🔺 THE TRIBULUS The tribulus, or caltrop, was a simple yet effective anti-personnel weapon made of iron or wood with sharp spikes arranged so one always pointed up. Romans used them to hinder enemy troops, especially cavalry and chariots, by injuring feet and hooves. Easy to deploy defensively or offensively, they created battlefield chaos. Called "murex ferreus" (jagged iron) by Romans, the name "tribulus" comes from Greek for "three spikes," though Roman versions usually had four. They are even being used in modern times. “Ukraine Drops Ancient Roman Weapons From Drones To Stop Russian Trucks” -Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2024/04/12/ukraine-teams-ancient-and-modern-weapons-to-stop-russian-trucks/

🔘 THE YOUNGER SCIPIO MOCKS PTOLEMY PHYSCON “He was sent out by the Senate a third time as an inspector of cities, peoples, and kings; And when he arrived at Alexandria and, after disembarking, was walking with his toga covering his head, the Alexandrians quickly surrounded him, and insisted that he uncover and show his face to their yearning eyes. And so he uncovered amid shouting and applause. The king could hardly keep up with them in walking because of his inactive life and his pampering of his body, and Scipio whispered softly to Panaetius, "Already the Alexandrians have received some benefit from our visit. For it is owing to us that they have seen their king walk." Plutarch, Sayings Of The Romans

I made things today.

🔵 PROPHECY ABOUT THE LAST SEVERAN “Alexander's contempt for death is clearly shown both by the intrepid spirit with which he always put down the soldiery, and also by the following incident. When Thrasybulus the astrologer, with whom he was on the most friendly terms, told him that it was his destiny to fall by the sword of a barbarian, he first expressed his joy, thinking that he was fated to die in battle in a manner worthy of an emperor; then, speaking at length he pointed out that all the noblest men had died a violent death, mentioning Alexander himself, whose name he bore, then Pompey, Caesar, Demosthenes, Cicero, and other men of note, none of whom had met with a peaceful end. And such was his courage that he thought that he ought to be likened to the gods, were he to perish in battle. But the result deceived his hopes; for he did, indeed, fall by the sword of a barbarian and by the hand of a barbarian guard, but it was not in battle, though during the course of a war.” Historia Augusta

Ate some high quality caviar today. Disgusting as expected.

🟣 BETWEEN THE PYRENEES AND THE RHINE “Again, the Romans conquered these people much more easily than they did the Iberians; in fact, the Romans began earlier, and stopped later, carrying on war with the Iberians, but in the meantime defeated all these — I mean all the peoples who live between the Rhenus and the Pyrenees Mountains. For, since the former were wont to fall upon their opponents all at once and in great numbers, they were defeated all at once, but the latter would husband their resources and divide their struggles, carrying on war in the manner of brigands, different men at different times and in separate divisions. Now although they are all fighters by nature, they are better as cavalry than as infantry; and the best cavalry-force the Romans have comes from these people. However, it is always those who live more to the north and along the ocean-coast that are the more warlike.” Strabo

⚪️ MOTIVATED BY COMPASSION “For two years the subject of Metellus' banishment was debated in assemblies. His son traversed the forum with his beard and hair overgrown, and in a tattered garment, while with tears in his eyes he prostrated himself at the feet of every citizen, entreating them to recall his father. Although the people were very reluctant to make a precedent for exiles to return home in defiance of the laws, yet, in compassion to the young man, and being moved by the earnestness of his entreaties, they recalled Metellus from banishment, and surnamed the son Pius, on account of the singular affection and care that he had for his father.” Diodorus Siculus

🟢 CHIEFTAIN OF THE DACIANS “Scorylo, a chieftain of the Dacians, though he knew that the Romans were torn with the dissensions of the civil wars, yet did not think he ought to venture on any enterprise against them, inasmuch as a foreign war might be the means of uniting the citizens in harmony. Accordingly he pitted two dogs in combat before the populace, and when they became engaged in a desperate encounter, exhibited a wolf to them. The dogs straightway abandoned their fury against each other and attacked the wolf. By this illustration, Scorylo kept the barbarians from a movement which could only have benefited the Romans.” Frontinus: The Strategemata

GN.

