Jump to content
UNRV Ancient Roman Empire Forums

Recommended Posts

Recently I 've seen a tin plated bucket found in a saxon grave in Britain, which was Byzantibne in origin, decorated with greek text (telling the lady owner to take care of her purchase), and in particular, a gladiatorial motif, showing a leopard and a gladiator in combat. The fighter is depicted with a sword, a round shield, and is naked. Now ordinarily I would simply class that as an image of a bestiarius and so forth, but the details of this image are a little odd. Is this evidence that some forms of gladiatorial combat continued past the ban of the lat 4th century? Is this how bestarii of the late empire fought? Or is this a picture celebrating a times gone by (which itself would be unsual for the Romans, they normally depcited life as they saw it)?

 

I confess I'm intrigued. Thoughts, anyone?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Could just be a old bucket, from prior to the ban.... or a special export for barbarians. Ummmm.... knowing several byxantine greeks here, I can say they are very nostalgic. They built a mini repluca of the hagai sophia as their church here, and a very small Parthenon on the highest hilltop, and haven't exactly suffered having access to the greek classics. Just suggests that they already began their cultural freeze already.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They built a mini repluca of the hagai sophia as their church here, and a very small Parthenon on the highest hilltop, and haven't exactly suffered having access to the greek classics.

 

Where is "here" Onasander? Are you allowed to say? I'd be curious to know where one could visit a Parthenon replica. I know there's one in Nashville but that was built in the late 19th century, and not by the Greek diaspora.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Northern Panhandle of West Virginia.

We had a hugh steel mill that opened up 1908, alot of Greeks came, especially after the genocide in.Smyrna.....

 

If you go to Chicago or Toronto, they have the largest hellenic population outside of Greece.

 

The Greeks always are very, very nostalgic. Here in west virginia, they love Marseilles because Chios founded it, and many from Chios moved here.... therefore in their wacky mind, they are related.

 

Same for Christopher Colombus, who is as greek Chios as it gets to them. And everyone is cousins to greek shipping captains. One fought world war 2 as a merchant marine, and was prisoner or war in Libya. Another was a soldier of the US Army during the soviet insurgency into greece, he broke the law back then before official american involvement in teaching them how to dismantle floating mines in the harbors. Another here is a cousin to US Major General Pagonis who was second in command during desert storm.... he lives across the border in Pennsylvania and apparently breeds fancy horses. The Patriach of the Greek Orthodox Church was formerly a deacon of the retired Metro here when he was younger....

 

I can go on and on and on.... that is what Greeks do. They haven't changed much.... greek sailors have a home in every harbor, via the extended family.

 

And this Parthenon here... small. They would cook lamb in it. Greeks always build a Parthenon on the highest point of ground in a city. Why? I dunno. Just know that is the case... perhaps left pver from the classical or hellenistic era, or a modern romance.

 

As a philosopher... I'm a natural byproduct of Alexander the Great's attempt to hellenize the world. I'm reading Theophrastus' surviving works. I couldn't do that had I not had the build from other hellinic authors for years prior. I am the end product Alexander wanted. Xountless others in history did the same. It will continue.

 

It's easy to overlook and forget this.... this is exactly how the greeks colonized and spread.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, it's true that modern Greeks are very proud and they do like to stick to their own culture and communities outside Greece. I have a very good Greek South African friend (2nd or 3rd generation) who immigrated to Canada (Toronto, probably not a random choice) a few years ago. She is now married to a Greek Canadian and has 2 children with very Greek names. I think she once told me that she would never consider marrying anyone who was not "Greek".

 

The Greeks always are very, very nostalgic. Here in west virginia, they love Marseilles because Chios founded it, and many from Chios moved here.... therefore in their wacky mind, they are related.

 

Haha, this reminds me of the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". The main character's father was always tracing everything (words, objects, places...) back to the Greeks. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Map of the Roman Empire

×