The Planets, Stars, and Rome

From the beginning of the world to it’s end the stars have hung in the sky lighting both night and day. It’s origin speculated, Astrology has been passed through hundreds of cultures. The idea of Astrology was introduced to the Romans through conquest. 

      From Egypt to Asia to Rome, the ideas of Astrology took a heavy root in all cultures across the world. The Romans didn't accept astrology at first, thinking it would take away from the gods. They went so far as to ban it and arrest anyone who studied it. They didn't have control over this type of idea. As a result the roman aristocracy kicked out any astrologers. Even though they were kicked out many astrologers snuck back into Rome and, as time went on, astrology rooted into itself in the culture. using the previous knowledge of astrology while adding the famous Roman twist, they used ideas from Greeks and their own culture to predict the future through the stars. Using the positions, angles, and houses of planets and stars people like the Romans could predict births, deaths, and other significant events. Many Military leaders funded astrologers and soothsayers to keep their positions. Many of the roman emperors such as Tiberius, Augustus, and others were interested in the tabooed astrology. As time passed Rome accepted the ideas of astrology, even they limited the use. Even as they tried to limit it soon Astrology was thought to serve as dialogue to the Divine.

      This type of divination continued throughout thousands of years and is even used today. While we don’t take it as seriously as they might have, but most newspapers and some websites have horoscopes for the twelve signs. This proves that Astrology has a permanent place in our history and our future. You don’t need an astrologist to know that.

Find Your Astrological Sign

Work Cited
"Astrology in Ancient Rome." Astrology in Ancient Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.
"Greece and Rome." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.
"Tour Egypt :: Pharaoh." Pharaoh's Signs of the Zodiac. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.
"Ancient Astrology - Roman Contribution, Roman Contribution to Astrology, Roman Astrological System." Ancient Astrology - Roman Contribution, Roman Contribution to Astrology, Roman Astrological System. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.
Project, North American Cambridge Classics. "Haruspex." Cambridge Latin Course Unit 3: North America Student's Book. S.l.: Cambridge Univ, 2004. N. pag. Print.

Defixio- Part 2

When I think of Curses I think about Louisiana style voodoo, however this has not always been the case in history. The main area that I will be focusing on in regards to curses is Roman Era curses. These were called Defixio in Latin and were widely used throughout their empire. Defixio when broken down, has the word “fix” in it, which essentially means the curse “fixes” the one it was written to. Typically the curse was written on a stone tablet, however this was not always the case as there have been curse tablets found that were engraved in lead sheets or even in the sides of buildings (talk about vandalism).

Roman Swords

The Roman gladius was mostly a stabbing weapon, unlike the slicing single edged katana of Japan and hacking broadsword of Great Britain. The double sided spatha was a longer sword that was used in a cutting motion (Southern). (This is not the same as the katana’s slicing.) The spatha was the longer sword, on average a foot longer than the gladius. Worldwide, the double sided gladius can be classified as a stabbing weapon, where strength and opportunity was more important than mobility and technique. The spatha was used more for ranged attacks. The cuts with this double sided weapon were meant to aim at the organs of the gut or any other exposed area. The Roman weapons were designed for maximum damage in a single strike, not precision. Similar to this was the double sided British broadsword, also called a Claymore in Scotland and sometimes Ireland, was a designed to combat the heavy armor of the era (Sword). The broadsword was between the length of the gladius and spatha. The Japanese katana was a slicing weapon designed to make the most contact possible while also optimizing mobility and formality.

Structure of the Imperial Roman Army

"The greatest military machine in the history of the universe."

"What is? The daleks?"

"No, no no no no no. The Romans!"

-The Doctor and Amy Pond, ¨The Pandorica Opens,¨ Doctor Who


     For this project, I researched the structure of the jobs in a Roman legion. My product can be found here. As well as the legions, which were composed of Roman citizens, the Roman army included auxiliary troops from the empire's various territories. A legion was structured into ten cohorts, each of which consisted of five or six centuries. A century contained either 80 or 160 men. The commanding officer of a century was known as a centurion. Although life in the army was hard and the death rate was moderately high, there was rarely a shortage of men willing to enlist. The prospect of earning wages was appealing to poor citizens who had grown up on farms that produced only enough to feed one family. Additionally, soldiers who completed their service would receive generous payment in money and land, and there was always a possibility of a promotion, bringing increased money and honor.

