April 2
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The
Histories of Rome: Strabo
Roman
Festivals
This Month in Roman History
Birthdays & Anniversaries
The Art of War
Rhine River Patrol, Part 8
Hey Roman--What's Cooking?
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Ephesus
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The
Historians of |
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Addressing
a Greek audience, Strabo gives us this impression of the physical aspect of the
mighty city that had mastered the Greek World.. He wrote in the age of Augustus.
The city probably continued to increase in magnificence for the next two hundred
years, and a number of the most famous buildings, e.g. the Flavian Amphitheater,
were not yet erected.
The
Greek cities are thought to have flourished mainly on account of the felicitous
choice made by their founders, in regard to the beauty and strength of their
sites, their proximity to some haven, and the fineness of the country. But the
Roman prudence was more particularly employed on matters which have received but
little attention from the Greeks---such as paving their roads, constructing
aqueducts, and sewers. In fact they have paved the roads, cut through hills, and
filled up valleys, so that the merchandise may be conveyed by carriage from the
ports. The sewers, arched over with hewn stones, are large enough in parts for
actual hay wagons to pass through, while so plentiful is the supply of water
from the aqueducts, that rivers may be said to flow through the city and the
sewers, and almost every house is furnished with water pipes and copious
fountains.
We
may remark that the ancients [of Republican times] bestowed little attention
upon the beautifying of |
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the
ancient Forum, which is equally filled with basilicas, porticoes, and temples,
you will there behold the Capitol, the In
Rome
there is continual need of wood and stone for ceaseless building caused by the
frequent falling down of houses, and on account of conflagrations and of sales
which seem never to cease. These sales are a kind of voluntary falling-down of
houses, each owner knocking down and rebuilding according to his individual
taste. For these purposes the numerous quarries, forests, and rivers in the
region which convey the materials, offer wonderful facilities. Augustus
Caesar endeavored to avert from the city the dangers alluded to, and instituted
a company of freedmen, who should be ready to lend their assistance in the ease
of conflagration, while as a preventive against falling houses he decreed that
all new buildings should not be carried to the same height as formerly, and
those erected along the public ways should not exceed seventy feet in height.
But these improvements must have ceased except for the facilities afforded to _____________ Source: From:
William Stearns Davis, ed., Readings in Ancient History: Illustrative Extracts
from the Sources, 2 Vols. (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1912-13), Vol. II: Rome and
the West, pp. 232-237 at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/strabo5-rome.html Scanned
by: J. S. Arkenberg, -TOP- Roman Festivals
-TOP- This Month in
Roman History
April 7, 30 -CE- Jesus crucified by Roman troops in
April 8, 217 -CE- Caracalla [Marcus Aureiius Antoniius], Roman emperor,
dies.
April 20, -CE- 121 Marcus Aurelius 16th Roman emperor (161-80),
philosopher born. -TOP-
Servius Arminius Crispinus Patricia Cassia, Caius Minucius-Tiberius
Scaevola, 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003
The
Art of War "You
see the conditions of opponents by means of their external
formations. The inner
condition of the formless is inscrutable, whereas that of those who have
adopted a specific form is obvious. The inscrutable win, the obvious
lose." -- Chapter
4. "Formation" =============== "It
is necessary to delegate unbridled authority; so it is imperative that
officers who would be generals be both loyal and talented." --
Chapter #. "Planning the Attack" ================ "So
among military forces there are those who rush, those who tarry, those who
fall, those who crumble, those who riot, and those who get beaten. These are
not natural disasters but the faults of generals." --
Chapter 10. "The Terrain" -TOP- As
he moved down the mountain the trees got taller and taller until he was well
within a lush full leafed forest. It was more open here between the
forest trees and he was able to move steadily forward. The night was at
last fleeting from the world around him. A false dawn shown on the
far-away horizon, even though the deep forest shadows still hid him from
prying eyes. With the beginning dawn came bird song and he could hear
the chirping of squirrels warning the other forest animals of his passage.
