🔺 THE BATTLE OF CYNOSCEPHALEA BEGINS (The second Macedonian war) “Towards morning on the following day, after a mild and damp night, the clouds turned to mist, the whole plain was filled with profound darkness, a dense air came down from the heights into the space between the two camps, and as soon as day advanced all the ground was hidden from view. The parties sent out on either side for purposes of ambush and reconnaissance encountered one another in a very short time and went to fighting near what are called the Cynoscephalae, or Dog's Heads. These are the sharp tops of hills lying close together alongside one another, and got their name from a resemblance in their shape. As was natural on a field so difficult, each party sending out aid from their camps to those who from time to time were getting the worst of it and retreating, until at last, when the air cleared up and they could see what was going on, they engaged with all their forces.” Plutarch Interesting video:

🔘 WHY DO THE ROMANS REGARD ALL THE CITY WALL AS INVIOLABLE AND SACRED, BUT NOT THE GATES? “Is it, as Varro has written, because the wall must be considered sacred that men may fight and die with enthusiasm in its defence? It was under such circumstances, it seems, that Romulus killed his brother because he was attempting to leap across a place that was inviolable and sacred, and to make it traversable and profane. But it was impossible to consecrate the gates, for through them they carry out many other objectionable things and also dead bodies. Wherefore the original founders of a city yoke a bull and a cow, and mark out with a plough all the land on which they intend to build; and when they are engaged in tra­cing the circuit of the walls, as they measure off the space intended for gates, they lift up the ploughshare and thus carry the plough across, since they hold that all the land that is ploughed is to be kept sacred and inviolable.” Plutarch, Roman Questions

Incredible to think that the Han Chinese fought a Greek city in Afghanistan around 100 BC. This city was called Alexandria Eschate, Meaning Alexandria The Furthest (from Greece).

2,900-year-old carving of Assyrian soldiers using inflatable goat skins to cross a river.

The name is Bond, Junk Bond. 🍸

A city called Carthago Nova was founded by a sea power called the Phoenicians. Today this city is called Cartagena and is the main Spanish naval base in the Mediterranean.

🔵 THE SENATE HONORS PROBUS “Likewise the decree of the senate: On the third day before the Nones of February, in the Temple of Concord, Aelius Scorpianus, the consul, said during his speech: "Conscript Fathers, you have listened to the letter of Aurelius Valerius Probus; now what is your pleasure concerning it?" Thereupon they shouted out: "Probus Augustus, may the god keep you! Long since worthy, brave and just, a good leader, a good commander, an example in warfare, an example in command. May the gods keep you! Deliverer of the commonwealth, may you be happy in your rule, master in warfare, may you be happy in your rule! May the gods guard you and yours! Even before this the senate chose you. In years inferior to Tacitus, in all else superior. For having accepted the imperial power we give you our thanks. Protect us, protect the commonwealth. Rightly do we entrust to your keeping those whom you formerly saved. You are Francicus, you are Gothicus, you are Sarmaticus, you are Parthicus, you are all things. In former years, too, you were ever worthy of command, worthy of triumphs. Happily may you live, happily rule!" Historia Augusta, the life of Probus

Do at least your 10.000 steps a day.

🟣 EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT “But above all things everyone should be acquainted with the nature of his own body, for some are spare, others obese; some hot, others more frigid; some moist, others dry; some are costive, in others the bowels are loose. It is seldom but that a man has some part of his body weak. So then a thin man ought to fatten himself up, a stout one to thin himself down; a hot man to cool himself, a cold man to make himself warmer; the moist to dry himself up, the dry to moisten himself; he should render firmer his motions if loose, relax them if costive; treatment is to be always directed to the part which is mostly in trouble.” Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina

