#Thelxinoe ~ Classics News for August 20, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. XIII Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 2 Metageitnion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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2,499 years ago the Persian ‘Great King’ Xerxes launched history’s largest amphibious invasion of Europe before D-Day. Accompanied by a huge army and navy he crossed the Hellespont (modern day Dardanelles), intent on punishing the city-state of Athens and any other Hellenic powers that dared to resist. It was during this campaign that one of history’s most famous battles was fought, at the Pass of Thermopylae in central Greece. King Leonidas, his 300 (or so) Spartans and their Hellenic allies fought off against King Xerxes’ mighty Persian army for three days. To talk through this fascinating battle I’m chatting with Paul Cartledge, a professor from the University of Cambridge and one of the World’s leading experts on ancient Sparta. In this fascinating chat, Paul sorts the fact from the fiction about the doomed Thermopylae defence. He starts by explaining the conflict’s background, before moving on to the battle itself. We finish off by discussing how this famous battle ultimately created what we now know as ‘the Spartan mirage’.

After defeating Glaber on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, Spartacus and his rebels enjoyed a glorious Italian summer—taming wild ponies for their infantry, attracting new recruits, and raiding in the rich Italian farmlands. But all good summers come to an end. The Roman Senate continued to send more experienced generals against Spartacus–even as he struggled to reign in his followers’ worst instincts toward violence. And meanwhile, Rome’s foreign wars were winding down. The clock was ticking.

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends a plague among the cattle and disorder in affairs of the state.

… 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 19, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. XIV Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 1 Metageitnion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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In this weeks episode of PillarTalk, Joe, Will and Lewis discuss some of the origins behind some of the most iconic monsters of ancient mythology including the Minotaur, Cyclops, Sirens and even Hobbits. We discuss some of the social and scientific explanations to their inclusion within folklore and oral tradition and try to deduce how ancient people may have explained these creatures!

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends women and slaves daring to commit murders.

… 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 18, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. XV Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 30 Hekatombaion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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Alexander’s half-sister Cynane becomes the first member of the Argead Dynasty to perish, following the death of her brother in Babylon two years earlier. To prevent a mutiny within the Macedonian Army, Perdiccas marries Cynane’s daughter Adea to her half-uncle, King Philip III. In the aftermath of Cynane’s death, the regency collapses as Antigonus the One-Eyed informs Antipater of Perdiccas plans to set aside his daughter Nicaea to marry Alexander’s sister Cleopatra. Outraged by this insult, and believing the Regent is setting up a play to crown himself as king, Antipater and his son-in-law Craterus vow to throw Perdiccas out of power.  Meanwhile, Alexander’s body makes its way from Babylon to Asia Minor, in preparation for Perdiccas’ plans to bury the king in Macedon and possibly lay claim to the throne. In Syria however, troops under Ptolemy’s command hijack the funeral procession and divert the body to Egypt…

Comitia in Americā habenda;Russī vaccīnum inveniunt; Pax inter Isrāēlītās et Confederātās Phȳlarchiās Arabicās; Persicum petroleum ab Americānīs captum; Turcae et Graecī et Gallī; Ruthēnī Albī in tyrannum reclāmant; Mexicānī monent nē cibī īnsalūbrēs emantur.

Book Reviews

Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends civil war.

… 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 17, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. XVI Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 29 Hekatombaion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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1st part in my retelling of the Jason and the Golden Fleece myth.

Tarvisii, ubi pater ortus est, dum bellum saevit.

In this episode, we will be looking at two regions of Asia Minor and the Black Sea: the first is Galatia, home to the descendants of the Celtic tribes who marauded their way through Greece before being settled in central Anatolia, remaining an enclave of Celtic culture while serving as mercenaries (and foes) to the Hellenistic kingdoms. The second is the Odrysian Kingdom of Thrace, a formerly powerful entity along the Bosporus which, underneath the reign of the ambitious King Seuthes III (~330 – 300/295), would attempt to restore their previous greatness during the Wars of the Diadochi. Using these two case studies, we’ll explore the nature of self-identity, what it means to be a “barbarian”, and the successes and failures of Hellenization.

In this episode Dr Andrew Ollerton and Dr Dirk Jongkind ask whether we can have confidence to trust the Gospel manuscripts and how the Gospel accounts have been passed on to the present day. Dr Dirk Jongkind is probably best-known as editor of the…

Book Reviews

Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends gloom for people of the lower classes.

… 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 the Weekend of August 15-16, 2020

~ David Meadows ~ rogueclassicist ~ Leave a comment

Hodie est a.d. XVII Kal. Sept. 2772 AUC ~ 28 Hekatombaion in the fourth year of the 699th Olympiad

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53 BCE – The first major encounter between the Romans and the Parthians involved the mighty Roman army taking on an extremely unusual army.  It was an army with absolutely no infantry.  Find out what Crassus would do to deal with this unique threat.

Caesar receives a dictator’s welcome as he enters Roman society and seeks approval of the auspices. Vorenus has a party and an offering as he enters civilian life. Pullo throws his newfound wealth around. We are also joined by special guest Julian Farino, director of this episode of Rome.

Dan finds out what’s going on with recent excavations at Vindolanda, one of the largest Roman forts near Hadrian’s Wall. All manner of discoveries have been made, including the largest collection of Roman footwear found anywhere in the world.

Bettany Hughes and guests discuss Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem, The Iliad, and look at its origins, themes and continuing relevance to people across the world. [from 2016]

Following the Battle of the River Trebia, Hannibal descended upon the rich province of Etruria in his advance into Italy. The new Roman consul, Gaius Flaminius, set out to confront the invaders with a mixture of fresh recruits as well as the survivors from Trebia. Arrogant, brash, and reckless, Flaminius led his legionaries in hot pursuit of the marauding Carthaginians – just as Hannibal intended. Flaminius finally caught up with Hannibal near the shores of Lake Trasimene, a name which would soon be rendered hateful to Roman ears…

Move over Hannibal. More over Carthage. This podcast is all about a much BIGGER elephant power in antiquity. A power that, at its height, stretched from modern day Bulgaria to the Hindu Kush: the Seleucid Empire. Existing for almost 250 years, throughout this Empire’s long history the Indian elephant remained right at its heart. On the battlefield these giant beasts of war became symbolic of Seleucid warfare, fighting in almost all (if not all) the major military encounters the Seleucids had with other powers: from Ipsus to Magnesia. But away from the battlefield too, these animals retained their importance, particularly for the Seleucid Kings.

52 BCE – The Battle of Alesia is the story of a siege under siege.  We meet Julius Caesar, who had the Gallic confederation in a precarious spot.  The Gallic leader, Vercingetorix, was entrusted to defend Alesia.  This battle was historically signifant as this was a pivotal part of the wider Gallic Wars between Rome and Gaul.

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Alia

‘Sorting’ Out Your Day:

Today on the Etruscan Brontoscopic Calendar:

If it thunders today, it portends a lasting peace.

… 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)