>>> > >
>
> Proof that Pluto is, indeed, a planet.
>
> ATS2: Yes, for meá sententiá quidem, it is a planet. Maybe not one
> formed at the same time or in the same fashion as the rest of them in our
> solar system, but a planet nonetheless. Perhaps it was captured; its orbit is
> rather odd, and I take it that there are other oddities as well.
>
> In felicitas ­ Venii
>
> Vale, et valete.
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salvete omnes,
I have to retreat the reccommendation I made in the previous post, because
well-informed sources in Italy provided me with all the latest gossip about
Miraglia, the founder of Vivarium Novum.
It seems that Miraglia is a mysogynist and promoter of men-only friendships,
and that he hardly ever admits women to his courses. He is also associated
with a Catholic organization called Legionarii Christi.

Optime valete,
Livia

> FYI
>
>
>
> Dear Friend,
>
> Whether you have followed us from our beginning in 2001, or are just now
> learning about the
>
> world's center for classical studies, humanities, and spoken Latin, I hope
> you can see that the
>
> Academy Vivarium ovum is a sign of great hope for the future of our
> common Western culture
>
> and its heritage, amidst this confusion of relativism and consumerism. And
> thus, I want you to be
>
> aware of a matter of crucial importance to the future of the College.
>
> Recently, the Academy has felt a major financial crunch. Last year we
> expanded our school's
>
> capacity due to great demand and have struggled to balance our income and
> our growing overhead.
>
> Since that time, several generous benefactors have stepped forward to help
> us meet our financial
>
> obligations, but in order for the Academy to continue to flourishg we must
> close the sizable gap in
>
> finances which remains. As a result, the Academy is now facing the most
> difficult financial period
>
> in its history.
>
> This situation is a poignant reminder that Vivarium ovum is a still young
> school: we do not yet
>
> have a strong alumni base, there is not yet a perpetual endowment, and we
> enjoy no permanent
>
> institutional support or backing. I turn to you therefore, not in
> desperation, but with a stronger than
>
> ever sense of hope and belief in our mission - and in your faith in this
> school as well.
>
> The irony of this unexpected challenge is that it comes at a time when so
> much good is happening
>
> here:
>
> . The Academy has doubled in size in just one year;
>
> . We continue to attract excellent students from more than 15 different
> countries;
>
> . We will graduate our largest class ever this coming June - 40
> well-rounded
> and liberally
>
> educated leaders ready to change the world;
>
> . Our mission and educational model - with the goal of helping young men,
> especially those
>
> that are under-privileged, study in the heart of western culture - is
> truly
> unique.
>
> I have no doubt that the economy is affecting everyone. I also understand
> you likely receive many
>
> requests each day for financial help. But, despite the challenges, we
> should
> all be absolutely
>
> determined to keep the Academy Vivarium ovum going. Please seriously
> consider our situation
>
> and your ability to help, and then please send your most generous gift
> possible today. Your gift
>
> may be the most significant, life changing contribution you make this
> year:
> you will enable us to
>
> continue providing this unique education to the students we serve - for
> the
> conservation of Western
>
> culture.
>
> Our faculty, staff, and students thank you for your generosity.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Dr. Luigi Miraglia
>
> President of the Academy Vivarium ovum
>
> P.S. Visit the "Donate" section of the Academy's website -
> www.vivariumnovum.net - to make an
>
> immediate donation. There you can also dowload capital campaign's brochure
> "NOURISH THE
>
> SEED". If you are interested in making a planned gift or other special
> donation, please contact
>
> Alexis Hellmer, the Academy's Vice President for Institutional Advancement
> at
>
> info@...
>
>
>
> M IVL PERVSIANVS
>
>
>
>

A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.

I spoke with Caeca a few minutes ago; she was transferred to a
rehabilitation center Friday afternoon, and expects to remain there about
three weeks. Hope to learn more over the coming days.

Valete.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem XIII Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.

"He abolished the common bath for both sexes. He reformed the morals
of the matrons and young nobles which were growing lax. He separated
the sacred rites of Serapis from the miscellaneous ceremonies of the
Pelusia." - Prudentius, writing of Marcus Aurelius AD 176

"Nam et sacris quibusdam per lauacrum initiantur, Isidis
alicuius aut Mithrae ; ipsos etiam deos suos. Lauationibus efferunt.
ceterum uillas domos templa totasque urbes aspergine circumlatae aquae
expiant passim . Certe ludis Apollinaribus et Pelusiis tinguuntur
idque se in regenerationem et impunitatem periuriorum suorum agere
praesumunt. Item penes ueteres quisque se homicidio infecerat
purgatrices aquas explorabat." - Tertullian, "de Baptismo" ch. V

Today is the second day of the Quinquatrus in honor of Mars and
Minerva.

In Egypt, it was celebrated as the Pelusia, in honor of the goddesss
Isis, who caused the Nile River to begin its annual inundation.
Apparently (from Tertullian's writings) there was a ceremony very
similiar to baptism in which adherents of Isis dipped themselves in
the waters of the Nile.

Valete bene!

Cato

fyi



To: explorator@yahoogroups.com; BRITARCH@...
From: rogueclassicist@...
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:39:46 -0400
Subject: [Explorator] explorator 13.48






================================================================
explorator 13.48 March 20, 2011
================================================================
Editor's note: Most urls should be active for at least eight
hours from the time of publication.

For your computer's protection, Explorator is sent in plain text
and NEVER has attachments. Be suspicious of any Explorator which
arrives otherwise!!!

================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Diana Wright, Dorothy Lobel King,
Donna Hurst, Edward Rockstein,Rick Heli, Hernan Astudillo,
Kurt Theis, Doug Weller, John McMahon, Barnea Selavan,
Joseph Lauer, George Somsel, Patrick Swan, Jona Lendering,
Mike Ruggeri, Richard Campbell, Richard C. Griffiths,
Bob Heuman, Rochelle Altman, Alfredo de la Fe,and Ross W. Sargent
for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
Neanderthals knew how to control fire (different spins being put on this):

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45731
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-neanderthals-nifty.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/uoca-nwn031111.php
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/2012363/neanderthals_controlled_fire_400000_years_ago/index.html
http://dailynews.muzi.com/news/ll/english/10107856.shtml
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10712654&ref=rss
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/954709--neanderthals-not-so-dumb-when-it-came-to-fire-study
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110314/ap_on_sc/us_sci_first_fire
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/03/15/scientist-smackdown-when-did-europeans-first-harness-fire/

This is more anthropological than evolutionary, but it's an interesting idea
about relationships between folks in
different hunter-gatherer groups:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/science/11kin.html
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/331/6022/1286.short

How to eat like a cavemen (?!):

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/17/DDP91IAJM5.DTL
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
The changing maps of Africa:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12675464
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
There's a new (disturbing) list of what's missing from the Cairo museum
(numbers seem to vary):

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/40/7860/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/-artefacts-missing-from-Egyptian-museum-and-Tel-El.aspx
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-15/king-tut-gilt-statues-are-among-ancient-objects-looted-from-cairo-museum.html
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/355214

... and news of raids on storehouses:

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/360422

... and we're hearing of recovered items too (though numbers vary):

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/7890.aspx
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170799.html
http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=30764

A UNESCO team is headed to Egypt to assess the situation:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/unesco-team-will-go-to-egypt/

... and we're still getting stories about Hawass and his non-involvement in
theft of
antiquities:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/40/7630/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Hawass-denies-involvement-in-antiquities-theft.aspx
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/351660

On the plus side, some 'hidden' artifacts have resurfaced recently:

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=211997

Finds from various periods at Shaqqa (Syria):

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011031610232/Related-news-from-Syria/maximianpolis-archaeological-town-records-south-of-syria-history.html

Concordia University has put a 'mystery sculpture' on display in hopes
that international experts might be able to comment on it:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/cu-cmc031611.php
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2011/03/17/starving-of-saqqara-statue-concordia-mystery.html
http://www.canada.com/entertainment/Canadian+university+puts+ancient+mysterious+sculpture+display/4445457/story.html

Plans to build a vacation village on an archaeological site in the Negev is
raising hackles:

http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/losing-the-lost-town-1.349975

Not sure if we've mentioned the 'God's Wife' thing yet (and not sure why
this
is really news):

http://news.discovery.com/history/god-wife-yahweh-asherah-110318.html

What happens at Purim:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/19/purim-history-what-you-ne_n_837107.html

... and Landminds this week was talking with Stephen Gabriel Rosenberg about
the Megilla
and Purim:

http://www.foundationstone.org/LandMinds10/downloads/files/LM%20-%20Mar162k11.mp3

Things are heating up in a different direction in regards to archaeology in
various parts of Jerusalem:

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=28517

OpEd on dams and archaeological sites in Turkey:

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0307/Dams-power-Turkey-s-future-but-drown-its-rich-history

Review of Toby Wilkinson, *Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt*:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704893604576200393350126576.html

More on Lev Eppelbaum's remote sensing:

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israeli-scientists-get-heads-up-on-underground-archaeological-digs-1.349009

Egyptology News Blog:

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/

Egyptology Blog:

http://www.egyptologyblog.co.uk/

Dr Leen Ritmeyer's Blog:

http://blog.ritmeyer.com/

Paleojudaica:

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/

Persepolis Fortification Archives:

http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com/

Archaeologist at Large:

http://spaces.msn.com/members/ArchaeologyinEgypt/
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
They've finally managed to better excavate those two Roman altars at
Musselburgh which were found a year ago:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12771243
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Experts-knocked-for-six-by.6735578.jp
http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/musselburgh/articles/2011/03/17/411280-unique-roman-altar-stones-add-fascinating-new--chapter-to-story/

Latest on the Altar of the 12 Gods:

http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite4_22553_13/03/2011_382544

Feature on an Eros statue being poked and prodded at the Getty:

http://www.palisadespost.com/lifestyles/content.php?id=6482

The Pope was encouraging the study of Latin:

http://www.zenit.org/article-32004?l=english

The folks at Reading have made a digital model of Rome:

http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/newsandevents/releases/PR355783.aspx

The Atlantis silliness grew big time in last Sunday's papers (and beyond):

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-lost-city-atlantis.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/hottopics/detail?entry_id=84958
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/technology/Canadians+part+search+fabled+city+Atlantis/4435954/story.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/8381219/Lost-city-of-Atlantis-buried-in-Spanish-wetlands.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/europe/researchers-claim-they-found-atlantis-in-a-spanish-swamp/article1941953/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1365824/Has-real-lost-city-Atlantis-finally--buried-mud-flats-Spain.html
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/03/14/atlantis_found_national_geographic
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-lost-city-atlantis.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_tsunami_atlantis;_ylt=A0wNdNhWv3tN6QwBk1ms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNuMmMxaGQ2BGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTEwMzEyL3VzX3RzdW5hbWlfYXRsYW50aXMEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM4BHBvcwM1BHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDbG9zdGNpdHlvZmF0
http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=212935

cf:

http://www.bib-arch.org/reviews/review-digging-through-the-bible.asp (on a
tome by Richard Freund)
http://robertcargill.com/2011/01/07/eric-cline-reviews-richard-freund/

APOD of the big moon over the Parthenon:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110320.html

Some Ides stuff:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110315-ides-of-march-2011-facts-beware-caesar-what-when/

More on the disappearance of the Ninth Legion:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/magazine-12752497
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/234990/They-vanished-into-thin-air

... and Charlotte Higgins comments on some historical problems in The Eagle:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2011/mar/15/kevin-macdonald-the-eagle

After a brief hiatus, Romm and Cartledge are talking Alexander again, this
time, with Oliver Stone:

http://blogs.forbes.com/booked/2011/03/14/oliver-stone-talks-alexander-the-great-with-historians/

Very interesting Tabula Peutineriana website:

http://www.omnesviae.org/

Feature (in Spanish) on theories about Alexander's tomb:

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cultura/tumba/Alejandro/Magno/elpepicul/20110308elpepicul_1/Tes

Review of Donald Kagan, *Thucydides*:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/mar/19/thucydides-reinvention-history-donald-kagan-review

Review of Richard Billows, *Marathon*:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/article7172938.ece

More on that pre-Roman road from Shropshire:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/03/prweb5161644.htm
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/03/16/ancient-britons-were-on-the-right-road-before-the-romans-91466-28342826/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/15/britannia-roman-roads-iron-age
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/16/roman-road-made-by-britons
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1366468/Roman-road-doubt-discovery-cobbled-built-100-years-invasion.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-shropshire-12762426

Latest reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/

Latest reviews from BMCR:

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Remains of a medieval mill of some sort from Dublin:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0315/1224292163264.html

Recent finds from Iceland:

http://www.medievalists.net/2011/03/19/archaeology-in-iceland-recent-developments/

Fleas are definitely implicated in the spread of that plague thing:

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/8907567.All_bites_are_off___fleas_did_spread_plague/

Brighton schoolkiddies have built a Neolithic-style chalk house:

http://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2011/03/brighton-school-children-build-replica-neolithic-house/
?

