#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for August 3, 2021

Hodie est a.d. III Non. Sext. 2774 AUC ~ 25 Hekatombaion in the first year of the 700th Olympiad

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Mention the word gladiator and you would be forgiven for instantly thinking of the 2000 namesake epic movie. Of spectators watching on as men battled each other with a variety of weapons, sometimes to the death, for the entertainment of the crowd. But did women also fight as gladiators? Was the gladiatrix a thing? The references are rare and vague and much debate still surrounds this topic. To talk through the literary and archaeological evidence that survives, Tristan chatted to Alisa Vanlint at the Chalke Valley History Festival. A member of Legio II Augusta, Alisa is an actor and gladiatorial combat specialist.

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‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends trials and debates among the common people.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)

#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for August 2, 2021

Hodie est a.d. IV Non. Sext. 2774 AUC ~ 24 Hekatombaion in the first year of the 700th Olympiad

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The volume of Roman history builds, along with its perceived historicity, in the 4th century BCE. Dr. Gary Forsythe, Texas Tech University, returns to the show to discuss the Roman Republic in the early fourth century BCE.

Hannibal Barca is one of the most well-documented Carthaginians and became legendary because of his efforts in the Second Punic War. Dr Eve MacDonald, Cardiff University, joins the show to share what’s known about who he was and the life he lived.

The conquest of Egypt by Alexander and establishment of the Ptolemaic dynasty differed from previous foreign invaders like the Hyksos or the Persians. While the Ptolemies would very much present themselves as traditional pharaohs, they would bring thousands of Greek immigrants, founded poleis, and imported Greek culture en masse. For the indigenous Egyptians, Ptolemaic rule required them to live with two “faces”: those like Manetho, an Egyptian priest of Amun-Ra who composed an influential history of Egypt in Greek known as the “Aegyptiaca”, would continue to work under the new regime. Others were able to exploit “Hellenization” as a means of advancement, seen in the archives of the mixed Greco-Egyptian military family of Dryton and Senmonthis-Apollonia, revealing the complexities of ethnic and cultural identity. But we also can see the tensions between the Greek and Egyptian communities, which could explode in bouts of violence and rebellion. In this episode we look to see how the Egyptians responded to the arrival of a new political, social, and cultural elite.

Alexander the Great is one of the most famous generals and empire builders in history, but the story of his death is almost as remarkable as his life. For this episode, our host and Alexander the Great superfan, Tristan Hughes, joins Dan Snow to tell the almost unbelievable tale of what happened after Alexander died. The ensuing titanic struggle for power and control over Alexander’s empire involves war, body snatching, extremely slow carriage chases and a thousand soldiers being eaten alive by crocodiles in the Nile.

Let’s talk about menstruation, shall we? All the fascinating, bizarre, and often troubling ideas we’ve had about it and how we’ve dealt with it throughout time.

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends both the outbreak of disease and a shortage of the necessities of life.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)

#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for July 31, 2021

Hodie est pr. Kal. Aug. 2774 AUC ~ 22 Hekatombaion in the first year of the 700th Olympiad

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Often known as ‘Britain’s first town’, Colchester is a city rich in ancient history and on 24 July 2021, a new exhibition will open at the Colchester Museum revealing more about some of its earliest Roman occupants. Called ‘Decoding the Roman Dead’, the exhibition focuses on cremations found in the area around Colchester dating to almost 2,000 years ago. Thanks to new scientific methods, the team have been able to analyse these burnt remains and find out some astonishing details about who these people were. From gender to pathology to where in the Roman Empire these people came from. To talk all about the new exhibition, and to shine a light on the wealth of information archaeologists can learn from ancient cremations, Tristan from our Sibling podcast The Ancients chatted to Dr Carolina Lima and Dr Glynn Davis. Carolina and Glynn are two of the curators of the exhibition.

For this premiering episode of A.D. History, it is again one of those special occasions where your hosts Paul and Patrick use their combined intellects to tackle a major topic together. In this decade, they go all in and tell the history of how one Lucius Domitius Aurelianus – better known as Emperor Aurelian – did what no other Roman leader could during the Third Century Crisis… reconquer all prior Roman territory that had splintered from the Empire during this Third Century disaster. We look at why Aurelian succeeded where all of his third century contemporaries and predecessors abjectly failed; discussing what he understood that they did not. Aurelian’s achievement amazingly occurred entirely within the first five years of the 270s, serving as the first act of two that would give Rome a new lease on its already vaunted existence.

