Early Rome

It is a common misconception that fides and bona fides are ethical principles with changeable content, shaped by the development of social and moral values. They belong instead, since time immemorial, to the tradition of the ius civile, and are deeply rooted in Roman social structure (and its needs) as interpreted by the priests and by the jurists. The standard of fides and bona fides is always objective: in the archaic period, the real status of the parties (fides as the 'credit' of the individual within the group); afterwards, an abstact stardard identified with the bonus vir. The two concepts developed therefore from early on an (outwardly) dualistic value: on the one side, the respect of the parties' agreement; on the other side, the respect of all the terms implied in the nature of the relationship.

The 1970s and 1980s witnessed an explosion of interest in the archaeology of Republican and earlier Latium. The results of this wave of work, which was conducted primarily by Italian teams, were presented at large conferences and published in landmark volumes. In recent decades, however, this coherent program of research and divulgation has to a certain extent disintegrated. While excavations and surveys continue to be carried out throughout the region, their results are seldom presented with the thematic unity and depth that characterized earlier efforts. In an attempt to return to and extend the impetus of the golden years of the archaeology of Latium, we bring together members of four large research projects for the first of a series of open discussions on the state of the art in the field. The theme of this initial meeting focuses on the theoretical and methodological innovations in the archaeology of Latium. The complex record from the region poses significant research challenges; key Republican and earlier sequences at many sites are difficult to access, and continued development is threatening entire landscapes. Research projects both old and new have met these challenges by adapting or developing progressive theoretical approaches and survey and excavation techniques. The panelists represent three large-scale urban excavations (Gabii; Rome-S. Omobono; Satricum) and a regional survey (Hidden Landscapes Project) that have made important contributions to the archaeology of Latium in recent years. The discussant, Christopher Smith, has produced seminal syntheses of the archaeology and history of the region and, as Director of the British School at Rome, is intimately familiar with how research on Republican and earlier Latium has been evolving.

This is one of a set of initial worksheet tasks, and follow-up guidance, for a range of key topics in classical studies, which were utilized by the Young, Gifted and Talented Programme in c. 2010, but which are now no longer in use. Please feel free to make use of these as you feel appropriate for secondary school teaching and learning.

I also have short one-minute introductory videos to accompany each of these worksheets: file-types not supported by Academia.edu, but I would be happy to share them with you if you contact me.

The scholarly community has become increasingly aware of the differences between Roman myths and the more familiar myths of Greece. Early Rome: Myth and Society steps in to provide much-needed modern and accessible translations and commentaries on Italian legends.

This work examines the tales of Roman pre- and legendary history, discusses relevant cultural and contextual information, and presents author biographies. This book offers updated translations of key texts, including authors who are often absent from classical mythology textbooks, such as Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Servius. Jaclyn Neel debunks the idea that Romans were unimaginative copyists by spotlighting the vitality and flexibility of Italian myth — particularly those parts that are less closely connected to Greek tales, such as the story of Caeculus of Praeneste. Finally, by calling attention to the Italian rather than Roman nature of the collection, this book suggests that Roman culture was broader than the city itself. This important work offers:

    * Up-to-date and accessible translations of Roman and Italic legends from authors throughout antiquity
    * Examination of compelling tales that involve the Roman equivalent of Greek “heroes”
    * Unique view of the strength and plasticity of Roman and Italic myth, particularly the parts less closely connected to familiar Greek tales
    * Intelligent discussion of relevant cultural and contextual information
    * Argument that Roman culture reached far beyond the city of Rome

Fresh and readable, Early Rome: Myth and Society offers essential reading for students of ancient Rome as well as those interested in Roman and Greek mythology.