Some medieval skeletons from Lincolnshire were reburied:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-12744092

Plans to house the Magna Carta in Licoln Castle:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-12735894

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.com/

================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
A second-century piece of silk from Sri Lanka:

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11/Mar14_1300117391KA.php

I think we've mentioned these 700 years b.p. canoes from Hue:

http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/Pages/20110318094255.aspx

Bamiyan Buddhas slideshow:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12674541

East Asian Archaeology:

http://eastasiablog.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/east-asian-archaeology-cultural-heritage-%E2%80%93-2052010/

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Analysis of some Franklin Expedition remains suggests they did not die from
tuberculosis or
scurvy:

http://www.unreportedheritagenews.com/2011/03/no-scurvy-archaeologists-analyze.html

Mexican finds at the Presidio (not sure how recent this find actually is):

http://www.baycitizen.org/history/story/archaeologists-uncover-historic-mexican/

A tourist finds possible remains of a 19th century shipwreck at Navarre
Beach:

http://www.pnj.com/article/20110314/NEWS01/103140311/Snowbird-s-find-could-part-historic-shipwreck?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

How Ken Zoll spends his days:

http://verdenews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=40856

On old growth tree stumps and fire history:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110314111246.htm
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Some polychrome murals from Ucupe Palace in Lambayeque:

http://www.andina.com.pe/Ingles/Noticia.aspx?id=JAfQx+3eiLc=
http://www.scanpix.no/spWebApp/preview.action;jsessionid=7A92FFCD428923B18F13FE4068771633.tomcatA?search.offset=21&search.rid=78723&search.rbase=DV&search.searchId=1058410522&search.previewNumResults=18722&search.tabId=video(video;
may be expired by now)

Maya copper pendants from Lagtero:

http://www.inah.gob.mx/index.php/boletines/14-hallazgos/4926-descubren-objetos-prehispanicos-de-cobre-en-chiapas

'Equinox pilgrims' aren't doing Mexican pyramids any favours, apparently:

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/372436,equinox-pilgrims-feature.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/mexico/8390686/Mexican-pyramids-under-threat-from-Equinox-revellers.html

I think we've had the 'environmental theory' for the Mayan collapse before:

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=389544&CategoryId=13003
http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-170318.html

What the Mayans can teach us about wind turbines:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1367949/What-Mayans-teach-wind-turbines.html

Analysis of Pueblo vessels suggests chocolate was a major trade item:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/71308/title/Pueblo_traded_for_chocolate_big-time
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/03/17/Chocolate-seen-as-ancient-trade-offering/UPI-52621300412957/

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://web.mac.com/michaelruggeri

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
First it was an Irish Hamlet ... now a Holi Macbeth?:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/art-culture/Is-Shakespeares-Macbeth-based-on-a-Holi-legend/articleshow/7734376.cms

Feature on tsunamis in various times in history:

http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/culture/37-history/6729-civilization-and-tsunamis

St Patrick and his day:

http://news.discovery.com/history/who-was-st-patrick.html

A website to track sites at risk:

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/website-tracks-at-risk-historic-sites-110315.html

The 'evolutionary' roots of prejudice:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110317102552.htm

There was a big archaeology conference at Orkney:

http://www.uhi.ac.uk/home/archive_news/orkney-college-uhi-hosts-international-archaeology-conference

Arguing about baseball's origins:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/sports/baseball/13thorn.html

Rethinking a van Dyck hitherto considered a copy:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45842

Rethinking Queen Victoria's relationship with Abdul Karim:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12670110

On lawsuits arising from victims of terrorism and the effect on archaeology:

http://chronicle.com/article/Lawsuits-by-Victims-of/126610/

More on Agatha Christie's archaeological activities:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/03/12/uk.christie.writer.archaeology/index.html

Review of Meryle Secrest, *Modigliani*:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/13/RVRF1I4F98.DTL

================================================================
BLOGS
================================================================
About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/

Time Machine:

http://heatherpringle.wordpress.com/

================================================================
GENERAL MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS
================================================================
Popular Archaeology (2):

http://popular-archaeology.com/
================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Canada is returning some purloined items to Bulgaria:

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n244838

Some stolen icons have been traced to a London gallery:

http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite4_1_15/03/2011_383048

A Rodin statue was stolen from the Israel Museum:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/rodin-statue-stolen-from-israel-museum-2237411.html

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/

Illicit Cultural Property:

http://illicit-cultural-property.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
The Suffolk Hoard is coming to auction soon:

http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=18499

A gold coin of Nero has turned up in Hyderabad:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-18/hyderabad/29144080_1_gold-coin-buddhist-site-roman-era

Review of Xu Long, *Money of Ancient Judea and Israel*:

http://www.jpost.com/Features/InThespotlight/Article.aspx?id=212141

Latest eSylum newsletter:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v14n11.html

Folks might be interested in the Coin Project website:

http://coinproject.com/

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Link:

http://www.coinlink.com/News/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
True Colors: Rediscovering Pigments on Greco-Roman Marble Sculpture:

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2011/march/cantor-painted-ladies-031711.html
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-cantor-depicts-ancient-world-science.html

Olmec:

http://www.sfweekly.com/2011-03-16/culture/olmec-colossal-masterworks-of-ancient-mexico-art-review/

Caravaggio:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/8376970/Caravaggio-exhibition-gives-fresh-insight-into-painters-technique.html

Antiquity Revived:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/7477986.html

Interview with Glenn Markoe, who is curating the Cleopatra exhibition in
Cincinnati:

http://cleopatracincinnati.com/node/7

The latest on repatriation efforts involving that mummy mask at the SLAM:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45806
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_98d72244-9976-5b8a-a73d-5c211c6a771b.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/17/us-museum-mask-idUSTRE72G06E20110317

The (fake) Amarna Princess is back in Bolton for a while:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Bolton%E2%80%99s+fake+Egyptian+princess+returns/23252

More on that shipwreck controversy at the Smithsonian:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/19/indonesia.wreck.smithsonian.row/index.html

Check out our Twitter hashtage for more ancient exhibition reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23classicalexhibit
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Divine Rivalry:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/nyregion/13theatct.html

Check out our Twitter hashtag for Ancient Drama reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23ancientdrama

... and for Sword and Sandal flicks:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23swordandsandal
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Donny George:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/8384058/Donny-George.html
http://www.aina.org/news/20110312145547.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/world/middleeast/15george.html
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=44943
================================================================
PODCASTS
================================================================
The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm

The Dig:

http://www.thedigradio.com/

Stone Pages Archaeology News:

http://news.stonepages.com/

Archaeologica Audio News:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/AudioNews.asp

Naked Archaeology Podcast:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/archaeology/
================================================================
EXPLORATOR is a weekly newsletter representing the fruits of
the labours of 'media research division' of The Atrium. Various
on-line news and magazine sources are scoured for news of the
ancient world (broadly construed: practically anything relating
to archaeology or history prior to about 1700 or so is fair
game) and every Sunday they are delivered to your mailbox free of
charge!
================================================================
Useful Addresses
================================================================
Past issues of Explorator are available on the web via our
Yahoo site:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Explorator/

To subscribe to Explorator, send a blank email message to:

Explorator-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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To send a 'heads up' to the editor or contact him for other
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================================================================
Explorator is Copyright (c) 2011 David Meadows. Feel free to
distribute these listings via email to your pals, students,
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links are not to be posted to any website by any means (whether
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================================================================

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

fyi



To: explorator@yahoogroups.com; BRITARCH@...
From: rogueclassicist@...
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:39:46 -0400
Subject: [Explorator] explorator 13.48






================================================================
explorator 13.48 March 20, 2011
================================================================
Editor's note: Most urls should be active for at least eight
hours from the time of publication.

For your computer's protection, Explorator is sent in plain text
and NEVER has attachments. Be suspicious of any Explorator which
arrives otherwise!!!

================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Diana Wright, Dorothy Lobel King,
Donna Hurst, Edward Rockstein,Rick Heli, Hernan Astudillo,
Kurt Theis, Doug Weller, John McMahon, Barnea Selavan,
Joseph Lauer, George Somsel, Patrick Swan, Jona Lendering,
Mike Ruggeri, Richard Campbell, Richard C. Griffiths,
Bob Heuman, Rochelle Altman, Alfredo de la Fe,and Ross W. Sargent
for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
Neanderthals knew how to control fire (different spins being put on this):

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45731
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-neanderthals-nifty.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/uoca-nwn031111.php
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/2012363/neanderthals_controlled_fire_400000_years_ago/index.html
http://dailynews.muzi.com/news/ll/english/10107856.shtml
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10712654&ref=rss
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/954709--neanderthals-not-so-dumb-when-it-came-to-fire-study
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110314/ap_on_sc/us_sci_first_fire
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/03/15/scientist-smackdown-when-did-europeans-first-harness-fire/

This is more anthropological than evolutionary, but it's an interesting idea
about relationships between folks in
different hunter-gatherer groups:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/science/11kin.html
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/331/6022/1286.short

How to eat like a cavemen (?!):

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/17/DDP91IAJM5.DTL
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
The changing maps of Africa:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12675464
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
There's a new (disturbing) list of what's missing from the Cairo museum
(numbers seem to vary):

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/40/7860/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/-artefacts-missing-from-Egyptian-museum-and-Tel-El.aspx
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-15/king-tut-gilt-statues-are-among-ancient-objects-looted-from-cairo-museum.html
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/355214

... and news of raids on storehouses:

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/360422

... and we're hearing of recovered items too (though numbers vary):

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/7890.aspx
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170799.html
http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=30764

A UNESCO team is headed to Egypt to assess the situation:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/unesco-team-will-go-to-egypt/

... and we're still getting stories about Hawass and his non-involvement in
theft of
antiquities:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/40/7630/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Hawass-denies-involvement-in-antiquities-theft.aspx
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/351660

On the plus side, some 'hidden' artifacts have resurfaced recently:

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=211997

Finds from various periods at Shaqqa (Syria):

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011031610232/Related-news-from-Syria/maximianpolis-archaeological-town-records-south-of-syria-history.html

Concordia University has put a 'mystery sculpture' on display in hopes
that international experts might be able to comment on it:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/cu-cmc031611.php
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2011/03/17/starving-of-saqqara-statue-concordia-mystery.html
http://www.canada.com/entertainment/Canadian+university+puts+ancient+mysterious+sculpture+display/4445457/story.html

Plans to build a vacation village on an archaeological site in the Negev is
raising hackles:

http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/losing-the-lost-town-1.349975

Not sure if we've mentioned the 'God's Wife' thing yet (and not sure why
this
is really news):

http://news.discovery.com/history/god-wife-yahweh-asherah-110318.html

What happens at Purim:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/19/purim-history-what-you-ne_n_837107.html

... and Landminds this week was talking with Stephen Gabriel Rosenberg about
the Megilla
and Purim:

http://www.foundationstone.org/LandMinds10/downloads/files/LM%20-%20Mar162k11.mp3

Things are heating up in a different direction in regards to archaeology in
various parts of Jerusalem:

http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=28517

OpEd on dams and archaeological sites in Turkey:

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0307/Dams-power-Turkey-s-future-but-drown-its-rich-history

Review of Toby Wilkinson, *Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt*:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704893604576200393350126576.html

More on Lev Eppelbaum's remote sensing:

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israeli-scientists-get-heads-up-on-underground-archaeological-digs-1.349009

Egyptology News Blog:

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/

Egyptology Blog:

http://www.egyptologyblog.co.uk/

Dr Leen Ritmeyer's Blog:

http://blog.ritmeyer.com/

Paleojudaica:

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/

Persepolis Fortification Archives:

http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com/

Archaeologist at Large:

http://spaces.msn.com/members/ArchaeologyinEgypt/
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
They've finally managed to better excavate those two Roman altars at
Musselburgh which were found a year ago:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12771243
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Experts-knocked-for-six-by.6735578.jp
http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/musselburgh/articles/2011/03/17/411280-unique-roman-altar-stones-add-fascinating-new--chapter-to-story/

Latest on the Altar of the 12 Gods:

http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite4_22553_13/03/2011_382544

Feature on an Eros statue being poked and prodded at the Getty:

http://www.palisadespost.com/lifestyles/content.php?id=6482

The Pope was encouraging the study of Latin:

http://www.zenit.org/article-32004?l=english

The folks at Reading have made a digital model of Rome:

http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/newsandevents/releases/PR355783.aspx

The Atlantis silliness grew big time in last Sunday's papers (and beyond):

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-lost-city-atlantis.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/hottopics/detail?entry_id=84958
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/technology/Canadians+part+search+fabled+city+Atlantis/4435954/story.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/8381219/Lost-city-of-Atlantis-buried-in-Spanish-wetlands.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/europe/researchers-claim-they-found-atlantis-in-a-spanish-swamp/article1941953/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1365824/Has-real-lost-city-Atlantis-finally--buried-mud-flats-Spain.html
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/03/14/atlantis_found_national_geographic
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-lost-city-atlantis.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_tsunami_atlantis;_ylt=A0wNdNhWv3tN6QwBk1ms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNuMmMxaGQ2BGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTEwMzEyL3VzX3RzdW5hbWlfYXRsYW50aXMEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM4BHBvcwM1BHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDbG9zdGNpdHlvZmF0
http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=212935

cf:

http://www.bib-arch.org/reviews/review-digging-through-the-bible.asp (on a
tome by Richard Freund)
http://robertcargill.com/2011/01/07/eric-cline-reviews-richard-freund/

APOD of the big moon over the Parthenon:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110320.html

Some Ides stuff:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110315-ides-of-march-2011-facts-beware-caesar-what-when/

More on the disappearance of the Ninth Legion:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/magazine-12752497
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/234990/They-vanished-into-thin-air

... and Charlotte Higgins comments on some historical problems in The Eagle:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2011/mar/15/kevin-macdonald-the-eagle

After a brief hiatus, Romm and Cartledge are talking Alexander again, this
time, with Oliver Stone:

http://blogs.forbes.com/booked/2011/03/14/oliver-stone-talks-alexander-the-great-with-historians/

Very interesting Tabula Peutineriana website:

http://www.omnesviae.org/

Feature (in Spanish) on theories about Alexander's tomb:

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cultura/tumba/Alejandro/Magno/elpepicul/20110308elpepicul_1/Tes

Review of Donald Kagan, *Thucydides*:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/mar/19/thucydides-reinvention-history-donald-kagan-review

Review of Richard Billows, *Marathon*:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/article7172938.ece

More on that pre-Roman road from Shropshire:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/03/prweb5161644.htm
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/03/16/ancient-britons-were-on-the-right-road-before-the-romans-91466-28342826/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/15/britannia-roman-roads-iron-age
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/16/roman-road-made-by-britons
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1366468/Roman-road-doubt-discovery-cobbled-built-100-years-invasion.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-shropshire-12762426

Latest reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/

Latest reviews from BMCR:

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Remains of a medieval mill of some sort from Dublin:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0315/1224292163264.html

Recent finds from Iceland:

http://www.medievalists.net/2011/03/19/archaeology-in-iceland-recent-developments/

Fleas are definitely implicated in the spread of that plague thing:

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/8907567.All_bites_are_off___fleas_did_spread_plague/

Brighton schoolkiddies have built a Neolithic-style chalk house:

http://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2011/03/brighton-school-children-build-replica-neolithic-house/
?