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

[Saturday] no entry for this day

[Sunday] If it thunders today, it portends slightly better things for the state and general abundance.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)

#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for July 30, 2021

Hodie est a.d. III Kal. Aug. 2774 AUC ~ 21 Hekatombaion in the first year of the 700th Olympiad

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…In this episode we try and unpick the rather confusing mythological origins for the Olympics (no – it’s not as simple as everyone makes it out to be … there are TWO Herakles’s and A LOT of family relations) and bring you our fave fun facts about the ancient event. Mule cart driving anyone?

The Republic of Florence formed in the 12th century and became one of the premiere states in Europe during the period. Dr. Brian Brege, Syracuse University, returns to the show to explain how it was established.

Alex, part of our patreon community asks ‘how much do you feel that luck played a role in ancient combat? Theoretically luck would be more of a factor in the gunpowder age, but I can’t imagine worse luck than being a Roman at Cannae. Low chance of survival, no matter your martial skill. Thoughts?’

The Greek and Persian wars would be a defining moment in the Greek world helping shape the trajectory of development in Greece and around the Aegean for time to come. Even today a detailed ancient account survives describing the events of 2500 years in what is one of the oldest works of history. Herodotus who has been labelled the father of history would be born during the wars and would travel the Greek world later in life collecting all he could, so as to understand what brought the Greeks and Persian to make war. In this episode we will be looking back at the last 18 episodes that looked at the Greco-Persian Wars and try and tie everything together, so as to refresh ourselves on all that has taken place over the 21 years since the Ionian revolt. This will then put us in a good position to then move on with the narrative of the series…

Boudicea wins round one. But Suetonius has bloodshed and destruction on his mind.

In the year 61, Nero deals with riots, treason, Stoics and the death of one of his key advisors.

We are back to our regularly scheduled programming with the early reign of Cleopatra. Now that we know all the moving parts happening, both in Rome and in Egypt, everything comes to a head when Pompey arrives on Egyptian shores. Bad advisors, Caesar being Caesar, and some daring actions myths are made of are in store!!

Sophie (age 7) and Ellie (age 5) tell the story of the Ancient Olympic Games.
With the modern Olympic games starting this week. Sophie and Ellie decide to tell the story of how 3000 years ago the Greeks invented the first Olympic Games. ...

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends men determined to get vengeance engaging in the worst kind of treachery.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)

#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for July 29, 2021

Hodie est a.d. IV Kal. Aug. 2774 AUC ~ 20 Hekatombaion in the first year of the 700th Olympiad

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The ‘Gospel of Jesus’ Wife’ is the latest high profile example of a forged ancient text. Scholars should have known better, but hey, where’s the fun in that? When Fox Mulder meets Elaine Benes the sparks fly and scholarship takes it on the chin. Our panelists are there ringside, sagely opining.

The Second Punic War was the second of three wars principally fought between Rome and Carthage, and lasted 17 years. British historian, Dr Kathryn Lomas, Durham University, returns to the show to explain the series of events.

The Theban Sacred Band was one of the greatest military corps of Ancient Greece, thriving from the city-state of Thebes for almost 50 years in the mid 4th century BC. In addition to their fighting prowess, however, there is another fascinating aspect to their history; this 300-man elite corps was made up of 150 pairs of male lovers, many of them buried side by side where they fell in battle. To hear more about this, Tristan spoke to James Romm, author, reviewer, and James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College in Annandale, New York. James gives us a glimpse of Theban democracy, power struggles between leading city-states, and the growth of eros, sexual love, in Greek public life. His book ‘The Sacred Band’ is out now.

f archaeological digs are anything to go by, Rome was a society of fantastic luxury. Impressive buildings, exotic foods, obedient slaves, and more marble than you could shake a toga at. But when you read ancient sources, there were those who felt uncomfortable with the opulence, and perhaps it was making the Roman’s soft. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends a good harvest.

… adapted from the text and translation of:

Jean MacIntosh Turfa, The Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar, in Nancy Thomson de Grummond and Erika Simon (eds.), The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press, 2006. (Kindle edition)