He hoped that his walking did not disturb the wildlife to the extent that it
would be detectable by anyone on his trail. Within the hour he found a faint
game trail which angled down the mountain to the lower slopes, and he siezed
upon this easier mode of travel immediately. As he moved along this
trail he fumbled, with one hand, in the stolen pouch to see what it contained,
and as he had hoped, there was food there. The pouch yielded two small boiled
eggs, somewhat the worse for their adventures, a stale crust of bread and a
few olives wrapped in a cloth. He ate the two eggs immediately hoping that the
food would give him back some small part of his past strength. The water
bottle had a strong and bitter wine, little better than vinegar. He
rested on a rock hard by the trail and ate part of the crust and half of the
olives, saving the remainder for a later meal. He drank sparingly from
the bottle and refreshed himself somewhat. He felt much better for the
food, and once again directed his footsteps down the mountain. The
clay-like mud on his arm and hand had dried somewhat into a kind of flaky
bandage, and the bleeding had stopped if not the pain. He was careful to
continually check his back trail. He knew that eventually his trackers
would find the archer, and then the game trail. He could not hide, but
simply stay ahead until he found some kind of refuge or hiding place, where he
might lay up and rest, such as he had stumbled onto higher up the mountain..
On two occasions he swept the trail behind him with downed tree limbs and once
he left the trail and walked for nearly a quarter of a league along a fairly
new rock fall which paralleled the game trail at one point, leaving little
evidence of his passing. However, he well knew that these poor efforts
would not long deceive an experienced tracker. He must find some way to break
the trail permanently, and the only way to do that, that he was aware of was
to utilize moving water as a way of hiding his escape route. The foliage
around him was now quite lush as compared with the dry appearance of acacia
higher up the mountain. This was an indication of a plentiful
supply of ground water, and he began to listen carefully for the sound of
running water, as he followed the game trail across the mountain slope and
ever downward toward the lowland forest below. Despite
his determination, the period between his rests was growing shorter, and the
rest periods ever longer. He simply could not keep up this pace with his
wounds as they were. His arm and hand were a mass of pain and he was limping
badly as well. He was dizzy from the exertion and the lack of any
quantity of food or wine. About half-way down the mountain side he came
upon a narrow track through the forest. It was a "skid-road"
for skidding large trees / logs down the slope to a lower level where they
could be cut into lumber or fire-wood. Wooden rollers, and broken limbs,
lay all along the track as mute testimony to it's use. There were deep gouges
in the ground here from the logs and also many human tracks from those who
worked the timbers to a lower level. Here too, were the tracks of the
beasts of burden that hauled the logs when the rollers did not work well.
Marcus immediately took advantage of the tracks and directed his path among
them hoping to mix his trail with the mass of tracks already on the ground. He
turned downslope to follow the skid -road even though he realized that his
pursuers would assume that was the way he would go. The way became
immediately easier, and the steepness of the skid-road provided a faster way
off the mountain. From the number of man and animal tracks here, he
would be looking for a wood-cutters camp and maybe even a charcoal-burner.
There was more chance for help down the mountain than to climb back up the
steepening slope, so he would have to take his chances. Ahead of him he
could see a trickle of water on the track below, reflecting in a very early
morning shaft of sunlight. He stopped and listened carefully and was
rewarded with the very slight murmur of moving water, not loud, but nearby.
Hoping for some kind of luck, he left the road and just a few paces into
the brush he found a small spring. The spring came out from under an old
rockslide and formed a large quiet pool at the bottom of the slide, on a flat
table of land. Probably the same flat land that stopped the rock slide in it's
mad rush down the mountain many years ago.. Above the slide was a long
deep scar on the side of the mountain where the slide had originated. Some of
the large boulders at the pool's edge had a generous growth of lichen on them
indicating that the slide was an old one. The pool was probably fifty paces or
so across, and the far side of the pool was hidden by a heavy stand of high
very fluffy-topped green reeds. Jutting out of the pool was an old tree
which had apparently been pushed over about half way by the rocks as they came
down the mountain. The base of the trunk and roots of the tree were
buried under the rock slide at the edge of the pool, and the tree leaned out
over the pool, and rested on another high rock outcropping on the far side.
Obviously the tree had been pushed over by the impact of the rockslide.