Some medieval skeletons from Lincolnshire were reburied:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-12744092

Plans to house the Magna Carta in Licoln Castle:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-12735894

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.com/

================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
A second-century piece of silk from Sri Lanka:

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11/Mar14_1300117391KA.php

I think we've mentioned these 700 years b.p. canoes from Hue:

http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/Pages/20110318094255.aspx

Bamiyan Buddhas slideshow:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12674541

East Asian Archaeology:

http://eastasiablog.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/east-asian-archaeology-cultural-heritage-%E2%80%93-2052010/

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Analysis of some Franklin Expedition remains suggests they did not die from
tuberculosis or
scurvy:

http://www.unreportedheritagenews.com/2011/03/no-scurvy-archaeologists-analyze.html

Mexican finds at the Presidio (not sure how recent this find actually is):

http://www.baycitizen.org/history/story/archaeologists-uncover-historic-mexican/

A tourist finds possible remains of a 19th century shipwreck at Navarre
Beach:

http://www.pnj.com/article/20110314/NEWS01/103140311/Snowbird-s-find-could-part-historic-shipwreck?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

How Ken Zoll spends his days:

http://verdenews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=40856

On old growth tree stumps and fire history:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110314111246.htm
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
Some polychrome murals from Ucupe Palace in Lambayeque:

http://www.andina.com.pe/Ingles/Noticia.aspx?id=JAfQx+3eiLc=
http://www.scanpix.no/spWebApp/preview.action;jsessionid=7A92FFCD428923B18F13FE4068771633.tomcatA?search.offset=21&search.rid=78723&search.rbase=DV&search.searchId=1058410522&search.previewNumResults=18722&search.tabId=video(video;
may be expired by now)

Maya copper pendants from Lagtero:

http://www.inah.gob.mx/index.php/boletines/14-hallazgos/4926-descubren-objetos-prehispanicos-de-cobre-en-chiapas

'Equinox pilgrims' aren't doing Mexican pyramids any favours, apparently:

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/372436,equinox-pilgrims-feature.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/mexico/8390686/Mexican-pyramids-under-threat-from-Equinox-revellers.html

I think we've had the 'environmental theory' for the Mayan collapse before:

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=389544&CategoryId=13003
http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-170318.html

What the Mayans can teach us about wind turbines:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1367949/What-Mayans-teach-wind-turbines.html

Analysis of Pueblo vessels suggests chocolate was a major trade item:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/71308/title/Pueblo_traded_for_chocolate_big-time
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/03/17/Chocolate-seen-as-ancient-trade-offering/UPI-52621300412957/

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://web.mac.com/michaelruggeri

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
First it was an Irish Hamlet ... now a Holi Macbeth?:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/art-culture/Is-Shakespeares-Macbeth-based-on-a-Holi-legend/articleshow/7734376.cms

Feature on tsunamis in various times in history:

http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/culture/37-history/6729-civilization-and-tsunamis

St Patrick and his day:

http://news.discovery.com/history/who-was-st-patrick.html

A website to track sites at risk:

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/website-tracks-at-risk-historic-sites-110315.html

The 'evolutionary' roots of prejudice:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110317102552.htm

There was a big archaeology conference at Orkney:

http://www.uhi.ac.uk/home/archive_news/orkney-college-uhi-hosts-international-archaeology-conference

Arguing about baseball's origins:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/sports/baseball/13thorn.html

Rethinking a van Dyck hitherto considered a copy:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45842

Rethinking Queen Victoria's relationship with Abdul Karim:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12670110

On lawsuits arising from victims of terrorism and the effect on archaeology:

http://chronicle.com/article/Lawsuits-by-Victims-of/126610/

More on Agatha Christie's archaeological activities:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/03/12/uk.christie.writer.archaeology/index.html

Review of Meryle Secrest, *Modigliani*:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/13/RVRF1I4F98.DTL

================================================================
BLOGS
================================================================
About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/

Time Machine:

http://heatherpringle.wordpress.com/

================================================================
GENERAL MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS
================================================================
Popular Archaeology (2):

http://popular-archaeology.com/
================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
Canada is returning some purloined items to Bulgaria:

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n244838

Some stolen icons have been traced to a London gallery:

http://ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite4_1_15/03/2011_383048

A Rodin statue was stolen from the Israel Museum:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/rodin-statue-stolen-from-israel-museum-2237411.html

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/

Illicit Cultural Property:

http://illicit-cultural-property.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
The Suffolk Hoard is coming to auction soon:

http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=18499

A gold coin of Nero has turned up in Hyderabad:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-18/hyderabad/29144080_1_gold-coin-buddhist-site-roman-era

Review of Xu Long, *Money of Ancient Judea and Israel*:

http://www.jpost.com/Features/InThespotlight/Article.aspx?id=212141

Latest eSylum newsletter:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v14n11.html

Folks might be interested in the Coin Project website:

http://coinproject.com/

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Link:

http://www.coinlink.com/News/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
True Colors: Rediscovering Pigments on Greco-Roman Marble Sculpture:

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2011/march/cantor-painted-ladies-031711.html
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-cantor-depicts-ancient-world-science.html

Olmec:

http://www.sfweekly.com/2011-03-16/culture/olmec-colossal-masterworks-of-ancient-mexico-art-review/

Caravaggio:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/8376970/Caravaggio-exhibition-gives-fresh-insight-into-painters-technique.html

Antiquity Revived:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/7477986.html

Interview with Glenn Markoe, who is curating the Cleopatra exhibition in
Cincinnati:

http://cleopatracincinnati.com/node/7

The latest on repatriation efforts involving that mummy mask at the SLAM:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45806
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_98d72244-9976-5b8a-a73d-5c211c6a771b.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/17/us-museum-mask-idUSTRE72G06E20110317

The (fake) Amarna Princess is back in Bolton for a while:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Bolton%E2%80%99s+fake+Egyptian+princess+returns/23252

More on that shipwreck controversy at the Smithsonian:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/19/indonesia.wreck.smithsonian.row/index.html

Check out our Twitter hashtage for more ancient exhibition reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23classicalexhibit
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Divine Rivalry:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/nyregion/13theatct.html

Check out our Twitter hashtag for Ancient Drama reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23ancientdrama

... and for Sword and Sandal flicks:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23swordandsandal
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
Donny George:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/8384058/Donny-George.html
http://www.aina.org/news/20110312145547.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/world/middleeast/15george.html
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=44943
================================================================
PODCASTS
================================================================
The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm

The Dig:

http://www.thedigradio.com/

Stone Pages Archaeology News:

http://news.stonepages.com/

Archaeologica Audio News:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/AudioNews.asp

Naked Archaeology Podcast:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/archaeology/
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Salve;

On Sun, Mar 20, 2011 at 12:07 AM, A. Tullia Scholastica wrote:
>
> A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>
> I spoke with Caeca a few minutes ago; she was transferred to a
> rehabilitation center Friday afternoon, and expects to remain there about
> three weeks. Hope to learn more over the coming days.
>
> Valete.
>

What nice news to see as the first thing when I have net access again!

Please, represent my regards when next you speak to Caeca.

Vale - Venator

>
>
> A. Tullia Scholastica P. Ullerio Venatori quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>
>
> Salve;
>
> On Sun, Mar 20, 2011 at 12:07 AM, A. Tullia Scholastica wrote:
>> >
>> > A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>> >
>> > I spoke with Caeca a few minutes ago; she was transferred to a
>> > rehabilitation center Friday afternoon, and expects to remain there about
>> > three weeks. Hope to learn more over the coming days.
>> >
>> > Valete.
>> >
>
> What nice news to see as the first thing when I have net access again!
>
> ATS2: Yes, it¹s great! She will have to have another surgery and
> hospital visit, but must have the rehab first.
>
> Please, represent my regards when next you speak to Caeca.
>
> ATS2: Will do. That may be a few days off as both she and I must ration
> our cell phone time; this place does not have room phones, and she is not even
> sure of its name. Hope one or another of us can get the full information
> eventually, and perhaps convey your good wishes sooner.
>
> Vale ­ Venator
>
> Vale, et valete.
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante dem XII Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.


"But when Zeus ordered Pluto to send up the Maid, Pluto gave her a
seed of a pomegranate to eat, in order that she might not tarry long
with her mother. Not foreseeing the consequence, she swallowed it;
and because Ascalaphus, son of Acheron and Gorgyra, bore witness
against her, Demeter laid a heavy rock on him in Hades. But
Persephone was compelled to remain a third of every year with Pluto
and the rest of the time with the gods." - Apollodorus, Library and
Epitrome 1.5.3

"When the fighting was now taking place by sanctuaries and houses, and
in the narrow lanes, between detached bodies in different parts of the
town, Pyrrhus left by himself was wounded in the head. It is said that
his death was caused by a blow from a tile thrown by a woman. The
Argives however declare that it was not a woman who killed him but
Demeter in the likeness of a woman. This is what the Argives
themselves relate about his end, and Lyceas, the guide for the
neighborhood, has written a poem which confirms the story. They have a
sanctuary of Demeter, built at the command of the oracle, on the spot
where Pyrrhus died, and in it Pyrrhus is buried." - Pausanius,
Description of Greece 1.13.8

"I begin to sing of rich-haired Demeter, awful goddess --of her and
her trim-ankled daughter whom Aidoneus rapt away, given to him by
all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer. Apart from Demeter, lady of the
golden sword and glorious fruits, she was playing with the
deep-bosomed daughters of Oceanus and gathering flowers over a soft
meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and
hyacinths and the narcissus, which Earth made to grow at the will of
Zeus and to please the Host of Many, to be a snare for the bloom-like
girl --- a marvellous, radiant flower. It was a thing of awe whether
for deathless gods or mortal men to see: from its root grew a hundred
blooms and it smelled most sweetly, so that all wide heaven above and
the whole earth and the sea's salt swell laughed for joy. And the girl
was amazed and reached out with both hands to take the lovely toy; but
the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the plain of Nysa, and the lord,
Host of Many, with his immortal horses sprang out upon her --the Son
of Cronos, He who has many names.

He caught her up reluctant on his golden car and bare her away
lamenting. Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon her
father, the Son of Cronos, who is most high and excellent. But no one,
either of the deathless gods or of mortal men, heard her voice, nor
yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit: only tender-hearted Hecate,
bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaeus, heard the girl from her
cave, and the lord Helios, Hyperion's bright son, as she cried to her
father, the Son of Cronos. But he was sitting aloof, apart from the
gods, in his temple where many pray, and receiving sweet offerings
from mortal men. So he, that son of Cronos, of many names, who is
Ruler of Many and Host of Many, was bearing her away by leave of Zeus
on his immortal chariot --- his own brother's child and all unwilling.

And so long as she, the goddess, yet beheld earth and starry heaven
and the strong-flowing sea where fishes shoal, and the rays of the
sun, and still hoped to see her dear mother and the tribes of the
eternal gods, so long hope calmed her great heart for all her trouble
... and the heights of the mountains and the depths of the sea rang
with her immortal voice: and her queenly mother heard her." - Homer,
Hymn to Demeter 1-35

"O Hail to Haides' bright-crowned queen,
Maiden of Elysium.
Beloved daughter of the earth,
Mighty is your justice.
All the world will mourn your passing,
And cheer at your return.
Alalai, alalai, alalai, ie Kore!
Alalai, alalai, alalai, ie Kore!

Bringer of the season's change,
Demeter of growing grain,
Awful goddess, raging one,
All will know your sorrow.
Lady of the Mysteries,
Mother of fair Kore,
Alalai, alalai, alalai, ie Demeter!
Alalai, alalai, alalai, ie Demeter!" - Carey Oxler, Song of Eleusis
(A.D. 2003)


Today is the festival of Demeter, the Greek earth goddess par
excellence, who brings forth the fruits of the earth, particularly the
various grains. She taught mankind the art of sowing and ploughing so
they could end their nomadic existence. As such, Demeter was also the
goddess of planned society. She was very popular with the rural
population. As a fertility goddess she is sometimes identified with
Rhea and Gaia. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of
Zeus by whom she became the mother of Persephone. When Persephone was
abducted by Hades, lord of the underworld, Demeter wandered the earth
in search of her lost child. During this time the earth brought forth
no grain. Finally Zeus sent Hermes to the underworld, ordering Hades
to restore Persephone to her mother. However, before she left, Hades
gave her a pomegranate (a common fertility symbol). When she ate from
it, she was bound to spend a third of the year with her husband in the
infernal regions. Only when her daughter is with her, Demeter lets
things grow (summer). The dying and blossoming of nature was thus
connected with Demeter.

In the Eleusinian mysteries, Demeter and Persephone were especially
venerated. When she was looking for her daughter, in the shape of an
old woman called Doso, she was welcomed by Celeus, the king of Eleusis
(in Attica). He requested her to nurse his sons Demophon and
Triptolemus '. To reward his hospitality she intended to make the boy
Demophon immortal by placing him each night in the hearth, to burn his
mortal nature away. The spell was broken one night because Metanira,
the wife of Celeus, walked in on her while she was performing this
ritual. Demeter taught the other son, Triptolemus, the principles of
agriculture, who, in turn, taught others this art. In Demeter's honor
as a goddess of marriage, women in Athens, and other centers in
Greece, celebrated the feast of Thesmophoria (from her epithet
Thesmophoros, "she of the regular customs"). Throughout Classical
times members of all social strata came from all parts of the
Mediterranean world to be initiated in and celebrate her Mysteries at
Eleusis.

In ancient art, Demeter was often portrayed (sitting) as a solemn
woman, often wearing a wreath of braided ears of corn. Well-known is
the statue made by Knidos (mid forth century BCE). Her usual symbolic
attributes are the fruits of the earth and the torch, the latter
presumably referring to her search for Persephone. Her sacred animals
were the snake (an earth-creature) and the pig (another symbol of
fertility). Some of her epithets include Auxesia, Deo, Chloe, and
Sito, and she was adopted by the Romans yunder the name Ceres. Ceres
had a temple on the Aventine Hill, were she was worshipped together
with Liber and Libera.

Valete bene!

Cato

Ex officio Tribunus Plebis Gaius Aemilius Crassus



With the auspices having been taken by Augur Gaius Tullius Valerianus
Germanicus and found to be propitious, notice is given to the Roman people
that Consul Equitius Cato has called the Senate into session.



Consul C. Equitius Cato has called the Senate to meet during the following
times



Session

Beginning: sunrise, a.d. VIII Kal. Apr. (Mar. 25) ; end: sunset pr. Kal.
Apr. 2764 auc (Mar. 31, 2011)

Contio

Beginning: sunrise, a.d. VIII Kal. Apr. (Mar. 25) ; end: sunrise a.d. IV
Kal. Apr. 2764 auc (Mar. 29, 2011 )

Vote

Beginning: sunrise, a.d. IV Kal. Apr. (Mar. 29) ; end: sunset pr. Kal. Apr.
2764 auc (Mar. 31, 2011)



The Consul has set as the following as the preliminary agenda:

- Province governorships.



- Appointment of a new CIO.



- Citizen certificate.



- Tax proposal.



Valete



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem XI Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies nefastus est.

"In 1820, while excavations were proceeding near the western corner
of the Palatine an altar was discovered, of archaic type, inscribed
with the following dedication: 'Sacred to a Divinity, whether male or
female. Caius Sextius Calvinus, son of Caius, praetor, has restored
this altar by decree of the Senate.' Nibby and Mommsen believe
Calvinus to be the magistrate mentioned twice by Cicero as a
candidate against Glaucias in the contest for the praetorship of 125
B.C. They also identify the altar as a restoration of the one raised
behind the Temple of Vesta, in the 'lower New Street,' in memory of
the mysterious voice announcing the invasion of the Gauls, in the
stillness of the night, and warning the citizens to strengthen the
walls of their city. The voice was attributed to a local Genius, whom
the people named Aius Loquens or Locutius. As a rule, the priests
refrained from mentioning in public prayers the name and sex of new
and slightly known divinities, especially of local Genii, to which
they objected for two reasons: first, because there was danger of
vitiating the ceremony by a false invocation; secondly, because it
was prudent not to reveal the true name of these tutelary gods to the
enemy of the commonwealth, lest in case of war or siege he could
force them to abandon the defence of that special place, by
mysterious and violent rites. The formula si deus si dea, 'whether
god or goddess,' is a consequence of this superstition; its use is
not uncommon on ancient altars; Servius describes a shield dedicated
on the Capitol to the Genius of Rome, with the inscription: GENIO
URBIS ROMAE SIVE MAS SIVE FEMINA, 'to the tutelary Genius of the city
of Rome, whether masculine or feminine.'

