| Roman Archaeology | |||
|
Friday, February 28, 2003 Scottish conquest by Petilius Cerealis followed by peace and prosperity ( 12:18 PM ) Libitina Dr David Woolliscroft, the director of the Roman Gask Project, says their findings point to an earlier invasion of Scotland by Petilius Cerealis, probably the greatest general in the entire Roman Empire at the time, who he believes arrived fresh from putting down a bloody uprising in Holland. However, rather than the previously-held belief that a bloody conflict ensued, Dr Woolliscroft says, scientific evidence also points to a relatively easy conquest of Scotland. Organic remains in the native settlements show no sign of being destroyed, while farming appears to have flourished. This is shown by the remains of pollen buried in the soil, which indicate that, soon after the Roman conquest, the numbers of weeds started to fall, suggesting cattle were grazing the land more intensely. Dr Woolliscroft said: "You can tell from the number of weeds it was low-level grazing before the Romans arrived and afterwards more animals must have been raised, leading to more grazing. The surprise is how peaceful it all seems to be. Wherever weve looked, weve found peace, tranquillity and prosperity, which is not all what we were expecting. # posted by Libitina mharrsch@uoregon.edu on 12:18 PM | link
Tuesday, February 25, 2003 Antonine Wall candidate for World Heritage Site ( 1:41 PM ) Libitina The Antonine Wall, built by Hadrians adopted son Antoninus Pius in 140 A.D. to keep Scottish warriors out of the Roman Empire, has been nominated for designation as a World Heritage Site. About 8,000 soldiers, recruited from Gaul, Britain, or Germany, patrolled its ramparts. Dr David Breeze, of Historic Scotland, explains, "These soldiers would not have been Romans from Italy. We have an inscription from a tombstone which reveals the fact that the soldier (whose tomb it was) was a member of one of the tribes of the Brigantes from the north of England." "This is a very good example of the recruitment of the Roman Empire - most of the people in Britain would have been Britons, Gauls or Germans." # posted by Libitina mharrsch@uoregon.edu on 1:41 PM | link
Goths not the only source of destruction for a crumbling Roman Empire
( 1:29 PM ) Libitina
Roman military camp unearthed near the Temple of Luxor
( 1:17 PM ) Libitina
Friday, February 21, 2003 Book warns time running out for Pompeii ( 12:46 PM ) Libitina By reading a beautiful new book, "The Lost World of Pompeii," by Colin Amery, director of the World Monuments Fund in Britain, and Brian Curran Jr., WMFs West Coast consultant headquartered in Los Angeles, you can visit Pompeii without leaving home and learn of new efforts to conserve the endangered 164-acre site. # posted by Libitina mharrsch@uoregon.edu on 12:46 PM | link
Ancient Northumbrians convert Roman coins to souvenirs for Roman troops
( 12:38 PM ) Libitina
Discoveries at Portus Cosanus reflect Romes conversion from an agricultural based Republic to a maritime commercial superpower
( 12:22 PM ) Libitina
Monday, February 17, 2003 Cache of Gladiator Skeletons Discovered at Ephesus ( 1:19 PM ) Libitina Professor Klaus Grosschmidt of Vienna University is studying a cache of 2000-year-old gladiator skeletons found near Ephesus in Turkey. Analysis of the bones reveals that the fighters were rich, pampered professionals with groupies in tow. "This is the first time nutrition, training and fight injuries can be directly investigated from their bones," he said. "The medical attention they received was second to none. The most famous doctor of the times, Galenus, treated gladiators at Ephesus." He also pointed out that going to gladiator fights was considered a more intellectual pastime than going to the theatre--the fights promoted principles of honour, bravery and fearlessness in face of death, while plays were merely entertainment. # posted by Libitina mharrsch@uoregon.edu on 1:19 PM | link
Friday, February 14, 2003 Dionysus Temple of Rhodope discovered by Bulgarian archaeologists ( 12:32 PM ) Libitina Bulgarian archaeologists discovered an oval ritual hall fitting the description that ancient historians gave to the Dionysus Temple in the Rhodope range famous for its splendor and mysteriousness in antique times and for the many failed attempts to determine its exact location in modernity. Herodotus wrote that the Rhodope range was inhabited by the Thracian tribe of the bessies. Herodotus also said that the bessies built the legendary Dionysus Temple that was equal to the ancient Greek Apollo sanctuary in Delphi. Like Delphi's temple, the Dionysus temple had an oracle that made great prophesies such as the foretell of the victorious march of Alexander the Great of Macedonia. Later on, in the Roman age the oracle predicted that Octavius Augustus would create the Roman Empire. # posted by Libitina mharrsch@uoregon.edu on 12:32 PM | link
Chariots of Fire
( 12:23 PM ) Libitina
Thursday, February 13, 2003 Modern day mining project threatens archaeological treasures of Rosia Montana ( 2:19 PM ) Libitina Gold has been mined at Rosia Montana, in the Apuseni mountains of West-Central Romania, since pre-historic times. The areas riches attracted several foreign powers including the Romans. These powers carried off the precious metals to Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin but left behind what has become an historical and archaeological treasure of world class. # posted by Libitina mharrsch@uoregon.edu on 2:19 PM | link
Aerial Archaeology Opens Windows Into Past Communities and Events
( 11:42 AM ) Libitina
Wooden cart and team found in Roman grave
( 11:41 AM ) Libitina
A Study of the Christianization of Space Along The Via Appia
( 11:40 AM ) Libitina
Fifth-century finds of unique beauty discovered at Oraiokastro
( 11:39 AM ) Libitina
Exploding the Boudica Myth
( 11:38 AM ) Libitina
Dig in North Devon unearths remains of Roman iron production
( 11:37 AM ) Libitina
Roman fort reconstructed near the Dutch town of Nijmegen
( 11:35 AM ) Libitina
|
|
||
Looking
for images for a report or presentation on the ancient world? Check out
the 