The tree was still living and some the upper branches had turned their growth
to the sunlight, using the old tree as a source of their sustenance and in so
doing, making a kind of cradle on the far side of the tree trunk. Heavy
lower branches were driven into the bottom of the pool and served to stabilize
the tree in it's place. Marcus considered this spot carefully, and
decided that it was worth the risk, with a few precautions that he would be
capable of making. He had to rest, and here was a refuge that was nearly
perfect. He
drank long and deep from the spring, and found the water to be clear and cold.
Fully as good at this moment of time as any fine wine, he supposed. He
drank his fill, and taking care to leave small indications of his passage he
climbed the rock fall just above the tree and moved around the pond to the
reed bed that spanned the far edge of the pool from where he had taken his
drink.. He moved into the water leaving his footprints in the mud, in
the shallows of the pool, pointing downstream right up to the reed bed.
He carefully broke off several large hollow reeds just under the water
struggling to do so with the limited efforts of only one working hand.
Finally finishing this activity, and carrying the reeds under his good arm he
carefully stepped out upon the nearest rock rinsing his feet carefully of the
clinging mud, he backtracked over the clean rocks careful to leave no sign of
his passage to the tree trunk. Here he shifted his load of reeds to under his
wounded arm with a resulting twinge of pain. Then with some difficulty,
using his good arm, he carefully climbed the tree, with his bundle of reeds,
until he was directly over the pool at it's deepest part. It was here that the
twisted limbs provided a place where he could curl up and get some rest. He
was invisible behind the screening shield of the tree trunk,
upright limbs and the heavy foliage. Sitting down, he deposited
the reeds between the upright limbs, and with the sword-knife he haggled off a
long section of hollow reed from one of the stalks. The portion of the
reeds he used to make a place to lay down on, and the remainder he used to
cover himself as he lay down on the supporting limbs. The effect was
quite good in that the green reeds melded with the tree's green foliage. ff
need be, he could always have the option of slipping off the tree and into the
water quietly and still remain hidden within the pool breathing through the
reed. It was the best he could for himself, Marcus thought as he lay
back on his hastily created bed. His
belly full of water and some small amount of food, and totally exhausted from
his efforts to date, he settled into the niche along the tree trunk and after
tying himself, the sword-knife, his arrows and the reed section to a stout
limb with the pouch strap, he fell immediately into a deep sleep.
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Be the First on you block to own one! Buy a Nova Roma Flag Mug! |
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NR Flag Mug Send orders to The Galerius
Shop or e-mail spqr753@msn.com
Tiberius Galerius Paulinus,
Proprietor Meum pactum dictum |
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-TOP-
The
Society of Cooks and Brewers Recipe: ALITER
BAEDINAM SIVE AGNINAM E
ALITER
BAEDINAM SIVE AGNINAM EXCALDATAM (Steamed Lamb) (Apic.
8, 6, 2) 10
lamb cutlets Put
cutlets into pot, together with diced onion and spices. Add liquamen, oil and
wine. Cook 45-60 minutes. Pour sauce into a pan and thicken it with starch.
Serve cutlets together with the sauce. Recipe: Artichokes
cooked in herbs
Artichokes
cooked in herbs Trim
the artichoke tips and part of the stems. Place in a pan standing on their
trimmed tops with the stalks pointing up. Chop the herbs and add to the pan with
the remaining ingredients with enough water and wine Bring
to the boil and simmer gently (adding a little water if necessary) for 30-45
minutes until tender. Serve
with the reduced cooking sauce, and a drizzle of olive oil poured over. The
above recipe is taken from "The Roman Cookery of Apicius" by John
Edwards and has been adapted according to my own experiments Recipe: Baian
Stew (Apicius 433) Baian
Stew (Apicius 433) Ingredients Soak
the mollusks (not the squid) in cold salted water for a few hours to force them
to open and purge any sand inside. Change the water after the first hour. Place
the olive oil in a large sauce pan and add all the ingredients, except the wine,
rue and passum and cook gently without burning. After
a few minutes of cooking raise the heat to full and add the drained and rinsed
mollusks and squid and stir. Then add the white wine and allow to evaporate for
a minute before adding the passum and rue. Cover
and cook on medium heat until the mollusks open and are cooked. (about 5 minutes
should be enough. Season with pepper and serve. You
may wish to cut down on the amount of rue in this recipe and replace it with
chopped coriander leaves or flat leaf parsley.