On the 20th of September, 1890, the workmen employed in the
construction of the main sewer on the left bank of the Tiber, between
the Ponte S. Angelo and the church of S. Giovanni dei Fiorentini,
found a mediaeval wall, built of materials collected at random from
the neighboring ruins. Among them were fragments of one or more
inscriptions which described the celebrations of the Ludi Saeculares
under the Empire. By the end of the day, seventeen pieces had been
recovered, seven of which belonged to the records of the games
celebrated under Augustus, in the year 17 B.C., the others to those
celebrated under Septimius Severus and Caracalla, in the year 204
A.D. Later researches led to the discovery of ninety-six other
fragments, making a total of one hundred and thirteen, of which eight
are of the time of Augustus, two of the time of Domitian, and the
rest date from Severus.

The fragments of the year 17 B.C., fitted together, make a block
three metres high, containing one hundred and sixty-eight minutely
inscribed lines. This monument, now exhibited in the Baths of
Diocletian, was in the form of a square pillar enclosed by a
projecting frame, with base and capital of the Tuscan order, and it
measured, when entire, four metres in height. I believe that there is
no inscription among the thirty thousand collected in volume vi. of
the "Corpus" which makes a more profound impression on the mind, or
appeals more to the imagination than this official report of a state
ceremony which took place over nineteen hundred years ago, and was
attended by the most illustrious men of the age.

The origin of the saecular games seems to be this: In the early days
of Rome the northwest section of the Campus Martius, bordering on the
Tiber, was conspicuous for traces of volcanic activity. There was a
pool here called Tarentum or Terentum, fed by hot sulphur springs,
the efficiency of which is attested by the cure of Volesus, the
Sabine, and his family, described by Valerius Maximus. Heavy vapors
hung over the springs, and tongues of flame were seen issuing from
the cracks of the earth. The locality became known by the name of the
fiery field (campus ignifer), and its relationship with the infernal
realms was soon an established fact in folk-lore. An altar to the
infernal gods was erected on the borders of the pool, and games were
held periodically in honor of Dis and Proserpina, the victims being a
black bull and a black cow. Tradition attributed this arrangement of
time and ceremony to Volesus himself, who, grateful for the recovery
of his three children, offered sacrifices to Dis and Proserpina,
spread lectisternia, or reclining couches, for the gods, with tables
and viands before them, and celebrated games for three nights, one
for each child which had been restored to health. In the republican
epoch they were called Ludi Tarentini, from the name of the pool, and
were celebrated for the purpose of averting from the state the
recurrence of some great calamity by which it had been afflicted.
These calamities being contingencies which no man could foresee, it
is evident that the celebration of the Ludi Tarentini was in no way
connected with definite cycles of time, such as the saeculum." -
Rodolfo Lanciani, "Pagan and Christian Rome" ch. II, pp. 72-75

Valete bene!

Cato

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est a.d. X Kalendas Aprilis; hic dies nefastus publicus est.

"The last day of the five exhorts us to purify
The tuneful trumpets, and sacrifice to the mighty god.
Now you can turn your face to the Sun and say:
`He touched the fleece of the Phrixian Ram yesterday'.
The seeds having been parched, by a wicked stepmother's
Guile, the corn did not sprout in the usual way.
They sent to the oracle, to find by sure prophecy,
What cure the Delphic god would prescribe for sterility.
But tarnished like the seed, the messenger brought news
That the oracle sought the death of Helle and young Phrixus:
And when citizens, season, and Ino herself compelled
The reluctant king to obey that evil order,
Phrixus and his sister, brows covered with sacred bands,
Stood together before the altar, bemoaning their mutual fate.
Their mother saw them, as she hovered by chance in the air,
And, stunned, she beat her naked breasts with her hand:
Then, with the clouds as her companions, she leapt down
Into serpent-born Thebes, and snatched away her children:
And so that they could flee a ram, shining and golden,
Was brought, and it carried them over the wide ocean.
They say the sister held too weakly to the left-hand horn,
And so gave her own name to the waters below.
Her brother almost died with her, trying to help her
As she fell, stretching out his hands as far as he could.
He wept at losing her, his friend in their twin danger,
Not knowing she was now wedded to a sea-green god.
Reaching the shore the Ram was raised as a constellation,
While his golden fleece was carried to the halls of Colchis." - Ovid,
Fasti III

Today is the celebration of the Tubilustrium. The month of March was
the traditional start of the campaign season, and the Tubilustrium was
a ceremony to make the army fit for war. It was held on March 23, the
last day of the Greater Quinquatrus (the festival of Mars and
Minerva), and it occurred again on May 23. The sacred trumpets (tubae)
were originally war trumpets, but later they were used for ceremonial
occasions. It is not clear if the army was involved, or if it was
merely a ceremony to purify the trumpets used in summoning the
assembly on the following day. The ceremony was held in Rome in a
building called the Hall of the Shoemakers (atrium sutorium) and
involved the sacrifice of a ewe lamb. Romans who did not attend the
ceremony would be reminded of the occasion by seeing the Salii dancing
through the streets of the city.

If you have RealPlayer, you can listen to this:

http://www.dws.org/dlovrien/ra/tubilust.rm


The day is also dedicated to the god Vulcan, god of fire, especially
destructive fire, and craftsmanship. His forge is located beneath
Mount Etna. It is here that he, together with his helpers, forges
weapons for gods and heroes. Vulcanus is closely associated with Bona
Dea with whom he shared the Volcanalia, observed on August 23. This
festival took place during the height of the Mediterranean drought and
the period of highest risk of fire. On the banks of the river Tiber,
fires were lighted on which living fish were sacrificed. His temples
were usually located outside the cities, due to the dangerous nature
of fire. In 215 B.C. his temple on the Circus Flaminius was
inaugurated. In Ostia he was the chief god as the protector against
fire in the grain storages. He is identified with the Greek
Hephaestus.

Ovid mentions the story of Phrixus, who was the prince who was saved
on the point of sacrifice by a magical flying ram. Phrixus escaped
together with his sister Helle on the animal's back. Helle became
dizzy and fell into the sea (giving her name to the Hellespont). But
Phrixus fetched up in Colchis on the mysterious periphery of the
heroic world. Here he sacrificed the ram to Zeus, and hung the ram's
golden fleece in the sacred grove of Ares, god of war. This became the
object of the famous quest by Jason and the Argonauts.



Valete bene!

Cato

Avete Omnes et Conscript Fathers,

I have just been notiffied that our Annual Report is due to be completed in
the next two months.

Instead of it being a bare bones annual report - I have taken it upon myself
to contact the Presidents of the Corporation (Consuls), the Vice Presidents
of the Corporation (Praetors) and the Secretaries of the Corporation (the
Censors) to include a brief statement to be included in the Annual Report
when it gets filed in Maine.

I will be preparing a section focusing on the finances and my goals
regarding NR's finances in the coming year.

If anyone has anything they feel should be included - please respond. Any
input would be appreciated.

Respectfully,

Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix
CFO of Nova Roma


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem IX Kalendas Aprilis; hic dies fastus est.


"Why is the so-alled rex sacrorum, that is to say 'king of the sacred
rites,' forbidden to hold office or to address the people?

Is it because in early times the kings performed greater part of the
most important rites, and themselves offered the sacrifices with the
assistance of the priests? But when they did not practise moderation,
but were arrogant and oppressive, most of the Greek states took away
their authority, and left to them only the offering of the sacrifice
to the gods; but the Romans expelled their kings altogether, and to
offer the sacrifices they appointed another, whom they did not allow
to hold office or to address the people, so that in their sacred rites
only they might seem to be subject to a king, and to tolerate a
kingship only on the gods' account. At any rate, there is a sacrifice
traditionally performed in the forum at the place called Comitium,
and, when the rex has performed this, he flees from the forum as fast
as he can." - Plutarch, Roman Questions 63

"Dies qui vocatur sic 'Quando rex comitiavit fas,' is dictus ab eo
quod eo die rex sacrificio ius dicat ad Comitium, ad quod tempus est
nefas, ab eo fas: itaque post id tempus lege actum saepe." - Varro, de
Lingua Latina VI


Today in the calendar is marked "QRCF" --- "Quando Rex comitiavit,
fas," or "Quando Rex comitio fugit" ; as we saw in the commemoration
of the Regifugium (a.d. VI Kal. Mar.), there are two distinct
traditions concerning this appellation. The first is from the idea
that the rex sacrorum was forbidden to appear in the comitia, but when
he had specific business to attend there he would speak and then flee
as quickly as possible. The other, of course, is the actual flight of
the last King of the Romans, Tarquinus Superbus, as related by Ovid:

"Now I have to tell of the Flight of the King:
The sixth day from the end of the month has that name.
Tarquin the Proud held the last kingship of the Roman people,
A man of injustice, but powerful in might...
Tarquin the Proud and his children fled, a consul took up the rule
For the year: That day was the last day of kingship." Ovid, Fasti II

On this particular day, it was customary for the great trumpets which
had been purified the day before (the Tubilustrium) to be blown as the
rex sacrorum entered the comitium, accompanied by the Vestal Virgins
and the College of Pontiffs, to order the public reading of wills.
The day is marked on different republican and imperial calendars as
fastus, nefastus or endotercisus; if endotercisus, the day would begin
as one on which all legal business was forbidden, and then become a
normal legal business day after the rex sacrorum had opened the
comitia. In Nova Roma, since it is a Market Day, the day is marked
fastus in accordance with the decree of the College of Pontiffs.

Valete bene!

Cato

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem VIII Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.

"When the Morning Star has three times heralded the dawn,
You'll find the daylight hours are equal to those of night." - Ovid,
Fasti III

"Mother of all the gods
the mother of mortals
Sing of her
for me, Muse ...
She loves
the clatter of rattles
the din of kettle drums
and she loves
the wailing of flutes
and also she loves
the howling of wolves
and the growling
of bright-eyed lions ..." - Homer, Hymn to Cybele

"At the festival of the Hilaria — when, as we know, everything that is
said and done should be of a joyous nature — when the ceremonies had
been completed, Junius Tiberianus, the prefect of the city, an
illustrious man and one to be named only with a prefix of deep
respect, took me up into his carriage, that is to say, his official
coach." - Flavius Vopiscus, Life of Aurelian 1.1

"Praecipuam autem solis in his cerimoniis verti rationem hinc etiam
potest colligi, quod ritu eorum catabasi finita simulationeque luctus
peracta celebratur laetitiae exordium a. d. octavum Kalendas Aprilis:
quem diem Hilaria appellant, quo primum tempore sol diem longiorem
nocte protendit." - Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.21

"On feast-days, however, a goose was served, and a pheasant on the
Kalends of January and also during the Hilaria of the Great Mother..."
- Lampridius, Life of Severus Alexander 2.37.6

Today is the celebration of the Hilaria, a joyful commemoration of the return of Spring and the slow roll of the year back into warmth and Summer. The Great Mother (Cybele) is invoked and feasting and general merriment took place. The specifics of the celebration during the Republic are unknown; later under imperial rule the festival became linked to the self-mutilation, -castration, and ultimate transformation of Attis into a pine tree.

Valete bene!

Cato

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem VI Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.

"Finally, the Roman festival closed on the twenty-seventh of March
with a procession to the brook Almo. The silver image of the goddess,
with its face of jagged black stone, sat in a wagon drawn by oxen.
Preceded by the nobles walking barefoot, it moved slowly, to the loud
music of pipes and tambourines, out by the Porta Capena, and so down
to the banks of the Almo, which flows into the Tiber just below the
walls of Rome. There the high-priest, robed in purple, washed the
wagon, the image, and the other sacred objects in the water of the
stream. On returning from their bath, the wain and the oxen were
strewn with fresh spring flowers. All was mirth and gaiety. No one
thought of the blood that had flowed so lately. Even the eunuch
priests forgot their wounds." - Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough
(1922) p. 351

"When I was a young man I used to go to Â… spectacles put on in honour
of gods and goddesses – in honour of the Heavenly Virgin, and of
Berecynthia [a title of Cybele], mother of all. On the yearly festival
of Berecynthia's washing, actors sang in front of her litter Â… they
performed in the presence of the Mother of the Gods before an immense
audience of spectators of both sexes...And the name of the ceremony is
`the fercula', which might suggest the giving of a dinner-party." -
St. Augustine of Hippo, City of God 11.4

The coming of the Magna Mater to Rome and the west was under the most
dramatic circumstances. It was in the year 204 B.C.; Hannibal was
still in Italy and Rome was thoroughly exhausted. Moreover, the people
had become frightened because of frequent showers of stones and other
unusual phenomena. In desperation the Sibylline Books were consulted,
and it was learned that the enemy could be conquered if the Idaean
Mother should be brought from Pessinus to Rome. Accordingly, a
delegation was sent to King Attalus of Pergamum, who conducted them to
Pessinus and gave them the sacred stone which was the Mother of the
Gods. On her arrival in Italy, the goddess was officially welcomed by
the "best man" of the Republic and the leading matrons of Rome.
Miracles attended the event, the citizens made holiday, and an annual
festival was instituted in honor of the goddess. As a result the crops of that year were successful and Hannibal was driven
out of Italy and conquered. So the Magna Mater came in triumph to the
west in 204 B.C.

Today is the celebration of the Lavatio, or washing. On this day the
Romans would perform the ceremonial rites that we know today as spring
cleaning. An annual procession would take place through the streets of
Rome in honor of the Mother of the Gods. The carriage in which her
silver image was carried was washed in the waters of the river Almo.

Valete bene!

Cato

FYI



To: explorator@yahoogroups.com; BRITARCH@...
From: rogueclassicist@...
Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:27:48 -0400
Subject: [Explorator] explorator 13.49






================================================================
explorator 13.49 March 27, 2011
================================================================
Editor's note: Most urls should be active for at least eight
hours from the time of publication.

For your computer's protection, Explorator is sent in plain text
and NEVER has attachments. Be suspicious of any Explorator which
arrives otherwise!!!