Roman Baths in Antarctica

Roman baths were extremely popular during the Roman Empire's reign on Europe and part of Africa. But what would one of those baths look like, if it was built during the modern times in Antarctica?

First off, the baths I created were based off of the one in Aquae Sulis. This was a small town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today the town in known as Bath in Somerset. The town's most famous aspect was its baths which began being built in the AD 60s. ("Aquae Sulis"). "From the thermal spring flowed the sacred water of the Celtic spirit Sulis, whom the Romans identified with Minerva, the goddess of healing" (Watney 13). These baths are dedicated to Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. Roman and Celtic mythology relate to each other, which shows just how close the two groups of people have become. These baths, by a Romano-Celtic collaboration, is just one of many other key additions to the Roman lifestyle. The impact these baths had was so prominent, there is even a resort and spa named after it.

Influence Of Region of World on Weaponry-Joe Murray & Max Moss

Weaponry vs. Region of World, How Ancient Roman Weaponry Supports That






There have been a profuse amount of organized militaries (to say the least) throughout the course of mankind. Nearly all of the militaries that have ever existed have been unique and individual, every single one with a different aspect of their military that sets them apart from others. In particular, it is quite evident that militaries often vary based on the region of the world the they are situated in. For example, a Russian Army will be commanded and have different type of weaponry and armor than an army in an African country, or a South American country.






My partner, Max Moss and I, researched the impact of region of the world versus the weaponry and armor, and how Ancient Romans fit into that statement. Not only did we research Ancient Roman weaponry and that specific time period, but other militaries throughout the history of time that were in various regions of the world.









Soviet Union (1939-1945)






The Soviet Union during World War II had one of the most distinct militaries of modern day. What was the biggest influence on their weaponry and equipment? Weather. The Soviet Union was known to having brutal temperatures and deathly cold winters, specifically speaking, temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius, but they actually used this to their advantage. Not only did the Soviet's prepare for the weather, but capitalized when they gained knowledge that their opponents lacked in preparation. When they fought against Finland from 1939-1940 in home territory, the Soviet's wore all white winter suits and painted their tanks white to disguise themselves in the white of the snow. Not only did they use color and disguise to their benefit, but they additionally used skiing as an efficient way of transportation and utilized tanks more effectively because tanks travel easier on snow. As one can clearly see, the Soviet Union's region of the world entirely influenced their weaponry, armor, and strategy.













Native Americans (1622-1700)






During the early 1600’s Native Americans were faced with a new species of human on their turf and these humans had much more advanced weaponry. The only way to survive was through out smarting the enemy by using a type of warfare that was aided by their surroundings. This warfare was guerilla warfare. The main strategy of the Indians was short and quick attacks on their enemies and to keep moving while fighting. The Native American technology during the time was far behind the rest of the world. With rifles being as foreign as the people of Jamestown, the Indians surely had to improvise by using what they had around them. The main weapon that most indians would use is the classic bow and arrow. This was great for the battle field because of its stealth yet lethal ways of attacking. The Native Americans were also able to hand craft most of their weaponry by using the wood from trees around them to make their arrows and bows. Native Americans would also use spears which were also hand crafted from their surroundings.









Ancient Romans (27 BC-476 AD)






Ancient Romans were primarily influenced by the hot climates. They wore light armor that did not fully cover their body. They focused on the chest, shoulders, and crotchal area, while the legs went often unprotected. They walked in sandals, which did not provide much protection, although were beneficial in preserving a healthy body temperature. One must remember that the armor and weaponry had to be limited to ensure the individual could efficiently fight. With that being said, they travelled light in terms of weaponry as well. For example, many infantry soldiers fought with small daggers called a “pugio.” It was light and used not only for fighting but also for surviving in nature as well. Romans also efficiently used space by carrying “darts” on the back of their shields, which had an effective range of 30 feet to harm and physically disrupt opponents. One of the best technological advances in Ancient Roman weaponry that was effective both in terms of temperature and combat was the, “Lorica hamata,” which were essentially interlocked metal rings that served as light body armor, often associated with the middle ages but used in Ancient Rome as well. As evident, Roman weaponry and armor was directly influenced by the region of the world they were in and the temperatures they endured during battle.









