🔘 NO SOUP FOR YOU “The Senate voted that he (the elder Scipio) should receive a sum of money from the treasury, but the treasurers were not willing to open it on that day; whereupon he said that he would open it himself, for the reason it was kept closed, he declared, was because he had filled it with so much money.” Plutarch, Sayings Of The Romans

🔵 PROBUS FIGHTS FRANKS, BURGUNDI AND VANDALS “Another of his battles was against the Franks, whom he subdued through the good conduct of his commanders. He made war on the Burgundi and the Vandals. But seeing that his forces were too weak, he endeavored to separate those of his enemies, and engage only with apart. His design was favored by fortune; for the armies lying on both sides of the river, the Romans challenged the barbarians that were on the further side to fight. This so incensed them, that many of them crossed over, and fought until the barbarians were all either slain or taken by the Romans;  except a few that remained behind, who sued for peace, on condition of giving up their captives and plunder, which was acceded to. But as they did not restore all that they had taken, the emperor was so enraged, that he fell on them as they were retiring, killed many of them, and took prisoner their general Igillus. All of them that were taken alive were sent to Britain, where they settled, and were subsequently very serviceable to the emperor when any insurrection broke out.” Zosimus, New history

🟣 NIGHT BOAT, DAY WALK “Near Tarracina, as you go toward Rome, there is a canal which runs alongside the Appian Way, and is fed at numerous places by waters from the marshes and the rivers. People navigate the canal, preferably by night (so that if they embark in the evening they can disembark early in the morning and go the rest of their journey by the Way), but they also navigate it by day. The boat is towed by a mule.” Strabo

Esch-sur-Sûre, Luxemburg

⚪️ A TOUR OF EGYPT “Scipio Africanus came to Alexandria along with other ambassadors, to view the whole kingdom of Egypt. Ptolemy met them in pomp and state, with a great retinue, and feasted them sumptuously, and, going about with them, showed them his palace and treasury. But they, being persons eminent for virtue, contented themselves with a spare and wholesome diet, and scorned the rich food they were given, as prejudicial both to mind and body. As for those things which the king esteemed as rarities and admirable, they only glanced their eyes upon them, and looked on them as things of no value; but they observed most carefully those things which were really worth their viewing; such as the situation of the city, and its prosperity, and particularly the features of the Pharos. From there they sailed to Memphis, and took notice of the goodness of the land, the advantages provided by the river Nile, the number of the cities, the infinite thousands of inhabitants, the strong defences of Egypt, the excellence of the country, and how well it was provided to support and defend a large empire. Having admired both the populousness of Egypt, and the advantages of the county, they were of opinion that the kingdom of Egypt could easily swell into a vast empire, if it once had worthy masters. After the ambassadors had viewed all they needed of Egypt, they went to Cyprus, and thence on to Syria.” Diodorus Siculus

🟢 CLOACINA Cloacina was the Roman goddess of the sewers, her name derived from the Latin word "cloaca" meaning sewer. She held responsibility for the efficient functioning of the vast Roman sewer systems, and also offered protection to the workers who maintained these vital underground networks. The Romans honored her with a shrine, the Sacrum Cloacina, built directly above the Cloaca Maxima, Rome's primary sewer. This shrine likely served a dual purpose, acting as both a sacred space and a practical access point, perhaps a rather ornate manhole. Cloacina held an important place in Roman religion, associated with cleanliness, purification, and even fertility. Romans believed she played a crucial role in maintaining the health and prosperity of their city. Originally an Etruscan goddess, Cloacina was adopted by the Romans around the 1st century BCE. She also became associated with Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Her shrine in the Roman Forum was a significant religious site, and the remnants of its foundations can still be seen in Rome today.

⚫️ CAMPAIGNING IN DALMATIA “For the place itself had been strongly fortified and a river with a swift current flows all around its base except for a short distance. But the deserters fell into a dispute with the inhabitants, because the latter were anxious for peace, and came to blows with them. They were assisted by the women in the fort, for these, contrary to the decision of the men, craved liberty and were ready to suffer any fate whatever rather than servitude. Accordingly a fierce struggle ensued, and the deserters were worsted and surrendered, though some of them made their escape; but the women, catching up their children, either threw themselves into the flames or hurled themselves into the river below. Thus that fort also was taken, whereupon the other places in its vicinity voluntarily made terms with Germanicus; and he, after accomplishing this much, rejoined Tiberius, leaving Postumius to complete the subjugation of the remaining districts.” Cassius Dio