⚪️ THE FIRST PUNIC WAR ENDS, THE MERCENARY WAR BEGINS. “Though the Carthaginians had endured great struggles and perils over Sicily and had been continuously at war with the Romans for twenty-four years, they experienced no disasters so great as those brought upon them by the war against the mercenaries whom they had wronged. For as a result of defrauding their foreign troops of the arrears of pay that were due, they very nearly lost their empire and even their own country. For the mercenaries thus cheated suddenly revolted, and thereby brought Carthage into the direst distress. Those who had served in the Carthaginian forces were Iberians, Celts, Balearic Islanders, Libyans, Phoenicians, Ligurians, and mongrel Greek slaves; and they it was who revolted.” Diodorus Siculus

🟢 IMAGINES The Romans did not create what we would consider traditional death masks. Instead, they produced wax effigies called "imagines" during their lifetimes. These weren't made after death, but rather during a man's lifetime, usually around the age of 35-40 when he achieved a certain political status. These imagines served a dual purpose: they were displayed at funerals to honor the deceased and connect the family to its illustrious past, and they signified a man's social and political prominence. Wax was the primary material used to create these lifelike portraits. This practice differs significantly from modern death masks, which are typically plaster or wax casts taken directly from the deceased's face. Roman imagines were created during life and served a different social and cultural purpose, focusing more on celebrating a lifetime of achievement and maintaining family lineage than preserving a likeness after death.

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into Hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.”

⚫️ GENEROUS OFFER FROM THE PARTHIAN ENVOYS “Envoys also came from King Vologaesus with an offer of forty thousand Parthian horse. It was glorious and delightful to be courted with such offers of assistance from the allies and not to need them: he (Vespasian) thanked Vologaesus and instructed him to send his envoys to the senate and to be assured that the empire was at peace.” Tacitus, histories

The amount of abortions in the western world would make the Phoenicians blush as worshippers of Baal Hammon.

Not Kosher, nor Halal, but delicious above all.

🟡 POW DESTROYS CARTHAGINIAN ELEPHANT. “There is a famous story of one of the Romans fighting single-handed against an elephant, on the occasion when Hannibal had compelled his prisoners from our army to fight duels with one another. For he pitted one survivor against an elephant, and this man, having secured a promise of his freedom if he killed the animal, met it single-handed in the arena and much to the chagrin of the Carthaginians dispatched it. Hannibal realized that reports of this encounter would bring the animals into contempt, so he sent horsemen to kill the man as he was departing.” Pliny the Elder

🟤 KINGDOM TO REPUBLIC “My first book contains the deeds of Rome's seven kings, viz.: Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tullus Hostilius, Ancus Marcius (a descendant of Numa), Tarquinius, Servius Tullius, and Lucius Tarquinius, a son of the other Tarquinius. The first of these was the founder and builder of Rome, and although he governed it rather as a father than as an absolute monarch, he was nevertheless slain, or, as some think, translated. The second, not less kingly, but even more so than the first, died at the age of . . . The third was struck by lightning. The fourth died of a disease. The fifth was murdered by some shepherds. The sixth lost his life in a similar manner. The seventh was expelled from the city and kingdom for violating the laws. From that time kingly rule came to an end, and the administration of government was transferred to consuls.”

🔶 SISTER’S YOKE 7th century BC. “When war arose between the Romans and the Albans, their leaders Hostilius and Fufetius decided to end it by the combat of a small number of men. On the side of the Romans, three brothers, named Horatii and on the side of the Albans, three other brothers, named Curiatii, were chosen by agreement. In the first encounter two Romans were killed, and the three Albans were injured. The last Horatius, seeing himself unable to defend himself against three, although he had not received any wounds, pretended to flee. The Curiatii pursued him at unequal intervals, as much as the pain of their wounds allowed; and one after the other, they were killed by him. As he returned laden with their spoils, he met his sister on the way, and she recognised the military cloak of one of the Curiatii, to whom she was engaged. When she began to cry, her brother killed her. For this he was condemned by the duumvirs, but he appealed to the people. His father's tears obtained his pardon, but on condition that he would pass under a yoke. This yoke is still in place on the street, and it is called the Sororium {"sister's yoke"}.”