================================================================
================================================================
Thanks to Arthur Shippee, Dave Sowdon, Diana Wright, Dorothy Lobel King,
Donna Hurst, Edward Rockstein,Rick Heli, Laval Hunsucker, June Samaras,
Hernan Astudillo, Adrienne Mayor,Kurt Theis, John McMahon, Barnea Selavan,
Joseph Lauer, Mike Ruggeri, Richard Campbell,Richard C. Griffiths,
Bob Heuman, Michael T. Stulac,Rochelle Altman, and Ross W. Sargent
for headses upses this week (as always hoping I have left no one out).

n.b. the New York Times has officially launched its paywall ... I honestly
have no idea how it impacts links in Explorator; they seem to work for me
as sent from our correspondents and the ones which I found myself. Your
mileage may vary ...
================================================================
EARLY HUMANS
================================================================
Hand ax finds from India are suggesting an earlier date for out-of-Africa
toolmakers:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-stone-tools-link-early-humans.html
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2011-03-24-hand-axe_N.htm
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/71678/title/Go_east,_ancient_tool_makers
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110325/jsp/frontpage/story_13763075.jsp
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iKmKthu1nfYytCg1_Q1Nyx0aG0HQ?docId=6352706
http://www.calcuttanews.net/story/760786/ht/Ancient-tools-found-in-India-throw-light-on-hominid-migrations-out-of-Africa

I think we've had this Neanderthal-baby brain story before:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1369188/Why-babies-just-like-infant-Neanderthals.html

More on early fire use by humans:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/science/15obfire.html?_r=1&src=recg
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/03/15/scientist-smackdown-when-did-europeans-first-harness-fire/
================================================================
AFRICA
================================================================
Remains of a medieval settlement in the Sudan:

http://www.thenews.pl/international/artykul151684_polish-archeologists-in-major-find-in-sudan.html
================================================================
ANCIENT NEAR EAST AND EGYPT
================================================================
Items are still missing from Egypt:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hK2GU69uEvMqfQzfJKY94MNHDYSg?docId=CNG.ca230cff86b767a2fd88f0f3de8ca1f5.871\
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/List+of+looted+antiquities+finally+released/23395

... and some are recovered (I think this is the same as last week?):

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/40/8186/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Stolen-ancient-Egyptian-statues-recovered.aspx

... but Egyptian antiquities are still at risk:

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/22/134763378/egypts-antiquities-still-at-risk-experts-warn

... and Zahi Hawass was sounding similar warnings:

http://news.scotsman.com/viewarticle.aspx?sectionid=6985&articleid=6728781

... and just this a.m. he updates us on Qantara (and others):

http://www.drhawass.com/node/648

... and folks aren't too happy that UNESCO is poking their nose into things:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/8218/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Resistance-to-UNESCO-visit-to-Egypt-to-save-artefa.aspx

... but the UNESCO folks seemed to have positive things to say:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/40/8443/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/UNESCO-delegation-reassured-after-first-day-in-Egy.aspx

Meanwhile, Egyptian archaeologists were threatening to strike:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=egypt8217s-archeologists-threaten-to-strike-2011-03-23

... but the Egyptian Museum has reopened (not sure if we mentioned that
yet):

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2011-03/23/c_13793304.htm

In any event, there's a petition out of GWU that folks might be interested
in:

http://www.gwu.edu/explore/mediaroom/newsreleases/georgewashingtonuniversitycapitolarchaeologicalinstitutelaunchesinitiativetoprotectegyptianantiquities

Tut's grandmother may have had a wart ... maybe not:

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/king-tut-grandmother-mummy-wart-110322.html

An 11 000 years b.p. village site from Tel Qarasa (Syria):

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011032410313/Travel/archaeologists-unearthed-village-dating-back-to-11-thousand-years-in-southern-syria.html

15 Byzantine burials from Zighreen (Syria):

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/2011032310305/Related-news-from-Syria/archaeologists-discover-15-byzantine-tombs-in-central-syria.html

Brief item on 'pagan' burials from Jaffa:

http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=214011

Strange lead 'codices' look like they're about to become the next James
Ossuary or whatever:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368252/Are-artefacts-discovered-remote-cave-secret-writings-years-Jesus.html

UNESCO asks Libya and the assorted forces involved not to harm ancient
sites:

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/africa/news/article_1628268.php/UNESCO-asks-Libya-allied-forces-to-respect-ancient-cultural-sites

... and they were poking around Egypt too:

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/370535

Nice feature on Temple Mount:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/118339444.html

The 'Small Kotel' is not a holy site, apparently:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/143039

Pondering funding for Israel heritage sites:

http://www.jewishjournal.com/israel/article/milken_institute_brainstorms_funding_for_israel_heritage_sites_20110322/

I think we had this 'house from Nazareth' story before:

http://www.h2onews.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=224448513

Review of James Carroll, *Jerusalem, Jerusalem*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/books/review/book-review-jerusalem-jerusalem-by-james-carroll.html?ref=books

More on 'God's Wife':

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/03/22/fertility-goddess-asherah-was-gods-wife-edited-out-of-the-bible/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/commentsv3/show_comments/839226/?page=15

Egyptology News Blog:

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/

Egyptology Blog:

http://www.egyptologyblog.co.uk/

Dr Leen Ritmeyer's Blog:

http://blog.ritmeyer.com/

Paleojudaica:

http://paleojudaica.blogspot.com/

Persepolis Fortification Archives:

http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com/

Archaeologist at Large:

http://spaces.msn.com/members/ArchaeologyinEgypt/
================================================================
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME (AND CLASSICS)
================================================================
A (late) Roman burial ground uncovered in Canterbury:

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2011/march/21/roman_graves_uncovered.aspx
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/305063

Possible remains of a Roman quarry in Wales:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-12809284

A fair bit of coverage of the return of the Getty Aphrodite to Sicily:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-return-of-aphrodite-20110323,0,6998689.story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlQCWelqa88&feature=youtu.be (video)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/23/134797645/ending-decades-long-dispute-gettys-aphrodite-statue-back-in-italy

Latest feature on Allianoi:

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/63135

Concerns (or lack of it) for Cyrene:

http://www.cnbc.com/ihttp://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE72P0AZ20110326d/42284410
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/3/27/worldupdates/2011-03-27T005542Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-559043-1&sec=Worldupdates
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/26/6351985-quiet-scenes-of-cyrene-an-ancient-greek-and-roman-city-in-libya(photos)

Feature on Franchthi Cave:

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite8_24440_18/03/2011_383459

Not quite sure where to classify this item on the Durotriges:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-12830774

'Myrtis' is on tour:

http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=9752173&maindocimg=9480538&service=94

Not sure of the veracity of this one ... apparently the BM is offering to
'rent' the Elgin/Parthenon
Marbles to Greece? (this has been an iffy source before)

http://au.greekreporter.com/2011/03/24/british-museum-offer-to-rent-parthenon-sculptures-to-greece/

Italy's new culture minister is making Pompeii a priority:

http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Aki/English/CultureAndMedia/Italy-Pompeii-tops-new-culture-ministers-agenda_311828572572.html

Jacqueline de Romilly had a 'secret book':

http://www.lefigaro.fr/livres/2011/03/24/03005-20110324ARTFIG00464-le-livre-secret-de-jacqueline-de-romilly.php
http://www.france24.com/fr/20110324-jeanne-le-livre-secret-jacqueline-romilly-disparue-2010

What James Pfundstein is up to:

http://bgnews.com/campus/university-professor-doubles-as-fantasy-author-after-class/

What Mark Usher is Up To:

http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=news&storyID=11742&category=ucommfeaturea

What Mary Beard is up to:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/2011-mellon-lectures-feature-mary-beards-take-on-12-caesars/2011/03/21/AFfJExbB_story.html

Another feature on the reconstructed Antikythera Mechanism:

http://www.slashgear.com/ancient-calculator-reconstructed-23142130/

Student op-ed on the importance of Classics:

http://www.campustimes.org/2011/03/24/the-classics-should-not-be-all-greek-to-us/

Review of Philip Freeman, *Alexander*:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Review+Exploring+venerated+vilified+conqueror/4509801/story.html

More on the reunion of Catilius and spouse:

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/reunited-pompeii-couple-find-permanent-home-110325.html

That Atlantis garbage just won't go away:

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/03/20/swallowed-by-the-sea.print.html

Nor will Crassus' army in China:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2011-03/21/c_13790816.htm

Latest reviews from Scholia:

http://www.classics.ukzn.ac.za/reviews/

Latest reviews from BMCR:

http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/recent.html

Visit our blog:

http://rogueclassicism.com/
================================================================
EUROPE AND THE UK (+ Ireland)
================================================================
Some pottery which may have 'belonged' to Robert the Bruce:

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/237978-anchient-pottery-may-have-belonged-to-robert-the-bruce/

They're building a replica Anglo Saxon burial chamber at Sutton Hoo:

http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/news/video_work_starts_to_create_replica_anglo_saxon_burial_chamber_at_sutton_hoo_1_837473

Testing whether Iron Age hillforts in Wales communicated with fire signals:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/03/21/talking-fires-link-iron-age-hillforts-91466-28372643/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-11832323

This seems to be a followup to the find (almost three years ago) of some
intact brain tissue in a skull
found when the University of York was doing some expanding:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110325/sc_livescience/2500yearoldhumanpreservedbraindiscovered

Nice feature on the Bayeux Tapestry:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/27/bayeux_tapestry_archive/
http://www.elmostrador.cl/vida-en-linea/2011/03/23/el-enigmatico-tapiz-de-bayeux-uno-de-los-primeros-comics-de-nuestra-historia/

Archaeology in Europe Blog:

http://archaeology-in-europe.blogspot.com/

================================================================
ASIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
================================================================
A 3000 years b.p. site from Jiangxi:

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90782/90873/7327781.html

Sri Lanka is a major target for antiquities smugglers, apparently:

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/03/22/news12.asp

Piles of sites turn up in a survey prior to building a controversial rail
line
in Hawaii:

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20110327_212dig_sites_dot_rail_leg.html

East Asian Archaeology:

http://eastasiablog.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/east-asian-archaeology-cultural-heritage-%E2%80%93-2052010/

Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog:

http://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/

New Zealand Archaeology eNews:

http://www.nzarchaeology.org/netsubnews.htm
================================================================
NORTH AMERICA
================================================================
Pre-Clovis artifacts from Texas (?):

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/tau-tas032111.php
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-24/texas-trove-of-artifacts-blasts-theory-on-arrival-of-first-north-americans.html
http://www.npr.org/2011/03/25/134855884/Hunting-For-Traces-Of-Americas-First-Inhabitants?ft=1&f=1007
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/early-americans-arrival-110324.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/24/humans-north-america-stone-tools
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12851772
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/2018580/texas_artifacts_predate_clovis_culture_by_2500_years/index.html
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2011/03/24/texas_find_suggests_earlier_settlers_in_n_america
http://telegram.com/article/20110325/NEWS/103250470/1052/rss01&source=rss
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/science/25archeo.html?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2011/03/25/science-texas-find-suggests-earlier-sett-327954.php
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/7489500.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110324/ap_on_sc/us_sci_ancient_people
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-us-sci-ancientpeople,0,7020652.story
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704604704576220950958524140.html?mod=e2tw
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/24/texas-sheds-light-americas-settlers/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=texas-stone-tools-pre-clovis
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-paleo-indians-north-america-earlier-thought.html

... although some artifacts from Kansas are causing similar excitement, but
not
getting the press attention:

http://www.kansas.com/2011/03/24/1777565/kansas-evidence-could-lead-to.html

A gold chain from off the coast of Florida ... probably from the Atocha:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/03/25/general-us-shipwreck-antique-chain_8375299.html
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/25/2133786/shipwreck-salvors-find-antique.html

Ancient human trash heaps as a source for Everglades tree islands:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110321134627.htm
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-ancient-trash-gave-everglades-tree.html
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/03/21/Study-Trash-built-Everglades-islands/UPI-55771300743107/
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-03/agu-ath032111.php
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/03/prehistoric-garbage-piles-may-ha.html?ref=hp

... and Native Americans were transforming landscapes elsewhere as well:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-native-americans-american-landscape-years.html
http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=90379

Feature on Adena burial practices:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/science/stories/2011/03/27/adena-groups-had-own-burial-practices.html?sid=101
cf:
http://ohio-archaeology.blogspot.com/2011/03/adena-archaeology-in-franklin-county.html

Interesting feature on the Times of London's coverage of the US Civil War:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/the-special-correspondent/

Feature on the Triangle Fire:

http://news.discovery.com/history/triangle-fire-anniversary-110325.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/triangle-shirtwaist-factory-fire/?hp

Haven't had anything from the Hunley for a while:

http://www.thestate.com/2011/03/21/1744818/scientists-finally-ready-to-right.html

Marking the bicentennial of New York's grid map:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/nyregion/21grid.html?hpw

A hitherto rarely-seen Huu-ay-aht site on Vancouver Island is being opened
to the public:

http://www.theprovince.com/travel/Rarely+seen+ancient+Island+First+Nations+site+open+public/4484688/story.html

Review of Richard Kluger, *The Bitter Waters of Medicine Creek*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/books/review/book-review-the-bitter-waters-of-medicine-creek-by-richard-kluger.html?ref=review

Review of David Goldfield, *America Aflame*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/books/review/book-review-america-aflame-how-the-civil-war-created-a-nation-by-david-goldfield.html?ref=review

Review of Edward Lengel, *Inventing George Washington*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/books/inventing-george-washington-by-edward-g-lengel-review.html?ref=books

More on those recordings from a Goldrush wreck a while back:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Shipwrecked+music/4509626/story.html
================================================================
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
================================================================
37 pre-Inca burials from Tacna:

http://www.livinginperu.com/news/14482
http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/37-pre-incan-tombs-found-in-southern-peru/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HSN-Notitas-De-Noticias+%28Notitas+de+Noticias%29#When:18:34:13Z

Slashed mummy bundles from La Real:

http://www.unreportedheritagenews.com/2011/03/why-slash-apart-mummy-new-research-in.html

Rethinking the politics at Taijin:

http://www.inah.gob.mx/index.php/boletines/8-investigaciones-y-estudios-historicos/4940-revelan-estructura-de-poder-de-tajin

INAH has put high res images of three Mexica monoliths online:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=46036

Feature/slideshowish thing on the archaeological remains of the Inca
Rebellion of 1536:

http://www.peruviantimes.com/24/inca-rebellion-of-1536-archaeological-tour/11513/

Some Huaca Prieta baskets are off to the lab:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110323145753.htm

Feature on the Inca Empire:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/inca-empire/pringle-text

More on what might be Captain Morgan's cannons:

http://www.wtam.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104673&article=8327916
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/team-including-texas-state-professor-recovers-cannons-thought-1335660.html

Mike Ruggeri's Ancient Americas Breaking News:

http://web.mac.com/michaelruggeri

Ancient MesoAmerica News:

http://ancient-mesoamerica-news-updates.blogspot.com/
================================================================
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
================================================================
Feature on xray fluorescence for analyzing assorted artifacts:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12820302
http://in.news.yahoo.com/x-ray-technique-peers-beneath-surfaces-artifacts-20110326-035008-638.html

Interesting item on historical tsunamis in the Mediterranean:

https://mail.google.com/mail/#label/classics/12ed5ae64b66f7d4

Beauty secrets of the Renaissance:

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-beauty-ages.html

On Walpole's 'Strawberry Hill':

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/arts/23iht-rartberry23.html?ref=arts