🟡 THE SMARTER SAMNITE “Pontius took counsel with his father, sending to Caudium to fetch him in a carriage on account of his age. The old man said to him: "My son, for a great enmity there is but one cure,--either extreme generosity or extreme severity. Severity terrifies, generosity conciliates. Regard this first and greatest victory as a treasure-house of good fortune. Release them all without punishment, without shame, without loss of any kind, so that the greatness of the benefit may inure to your advantage. I hear that they are very sensitive on the subject of their honor. Vanquished by benefits only, they will strive to surpass you in deeds of kindness. It is in your power to attain this state of kindly action as a security for everlasting peace. If this does not suit you, then kill them to the last man, not sparing one to carry the news. I advise as my choice the former, otherwise the latter is a necessity. The Romans will avenge themselves inevitably for any shame you put upon them. In that case you should strike the first blow and you will never deal them a heavier one than the slaughter of 50,000 of their young men at one time." Appian, the foreign wars

🟤 THE SELEUCID WAR 192-188 BC The Romans saw Greece as their sphere of influence and Asia Minor as a buffer area while the Seleucids saw Asia Minor as a core part of their empire with Greece as the buffer zone. After the Aetolian League triggered a small war which drew in Antiochus, Rome and the Seleucids came to blows. Antiochus' landed in Greece but was forced to retreat across the Aegean after being defeated at the Battle of Thermopylae by the consul of 191 BC, Manius Acilius Glabrio. The Aetolians attempted to reach a settlement with the Romans but were unsuccessful in the face of excessive Roman demands. Antiochus' naval forces in the Aegean were defeated in two major engagements which saw the Roman coalition gain naval superiority. The consul of 190 BC, Lucius Cornelius Scipio, then pursued Antiochus into Asia Minor with the support of the Pergamene king Eumenes II. The Battle of Magnesia in modern day Turkey was a decisive Roman victory that crushed Antiochus' forces and effectively ended the war. The war concluded with the Treaty of Apamea, which severely weakened the Seleucid Empire. Antiochus was forced to cede significant territories in Asia Minor to the Romans and their allies. Antiochus ceded all of his territories beyond the Taurus mountains to Roman allies and paid a large indemnity covering the Roman cost of the war. The Aetolians reached separate terms with the Romans, reducing them to a Roman client state, the next year. The Romans thereby gained uncontested hegemony over the Greek city-states in the Balkans and Asia Minor while also largely excluding the Seleucids from the Mediterranean.

🔶 SERTORIUS FINDS A GIANT “In this city the Libyans say that Antaeus is buried; and Sertorius had his tomb dug open, the great size of which made him disbelieve the Barbarians. But when he came upon the body and found it to be sixty cubits long (26 meters?), as they tell us, he was dumbfounded,⁠ and after performing a sacrifice filled up the tomb again, and joined in magnifying its traditions and honours. Now, the people of Tingis have a myth that after the death of Antaeus, his wife, Tinga, consorted with Heracles, and that Sophax was the fruit of this union, who became king of the country and named a city which he founded after his mother; also that Sophax had a son, Diodorus, to whom many of the Libyan peoples became subject, since he had a Greek army composed of the Olbians and Mycenaeans who were settled in those parts by Heracles. But this tale must be ascribed to a desire to gratify Juba, of all kings the most devoted to historical enquiry; for his ancestors are said to have been descendants of Sophax and Diodorus.” Plutarch

🔺 THE IDES OF MARCH HAVE NOT YET PASSED “The knowledge of Spurinna (the soothsayer) in interpreting the warnings of the gods was more accurate than the city of Rome would have desired. For he foretold to C. Caesar, that he should beware of the deadly aspect of the next thirty days, the last of which was the Ides of March.” “Upon that day in the morning, when they were both in the house of Calvinus Domitius, Caesar exclaimed to Spurinna, "Do you realise that the Ides of March have now come?" And he replied, "Do you realise, that they have not yet passed? The one had cast off all fear, believing the time of danger was over; though the other did not think even the last minute to be void of danger.” Valerius Maximus

🔘 LOVE “A certain Lucanian soldier was accused of wandering often from the camp at night for love of a young woman. Fabius, on hearing the accusation, ascertained that in other respects the man was an admirable man-at‑arms, and he ordered that they secretly seize the man's mistress and bring her to him. When she was brought, he sent for the man, and said to him, "Your being away at night, contrary to the regulations, has not passed unnoticed, nor, on the other hand, your own good service in the past. Therefore let your offences be atoned for by your brave and manly deeds, and in future you will be with us, for I have a surety." And leading forward the girl he presented her to him.” Plutarch, Sayings Of The Romans