http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1119083796.html

http://earlyrome.omeka.net/

Quali istituzioni politiche hanno accompagnato - e in parte determinato - la straordinaria vicenda storica di Roma antica? Cosa conosciamo del loro funzionamento e della loro evoluzione? Quali sono stati i principali interrogativi della lunghissima tradizione esegetica della quale siamo debitori? In base a quali suggestioni, invece, per secoli si è reinterpretato, attualizzato e, non da ultimo, strumentalizzato il vincente – e avvincente – “modello romano” nelle sue varie declinazioni? Per quali ragioni la comprensione di concetti politici d’indubbia attualità non può prescindere dallo studio di Roma antica? Tenendo presenti questi interrogativi di fondo, l’autore propone una guida sintetica al complesso sistema politico-istituzionale romano: un sistema che, sebbene lontano, offre ancora molti spunti di riflessione

This course presents a broad survey of historical forces at work over the past 6,000 years, examining the manners in which human societies have organized themselves along categories of race, ethnicity, class, and gender to meet the challenges of the increasing human population and its demands on natural resources: thus, it examines continuity and change in societies over time, in different places, and among various peoples.

Abstract
This article examines the longstanding rivalry of Rome and Parthia, which began as an unintended consequence of Crassus’ decisive defeat at Carrhae in 53 BCE. It synthesizes the accounts and opinions of numerous Graeco-Roman writers from the Augustan Age to late antiquity in order to help illustrate the new and interconnected post-Carrhae world and its legacy. The rivalry of the Romans and Parthians became a primary focus of their foreign policies and drastically expanded their perceptions of the world in which they interacted. Even after the fall of the Parthians to the rebellious Sassanid Persians in the 220s CE, the Romans continued to find their three-century-long rivalry with the Parthians of interest and relevant to the changing world of late antiquity.

Roman Law: An Introduction offers a clear and accessible introduction to Roman law for students of any legal tradition. In the thousand years between the Law of the Twelve Tables and Justinian’s massive Codification, the Romans developed the most sophisticated and comprehensive secular legal system of Antiquity. Roman law remains at the heart of the civil law tradition of Europe and much of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Roman lawyers created new legal concepts, ideas, rules, and mechanisms that most Western legal systems still apply. The study of Roman law thus facilitates understanding among people of different cultures by inspiring a kind of legal common sense and breadth of knowledge.

The Seven Hills of Rome are on the east of the Tiber in the heart of the Ancient City and are said to be the origins of the empire. Back in the day (there is proof of civilization on the hills from as early as 1,000BC) the seven hills were inhabited separately, each with its own independent tribe mixed with Giants. Eventually, the tribes came together to compete in sports, strengthening their bonds and uniting their villages. And thus, began the great Roman Empire.

This publication demonstrates the important link between the history of Rome and its geologic setting in a lively, fact-filled narrative sure to interest geology and history buff. The author point out that Rome possessed many geographic advantages over surrounding areas: proximity to a major river with access to the sea, plateaus for protection, nearby sources of building materials, and most significantly, clean drinking water from springs in the Apennines. Even the resiliency of Rome's architecture and the stability of life on its hills are underscored by the city's geologic framework. If carried along with a good city map, this book will expand the understanding of travelers who explore the eternal city's streets. Chapters are arranged geographically, based on each of the seven hills, the Tiber floodplain, ancient creeks that dissected the plateau, and ridges that rise above the right bank. As an added bonus, the last chapter consists of three field trips around the center of Rome, which can be enjoyed on foot or by using public transportation.

Once you start to unravel the threads woven into the fabric of our history it may be a surprise as to how far the pull will go and with mere pieces of cloth left, is it possible to put them together in a new meaningful way to understand the present state of affairs?

The Lord of the West
Batu Khan

To call Batu Khan a Mongol ruler is - even to the standards of our accepted history - somewhat misplaced. Even in respect of territories ruled by the Horde, he was assigned the most Western territories and around 1241 pushed westward well into the Balkans.

Batu means 'firm' and amongst his brothers, the sons of Jochi, he was well adapted to become Great Khan.

But in the end of the day, because Jochi was not recognised as a full blood relative by his brothers, he was very well aware that this would unlikely become a reality.