A nice gallery of Liz Taylor during filming of Cleopatra:

http://www.life.com/gallery/22457/liz-taylor-making-cleopatra#index/0

Review of Edward Dolnick, *The Clockwork Universe*:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/books/review/book-review-the-clockwork-universe-by-edward-dolnick.html?ref=review
================================================================
TOURISTY THINGS
================================================================
Roman Forum:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704461304576216572727727378.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Another view of Rome:

http://www.travelweekly.com.au/news/europe-amp-the-uk-discovering-rome8217s-ancient-gr

Hadrian's Wall:

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110322-on-the-edge

Bangkok:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/travel/20cultured-bangkok.html?src=dayp

Istanbul (for you moleskine fans):

http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20110322-drawing-on-experience-istanbul

Overlooked historic sites:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/25/the-most-overlooked-histo_n_827814.html#s247385&title=In_the_Shadow
================================================================
BLOGS
================================================================
About.com Archaeology:

http://archaeology.about.com/

Archaeology Briefs:

http://archaeologybriefs.blogspot.com/

Taygete Atlantis excavations blogs aggregator:

http://planet.atlantides.org/taygete/

Time Machine:

http://heatherpringle.wordpress.com/

================================================================
CRIME BEAT
================================================================
OpEd on theft of artifacts from Mayan and Moche sites:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/21/looters-latin-america-archaeological-heritage

The recently-uncovered Hirbet Midras mosaics were vandalized:

http://israeltours.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/hirbet-midras-vandalized/

Six stolen icons were found in London:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/mar/20/stolen-greek-relics-in-london

Looting Matters:

http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/

Illicit Cultural Property:

http://illicit-cultural-property.blogspot.com/
================================================================
NUMISMATICA
================================================================
The Frome Hoard (and the Stirling Hoard too) is staying in the UK:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iUKey0QT7RcfOCjp13Ws2u7iI7cw?docId=N0103531300581200025A
http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/news/somerset_news/8919777.Frome_Hoard_saved_for_Taunton_museum/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/21/somerset-edinburgh-museums-keep-archaeological-treasure
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-12800098
http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/8933651.Delight_for_Trowbridge_secretary_as_coins_to_stay_in_Somerset/

Latest eSylum newsletter:

http://www.coinbooks.org/club_nbs_esylum_v14n12.html

Ancient Coin Collecting:

http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Ancient Coins:

http://classicalcoins.blogspot.com/

Coin Link:

http://www.coinlink.com/News/
================================================================
EXHIBITIONS, AUCTIONS, AND MUSEUM-RELATED
================================================================
Antiquity Revived:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45872

Thrace and the Ancient World:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=46016
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/25/us-bulgaria-art-idUSTRE72O28520110325

Egyptian Magic:

http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/presse/news2011/pm20110322_aegyptische_magie.html

Splendours of Mesopotamia:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/splendours-of-mesopotamia-1.783226

Jesus Thorn Relic:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1369424/Jesuss-Crown-Thorns-goes-display-British-Museum.html?ITO=1490
http://www.sify.com/news/thorn-from-jesus-s-crown-to-be-displayed-in-britain-news-international-ldzpEigcecf.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/03/24/christ-thorn-to-be-displayed-at-the-british-museum-115875-23011336/
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Thorn-39from-head-of-Christ39.6740667.jp

Pompeii:

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Travel/9020357.html

UCL has dropped its Panoptican plans:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/UCL%E2%80%99s+Panopticon+plans+quietly+dropped/23391

Nubia:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/arts/design/nubia-ancient-kingdoms-of-africa-review.html?_r=1

German Expressionism:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/arts/design/german-expressionism-the-graphic-impulse-at-moma-review.html

Treasures of Heaven:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/arts/design/treasures-of-heaven-at-walters-art-museum-review.html?ref=design

A museum in Poland has acquired a pile of Chopin letters:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45997
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/frederic-chopin-letters-on-display-in-warsaw/?ref=music

A Mayan artifact which recently fetched a huge price is possibly/probably a
fake:

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=45938
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/24/mayan-warrior-statue-4-million-fraud-mexico-says/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12830964
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/8402886/Mexico-says-2.5-million-Mayan-statue-is-a-fake.html
http://www.buffalonews.com/wire-feeds/24-hour-world-news/article374717.ece

Maastricht Fair coverage:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/arts/26iht-melikian26.html?_r=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/arts/design/european-fine-art-fair-maastricht-the-netherlands.html?ref=design

The New York Times has a special museums section:

http://www.nytimes.com/museums?ref=design

Star chart/woodcut by Durer is coming to auction:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/mar/21/star-charts-auction-durer-sothebys

The Brooklyn Museum has figured out it has a Gerrit Dou painting:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/arts/design/brooklyn-museum-discovers-it-owns-a-portrait-by-gerrit-dou.html?ref=design

On the proliferation of TV auction shows:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/arts/design/antiques-dealers-television-auctions-and-shows.html?ref=design

Check out our Twitter hashtage for more ancient exhibition reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23classicalexhibit
================================================================
PERFORMANCES AND THEATRE-RELATED
================================================================
Mitridate:

http://www.lotny.org/

The Borgias:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/arts/television/the-borgias-a-showtime-mini-series-starring-jeremy-irons.html

Macbeth:

http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/theater/reviews/macbeth-opens-at-the-duke-on-42nd-street-review.html?hp

Le Comte Ory:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/arts/music/bartlett-sher-directs-rossinis-le-comte-ory-at-the-metropolitan-opera.html?ref=arts

Check out our Twitter hashtag for Ancient Drama reviews:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23ancientdrama

... and for Sword and Sandal flicks:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23swordandsandal
================================================================
OBITUARIES
================================================================
David Nevin:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/books/david-nevin-author-of-historical-novels-dies-at-83.html?ref=books
================================================================
HUMOUR
================================================================
Mayan calendar:

http://comics.com/frank&ernest/2011-03-22/
================================================================
PODCASTS
================================================================
The Book and the Spade:

http://www.radioscribe.com/bknspade.htm

The Dig:

http://www.thedigradio.com/

Stone Pages Archaeology News:

http://news.stonepages.com/

Archaeologica Audio News:

http://www.archaeologychannel.org/AudioNews.asp

Naked Archaeology Podcast:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/archaeology/
================================================================
EXPLORATOR is a weekly newsletter representing the fruits of
the labours of 'media research division' of The Atrium. Various
on-line news and magazine sources are scoured for news of the
ancient world (broadly construed: practically anything relating
to archaeology or history prior to about 1700 or so is fair
game) and every Sunday they are delivered to your mailbox free of
charge!
================================================================
Useful Addresses
================================================================
Past issues of Explorator are available on the web via our
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To subscribe to Explorator, send a blank email message to:

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================================================================
Explorator is Copyright (c) 2011 David Meadows. Feel free to
distribute these listings via email to your pals, students,
teachers, etc., but please include this copyright notice. These
links are not to be posted to any website by any means (whether
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is only right that I be made aware of public fora which are
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================================================================

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem V Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.

"The study of Grammar was not even pursued at Rome in early days,
still less held in any esteem; and naturally enough, since the state
was then still uncultivated and given to war, and had as yet little
leisure for liberal pursuits. The beginnings of the subject, too, were
humble, for the earliest teachers, who were also both poets and
Italian Greeks (I refer to Livius and Ennius, who gave instruction in
both tongues at home and abroad, as is well known), did no more than
interpret the Greeks or give readings from whatever they themselves
had composed in the Latin language. For while some tell us that this
same Ennius published a book 'On Letters and Syllables' and another
'On Meters,' Lucius Cotta is right in maintaining that these were not
the work of the poet, but of a later Ennius, who is also the author of
the volumes 'On the Science of Augury.'

In my opinion then, the first to introduce the study of grammar into
our city was Crates of Mallos, a contemporary of Aristarchus. He was
sent to the Senate by King Attalus between the second and third Punic
wars, at about the time when Ennius died [169 B.C.]; and having fallen
into the opening of a sewer in the Palatine quarter and broken his
leg, he held numerous and frequent conferences during the whole time
both of his embassy and of his convalescence, at which he constantly
gave instruction, and thus set an example for our countrymen to
imitate. Their imitation, however, was confined to a careful criticism
of poems which had as yet but little circulation, either those of
deceased friends or others that met with their approval, and to making
them known to the public by reading and commenting on them. For
example, Caius Octavius Lampadio thus treated the Punic War of
Naevius, which was originally written in a single volume without a
break, but was divided by Lampadio into seven books. At a later time
Quintus Vargunteius took up the 'Annals' of Ennius, which he expounded
on set days to large audiences; and Laelius Archelaus and Vettius
Philocomus the satires of their friend Lucilius, which Lenaeus
Pompeius prides himself on having read with Archelaus, and Valerius
Cato with Philocomus.

The foundations of the study were laid, and it was advanced in all
directions, by Lucius Aelius of Lanuvium and his son-in-law Servius
Clodius, both of whom were Roman equites and men of wide and varied
experience in scholarship and statecraft. Aelius had two surnames, for
he was called Praeconinus because his father had followed the
occupation of a crier ["praeco"] and Stilo [from "stylus"], because he
used to write speeches for all the great men of the day; and he was so
devoted to the aristocratic party that he accompanied Metellus
Numidicus into exile. Servius stole one of his father-in-law's books
before it was published, and being in consequence disowned, left the
city through shame and remorse, and fell ill of the gout. Unable to
endure the pain, he applied a poisonous drug to his feet, which
finally killed him, after he had lived for a time with that part of
his body as it were prematurely dead. After this the science
constantly grew in favor and popularity, so much so that even the most
eminent men did not hesitate to make contributions to it, while at
times there are said to have been more than twenty well-attended
schools in the city. The grammarians too were so highly esteemed, and
their compensation was so ample, that Lutatius Daphnis, whom Laevius
Melissus, punning on his name, often called the 'darling of Pan,' is
known to have been bought for seven hundred thousand sesterces and
soon afterwards set free, while Lucius Appuleius was hired for four
hundred sesterces a year by Eficius Calvinus, a wealthy Roman eques,
to teach a large school. In fact, Grammar even made its way into the
provinces, and some of the most famous teachers gave instruction
abroad, especially in Gallia Togata, including Octavius Teucer,
Pescennius Iaccus and Oypius Chares; indeed the last named taught
until the very end of his life, when he could no longer walk, or even
see." - C. Seutonius Tranquillus, "De Grammaticus" 1-3


Valete bene!

Cato

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est ante diem IV Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.

"The study of rhetoric was introduced into our country in about the
same way as that of grammar, but with somewhat greater difficulty,
since, as is well known, its practice was at times actually
prohibited. To remove any doubt on this point, I shall append an
ancient decree of the Senate, as well as an edict of the Censors: "In
the consulship of Gaius Fannius Strabo and Marcus Valerius Messala
[161 B.C.] the praetor Marcus Pomponius laid a proposition before the
Senate. As the result of a discussion about philosophers and
rhetoricians, the Senate decreed that Marcus Pomponius, the praetor,
should take heed and provide, in whatever way seemed in accord with
the interests of the State and his oath of office, that they be not
allowed to live in Rome." Some time afterward the censors Gnaeus
Domitius Ahenobarbus and Lucius Licinius Crassus [92 B.C.] issued the
following edict about the same class of men: "It has been reported to
us that there be men who have introduced a new kind of training, and
that our young men frequent their schools; that these men have assumed
the title of Latin rhetoricians, and that young men spend whole days
with them in idleness. Our forefathers determined what they wished
their children to learn and what schools they desired them to attend.
These innovations in the customs and principles of our forefathers do
not please us nor seem proper. Therefore it appears necessary to make
our opinion known, both to those who have such schools and to those
who are in the habit of attending them, that they are displeasing to
us." By degrees rhetoric itself came to seem useful and honorable, and
many devoted themselves to it as a defense and for glory. Cicero
continued to declaim in Greek as well as Latin up to the time of his
praetorship, and in Latin even when he was getting on in years; and
that too in company with the future consuls Hirtius and Pansa, whom he
calls "his pupils and his big boys." Some historians assert that
Gnaeus Pompeius resumed the practice of declaiming just before the
civil war, that he might be the better able to argue against Gaius
Curio, a young man of very ready tongue, who was espousing Caesar's
cause; and that Marcus Antonius, and Augustus as well, did not give it
up even during the war at Mutina. The emperor Nero declaimed in the
first year of his reign, and had also done so in public twice before.
Furthermore, many even of the orators published declamations. In this
way general enthusiasm was aroused, and a great number of masters and
teachers flocked to Rome, where they were so well received that some
advanced from the lowest estate to senatorial dignity and to the
highest magistracies. But they did not all follow the same method of
teaching, and the individual teachers also varied in their practice,
since each one trained his pupils in various ways. For they would
explain fine speeches with regard to their figures, incidents and
illustrations, now in one way and now in another, and compose
narratives sometimes in a condensed and brief form, again with greater
detail and flow of words. Sometimes they would translate Greek works,
and praise or censure distinguished men. They would show that some
practices in everyday life were expedient and essential, others
harmful and superfluous. Frequently they defended or assailed the
credibility of myths, an exercise which the Greeks call "destructive"
and "constructive" criticism. But finally all these exercises went out
of vogue and were succeeded by the debate. The earlier debates were
based either upon historical narrative, as indeed is sometimes the
case at present, or upon some event of recent occurrence in real life.
Accordingly they were usually presented with even the names of the
localities included. At any rate that is the case with the published
collections, from which it may be enlightening to give one or two
specimens word for word. "Some young men from the city went to Ostia
in the summer season, and arriving at the shore, found some fishermen
drawing in their nets. They made a bargain to give a certain sum for
the haul. The money was paid and they waited for some time until the
nets were drawn ashore. When they were at last hauled out, no fish was
found in them, but a closed basket of gold. Then the Purchasers said
that the catch belonged to them, the fishermen that it was theirs."
"When some dealers were landing a cargo of slaves from a ship at
Brundisium, they dressed a handsome and high-priced young slave in the
amulet and fringed toga for fear of the collectors of customs, and
their fraud easily escaped detention. When they reached Rome, the case
was taken to court and a claim was made for the slave's liberty, on
the ground that his master had voluntarily freed him." Such
discussions they formerly called by their Greek name of "syntheses,"
but afterwards "debates"; but they might be either fictitious or
legal. The eminent teachers of the subject, of whom any account is to
be found, are limited pretty closely to those whom I shall mention." -
Seutonius, De Rhetoribus 1

In ancient Greece, today was the celebration of the Delphinia, a
festival of Apollo Delphinius held annually at Athens. All that is
known of the ceremonies is that a number of girls proceeded to his
temple (the Delphinium) carrying suppliants' branches and seeking to
propitiate Apollo, probably as a god having influence on the sea. It
was at this time of year that navigation began again after the storms
of winter. According to the story in Plutarch (Theseus, 18) Theseus,
before setting out to Crete to slay the Minotaur, repaired to the
Delphinium and deposited, on his own behalf and that of his companions
on whom the lot had fallen, an offering to Apollo, consisting of a
branch of consecrated olive, bound about with white wool; after which
he prayed to the god and set sail. The sending of the maidens to
propitiate the god during the Delphinia commemorates this event in the
life of Theseus.

