RANDOM NOTES According to Cassius Dio, Claudius was convinced to invade Britain at the instigation of Verica, the ruler of the Atrebates people a study led by Miles Russell of Bournemouth University has concluded that the longstanding view that Verica was a male, based primarily on ‘rex’ being used on coins, is questionable in that…

Read more →

IN THE NEWS … Five well-preserved wooden wells from Iron Age and Roman periods found during pipeline excavations in England | Archaeology News Online Magazine Ostia Antica Comes to Life Through Virtual Reality: An Immersive Journey Through the Streets and Harbors of the Ancient City China’s first joint archaeological project in Greece uncovers ancient urban…

Read more →

ludi Plebeii (day 6) — the Jupiterfest continues 2348 B.C. — the Great Flood began (according to Polyhistor) 304 A.D. — martyrdom of Orestes in Cappadocia

Read more →

IN THE NEWS … What was an Egyptian sanctuary like 2,700 years ago? Colorful! In Oxford, the lost colors are being recreated 1,600-year-old weapons, including fancy ‘scramasax’ sword, found in burials of Germanic chieftains | Live Science Scientists Finally Crack a 1,600-Year-Old Roman Glass Mystery Roman port and wine production site found on Italy’s Adriatic…

Read more →

mundus patet — the mundus was a ritual pit which had a sort of vaulted cover on it. Three times a year the Romans removed this cover (August 24, Oct. 5 and November 8) at which time the gates of the underworld were considered to be opened and the manes (spirits of the dead) were…

Read more →