⚫️ THE LEGEND THAT IS NERVA “Nerva ruled so well that he once remarked: "I have done nothing that would prevent my laying down the imperial office and returning to private life in safety."  When Calpurnius Crassus, a descendant of the famous Crassi, had formed a plot with some others against him, he caused them to sit beside him at a spectacle (they were still ignorant of the fact that they had been informed upon) and gave them swords, ostensibly to inspect and see if they were sharp (as was often done), but really in order to show that he did not care even if he died then and there.” Cassius Dio

🟡 SLOTH AND GLUTTONY “The Gauls filled themselves to repletion with wine and other luxuries, being intemperate by nature, and inhabiting a country which yielded only cereals, and was unfruitful and destitute of other productions. Thus their large bodies became delicate, distended with fatness, and heavy by reason of excessive eating and drinking, and quite incapable of running or hardship; and when any exertion was required of them they speedily became exhausted by perspiration and shortness of breath.” “He (Camillus) showed them naked to the Romans and said: "These are the creatures who assail you with such terrible shouts in battle, and clash their arms and shake their long swords and toss their hair. Behold their weakness of soul, their slothfulness and flabbiness of body, and gird yourselves to your work." Appian, the foreign wars

🟤 (CRISIS OF THE) THIRD CENTURY EMPERORS LIST. Roman Emperors between Alexander Severus and Diocletian, along with their regnal years: Maximinus Thrax (235-238 AD) Gordian I (238 AD) Gordian II (238 AD) Pupienus (238 AD) Balbinus (238 AD) Gordian III (238-244 AD) Philip the Arab (244-249 AD) Decius (249-251 AD) Hostilian (251 AD) Trebonianus Gallus (251-253 AD) Aemilian (253 AD) Valerian (253-260 AD) Gallienus (253-268 AD) Claudius II Gothicus (268-270 AD) Quintillus (270 AD) Aurelian (270-275 AD) Tacitus (275-276 AD) Florian (276 AD) Probus (276-282 AD) Carus (282-283 AD) Carinus (283-285 AD) Numerian (283-284 AD) Diocletian (284-305 AD)

🔶 HOSTILE HOSPITALITY IN NORTH AFRICA “The Vagenses, in whose town Metellus had placed a garrison at first, at the time when Jugurtha was suing for peace, yielded to the entreaties of the king, towards whom they had always been well disposed, and the leading men of the town entered into a conspiracy. As to the commons, they were of a fickle disposition, as is usually the case and as is particularly true of the Numidians, prone to rebellion and disorder, fond of change and opposed to peace and quiet. Then, after arranging matters among themselves, they appointed the third day from that time, because it was observed as a holiday all over Africa and promised entertainment and festivity rather than danger. However, when the appointed time arrived, they invited the centurions and military tribunes and even the prefect⁠ of the town himself, Titus Turpilius Silanus by name, to their several homes. There all except Turpilius were slain while feasting. The conspirators then fell upon the common soldiers, who were strolling about unarmed, as was natural on such a day, when they were off duty. The commons joined in the massacre, some at the instigation of the nobles, others inspired by a natural fondness for such conduct; for although they knew neither what was being done nor its purpose, they found sufficient incentive in mere revolution and disorder.” “The Roman soldiers, being bewildered by this unexpected peril and not knowing what to do first, were thrown into disorder. They were cut off from the citadel of the town, where their standards and shields were, by a hostile force, and from flight by the gates, closed beforehand. Moreover, women and boys from the roofs of the houses were busily pelting them with stones and whatever else they could lay hands on. It was quite impossible to guard against the double danger⁠ and brave men were helpless before the feeblest of opponents. Side by side valiant and cowardly, strong and weak, fell without striking a blow.” Sallust