-TOP- Calendar of Upcoming Events
April
16-18 Imagine
the thrill of ancient Britons charging through the forest smashing
desperately against the steel of the Roman line. Disciplined Roman
soldiers thrust and parry the barbarians¹ frenzied attacks. The battle is
short but deadly proving not only the discipline of the Romans but also
the fearsome resolve of the Britons. Join
either the victorious Roman Army or the soon to be conquered Pictish/Celtic
Barbarians at Tactical
force on force will be held on Saturday with a feast to be held Saturday
night in the Roman fort. The first tactical will be a search and destroy
for the Romans and ambush for the Celts/Picts. The second scenario will be
a Chieftain/Centurions' pick. This event will be the fourth hosted on this
site and be prepared for primitive conditions. We request each adult
participant to donate $10.00 for the evening meals, straw bedding, and
firewood provided. For further information, contact Mark Saddler at
870-931-3967 or e-mail
Msaddler@ritternet.com Saturday,
April 24 April
24-25 Merlinia
Ambrosia Artori, Legate of Nova Caesaria, Med., sends Tidings of
Consul Gn. Equitius Marinus' Visit to our area! I
have been looking for some interesting places here in NC(N.J.) and this is
what I've come up with. As
we want to go to a really interesting Italian restaurant, the Bella
Notte's Alta Cucina would be memorable. It's in Little Falls, about 15 mi.
north of me here in Up
side: it is a tiny Italian piazza, complete with colonnades, fountain, and
beautifully painted night sky. The food is phenomenal. Down
side: priced a la carte, items run $10-$25; expect to drop $50 without
drinks. As we are doing this on Saturday, April 24th, it will
be in 21st c. clothing. As
for something to see, we can go to our own Newark Museum, which has a very
nice collection of Roman glass, and from now till May 9 an exhibit of
jewelry from all over the world, from all time periods, called
"Baubles, Bangles, and Bling Bling" The website is
www.newarkmuseum.org Itinerary
for Saturday is- All Meet here* by 11am, Museum 12-2:30, restaurant 6pm,
then back here*.Hanging out here* before & after is expected!- I.
Claudius, Rise & fall, Julius Caesar, Druids, even Asterex et Obelix
take on Caesar., with Christian Clavier &Gerard Depardieu * Here is my
house, in Maplewood, N.J. I will send Directions, etc, to those coming,
via private email. Just email me. April
26 Legate
of Regionis Orientalis (OH, WV, KY) I am hosting a
dinner to celebrate the birth of Nova Roma. It will take place at
Buca De Bepo's in
May
1-2 This
Event Sponsored by La Wren's Nest, Legio VIIII Triumphalis and Legio III
Cyrenaica, will be held at an equestrian park that will have ample room
for our military maneuvers and encampment. They expect to have some
barbarians there for us to use as fodder for our gladius and pila
practice. The Ludus Magnus Gladiators are also expected to be there. Games
and other activities for young and old will be going on throughout the
day. A Roman Market and Merchant's Row will be set-up. This will be the
first major event for the Legion in 2004. The Legion XXIV "Castra"
(headquarters) on Friday and Saturday, will be the Kings Inn, at Exit 96
of I-395, in Units
and individuals are asked to contact Julie at La Wrens to advise her of
your space requirements and the number of tents you are bringing. Legion
XXIV will have a 50 x 50 foot space allocation which should suffice for
Master Baro's new marquee tent, our displays and other needs. Arrive after
June
12-13 June
19-20 August
7 - 8 August
11-14
-TOP-
In
this series we will begin with the Roman city of Among
the structures in the city were the Senate House, Temple of Serapis,
Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Fountain of Trajan, a stadium, a
theatre, a double church, smaller theatre / gymnasium extensive city
baths, and a girl's gymnasium among other structures. Among these ruins,
by far the most striking, are the remains of the library which was erected
to the memory of Tiberius Julius Celsus in the 2nd century A.D., who
provided 25,000 dinarri to pay for the purchase of some 12,000 scrolls. Also
located at From
--East
to Galtia and --South
to --North
to
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