I managed to drug myself into falling asleep around ten, but popped completely and utterly awake at three. Five hours' sleep is actually about what I used to run on and I've always been wired to be a morning person, so I won't bitch. I think finally having reasons to a) not stress myself into insomnia and b) not invert my sleep schedule out of ( Read more... )

My afternoon turned unexpectedly frustrating, but I mostly regained my Zen by getting my geek on. I'm delighted that current finds in archaeology are actually rocking out with insight into various bits of legend, magic spells, and other random stuff.

Sacred Cave of Rome's Founders Discovered

Most of y'all probably know the story of Romulus and ( Read more... )

ETA pictures here and additional resouces to support this cracked-out theory here.A few folks have asked me about the Dean-as-Mithras connection I've mentioned. Be warned, O Gentle Readers, this is purely Crack!Research. Will this spoil you for anything upcoming this season? Nope, although it's vaguely spoilerly for "In My Time of Dying." ( Read more... )

After yesterday, I'm feeling SO MUCH LOVE for archaeometry.

Archaeological Chemistry Combines Two Sciences into One Powerful Tool

This article makes me happier than I can describe although, unlike this article, I'm actually quite able to use the word archaeometry. This is truly validation for me stepping back from my doctorate to snag a ( Read more... )

ETA that the "Eternal Damnation" bit was supposed to roll into Constantine's attitude toward the non-Christians in Alexandria but I'm saving that for the comments since this entry was so long. Also added a FANTASTIC link right before the conclusion on the folks most suspected of burning down the library.

( A brief description of yet another bizarre-o dream )

ETA to add this hilarious glimpse of the fun-snarky relationship that Cicero and Caesar had before Cicero got fed up with Caesar and threw his support behind Caesar's rival, Pompey, in 50BCE.That B52's song I used for the Subject line always comes to mind with the wrong "Rome" for me. *g ( Read more... )

ETA links on why anyone cares about Hatshepsut's mummy. She was an amazing woman, to be sure. Here's this and this, too. And because that first link does not clarify the revised New Kingdom timeline, here's this and this.Despite Mason's attempts to convince me that he is clearly perishing from lack of treats, I'm afraid he's not quite as ( Read more... )

( Sometimes, being management is fun. )

Psst. You. Yeah, you. Want in on a little secret?

An archaeologist is now working on a project to establish the actual value of Roman silver coins ( Read more... )

hecateshound observed:

Gladiators? According to everything I've read, the loser was executed =in the arena= with the hammer by a slave dressed as Pluto. Not backstage. This would be to prevent 'cheating' - ie, the gladiator being slipped out alive and the body of a cheaper slave being substituted in his place. Everybody would have wanted to see the execution ( Read more... )