Conclusion






To conclude this presentation, ancient weaponry essentially would depend on the weather, technology, and the area in which the civilization lived in. For example, The russians had to mostly adapt to the climate around them but this would also aid them cause no one could wage war in their territory. Native Americans were able to survive amongst the British because of their use of the area around them and using different techniques that were enhanced by the terrain around them. With the Romans they were influenced by the hotter climate which called for lighter weight equipment and a good amount of skin showing so they would not overheat. As one can see, organized militaries throughout humanity have been directly influenced by their region in the world and the Romans appropriately speak to that point.







Bibliography






"American-Indian Wars." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.






Glanz, David (1998). Stumbling Colossus: The Red Army on the Eve of World War. University Press of


Kansas






"Roman Military Equipment." Roman Military Equipment. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

Curse Tablets

In today's world, we expect people to speak their mind if they are feeling aggravated or annoyed. We expect them to talk to others and find healthy ways to move past difficult times. This can not be said for the people of ancient Rome and ancient Greece. During those days people would write curse tablets.  The main purpose for these tablets was for humans to send their wishes to the spirits and Gods for them to work on their behalf, to do them a favor by bestowing illness on their hated ones. This magic was used every day and by almost everyone. These curse tablets were used to put "spells" on others. These "spells" could consist of wishing illness upon others as well as death. Curse tablets can be dated back to 500 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. 

This one seen above would be your typical curse tablet.

Usually the curse tablets were made of lead and the people who wanted to use them would inscribe their wishes upon the lead. Then after doing that they would travel to the baths and toss them in and pray to the Gods for their help and support. For example, in 1979, curse tablets were found at Aquae Sulis, better known now as Bath, England.

It is clear that times have changed since ancient Roman times but have they really? Even though people today may not write on curse tablets, they still from time to time wish they could bestow evil on the ones they dislike. So, with that being said, people today can not look at these curse tablets and think "How could they do such a thing?" we are all victims. Just as most people do this today, 1,000s of people did the same thing years ago. It was been recorded that over 1,600s curse tablets were found all over Europe. You can check it out for yourself here. Some tablets were more extravagant than others. Some tablets go into more detail about the evil they wish upon others and other tablets had more details on the tablets themselves. Some of the more elaborate tablets would specifically curse people who took part in theater, legal professions, lovers, and more (Project MUSE). 

Above you will see a modern curse tablet made by three juniors at East Greenwich High School. The translation comes out to be "We call upon the devil, whoever you are and wherever you lay to curse our mid-term. We ask for floods and snow storms to make the attendance of this dreaded exam impossible."

Thank you. 

Works Cited

"Aquae Sulis." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

Bradley, Colleen M. Romano-British Curse Tablets: The Religious and Spiritual Romanization of Ancient Britain. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

"Curse Tablet." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

Gager, John G. Curse Tablets and Binding Spells from the Ancient World. New York: Oxford UP, 1992. Print.

The Roman Forum

Temple of Concord

What would Rome be like today if the Roman empire had not fallen? Would it be a bustling city as it was during the peak of the Empire years ago? Would the technological advances they would have made propelled society further than we could ever imagine? We will never know due to the course that history took, but we can imagine.

I believe that if the Roman empire had not fallen and had developed with the rest of the world, the forum would have become a shopping mall. Ginger and I did some research on the forum and found out much. The forum was very important in the everyday life of Romans. Ginger and I paid close attention to the Forum Romanum, which was the first forum, in the heart of Rome. The forum was home to many temples. These temples included the Temple of Venus and Roma, Temple of Divine Julius, Temple of Romulus and many more. These temples were dedicated to people and gods, and the Romans would pay tribute to the multitude of gods they worshiped here. The forum also held many Basilicas, or halls used to hold court and meeting places for wealthy Romans. The Rostra was a speaker's platform from which speakers addressed crowds. From this platform many of the great and famous speeches in Roman history were delivered.

The product Ginger and I made was us imaging what the forum would look like if the Roman Empire had not fallen. The Romans were very technologically advanced and would have continued advancing into today. We made the forum into a giant shopping mall consisting of all the aspects of the original forum, in addition to some stores that would be in this mall. The forum was already like a giant outlet store with market places and temples and basilicas, but as time progresses we imagine they would add stores since it would be the central aspect of Rome.

