Ides of March

[Gibbon]

Today is the Ides of March (Martius), on this day in 44BC Dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated in the theatre of Pompey Magnus after been warned by a soothsayer previously to beware the Ides.

When they cremated his body in the forum a comet appeared in the sky which they took to be the spirit of Caesar ascending to heaven and so they declared him a god and built a temple to him at his cremation site. There are still flowers laid here to this day (I saw some in Jan earlier this year).

From then on all future emperors were declared divine and most were defied on their death.


Gibbon in “ a bit of history/boring people to death mode “

[PRC1964]

Deified

PRC in "FW" Mode

[gingerjedi]

Gibbon in “ a bit of history/boring people to death mode “

I was only saying to the wife on the way in "what are the Ides of March"?

Now I know, thankyou.

[Troll]

Today is the Ides of March (Martius), on this day in 44BC Dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated in the theatre of Pompey Magnus after been warned by a soothsayer previously to beware the Ides.

When they cremated his body in the forum a comet appeared in the sky which they took to be the spirit of Caesar ascending to heaven and so they declared him a god and built a temple to him at his cremation site. There are still flowers laid here to this day (I saw some in Jan earlier this year).

From then on all future emperors were declared divine and most were defied on their death.


Gibbon in “ a bit of history/boring people to death mode “

Loved your RaFoTRE.... but kids today don't know about such stuff - I was working 2 contracts ago with a late 20's chap - very intelligent , uni edjumacted who knew feck all about classical studies...and lamented the fact that there was a huge gap in his knowledge

[The Lone Gunman]

<kenneth williams>Infamy, infamy.......... they've all got it in for me</kenneth williams>

[Gibbon]

Loved your RaFoTRE.... but kids today don't know about such stuff - I was working 2 contracts ago with a late 20's chap - very intelligent , uni edjumacted who knew feck all about classical studies...and lamented the fact that there was a huge gap in his knowledge

Yeah good book, actually it was that book that got me interested in the Roman Empire and then onto the Greeks. What amazed me was how much influence and relevance this long ago empire/culture has even today.


Lone Gunman - top line and one of my favourites.

[realityhack]

Yeah good book

Which book? Grateful for a link.

[Gibbon]

Which book? Grateful for a link.

The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire - Edward Gibbon. Get the abridged version if you're new to this stuff as it's a big book and the full version can get ponderous.

HTH

[Churchill]

Deified

PRC in "FW" Mode

Defiled

They were a queer folk those Romans!

[gingerjedi]

Yeah good book, actually it was that book that got me interested in the Roman Empire and then onto the Greeks. What amazed me was how much influence and relevance this long ago empire/culture has even today.


Lone Gunman - top line and one of my favourites.

This has got me thinking about Rome, a fantastic place to visit and probably my favourite city, the whole place is like a giant living museum, add great food, immaculately dressed people and you can walk everywhere providing you watch out for the mopeds! A real cultural experience that everyone should try.

When I was there last I was reading about the slow progress of their metro system, every time they dig they find another historical site to excavate which puts them back a few years.

Venice is fascinating but tarnished by the crowds and extortionate pricing, I was thinking of Florence and Bologna next.