🔺 THE THIRD CELTIBERIAN WAR “Aulus Hostilius Mancinus as praetor set out against the Numantines (137 BC, Spain), although he had been warned by birds and some unknown voice recalling him. When he arrived at Numantia, he decided to first correct the discipline of the army, which he had received from Pompeius, and led it off to a deserted place. That day, by chance, was the appointed day on which the Numantines arranged marriages for their daughters; and the father of a beautiful girl, who was being sought by two suitors, set a condition that she would marry the one who brought back the right hand of an enemy. The young men, observing the departure of the Romans as if they were fleeing, rushed back to their own people and reported the matter. They immediately killed twenty thousand Romans with four thousand of their own men. Mancinus, on the advice of Tiberius Gracchus his quaestor, made a treaty according to the enemy's terms. When this treaty was rejected by the senate, Mancinus was surrendered to the Numantines, but they did not accept him. He was brought back to the camp by augury (Augury was a Greco-Roman religious practice of observing the behavior of birds, to receive omens), and afterwards obtained the praetorship.” (The Numantine War 143-133 BC: Numantia's decade-long fight against the Romans in Spain. Ended in destruction of the city of Numantia). [Aurelius Victor] : De Viris Illustribus

🔘 WHEN INTELLIGENCE MEETS SARCASM He (The Elder Cato) said that he preferred to receive no thanks when he had done a favour rather than to suffer no punishment when he had done a wrong, and that he always granted pardon to all who erred, with the single exception of himself. In trying to stimulate the officials to administer sharp rebuke to the erring, he used to say that, if those who have the power to discourage crime do not discourage it, then they encourage it. He said that it gave him more joy to see those of the youth that blushed than those that blanched. He said that he hated a solder who plied his hands in marching and his feet in fighting, and whose snore was louder than his battle-cry. He said that the worst ruler is one who cannot rule himself. He thought it especially necessary for every man to respect himself, since no man is ever separated from himself. Seeing that statues were being set up in honour of many men, he said, "As for myself, I had rather that men should ask why there is not a statue of Cato than why there is." He charged those in power to be sparing of their authority, so that authority might continue always to be theirs. He used to say that those who rob virtue of honour rob youth of virtue. An official or a judge, he said, ought neither to require importuning to grant what is right nor to yield to importuning to grant what is wrong. Wrongdoing, he used to say, even if it brings no risk to its authors, brings risk to all. He used to say that, since there are so many odious things connected with old age, it is only right not to add the odium which comes from vice. He had an idea that the man who has lost his temper differs from him who has lost his mind only in duration of time. He said that those who use their good fortune reasonably and moderately are least envied; for people envy not us but our surroundings. He used to say that those who are serious in ridiculous matters will be ridiculous in serious matters.” Plutarch, Sayings Of The Romans

🔵 ARTAVASDES OF ARMENIA WRITES SHAPUR OF THE SASSANIDS. "I have, indeed, a share in your glory, but I fear that you have not so much conquered as sown the seeds of war. For Valerian is being sought back by his son, his grandson, and the generals of Rome, by all Gaul, all Africa, all Spain, all Italy, and by all the nations of Illyricum, the East, and Pontus, which are leagued with the Romans or subject to them. So, then, you have captured one old man but have made all the nations of the world your bitterest foes, and ours too, perhaps, for we have sent you aid, we are your neighbours, and we always suffer when you fight with each other." Historia Augusta

🟣 ACQUIRING CYPRUS “But when the last Ptolemy that reigned, the brother of the father of Cleopatra, the queen in my time, was decreed to be both disagreeable and ungrateful to his benefactors, he was deposed, and the Romans took possession of the island; and it has become a praetorian province by itself. The chief cause of the ruin of the king was Publius Claudius Pulcher; for the latter, having fallen into the hands of the bands of pirates, the Cilicians then being at the height of their power, and, being asked for a ransom, sent a message to the king, begging him to send and rescue him. The king indeed sent a ransom, but so utterly small that the pirates disdained to take it and sent it back again, but released him without ransom. Having safely escaped, he remembered the favour of both; and, when he became tribune of the people, he was so powerful that he had Marcus Cato sent to take Cypros away from its possessor. Now the king killed himself beforehand, but Cato went over and took Cypros and disposed of the king's property and carried the money to the Roman treasury. From that time the island became a province, just as it is now — a praetorian province. During a short intervening time Antony gave it over to Cleopatra and her sister Arsinoê, but when he was overthrown his whole organisation was overthrown with him.” Strabo

⚪️ IMPERATOR “It was a custom among the Roman soldiers, that if any of their generals fought a battle and killed more than six thousand of the enemy, they called him imperator, which means the same as 'king' in Greek.” Diodorus Siculus