Academy Vivarium Novum Scholarship Oppotunities

From the mailbag:

Announcement of Competition: Latin, Greek and Humanities
at the Academy Vivarium Novum in Rome – Italy
Academic year 2014-2015

The Academy Vivarium Novum is offering ten full tuition scholarships for high school students (16-18 years old) and ten full tuition scholarships for University students (18-24 years old) of any part of the world. The scholarships will cover all of the costs of room, board, teaching and didactic materials for courses to be held from October 6, 2014 until June 13, 2015 on the grounds of the Academy’s campus at Rome.

Application letters must be sent to info AT vivariumnovum.net by July 1st in order to receive consideration.

The courses will be as follows:
– Latin language (fundamental and advanced)
– Greek language (fundamental and advanced)
– Latin composition
– Roman History
– Ancient Latin literature
– History of ancient Philosophy
– Renaissance and Neo-Latin literature
– Latin and Greek music and poetry
– Classics reading seminars

The goal is to achieve a perfect command of both Latin and Greek through a total immersion in the two languages in order to master without any hindrances the texts and concepts which have been handed down from the ancient times, middle ages, the Renaissance period and modern era, and to cultivate the humanities in a manner similar to the Renaissance humanists.

All the classes will be conducted in Latin, except for Greek classes which will be conducted in ancient Greek.

In the letter the prospective student should indicate the following:


1. Full name;
2. Date and location of birth;
3. What school you currently attend;
4. How long you have studied Latin and/or Greek;
5. Which authors and works you have read;
6. Other studies and primary interests outside of school.


In addition, please attach a recent photograph and a copy of your passport or your ID card.

(For more information about the Academy, you may visit the website www.vivariumnovum.net.)

Treasure Hunters Blow Up Rock Cut Tomb in Olba

I’m a bit confused by this one from Hurriyet:

A 12,000-year-old tomb made of rock in the southern province of Mersin’s Silifke district has been blown up with dynamite by treasure hunters.

The assistant head of Olba archaeological excavations, Murat Özyıldırm said during a visit to the ancient city with his students on March 5, 2011, that he had found a dynamite mechanism in the tomb and saved the tomb by informing the gendarmerie. But treasure hunters finally succeeded in blowing up the tomb this time, after three years, on April 26. In the explosion, a large part of the tomb received great damage.

Gazi University Archaeology Department member and head of the Olba excavations, Professor Emel Erten said the Uzuncaburç gendarmerie station, which had been closed, should be reopened. She said they had been fighting against treasure hunters and have tried to make their voice heard with scientific publications, conferences and through the media.

“For years we have been telling officials, including the Gendarmerie General Command, that the closure of the Uzuncaburç gendarmerie station has helped treasure hunters in Olba. The ancient city has had a watch guard for the last eight months. But this last event proves that it is not enough. Our fears came true and one of the most precious pieces in the ancient city of Olba was damaged greatly,” she said.

Özyıldırım said the closure of the gendarmerie station was an unforgivable mistake. “The Kırobası gendarmerie station, which is half an hour away from Olba, is not able to protect the ancient city,” he said.

via: Treasure hunters destroy tomb

… as far as I’m aware, this is all Seleucid territory and I had always thought these (famous) rock cut tombs in the area were either Hellenistic or Roman. Is that 12 000 years b.p. date correct?

Linear B Ideograms: Level 5.0 Advanced Ideograms formed by Combinations of Syllabograms | Linear B, Knossos & Mycenae

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