Valete bene!

Cato

Salvete omnes,
Please, don't open the link. I'ts a malware site.

Optime valete,
Livia

----- Original Message -----
From: "Timothy or Stephen Gallagher" Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 11:55 PM
Subject: [Nova-Roma] spqr753


> http://albatrosupportservices.com/ajl9.html
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>

A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.

Monday evening I spoke with Caeca, who is continuing to rebuild her
strength. She is walking unassisted, and expects to be discharged to home
on or about April 6th. She will, however, have to return to the hospital
for additional surgery after a week and a half to two weeks or so as she
still does not have use of one arm, though she is gaining mobility even
there.

Valete.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Aeternia A. Tulliae Scholasticae S.P.D.


Spoke with Caeca sunday and monday afternoons and she seemed to be doing
well, she wants to dictate a poem to me, so it can be presented during the
Ludi Megalenses 2764.

Which is something I will cede to as long as it doesn't tire her strength,
and we can even break it up so it's not dictated all in one day. Thought
I'd share this little bit of news so we can look forward to the upcoming
Ludi and seeing Caeca's beautiful words once again.

Vale Optime,
Aeternia




2011/3/29 A. Tullia Scholastica <fororom@...>

>
>
> A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>
> Monday evening I spoke with Caeca, who is continuing to rebuild her
> strength. She is walking unassisted, and expects to be discharged to home
> on or about April 6th. She will, however, have to return to the hospital
> for additional surgery after a week and a half to two weeks or so as she
> still does not have use of one arm, though she is gaining mobility even
> there.
>
> Valete.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A. Tullia Scholastica S. Corneliae Aeterniae quiritibus bonae voluntatis
S.P.D.

Had a very frustrating day today, for the confounded sewer installers
employed their brilliance to sever the phone cable and deprive all of us in
the area of our net access and phone service all day long. The phone
company threatened us with a four-day outage, too. Loverly.

> Aeternia A. Tulliae Scholasticae S.P.D.
>
>
> Spoke with Caeca sunday and monday afternoons and she seemed to be doing
> well, she wants to dictate a poem to me, so it can be presented during the
> Ludi Megalenses 2764.

Wonderful!

>
> Which is something I will cede to as long as it doesn't tire her strength,
> and we can even break it up so it's not dictated all in one day.

She seems quite a bit stronger, but her phone died before we could
finish our conversation. Mine is getting low, having had to mess with the
phone company today, but hers just cut out altogether.

> Thought
> I'd share this little bit of news so we can look forward to the upcoming
> Ludi and seeing Caeca's beautiful words once again.

Yes, that would be wonderful. She is a gifted poetess, and if the
spirit moves her, we would be blessed to have some of her work. Liberation
from the rehab facility might do it, though birthday in surgery is not the
most fun I can think of.

>
> Vale Optime,
> Aeternia

Vale, et valete optimé!

>
>
>
>
> 2011/3/29 A. Tullia Scholastica <fororom@...>
>
>>
>>
>> A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>>
>> Monday evening I spoke with Caeca, who is continuing to rebuild her
>> strength. She is walking unassisted, and expects to be discharged to home
>> on or about April 6th. She will, however, have to return to the hospital
>> for additional surgery after a week and a half to two weeks or so as she
>> still does not have use of one arm, though she is gaining mobility even
>> there.
>>
>> Valete.
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>>
>>

L. Livia Plauta A. Tulliae Scholasticae S.P.D.

These are wonderful news! It seems she will recover completely.

Vale,
Livia

> A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.
>
> Monday evening I spoke with Caeca, who is continuing to rebuild her
> strength. She is walking unassisted, and expects to be discharged to home
> on or about April 6th. She will, however, have to return to the hospital
> for additional surgery after a week and a half to two weeks or so as she
> still does not have use of one arm, though she is gaining mobility even
> there.
>
> Valete.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>

L. Aemilia Mamerca A. Tulliae Scholasticae S.P.D.



WOO-HOO!!!



Vale,

LAM



_____

From: Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of A. Tullia Scholastica
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 11:00 PM
To: Nova-Roma@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Nova-Roma] Iterum de Caecá





A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.

Monday evening I spoke with Caeca, who is continuing to rebuild her
strength. She is walking unassisted, and expects to be discharged to home
on or about April 6th. She will, however, have to return to the hospital
for additional surgery after a week and a half to two weeks or so as she
still does not have use of one arm, though she is gaining mobility even
there.

Valete.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Q Caecilius Metellus pontifex Quiritibus salutem plurimam dicit.

Saluete, Quirites.

What follows is the calendar for the fourth full nundinum of the current
sacral year, starting 30 March 2011 through 07 April 2011. As always, I
shall be glad to answer whatever questions may be had.

Our fourth nundinum of the year consists of the following nine days:

- 30 March 2011 (a.d. III Kal. Apr.): the day is comitialis by nature,
but should be observed as fastus.
- 31 March 2011 (pr. Kal. Apr.): the day is comitialis.
- 01 April 2011 (Kal. Apr.): the day is fastus. On this day, the
Veneralia are celebrated.
- 02 April 2011 (a.d. IV Apr.): the day is fastus; this day is a dies
ater.
- 03 April 2011 (a.d. III Non. Apr.): the day is comitialis.
- 04 April 2011 (pr. Non. Apr.): the day is comitialis.
- 05 April 2011 (Non. Apr.): the day is nefastus.
- 06 April 2011 (a.d. VIII Id. Apr.): the day is nefastus.
- 07 April 2011 (a.d. VII Id. Apr.): the day is nefastus, by nature, but
is to be observed as fastus.

Of note during this nundinum are the Kalends of April, on which the
Veneralia are celebrated, and pridie Nonas Apriles, on which the Ludi
Magnae Matri Deum begin. The days beginning and ending this nundinum
are naturally comitialis and nefastus, however, because we observe the
calendrical changes made by the ancient Lex Hortensia, these days are
treated as fastus.

Di Romanis faueant!

Cato omnibus in foro SPD

Hodiernus dies est pridie Kalendas Aprilis; haec dies comitialis est.

"The Moon rules the months: this month's span ends
With the worship of the Moon on the Aventine Hill." - Ovid, Fasti III

"Muses, sweet-speaking daughters of Zeus Kronides
and mistresses of song, sing next of long-winged Moon!
From her immortal head a heaven-sent glow
envelops the earth and great beauty arises
under its radiance. From her golden crown the dim air
is made to glitter as her rays turn night to noon,
whenever bright Selene, having bathed her beautiful skin
in the Ocean, put on her shining rainment
and harnessed her proud-necked and glittering steeds,
swiftly drives them on as their manes play
with the evening, dividing the months. Her great orbit is full
and as she waxes a most brilliant light appears
in the sky. Thus to mortals she is a sign and a token...
Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen!
And now I will leave you and sing the glories of men half-divine,
whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Muses, celebrate with
lovely lips." - Homer, Hymn to Selene II.1-13, 17-20

"Luna the Moon's course also has a sort of winter and summer solstice;
and she emits many streams of influence, which supply animal creatures
with nourishment and stimulate their growth and which cause plants to
flourish and attain maturity." - Cicero, De Natura Deorum, 2.14

"Luna in her rosy chariot was climbing to the height of mid-heaven,
when drowsy Somnus glided down with full sweep of his pinions to earth
and gathered a silent world to his embrace." - Statius, Achilleid,
1.619

"Cynthia, queen of the mysteries of the night, if as they say thou
dost vary in threefold wise the aspect of thy godhead, and in
different shape comest down into the woodland...The goddess stooped
her horns and made bright her kindly star, and illumined the
battle-field with near-approaching chariot." - Statius, Thebaid,
10.365

Today is the festival of Luna, in Greek mythology the moon goddess,
known to the Romans as Selene. Selene was the daughter of Hyperion and
Theia, sister of Helios the Sun and Eos the Dawn. Unlike Diana, Selene
was not known for her chastity. She bore three daughters to Zeus, and
was seduced by Pan for a piece of fleece. There was no known moon
cult among the Greeks, but Selene was a significant figure in Greek
poetry and sorcery and was often identified with Hecate and Artemis.
Apollonius of Rhodes tells how Selene loved a mortal, the handsome
male prostitute —-- or, in the version Pausanias knew, a king --— of
Elis, or otherwise called a hunter, named Endymion, from Asia Minor.
He was so beautiful that Selene asked Zeus to grant him eternal life
so he would never leave her: her asking permission of Zeus reveals
itself as an Olympian transformation of an older myth: Cicero
recognized that the moon goddess had acted autonomously.
Alternatively, Endymion made the decision to live forever in sleep.
Every night, Selene slipped down behind Mount Latmus near Miletus.
Selene had fifty daughters from Endymion, including Naxos. The
sanctuary of Endymion at Heracleia on the southern slope of Latmus is
a horseshoe-shaped chamber with an entrance hall and pillared
forecourt.

The Romans later associated Diana with Selene. From Selene we get the
metal Selenium, the electrical conductivity of which varies with the
intensity of the light, like the changing Moon. As Phoebus was the
Sun, Selene was also known as Phoebe, the Moon. In this capacity She
represented the evening and the night, and was depicted carrying a
torch and wearing long robes and a veil on the back of her head.
Phoebe and Selene - the sisters of Helios - were both Titans and of
the older gods, whereas Artemis was of the next generation.


"It is lucky to say, 'Hares, Hares,' aloud as you go to bed on the
last day of the month (any month), and to say 'Rabbits, Rabbits,' as
soon as you awaken the following morning. This is true for any month,
but it seems especially appropriate during this month of the mad hare.
And why are hares mad in March? Because this is when hares breed, and
apparently leaping, cavorting, dancing and frolicking are part of
their mating ritual." - Waverly Fitzgerald, "School of The Seasons"

Valete bene!

Cato

SALVETE, QUIRITES!

Please accept our apologies for the delay, but now, at least, we have all the final results of the 10 sets of questions of the Ludi Novi Romani - Certamen Latinum.

You can see all answers for Question # 9 and Question # 10 below, following the links. You are free, and outright encourage to ask why this or that solution was deemed bad or good, and you are invited to send me questions regarding the grammar practiced in this Certamen Latinum, put your questions either privately or publicly, as you like.

ANSWERS TO QUESTION 9

See all answers to Question # 9 on our website:

http://novaroma.org/nr/Ludi_Novi_Romani/MMDCCLXIV/Certamen_Latinum#Answers_9

ANSWERS TO QUESTION 10

See all answers to Question # 10 on our website:

http://novaroma.org/nr/Ludi_Novi_Romani/MMDCCLXIV/Certamen_Latinum#Answers_10

 
BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE WINNER...
 
Before the announcement of the name of the winner, I would like to say some words of thanks to all those brave and deeply Roman women and men who participated in the Certamen Latinum, and thus served Nova Roma and the cause of the Roman Revivalist Movement by the most precious thing: with their efforts of learning. The more you learn about Roman culture, the better New Roman you are. There is no "Rome reborn", there is no "Roman revival" without your efforts of learning Latin, learning Roman identity and culture. We can go out as Romans even without Latin, and many of our citizens contribute wonderful imputs into Nova Roma through their other Roman talents.
 
If you can't learn Latin: fine! But do your best in another path of immersion into Roman culture. If you are afraid of Latin, or if you feel you can not put energy into it, or if you think you are for some reason unable to learn it, just play with it. Give it a try. Just try to decline one word every half year. There will come the day when you see it is not impossible.
 
Here we were wittnesses of some kind of miracle. The Certamen Latinum lasted 10 days, and, although I ensured the participants we would not do serious grammar just a bit "tasting" how Latin feels, and smells, in fact, WE WENT THROUGH basically ALL LATIN GRAMMAR that exists, and in 10 days, IN JUST 10 DAYS!
 
Men and women, everywhere!
 
It is possible! You can go through all Latin grammar within 10 days, and you can see this language is so logic and so easily learnable, that you can understand all facets of it in 10 days, even just by answering some Nova Roma quiz questions. We have 8 wittnesses to confirm what I am saying: Caninus, Caupo, Demetria, Lupus, Placidus, Popillia, Silvanus, Volusus. All did wonderfully well in this Latin Contest, and all of them were amazed to realize that we did in fact go through almost all facets of Latin language.
 
Let us all praise Caninus, Caupo, Demetria, Lupus, Placidus, Popillia, Silvanus and Volusus, who worked hard, and walked with me from day to day in this path of Latin grammar, from the simple rules of handling the dictionary, up to the Indirect Speech, Accusative with Infinitive and Subjunctive.
 
Special recognitions are due to Caninus, Caupo, Lupus and Placidus, who worked the hardest, and answered almost every question, especially and above all, to Lupus and Placidus who answered all questions, without exception.
 
Caninus, Caupo, Demetria, Lupus, Placidus, Popillia, Silvanus, Volusus: you all have won, you all have won glory, experience, and knowledge, and you all have became more Roman, and there is NO higher prize, NO better score, NO bigger victory, than becoming Roman.
 
AND NOW, let's see the name of the WINNER, who get the PRIZE which is three pieces of Nova Roman brass sestertii, that will be sent to the winner's home address.
 
AND NOW, FINALLY, THE WINNER IS...:
 
10...
 
9...
 
8...
 
7...
 
6...
 
5...
 
4...
 
3...
 
2...
 
1...
 
...AND THE WINNER OF TH CERTAMEN LATINUM OF THE LUDI NOVI ROMANI, CELEBRATING THE 13TH BIRTHDAY OF NOVA ROMA, IS:
 
 
 
I. ***_P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus_***,
 
from Italia Nova Romana!
 
 
 
CONGRATULATION TO THE WINNER, T. ANNAEUS CONSTANTINUS PALCIDUS!!!
 
 
 
P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus did an incredible job, and he lost almost no points during the tests. He can really call himself as a good Latinist from now on. Congratulations to Placidus, excellent citizen of Nova Roma.
 
P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus gets the prize, the 3 Nova Roman sestertii, described here:
 
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Sestertius_signum
http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Coin_%28Nova_Roma%29
 
 
Congratulations are due to the second and third places, too, who did nearly as well as Placidus.
 
 
THE SECOND BEST of the Certamen Latinum of the Ludi Novi Romani, celebrating the 13th birthday of Nova Roma, is:
 
II. **_M. Martianius Lupus_**
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO LUPUS FOR HIS EXCELLENT RESULTS!
 
 
THE THIRD BEST of the Certamen Latinum of the Ludi Novi Romani, celebrating the 13th birthday of Nova Roma, is:
 
III. *_M. Pompeius Caninus_*
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO CANINUS FOR HIS FINE ACHIEVEMENT!
 
 
And now, let's see all final results of all participants, and congratulate them all!
 