The 'golden' Horde was named after the colour of his Tent and spread almost towards the boundaries of France. Since Batu found it difficult to reign the western territories from the banks of the Volga, it is almost certain he would have founded a court in the West and I assume that this was Sarajevo, in the Balkans.

From there he bullied and freighted the western Monarchs and even the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II into submission. The latter remarked, with good humour, that he would become a good falconer for Batu Khan. And indeed before the establishment of the Latin Empire of Byzantium, the western Roman Emperor was subject to the Emperor of Byzantium.

The last remark is not without meaning. The Eagle as symbol of the Byzantine Eagle also became that of the Russian Horde and Roman Empire and is symbol over kingship. It may very well be that Frederick II inspired Batu Khan towards a whole new vision with regard to the place of Europe in the Great Horde, which may very well be one of the reasons Batu Khan did not proceed further than the Balkans.

The common theory is that he returned to the East upon the death of Ogedei, the Great Khan, to elect - and become himself - the next Great Khan.

But, we have already seen, that there was little hope of a son of Jochi becoming the Great Khan. Even when he is almost given the opportunity by some of the sons of Genghis Khan - merely because of his merits - he at the last moment declines and favours Mongke to become Great Khan.

After that, the common theory is the Batu stayed in service of the expansion of the Mongol Empire in the East, but that seems rather out of character. Batu had installed Mongke as first to remain himself the stronger second. It is much more likely that - inspired by Frederik II - Batu Khan started to work on a whole new vision for the West, which he regarded as his legitimate domains. Here his already established place as 'king maker' would take an entirely new direction.

Batu Khan, would take the in the meantime Latin Empire of Byzantium, more westwards and would become the Pope of the West, not yet even from the Italian Rome, but from the Balkans. From there he would proclaim an entirely new vision. He would conquer Europe spiritually and use for its purpose its own established form of Catholicism. He would do that, so in the long run he would by himself outflank the ranks of the Great Khanate, the Russian Horde.

It is for a reason that the colour of the Vatican (BatuKhan) is yellow or golden. In the long run the Vatican would become the treasurer and guardian of the Golden Horde, but as such would up to this date, remain a part of the Great Russian Horde, until time would be ripe for a new order. The Novus Ordo.

But for now the western Papacy of Innocent III would remain in the Balkans and only through the period of Avignon become established in the Italian Rome.

Batu Khan was the third in line from Genghis Khan, the Lord of the World, and as Pope Innocent III he became his replacement for the West. This would make the western Papacy Batu Khan's scheme to get even with the Great Khanate and the humiliation of Jochi by the hands of his brothers.

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El presente volumen estudia las tradiciones pertinentes a la prehistoria romana comprendidas entre Eneas y Rómulo.

Eneas llegó a ocupar un lugar destacado en la conciencia nacional romana. La presencia de Eneas en el Lacio significa un señalado hito en la visión que los romanos se hacían sobre su más lejano pasado, y por ello no en vano Livio comienza su historia de Roma con la llegada del héroe troyano. Sin duda Eneas representa la contribución griega más relevante a la interpretación de los orígenes romanos y latinos, más importante que Odiseo, quien a pesar de invocar una mayor antigüedad en el Lacio, la obligación de regresar a su patria le privó gozar de un protagonismo indiscutido. Eneas capitalizó la mayor parte de las especulaciones griegas sobre la prehistoria latina, bien directamente, bien a través de otras figuras creadas a su sombra, como Rhome y Rhomo. La enorme cantidad de versiones griegas sobre la fundación de Roma que basculan sobre estos personajes da cumplida cuenta de su importancia. Otra de las claves de la importancia de la leyenda troyana radica en que ésta rebasa el mundo romano y se prolonga hasta la edad media, con tradiciones que situaban en la Tróade el origen de diversos pueblos europeos, clara expresión de la voluntad por establecer un vínculo ideológico con el pasado romano.