Bibliography: 

"Forum Romanum." Forum Romanum. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

"Forum Romanum." , Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

Watkin, David. The Roman Forum. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2009. Print.

Olsen, Madeline. Roman Architecture. Orlando: Harcourt School, 2006. Print.

Roman Army

https://docs.google.com/a/student.egsd.net/document/d/1BR7loFxt6qiuIe-S3axyPIhfiFXxspu1UhWT58Lep-Q/edit

Over their history, the Romans faced off against a plethora of enemies who used widely varying tactics. They were forced to improvise to defeat their foes on many occasions. Due to this improvisation, the Romans would have been ready to defeat any number of unknown foes. This raises the question, how would the Romans have dealt with fantasy armies, or armies that emerged too late for them to fight. To answer this question, one must analyze Roman tactics, and the tactics of those they never faced.


The Roman army fought in an organized fashion, which allowed them to defeat their early unorganized enemies. They used a modified version of the Greek Phalanx, which gave them infantry power, but more mobility. They used javelins and stabbing swords, but rarely used bows, and placed little importance in cavalry. The Romans would first throw their Javelins in battle and then march forwards in an organized fashion, driving back the enemy. Other tactics included the tortoise (pictured above), which kept the Romans safe from ranged attackers.

The Imperial Walkers, seen in The Empire Strikes Back, were siege machines used by the empire to attack fortified rebel positions. These monstrosities were used in a similar fashion to elephants, as a shock weapon, as well as massive army breaking weapon. They could fire long distances, but had little mobility, and were very slow. This allowed the rebel alliance to eliminated them at the Battle of Hoth by flanking and surrounding them.

The Orc armies in The Hobbit were similar in nature to the barbarian armies the Romans faced during the early empire. The orcs had an overall strategy, but little organization after the battle began. They charged en mass at their enemies, and would attempt to fight individual soldiers on the enemy side. Some more complex tactics used by the orcs included attacking a city left undefended, and use of flying creatures to harass their enemies from above. The orcs used overwhelming numbers to their advantage when at all possible, in addition to surprise tactics.


Finally, the Viking armies of the middle ages used raiding tactics to harass the European coastline. This allowed them to terrorize the continent for hundreds of years. They would raid unprotected areas like monasteries, and then dissapear back into the sea. On land, the Vikingsused a shield wall to protect their forces, similar to Roman tortoise tactics.

Sources

"Viking Weapons and Warfare." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

The Empire Strikes Back. Dir. Irvin Kershner. By Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. Perf. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Billy Dee Williams. Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, 1980.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Warner Brothers UK, 2014. Film.

Watkins, Jack, ed. The Encyclopedia of Classical Warfare. N.p.: Metro, 2011. Print.

Santon, Kate, and Liz McKay, eds. Atlas of World History. N.p.: Parragon, 2011. Print.

The Roman Forum

The forum was a very crucial aspect of Roman life. The forum was the heart of the every Roman city, containing many important buildings. Ella and I decided to focus our attention of the very first forum, Forum Romanum. This was usually a large, open area. This area was usually used as a marketplace, or a meeting place.

In the center of the forum held the Colosseum, along with temples. These temples were used very often by everyday people to pray to Gods, which were very important in their everyday lives along with honor high officials in Rome. The Colosseum was used for entertainment through gladiator battles and other public spectacles.

The right of the forum held more temples, a Basilica, and Triumphal Arches. The basilica was a long hall used as law court and a place for wealthy merchants and Romans to meet. Arches were used as a way to commemorate victories. For example, the Arch of Titus was used to commemorate the victory in the Jewish War. 

To the left of the forum held more temples, Basilicas, and a Curia. The Curia was the location where the Senate met. 

At the far end of the forum held the Rostra, Tabularium, and even more temples. The Rostra was used as a speaker’s platform. This was where Rome’s leaders could address the people. The Tabularium housed the senate archive. 

The Forum held many temples, used to pray to the many Gods that the Romans lived to please, along with honor past emperors and figureheads in Rome. An example of these temples was the Temple of Romulus, which honored Valerius Romulus, the son of the Emperor Maxentius. Another Temple was the Temple of Vespasian, made to honor Emperor Vespasian. 

