Domitianus3

I just recently started wearing an HBO Rome hat. My intent was not to go around advertising the show, in fact you can't really tell that the hat is connected to the show. It has an embroidered eagle on the front and the word Rome on the back in small print. Anyways, I got to looking for some new stuff and I found the perfect t-shirt(with dianamt54's link). It describes exactly how I feel everyday when I wake up and I'm still in San Antonio, Texas. HERE

Hey guys, thought this was semi-interesting. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26455572/?GT1=43001

1. 'Lyin' Eyes' by the Eagles for the life of Julia the Elder(daughter of Augustus). Perhaps 'Take It On The Run' by REO Speedwagon would be better. Maybe I judge her too harshly. Also not a perfect match for her. 2. 'Living On A Thin Line' by The Kinks, as a general song for the feelings of some people after the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West. I'm sure there'll be those who disagree. 3. And less specifically I see a lot of Vangelis' works as kind of a soundtrack for the centuries of Roman rule. Sometimes just even one of his songs kind of encompasses a lot. I will probably be casted the village idiot, but there are times when I listen to some of his stuff that I imagine myself living back then.

I. Sulla II. Nero III. Augustus IV. Domitianus V. Varus(I hate him-i guess i hate a little of myself come to think of it) Neat link--thanks.

Thanks everyone, and especially to Malvadius. The Sword of Tiberius is probably the best preserved gladius that I have seen. I suppose I should have avoided making a comparison of Roman iron swords as to Chinese bronze swords. I was aware that the Qin swords were bronze, but I guess I was just impressed that the Chinese metallurgists meticulously crafted these swords for the purpose of long term preservation. Now I realize that the average Chinese and Roman sword for that matter probably wasn't manufactured with such attention to detail, but it just seemed to me that there should be at least 1 gladius out there, even if it was an anomaly, that was so well preserved as the Qin swords, perhaps in the drier climates of the Roman Empire. Now the Qin swords were located in the Xi'an province where the summers/winters were dry. I don't know how much a dry climate would have made a difference in preserving bronze swords seeing as they don't rust becuase of the absence of ferrous metals, but I do know that a dry climate would have made a considerable difference in the preservation of iron swords. Have there not been gladii found in the dry climates of Northern Africa or eastern part of the Roman Empire? As for metallurgy technology, it seems the Chinese were well ahead of their time in the crafting of different alloys and in the developing of blast furnaces as early as the 500's BC. As far as I know the Chinese like the Europeans used bloomeries to produce iron in the early part of the 1st milennium BC. In fact I have read that the use of bloomeries may have actually spread from West to East. But what was it about the Chinese that ultimately gave them an edge at least in technology such as the development of the blast furnace? Why didn't the Romans experiment more which should have lead to similar developments? Was the cast iron produced in blast furnaces inferior to the wrought iron produced in bloomeries in the terms of its effectiveness as a weapon material? If so, it seems the Romans would of had to purposefully limit the carbon content in their iron to produce the preferred wrought iron for weapon making. Anyways, I guess I should stop there.

Hey guys and gals, I was recently reading about the well preserved swords found at the tomb of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, specifically the ones found with his terracotta army. Supposedly, these swords were plated in chromium, although I find the claim a bit dubious. Anyways, the swords are undeniably well preserved. It got me tihinking that I had never actually seen a well preserved Roman Gladius. Sure Ive seen some examples of a gladius(not in person unfortunately) but all of them were extremely rusted and alsmost to the point of being unrecognizable as a sword. I was just curious if there are any Gladii out there in a museum somewhere that are just as well preserved as these ancient Chinese swords. I find it hard to believe there isn't one out there somewhere, especially because so many were produced. If not, why not? Is it due to superior Chinese metallurgy (cringe) or some other reason? Anyways, any info would be great. Even if there isn't an example, please feel free to go into discussions about ancient metallurgy, I am also interested in learning about that. From all accounts that I have read, the general consensus seems to be that ancient Eastern metallurgy, was superior in almost every way to Western metallurgy. Do you think this is true? Thanks.

I know I'm a little off-topic when I say this, but it irritates me that I cannot find a decent 3D puzzle of any Roman building. For years I've wanted to build a 3D Colosseum, unfortunately I can only find one puzzle representing the Colosseum and that is a really small 84 piece disgrace to the beautiful structure that is the Flavian Amphitheatre.

Hello everyone, as usual it is a pleasure to be among people with such vast knowledge of my favorite topic-Rome of course. During my forum surfing I continue to find that close to everyone seems to think that Roman law was perhaps their most significant contribution to the modern world. Being a bit dumb on the subject, I was curious if anyone could recommend some good reading concerning Roman law, and possibly Roman law and its influences on the modern world. Only recently have I begun to hit the books a little harder, and I am eager to learn more about this particular subject. Thank you.

Thank you Nephele for taking the time to do that. I found the link to Horatius very interesting. keep up the good work

Thanks for the invite to participate in this... I am a male and the full scramble for my first and last name is gnwreoahoatthuhhjins The full scramble for my first/middle/last is haouatirghnjyeahsnhtenwow thanks again.

For a while now I have been trying to find some stats on the Empire. Specifically its size in square km/miles. I have read figures as high as 2.5 million sq. miles but am unsure if this is just land or if it includes the Mediterranean. I am just curious if anyone has any good idea as to the actual figures for the size of the empire, at its greatest extent of course. I can never seem to find figures for it online and when I do they are all different and unspecific as to what is and is not included. Thanks.

I would have to say Ostia. Fortunately I visited there on my last trip to Rome in March 2005. It seems to me that you could get all the good stuff about Rome but in a better environment. For one, I wouldn't have to deal with as many people. Secondly, from what I here the place was very wealthy which one can see just walking through the old ruins. I wanted to say Rome because it is my favorite place in the world, but Ostia I think would have been more peaceful and if I had wanted to go the Rome it wouldn't be that long of a trip up the road or river... However, it does depend on the time period...during the late 1st or early 2nd century then most definitely Ostia. However if it was say after the capital was moved eastward, then I would say Constantinople.

I have to agree with Julius Ratus here that the Romans were indeed there own worst enemy. Sure the outside threats were there and significant, but the internal strife and constant implementing of bad policies toward the end of the empire allowed those threats to grow and pose more of a danger to the state. Had things been more secure and had the people themselves been more "patriotic"- for lack of a better word- things might be a lot different today.

Thanks everyone for replying. Seeing as it was my first topic posted I am glad it generated a little discussion. I was aware of the plans laid out to construct a church inside the structure. I suppose I could have been more detailed in my questioning. I guess what I really wanted to know when I wrote that at 4 in the morning was whether or not the cross should be there in the first place. I am glad that eventually the place was consecrated as a place of martyrdom and thus starting the preservation process, but seeing as there is no solid proof of christian killings taking place in the structure I was just curious as to everyone's opinion on the subject. I would also generally agree that the church did more good than bad in the long run with regards to the structure. Again thanks everyone.

Hey everyone, quick question seeing as it is late at night and I should be sleeping. I was randomly thinking of things to bring up and thought about the cross that lies at the northern edge of the arena inside the Colosseum. I was just curious if anyone had an opinion on whether or not the thing really belongs in there? By the way I love the forum and have been searching for days looking for a place to talk with others who love all things Roman as I do. I am really impressed by the vast knowledge that many of the members have. I'll post my opinions later seeing as my bed is calling to me. Thanks... and if the topic is dumb please let me know.