En la vulgata romana Eneas cumple un papel de no poca importancia, la formación del pueblo latino. Como fundador, los romanos eligieron por su parte a Rómulo, un héroe indígena que junto a su hermano gemelo Remo poseía una leyenda propia, que fue incorporada al relato de los orígenes de Roma adaptándola a este nuevo objetivo. La construcción romana de sus propios orígenes basculaba entonces sobre estos dos hechos, la presencia de Eneas en el Lacio, dando lugar a la formación del pueblo latino, y la fundación de Roma por parte de Rómulo, cuya leyenda fue tomada del fondo mitográfico indígena. A ellos se añade un tercer elemento, la llamada dinastía albana, creada para cubrir el vacío cronológico surgido con el distanciamiento en el tiempo entre la destrucción de Troya y la fundación de Roma.

"This article is a critical analysis of the livian account, a prerequisite to any use of it in the context of historical inquiry. The approach implemented in this paper is twofold. The first applies the principles of the criticism of "accuracy" in order to review the elements influencing the historicity of the Livy's narrative (special attention is given to the reserves of the Paduan historian himself on this matter). The second step is the criticism of "sincerity", which aims to highlight the peculiarities of Livy's view of history (diverse notions are so considered: exemplarity, anachronism, literary reconstruction of characters and narrative cycles, as well as the use of speech and portraits)."

Throughout history, the Druids have always been seen as sorcerers who had a strong bond with nature. Ancestral knowledge holders within Celtic society, directed all religious activity as the highest authority linked to the gods, practiced human sacrifices and festivals organized as Imbolc, Beltaine, Lugnasad or Samain, etc.. all aspects of which are discussed in this article.

Roma. En la residencia palatina, el soberano del más grande imperio occidental ni siquiera se permite pasear por sus jardines sin ser vigilado.  El poder genera ambición por ocuparlo, y no había mayor poder en la Antigüedad que el emperador. Las campañas fronterizas contra los germanos o los partos suponen un peligro adicional. Nunca sus enemigos extranjeros tendrán otra oportunidad como esa para tratar de acabar con su vida. En realidad, no existía un lugar totalmente seguro. Los pretorianos surgieron con una única y difícil misión, proteger su vida y la de su familia allí donde se encontraran.

Estrictamente escogidos entre los mejores soldados de todo el imperio. Entrenados diariamente para cumplir su cometido. Miles de soldados de elite estaban las órdenes de la casa imperial, acuartelados en el Castra Preatoria. Los pretorianos surgieron como unidad militar el 27 a.C. y se mantuvieron en su puesto hasta el 312 d.C., más de tres siglos de Historia donde compartirían funciones con los guardias germanos y los más expertos jinetes de la guardia real antes de que Constantino dictara su disolución. Ningún soberano fue tan audaz como para presentarse en combate sin tenerlos cerca. Si sus oponentes amenazaban con obtener la victoria ese era el momento para que actuaran mientras el resto de soldados contemplaban como conseguían cambiar el destino de la batalla hasta destruir a sus enemigos. Su preparación era la mejor, sus medios ilimitados y su capacidad no tenía igual. No existían soldados más diestros entre las tropas romanas.

Criticados por los autores clásicos, odiados por el pueblo, temidos por el Senado y envidiados por el resto del ejercito legionario, su actuación estuvo marcada por el heroísmo y la traición. Su poder creció hasta convertirse en la llave de la política Roma y no tardaron en aprovecharse de ello. Un relato épico sobre la guardia imperial romana, los guerreros seleccionados para proteger la integridad del Estado cuyo destino estaba en sus manos. Siempre preparados para neutralizar cualquier amenaza, quizá salvaron la vida a tantos emperadores como a los que se la arrebataron.

