Beachcombing’s Bizarre History Blog: Pyramids in Italy.

ante diem iv kalendas maias

• ludi Florales … a.k.a. Floralia (day 2) — a festival originally ordered in response to an interpretation of the Sybilline books in 238 B.C., it fell into desuetude only to be revived in 173 B.C.; it was a general festival of drinking and other merriment in honour of Flora, who presided over (of course) flowers and their blossoms
• 12 B.C. — consecration of the signum et ara Vestae on the Palatine; it was a shrine built by Augustus as pontifex maximus to house the palladium (maybe) which Aeneas brought from Troy
• 32 A.D. — birth of the future emperor-for-a-little-while Otho
• 1st century — martyrdom of Aphrodisius and companions in what would become Languedoc
• 304 A.D. — martyrdom of Pollio in Pannonia

[this is our 5000th post since moving to WordPress!]

The Silk Road Gourmet: Ancient Roman Cookoff Entry 2: Two Sauces for Fowl and a Patina of Asparagus and Grouse.

Blogging Pompeii: Pompeii & Herculaneum: Rediscovering Roman Art & Culture.

Ancient and Modern Olympics: A death in the gymnasium.