🔵 THE ORACLE AGAINST THE PALMYREENS “Another story was likewise much circulated of the Palmyrenes. Between Heliopolis and Bilbis is a place called Aphaca, where is a temple dedicated to Venus Aphacitis, and near it a pond resembling an artificial cistern. Here is frequently seen, near the temple and in the adjacent places, a fire in the air, resembling a lamp, of a round figure, which has appeared even in our time, as often as people have assembled there on particular days. Whoever resorted hither, brought to the pond some offering for the goddess, either in gold, silver, linen, silk, or any thing of like value. If she accepted it, the cloth sunk to the bottom, like substances of greater weight; but if rejected, they would float on the water; and not only cloth and such substances, but even gold, silver, or any other of those materials which usually sink.  For an experiment of this miracle, the Palmyrenes, in the year before their overthrow, assembled on a festival, and threw into the pond several presents of gold, silver and cloth, in honor of the goddess, all of which sunk to the bottom. In the following year, at the same festival, they were all seen floating on the surface; by which the goddess foretold what would happen.” Zosimus, New history

🟣 THE SABINE LANDS “The country the Sabini live in is narrow, but taken lengthwise it reaches even a thousand stadia from the Tiber and the little town of Nomentum, as far as the country of the Vestini. They have but few cities and even these have been brought low on account of the continual wars; they are Amiternum, and Reate (near which is the village of Interocrea, and also the cold springs of Cotiliae, where people cure their diseases, not only by drinking from the springs but also by sitting down in them). Foruli too belongs to the Sabini — a rocky elevation naturally suited to the purposes of a revolt rather than habitation. As for Cures, it is now only a small village, but it was once a city of significance, since it was the original home of two kings of Rome, Titius Tatius and Numa Pompilius; hence, the title "Curites" by which the public orators address the Romans. Trebula, Eretum, and other such settlements might be ranked as villages rather than cities. As a whole the land of the Sabini is exceptionally well-planted with the olive and the vine, and it also produces acorns in quantities; it is important, also, for its domestic cattle of every kind; and in particular the fame of the Reate-breed of mules is remarkably widespread. In a word, Italy as a whole is an excellent nurse both of young animals and of fruits, although different species in different parts take the first prize. The Sabini not only are a very ancient race but are also the indigenous inhabitants (and both the Picentini and the Samnitae are colonists from the Sabini, and the Leucani from the Samnitae, and the Brettii from the Leucani). And the old-fashioned ways of the Sabini might be taken as evidence of bravery, and of those other excellent qualities which have enabled them to hold out to the present time. Fabius, the historian, says that the Romans realised their wealth for the first time when they became established as masters of this tribe. As for the roads that have been constructed through their country, there is not only the Via Salaria (though it does not run far) but also the Via Nomentana which unites with it at Eretum (a village of the Sabine country, situated beyond the Tiber), though it begins above the same gate, Porta Collina.” Strabo

⚪️ THE TREATY RECONSIDERED “The Numantines and Termessians sent ambassadors to the Romans, to treat for a peace, which was granted to them upon these conditions. That they should each deliver up their cities to the Romans, three hundred hostages, nine thousand military cloaks, three thousand hides, eight hundred war-horses, and all their weapons; and that they should be friends and allies to the Romans. A day was set for the cities to comply with these conditions, and they acted according to the terms; but when at last it came to delivering up of their weapons, there arose a noble regret and lamentation, and a courageous resolution in the populace to regain their liberties. Therefore they were angry one at another that they should ever have considered that they should, like women, strip themselves of their weapons. Repenting of what had been decided, the fathers reproached their sons, children their parents, and women their husbands; and so, coming to themselves again, and resolving not to deliver up their weapons, they renewed the war with Romans.” Diodorus Siculus

🟢 WASHING CLOTHES The Romans used urine to wash their clothes. They believed that urine was a natural source of ammonia, which could help to clean and whiten clothes. They would collect urine from public toilets or from their own homes, and then they would use it to soak and wash their clothes.

⚫️ LIVIA SPEAKS WITH AUGUSTUS “To this Augustus replied: "But, wife, I, too, am aware that no high position is ever free from envy and treachery, and least of all a monarchy. Indeed, we should be equals of the gods if we had not troubles and cares and fears beyond all men in private station. But precisely this is what causes my grief, — that this is inevitably so and that no remedy for it can be found." "Yet," said Livia, "since some men are so constituted as to want to do wrong in any event, let us guard against them. We have many soldiers who protect us, some arrayed against foreign foes and others about your person, and also a large retinue, so that by their help we may live in security both at home and abroad." Cassius Dio