Arturo Sánchez, especialista en Historia Antigua y Militar ofrece la primera obra extensa sobre los pretorianos en nuestro idioma. Se mostrará su entrenamiento, tácticas, cuadros de mando y privilegios; su actuación en el frente y en la capital del imperio, no solo como soldados sino, incluso, como verdugos o espías. Se estudiará en detalle el campamento militar más importante de Roma, cuyos muros aun se levantan imponentes tras dos milenios. Todo ello tras una ardua y exhaustiva investigación para mostrar por fin la completa Historia de uno de los cuerpos militares de elite más importantes del mundo, aquellos que controlaron el devenir del imperio.

A lo largo de sus tres siglos de historia en la época imperial romana, la función principal de la Guardia Pretoriana fue la protección de la figura del emperador allí donde este se encontrara, ya fuera actuando permanentemente como su escolta y guardia personal  en el palacio imperial o como última línea de defensa en el ámbito militar. Pero como cuerpo de élite del ejército romano acantonado en la capital del Imperio también se les encomendó el mantenimiento y, en su caso, restablecimiento del orden allí donde fuera necesario. Así, la Guardia Pretoriana se conformaría como una de las piezas clave en la historia imperial romana como uno de los actores principales no solo a nivel militar sino también a nivel político, papel este último muy alejado de las funciones iniciales para las que fue creada pero que poco a poco fue cobrando especial relevancia tanto por su cercanía a la figura de los sucesivos emperadores como por su acantonamiento en la capital imperial. Consciente de su poder, no fueron pocas las ocasiones en que los pretorianos utilizaron su posición e influencias para dirigir y aprovechar los habituales cambios políticos en la cúspide del poder . Pero, aun siendo menos conocida, no sería menor la importancia bélica que en los campos de batalla protagonizarían los pretorianos en numerosas ocasiones como unidad militar y que a la postre les consagraría como uno de los pilares fundamentales del régimen imperial prácticamente desde su creación, en tiempos de Augusto , hasta su desmantelamiento llevado a cabo por el emperador Majencio.
Como cuerpo de élite del ejército, reconocidos como los mejor entrenados y preparados como demostraron en no pocas ocasiones, y en base a su especial misión recibían una paga superior al del resto de soldados; y su tiempo de servicio era varios años menor, por lo que resultaban ser la envidia del resto de unidades militares y en particular de aquellos que servían en el limes del imperio . Es por ello que trataremos aquí de realizar un estudio esquemático sobre su formación, estructura, actuaciones, etc. con el fin de ahondar en el conocimiento de esta institución muchas veces denostada por algunas de sus intervenciones.

The paper discusses the proposed reconstructions of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus from the 19th century to more recent scholarship. These offer three main models, summarized as the short, medium and extra long size models.
The small size model proposes a small temple built on a huge platform.
The medium size model interprets the remains of the temple of Jupiter as corresponding to the podium of the temple, while the extra-long model hypothesizes that the podium of the temple also includes the remains of two or more walls at the rear of the cells, usually identified as links between the podium and the retaining walls of the Capitoline Hill.
Among these, the medium size model appears as the most probable, or at any rate, the least unrealistic.

In recent years, mainly due to the uncompromising struggle of Ultra-Orthodox activists against archaeological excavations of ancient burials, the study of such areas has become less prominent than it was in the past and the amount of new discoveries has likewise diminished. However, due to the extensive development that has taken place throughout the city and has led to hundreds of salvage excavations, several discoveries and investigations of Jewish burial caves have become possible. Some of these finds were rather extraordinary, involving proper excavation of some burial caves, whereas the investigation of others had to be less thorough.


This article describes two monumental burial caves from the Second Temple period (Early Roman Period) documented in the northern necropolis of Jerusalem.

This paper presents an analysis of the architectural components of the decorated facade followed by a general discussion and comparative study of the composition of the entire facade as a means of providing a relative dating for the burial caves.

RE: Facades, illusions & ideological concepts created & promoted by ancient royalty out of necessity; effective creation of an alternate version of reality. It is only by knowing this information that the true nature of ancient texts may be understood correctly. Not knowing, means making incorrect assumptions & conclusions. Important!