Bread and Circuses

The Death of Decius

The death of the emperor Decius is kept deliberately vague in this week's episode of Emperors of Rome, primarily because it is. It can be worked out roughly. In CIL 6.31129, in a dedication in the Atrium of Vesta and which can be dated to June 9, Decius is hale and hearty. And by the time of CIL 6.31130, also in Rome, and which can be dated to June 24, he is divus and so certainly dead.

Omnes Viae: Itinerarium Romanum

Great classical geek summer holiday fun based on the Tabula Peutingeriana via AWOL. Omnes Viae is a route planner with all main roads and cities of the Roman Empire. This site uses the research of Richard Talbert. So if you want to go from Cologne to Mainz, it gives you:

Iter brevissimum

Ab 'Agripina' ad 'Mogontiaco'
Summa LXXV Milia Passuum / Leuga Gallica.
Fere VI dies.

• Agripina (Köln)
• xi.
• Bonnae (Bonn)
• viii.
• Rigomagvs (Remagen)
• ix.
• Antvnnaco (Andernach)
• Fl. Mvsallaix.
• Conflventes (Koblenz)
• viii.
• Bontobrice (Boppard)
• ix.
• Vosavia (Oberwesel)
• ix.
• Bingiv̄ (Bingen)
• xii.
• Mogontiaco (Mainz)

#30 Decius: Emperors of Rome

Emperors of Rome continues with Decius, the first Roman emperor to die in battle against a foreign enemy.

   

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#29 Philip the Arab: Emperors of Rome

Emperors of Rome continues with Philip the Arab, who celebrated the 1,000^th anniversary of the founding of Rome in April 238.

  

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Reuters has a better class of journalist

From the wire yesterday in a story about how political consensus in Italy helped calm the market and prevented a meltdown. Livy in the third par:

13:15 13Jul11 -Italy political consensus helps calm markets
   By James Mackenzie and Deepa Babington     
   ROME, July 13 (Reuters) - Rapid agreement by Italy's government and opposition parties to pass debt-cutting measures helped calm markets on Wednesday but policymakers, fearing a prolonged market attack, demanded Europe find a definitive plan to solve the euro zone debt crisis.     
   Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti, widely seen as the guarantor of Italian financial stability said the government's four-year, 40 billion euro austerity package would be approved by Friday and he brushed aside rumours that he may step down.
   "Hic manebimus optime," he told a meeting of the Italian banking association, using a phrase borrowed from the Roman historian Livy.

#28 Gordian III: Emperors of Rome

Emperors of Rome continues with Gordian III, a young emperor kept on the straight and narrow by his praetorian prefect.

   

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#27 Emperors of AD238: Emperors of Rome

Emperors of Rome continues with the Emperors of AD238, four emperors between Maximinus Thrax and Gordian III. They were recognised by the Senate, but not by the empire.

  

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