Not sure I’ve ever had something from the Sun, so:

A PENSIONER who dresses as a Roman gladiator and calls himself Maximus Decimus Meridius has admitted his obsession may be “over the top”.

Tony Barnatt Jose, a retired lorry driver, has devoted his life to the ancient empire — turning his house into a shrine and even making pilgrimages to Rome.

His fixation was sparked when he saw Russell Crowe’s epic movie Gladiator.

The 66-year-old grandfather has adorned the walls of his terraced home in Durham with shields, helmets, masks, pictures and cuttings.

He spends hours poring over books and watching films about the Roman Empire and wears a full suit of replica armour.

Mr Barnatt said: “After seeing Gladiator, I read a book about Hannibal, the military commander.

“I started going to the library and reading more about Roman history, going to Roman forts and collecting antiquities.

“Since then my obsession has just got worse and worse.

“The Romans left such a legacy all over the world. Even now, Rome carries on — even in America with the Senate.”

He added: “Everybody knows me as Maximus Decimus Meridius. Lots of people think I am mad.

“But so what, as long as it doesn’t harm anyone. I really enjoy it. The clothes and armour look real and I think they’re really great.”

Mr Jose estimates his Roman fascination now takes up three-quarters of his time.

The front door of his house bears the nameplate Rome and the house number is in Roman numerals.

His desk is a production line for homemade scrolls, armour and his next weapon — although the law prevents him from carrying a real sword.

He is now offering to attend events and parties in his gladiator costume, to raise cash for charity.

via Rome devotee: Call me Maximus | The Sun |News.

This one seems to be getting an awful lot of attention in the Italian press for some reason … a 2nd or 1st century B.C. amphora find from the waters near Bari.

Un’anfora romana risalente al periodo compreso fra il II ed il I secolo a.C. è stata scoperta su un fondale sabbioso non molto lontano dal porto di Bari e recuperata dai carabinieri del Nucleo subacquei. Si tratta del primo recupero archeologico eseguito dal Nucleo subacquei carabinieri di Bari che opera nel capoluogo pugliese dallo scorso 26 ottobre. Il nucleo è costituito da otto uomini, tutti operatori subacquei, impegnati a tutela delle persone e dei natanti, nella prevenzione dei reati ambientali in acqua e nel recupero di relitti e tutela dei beni archeologici. Ha sede sul Molo Pizzoli. Il recupero del reperto – a quanto si è saputo – è avvenuto mentre i militari stavano facendo un’immersione di addestramento e hanno scoperto l’antico reperto archeologico, parzialmente ricoperto di sabbia. Si tratta – hanno confermato gli esperti del Comando tutela patrimonio culturale – di una «lamboglia 2», un’anfora dal corpo ovoidale di circa un metro e venti di altezza, con le anse applicate sotto l’orlo, impiegata nell’antichità per il trasporto di liquidi, in particolare vino. Un manufatto tipico dell’area mediterranea che per il suo uso viene denominata «vinaria». Il reperto, dopo il recupero, è stato trasportato in un’apposita vasca d’intesa con la Soprintendenza dei beni archeologici.

via Ripescata un’antica anfora romana – Corriere del Mezzogiorno

… and I just learned from an article by Joann Freed that Lamboglio 2 vessels are equivalent to Dressel 6a (I think) … not sure why Dressel keeps coming up today!

Joann Freed, EARLY ROMAN AMPHORAS IN THE COLLECTION OF THE MUSEUM OF CARTHAGE, EMC/CV XL, n.s. 15, 1996, 119-155

A doctor had some 930 archaeological artifacts in his possession … seems to be one of those ‘private museum’ situations:

I carabinieri del nucleo tutela patrimonio culturale della Sicilia e del Comando provinciale dei carabinieri di Agrigento hanno sequestrato 930 reperti archeologici all’interno dell’abitazione di un medico agrigentino. Secondo quanto ha spiegato il capitano Giuseppe Marseglia del nucleo tutela patrimonio culturale di Palermo si tratta del maggiore sequestro di reperti archeologici degli ultimi dieci anni in Sicilia. I militari hanno sequestrato diversi crateri a figure rosse di epoca greca, ma anche reperti protostorici, bizantini, ellenistici ed anche del basso medioevo. Il provvedimento di sequestro e’ stato firmato dal sostituto procuratore Giacomo Forte e dal procuratore aggiunto Ignazio Fonzo. Il medico e’ stato denunciato per ricettazione e la sua posizione e’ al vaglio della magistratura. A mettere i carabinieri sulle tracce del “museo privato” e’ stata una segnalazione. Tutti i reperti saranno consegnati ora alla Soprintednenza di Agrigento. Il loro valore si aggira attorno a un milione di euro.

via 930 REPERTI ARCHEOLOGICI SEQUESTRATI A AGRIGENTO | AGI.

The Greek p.m. comments on the bailout:

On Friday, Papandreou said he hoped accessing the rescue package would give Greece the breathing room it needs to move forward on his reform agenda, which includes modernizing the Greek state and tackling the country’s pension morass. Evoking the ancient hero Odysseus and his epic journey home from the Trojan War, the American-born Prime Minister also warned that Greeks should have no illusions about how tough the process will be. “We are on a difficult path, a new odyssey for Greece and for the Greek nation,” he said. “But we know the way to Ithaca, and we have charted the waters in our quest.” Odysseus’ quest took 10 years. The Greeks can only hope their journey to fiscal solvency won’t take as long.

via Greek PM Papandreou Asks E.U. and IMF for Financial Help – TIME.

… assuming the war is over, of course …

Here’s the spoiler (the conclusion) of a nice article in Philosophy Now:

Suddenly Pythagoras came to a stop. A vast bean field stretched before him. He stood frozen, uncertain what to do. His eyes focused on a single bean dangling inches from his papyrus- covered feet. So true was he to his ideals that, even at the risk of losing his own life, he was unwilling to trample upon even a single bean. Staring down upon that vibrant bean, the sun low in the sky, he imagined it to be blossoming into a divine ripeness before him. And as he stood there, hesitating, contemplating his next move, his pursuers caught up with him. They lifted their weapons, and bringing the knifes down hard, spilled Pythagoras’ blood on the plants – ending his life for the sake of a bean, and for the deep wisdom immersed in that diminutive cosmic object.

… a case of “Bean there, done that”?

via The Death of Pythagoras | Philosophy Now .