For the product Ella and I made, we wondered what the Roman Forum would have looked like if the Romans were still around today. Due to the Romans being very technologically advanced for their time, we figured that they would most likely have what resembled a large shopping mall. In the end, Ella and I decided to make a large Roman shopping mall which held these important buildings, along with many other shopping places that the Forum would most likely have. While we only included two levels, there would most likely be many more, including many more shops and buildings from the original Forums.

Works Cited 

"Forum Romanum." Forum Romanum. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

"Forum Romanum." , Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

Watkin, David. The Roman Forum. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2009. Print.

Olsen, Madeline. Roman Architecture. Orlando: Harcourt School, 2006. Print.

Defixio Part 1: The Story Behind the Tablet

This blog post is a creative writing piece about Michael Kowalski's hand made curse tablet. Mike will be writing the formal blog post about my "modernized" curse tablets, while I (Ryan) will write about the curse tablet that HE made and add a little story behind it. This is to show my application of what we learned about the subject.

So without further ado, let us begin, shall we?

Flaws in Armor

Okay so Allison and I did our project together. She looked at weaponry-which she demonstrates in the video. I studied the armor of the three different cultures we've looked at in class (Roman, Egyptian, and British) and constructed my own armor based off of their flaws (also in the video). It did not turn out as well as I would have liked, given the time limit and lack of proper materials on my part. However, during my examination of traditional armor, I found some major flaws. 

Abstract Art's Beginning In Ancient Rome

The (Actually Modern) Ancient Romans

When I think of modern art and abstract art, I think of my dad. He has been painting for many years and he primarily paints abstract. Earth is surrounded by many different forms of art that have evolved from the beginning of time. Perhaps the most notable time period for the first human expressions in the form of art was the Classical Era of Greeks and Romans. The very essence of what most art is today has come from these not-so-humble beginnings in Classical Europe.

My process to explore the influence of Roman art on abstract styles began with my father's project for our living room. An intricate two frame painting that took us two months to complete. Here is one of them (pictured).

Much of abstract art simply relies on a connection with the viewer. Underneath the many layers of paint, and intricately woven within is the artists true purpose for the piece. All art forms have a purpose. History of Art explains, "Roman paintings and sculptures continued to imitate the Greek style, except that its main purpose was the glorification of Rome's power and majesty." While perhaps not the same exactly, abstract art's main purpose is the glorification of creativity and the artist's independence.

Roman art, while mainly for functional purposes, had the same goal of a connection to the viewer. For example, many of the arches and bridges built were the product of ingenuity and creativity on the part of architects (who I'd consider to be artists). These pieces of art had an effect on the citizens of the Roman Empire, just as they do the citizens of individual countries in Europe to this day.

Comparatively, abstract art grew from a negative Roman influence. R. A. Guisepe explains, "The Romans art was used not so much for the expression of great and noble ideas and emotions as for decoration and ostentation. As art became fashionable, it lost much of its spiritual quality." In other words, a need for more introspective and personally charged pieces of art came about from the more glamorous and showy artworks of the Roman Empire. Abstract art came from the lack of expression in Roman artwork and the artwork that was influenced by ancient Rome.


I collected a variety of print sources (paintings, mosaics, inscriptions of Ancient Rome etc.) to complete this painting, as shown below.

Art has been a source for people of all cultures and backgrounds to connect, as art has no definable boundaries or limits. Abstract art especially has a unique ability to convey the artists' intentions with a variety of colors, shapes, and styles combined into one piece. The painting above is just one of hundreds my father has completed, but this one is special because we completed it together; a combination of two people's thoughts, actions and knowledge.

Bibliography: 

Guisepe, A. R. "GREEK AND ROMAN ART." GREEK AND ROMAN ART. History-world.org, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

György Kepes, Sign, Symbol and Image. Print.

Various. "History of Art Origins and Evolution of Visual Arts." History of Art: Origins, Evolution of Visual Arts. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

Stangos, Nikos (editor) (1981). Concepts of Modern Art. Print. Thames and Hudson.

Gooding, Mel (2001). Abstract Art (Movements in Modern Art series). Tate Publishing.