 
FINAL RANKINGS - FINAL  RESULTS
 
Maximum score of points available was: 520 pts.

1st - P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus - 499 pts; (Participated in all 10 questions)
2nd - M. Martianius Lupus - 477 pts; (Participated in all 10 questions)
3rd - M. Pompeius Caninus - 270 pts;  (Participated in 8 questions)
4th - V. Valerius Volusus - 262 pts; (Participated in 5 questions)
5th - L. Lucretius Caupo - 193 pts; (Participated in 5 questions)
6th - Demetria of Chicago - 86 pts; (Participated in 4 questions)
7th - T. Octavius Silvanus - 76 pts; (Participated in 2 questions)
8th - T. Popillia Laenas - 47 pts; (Participated in 1 question)

During most of the race, Placidus was first, sometimes shared with Lupus, as at the beginning Lupus obtained first place, soon shared, later occupied by the final winner Placidus. Incredible struggle and fight! Both men are of the highest virtue!
A big surprise to the end, that Volusus left behind Caupo, who could not answer the last questions. Huge "hurrays" are dute to Volusus, and our admiration goes for him!
Demetria of Chicago, our bravest and most Roman peregrina, left behind T. Octavius Silvanus, which was a very big thing from her! Fought wonderfully, appreciation and a place in Nova Roma's ludi hiistory is now being tributed to her.
I am very sorry for Caninus who had the chance to become even first, but he had to leave the race in the last two rounds, as private life demanded on him.
Another great and fighter in the race of Latinists was Caupo, an excellent contestant, who similarly to Caninus, had an immediate occupation that did not allow him to finish last questions. He could have been one of the first three places, though!
Silvanus and Popillia show that it was worth participating even in one or two questions, because the evidence that they did for Nova Roma, and that they did for their Latin, which is part of OUR COMMON Nova Roman Latin, is there, forever! They did their part of duty in Nova Roma!
 
AND FINALLY...
 
THANK YOU, ALL, once again, who participated!
 
THANK YOU, ALL, who observed the race and who followed these posts.
 
I would like to see your questions, doubts or comments, either in private or public, and I would like to encourage all of my fellow citizens that you, too, participate next time!
 
 
CURATE UT VALEATIS LATINISSE QUOD EST ROMANISSE!  

Cn. Cornelius Lentulus
scriba aedilicius etc.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Aeternia Cn. Cornelio Lentulo Omnibus S.P.D.

Congratulations and Felicitations to all the winners and everyone who
participated in the contest! Stay tuned for the next Latin quiz which will
be during the Ludi Megalensia 2764, announcements regarding that will be
posted by tonight.

And this time we want to see everyone become involved during the Ludi!!


Vale Optime,
Aeternia

On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 12:38 PM, Cn. Cornelius Lentulus <
cn_corn_lent@...> wrote:

>
>
> SALVETE, QUIRITES!
>
> Please accept our apologies for the delay, but now, at least, we have all
> the final results of the 10 sets of questions of the Ludi Novi Romani -
> Certamen Latinum.
>
> You can see all answers for Question # 9 and Question # 10 below, following
> the links. You are free, and outright encourage to ask why this or that
> solution was deemed bad or good, and you are invited to send me questions
> regarding the grammar practiced in this Certamen Latinum, put your questions
> either privately or publicly, as you like.
>
> ANSWERS TO QUESTION 9
>
> See all answers to Question # 9 on our website:
>
>
> http://novaroma.org/nr/Ludi_Novi_Romani/MMDCCLXIV/Certamen_Latinum#Answers_9
>
> ANSWERS TO QUESTION 10
>
> See all answers to Question # 10 on our website:
>
>
> http://novaroma.org/nr/Ludi_Novi_Romani/MMDCCLXIV/Certamen_Latinum#Answers_10
>
>
> BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE WINNER...
>
> Before the announcement of the name of the winner, I would like to say some
> words of thanks to all those brave and deeply Roman women and men who
> participated in the Certamen Latinum, and thus served Nova Roma and the
> cause of the Roman Revivalist Movement by the most precious thing: with
> their efforts of learning. The more you learn about Roman culture, the
> better New Roman you are. There is no "Rome reborn", there is no "Roman
> revival" without your efforts of learning Latin, learning Roman identity and
> culture. We can go out as Romans even without Latin, and many of our
> citizens contribute wonderful imputs into Nova Roma through their other
> Roman talents.
>
> If you can't learn Latin: fine! But do your best in another path of
> immersion into Roman culture. If you are afraid of Latin, or if you feel you
> can not put energy into it, or if you think you are for some reason unable
> to learn it, just play with it. Give it a try. Just try to decline one word
> every half year. There will come the day when you see it is not impossible.
>
> Here we were wittnesses of some kind of miracle. The Certamen Latinum
> lasted 10 days, and, although I ensured the participants we would not do
> serious grammar just a bit "tasting" how Latin feels, and smells, in
> fact, WE WENT THROUGH basically ALL LATIN GRAMMAR that exists, and in 10
> days, IN JUST 10 DAYS!
>
> Men and women, everywhere!
>
> It is possible! You can go through all Latin grammar within 10 days, and
> you can see this language is so logic and so easily learnable, that you can
> understand all facets of it in 10 days, even just by answering some Nova
> Roma quiz questions. We have 8 wittnesses to confirm what I am saying:
> Caninus, Caupo, Demetria, Lupus, Placidus, Popillia, Silvanus, Volusus. All
> did wonderfully well in this Latin Contest, and all of them were amazed to
> realize that we did in fact go through almost all facets of Latin language.
>
> Let us all praise Caninus, Caupo, Demetria, Lupus, Placidus, Popillia,
> Silvanus and Volusus, who worked hard, and walked with me from day to day in
> this path of Latin grammar, from the simple rules of handling the
> dictionary, up to the Indirect Speech, Accusative with Infinitive and
> Subjunctive.
>
> Special recognitions are due to Caninus, Caupo, Lupus and Placidus, who
> worked the hardest, and answered almost every question, especially and above
> all, to Lupus and Placidus who answered all questions, without exception.
>
> Caninus, Caupo, Demetria, Lupus, Placidus, Popillia, Silvanus, Volusus: you
> all have won, you all have won glory, experience, and knowledge, and you all
> have became more Roman, and there is NO higher prize, NO better score, NO
> bigger victory, than becoming Roman.
>
> AND NOW, let's see the name of the WINNER, who get the PRIZE which is three
> pieces of Nova Roman brass sestertii, that will be sent to the winner's home
> address.
>
> AND NOW, FINALLY, THE WINNER IS...:
>
> 10...
>
> 9...
>
> 8...
>
> 7...
>
> 6...
>
> 5...
>
> 4...
>
> 3...
>
> 2...
>
> 1...
>
> ...AND THE WINNER OF TH CERTAMEN LATINUM OF THE LUDI NOVI ROMANI,
> CELEBRATING THE 13TH BIRTHDAY OF NOVA ROMA, IS:
>
>
>
> I. ***_P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus_***,
>
> from Italia Nova Romana!
>
>
>
> CONGRATULATION TO THE WINNER, T. ANNAEUS CONSTANTINUS PALCIDUS!!!
>
>
>
> P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus did an incredible job, and he lost almost
> no points during the tests. He can really call himself as a good Latinist
> from now on. Congratulations to Placidus, excellent citizen of Nova Roma.
>
> P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus gets the prize, the 3 Nova Roman
> sestertii, described here:
>
> http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Sestertius_signum
> http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Coin_%28Nova_Roma%29
>
>
> Congratulations are due to the second and third places, too, who did nearly
> as well as Placidus.
>
>
> THE SECOND BEST of the Certamen Latinum of the Ludi Novi Romani,
> celebrating the 13th birthday of Nova Roma, is:
>
> II. **_M. Martianius Lupus_**
>
> CONGRATULATIONS TO LUPUS FOR HIS EXCELLENT RESULTS!
>
>
> THE THIRD BEST of the Certamen Latinum of the Ludi Novi Romani, celebrating
> the 13th birthday of Nova Roma, is:
>
> III. *_M. Pompeius Caninus_*
>
> CONGRATULATIONS TO CANINUS FOR HIS FINE ACHIEVEMENT!
>
>
> And now, let's see all final results of all participants, and congratulate
> them all!
>
>
> FINAL RANKINGS - FINAL RESULTS
>
> Maximum score of points available was: 520 pts.
>
> 1st - P. Annaeus Constantinus Placidus - 499 pts; (Participated in all 10
> questions)
> 2nd - M. Martianius Lupus - 477 pts; (Participated in all 10 questions)
> 3rd - M. Pompeius Caninus - 270 pts; (Participated in 8 questions)
> 4th - V. Valerius Volusus - 262 pts; (Participated in 5 questions)
> 5th - L. Lucretius Caupo - 193 pts; (Participated in 5 questions)
> 6th - Demetria of Chicago - 86 pts; (Participated in 4 questions)
> 7th - T. Octavius Silvanus - 76 pts; (Participated in 2 questions)
> 8th - T. Popillia Laenas - 47 pts; (Participated in 1 question)
>
> During most of the race, Placidus was first, sometimes shared with Lupus,
> as at the beginning Lupus obtained first place, soon shared, later occupied
> by the final winner Placidus. Incredible struggle and fight! Both men are of
> the highest virtue!
> A big surprise to the end, that Volusus left behind Caupo, who could not
> answer the last questions. Huge "hurrays" are dute to Volusus, and our
> admiration goes for him!
> Demetria of Chicago, our bravest and most Roman peregrina, left behind T.
> Octavius Silvanus, which was a very big thing from her! Fought wonderfully,
> appreciation and a place in Nova Roma's ludi hiistory is now being tributed
> to her.
> I am very sorry for Caninus who had the chance to become even first, but he
> had to leave the race in the last two rounds, as private life demanded on
> him.
> Another great and fighter in the race of Latinists was Caupo, an excellent
> contestant, who similarly to Caninus, had an immediate occupation that did
> not allow him to finish last questions. He could have been one of the first
> three places, though!
> Silvanus and Popillia show that it was worth participating even in one or
> two questions, because the evidence that they did for Nova Roma, and that
> they did for their Latin, which is part of OUR COMMON Nova Roman Latin, is
> there, forever! They did their part of duty in Nova Roma!
>
> AND FINALLY...
>
> THANK YOU, ALL, once again, who participated!
>
> THANK YOU, ALL, who observed the race and who followed these posts.
>
> I would like to see your questions, doubts or comments, either in private
> or public, and I would like to encourage all of my fellow citizens that you,
> too, participate next time!
>
>
> CURATE UT VALEATIS LATINISSE QUOD EST ROMANISSE!
>
> Cn. Cornelius Lentulus
> scriba aedilicius etc.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A. Tullia Scholastica quiritibus bonae voluntatis S.P.D.

To think about studying Latin, that is. We are winding up another
academic year in some of our classes, and would like to remind you that we
offer Latin courses using two different methods of instruction: one by
assimilation, and one by a more traditional path. No prior knowledge of
Latin is required for either, though some is advisable for the fast-paced
assimilation method courses. I have corrected the final examination for the
intermediate Assimil course, and will soon post the final grades; the
introductory Grammatica I class is on their last lesson, so should be
available for registration in about 5-6 weeks. The Sermo II course should
be available even sooner, but one must have completed Sermo I or the
relevant portion of the continuing combined Sermo I and II course in order
to register for this. Sermo I should finish in a couple of months as they
have only five more lessons (c. 15 days) of instruction left, then must take
their final examination and have it corrected. There is an outside chance
that we may be able to offer the preliminary Rudimenta Latina course, which
deals with the history of Latin and touches upon its grammar, but that is
uncertain at present.

Hearty congratulations to Placidus (macte virtúte!) and to all who
participated in the Certamen Latinum; as Lentulus said, he taught you
virtually everything about Latin grammar in just ten days! If you are brave
enough to enter such a certamen, surely you have the heart to take on a much
slower Latin course! Please let me know if you are interested. Further
information will follow.

Valete!


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Reminder from:		Nova-Roma Yahoo! Group
Title:		Kalends
Date:		Friday April 1, 2011
Time:		All Day
Repeats:		This event repeats every month.
Notes:		Every Kalends is sacred to Juno "Be well, Queen Juno, look down and preserve us. Accept this offering of incense and look kindly and favorably upon me and the Senate and people of Nova Roma." (Incense is placed in focus) "Queen Juno, in addition to my virtuous offering of incense, be honored by this offering of wine that I pour in libation. May you look kindly and favorably upon the Senate and people of Nova Roma." (Libation is poured for the Goddess)
Get reminders on your mobile, Yahoo! Messenger, and email. Edit reminder options

Copyright © 2011  Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Sta. Cornelia Valeriana Juliana Aeternia Omnibus in foro S.P.D.


*<click megaphone on>
*
Greetings again to the citizens of Nova Roma, the Aedilician Cohors is proud
to present the upcoming Ludi Megalenses 2764. Giving honor and homage to
the goddess Magna Mater.

The following scheduled Contests have been planned for the following Ludi:

The Ludi Megalenses will be taking place on April 4th-April 8th...


*I. The Parody Contest*

Think you have some skills with a quill? Do you think that your writing
brings laughter from the multitudes? Well then put it to the test! With
theme being* " A Day In the Life of Nova Roma"* it can be about anything
about NR, it can be zany, tear jerking hilarious, and absolutely witty. But
what it cannot be is written in bad taste, please use your wisest
judgement. If you think it's going to offend, guess what it probably will
so again please write in good decorum..

Also the minimum is 1500 words or less..

Submissions for the Parody Contest will be received until April 15th.

*II: Give back to the Magna Mater*

This is something very different, the Aedilician Cohors will give a special
slot during the Ludi for citizens the entire populace of our Republic, to be
able to post prayers and others forms of devotional works to the goddess
Magna Mater. Since we are a community, we should all participate in some
form or another... And what better way than to celebrate the goddess Cybele.


*III: History Quiz of the Republican Era
*
Definitely for the Historian at heart, we'll be having a labyrinth of a
challenge.. Think you know Rome's Republican Era or Do you know the
Republican Era? Only one way to find out, and that is to participate in the
contest!

*IV: Surprise Latin Oh-- My! Quiz
*
Well you see the title, it's a surprise the contents of this quiz is so
special, it cannot be revealed until the opening day of the Ludi. But what
I can say that this quiz is definitely for the bold and the brave, and
lovers of Latinitas!


This is just the start of the Festivities, we'll be doing different exciting
things each day and completely impromptu on the spot fun. So citizens
bring your offspring, your sweethearts, and definitely yourselves to the
Ludi Megalesia. Where we'll be giving honor and ode to the Great Mother!!

P.S. The opening ritual will be peformed by Pontifex Cn. Cornelius Lentulus

*<click megaphone off>
*
Vale Optime,
Statia Cornelia Valeri. Juliana Aeternia (Aedilis Curulis)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]