archaeology Military & Non Military Archaeology

[BCNTM]

Four 450lb Roman battering rams recovered off the coast of Sicily

Originally attached to the bows of warships, the rams were used against the Carthaginian fleet during the Battle of the Aegates, west of Sicily, that ended the First Punic War in 214 BC.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Mike1976]

Odd to read that Carthaginian rams were of lesser quality considering Carthage had been the leading naval power in the Med. at that point and superior to the Roman navy, especially during the First Punic War.

 

[Mike1976]

Now that I come to think of it Rome was known for it's advances in metallurgy, but I'm not sure they were that far along in the late third century BC.

 

[morris]

Now that I come to think of it Rome was known for it's advances in metallurgy, but I'm not sure they were that far along in the late third century BC.

May be when the author writes about ram's quality he means design and construction rather then material?

As for "Carthage had been the leading naval power in the Med. at that point..." - Due to overwhelming naval power of Carthage there were no significant naval battles for more then a generation, Carthage sailors hadn't had actual battle experience and there also was no real incentive to experiment and improve ram designs and other military aspects of their ships before the 1st Punic war started.

 

[Mike1976]

May be when the author writes about ram's quality he means design and construction rather then material?

As for "Carthage had been the leading naval power in the Med. at that point..." - Due to overwhelming naval power of Carthage there were no significant naval battles for more then a generation, Carthage sailors hadn't had actual battle experience and there also was no real incentive to experiment and improve ram designs and other military aspects of their ships before the 1st Punic war started.

One is linked to the other. With the wrong kind and/or inferiour metal you are limited to what you can build.

People lived shorter lives so "generation" is a relative term. Also technogical advancement was far slower than it is today, so unless there was a specific technological breakthrough at exactly that point in time one ram design or build would not have made that much of a difference. This is not like comparing HMS Dreadnought (1906) to HMS King George V (1937). It's more like comparing two ships of the same class with one completed slightly later and to a slightly altered specification.

The quadrireme and quinquereme had been in use for about two centuries at that point. Quantity and naval tactics (as well as plain luck) would have made far more of a difference than the design of the ships which were practically the same as they had been for hundreds of years.

 

[BCNTM]

Archaeology breakthrough: 'Lost ancient capital city' found in France

ARCHAEOLOGISTS in central France have uncovered a treasure trove of ancient weapons and jewellery at the site of a Bronze Age hill fort near Gannat, Allier.

www.express.co.uk

 

[morris]

A scuba diver discovered a 900-year-old sword encrusted with seashells off the coast of Israel

An Israeli scuba diver salvaged an ancient sword off the country's Mediterranean coast that experts say dates back to the Crusaders.

www.businessinsider.com.au

 

[BCNTM]

A Metal Detectorist Has Found What Is Now Declared the Largest-Ever Hoard of Gold Anglo-Saxon Coins in His Backyard

The coins and jewelry were found over the course of 30 years. Now, the Crown is determining whether it is legally considered treasure.

news.artnet.com

 

[BCNTM]

Metal detectorist finds small gold Bible near York

The tiny item is thought to have been owned by a medieval aristocrat or relative of Richard III.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[morris]

Paleoanthropologists Find Fossil Remains of Immature Homo naledi | Sci.News

An international team of paleoanthropologists has discovered a partial skull and teeth from an immature individual of Homo naledi, a recently-discovered species of extinct hominin.

www.sci-news.com

A reconstruction of Homo naledi’s head by paleoartist John Gurche, who spent some 700 hours recreating the head from bone scans. The find was announced by the University of the Witwatersrand, the National Geographic Society and the South African National Research Foundation and published in the journal eLife. Image credit: John Gurche / Mark Thiessen / National Geographic.

This hominin species survived until 335,000-226,000 years ago, placing it in continental Africa at the same time as the early ancestors of anatomically modern Homo sapiens were arising.

 

[BCNTM]

'Remarkable' and rare Roman mosaic unearthed in farmer's field in Rutland

Such is its rarity and importance, the site has been officially protected as a scheduled monument by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

news.sky.com

Odd thing is it is not the most 'artistic' mosaic I have ever seen

 

[BCNTM]

Roman Emperor Caligula's coffee table

How a lost mosaic from the Roman emperor's reign ended up entertaining guests in a New York City apartment.

www.cbsnews.com

much better quality

 

[Mike1976]

'Remarkable' and rare Roman mosaic unearthed in farmer's field in Rutland

Such is its rarity and importance, the site has been officially protected as a scheduled monument by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

news.sky.com

Odd thing is it is not the most 'artistic' mosaic I have ever seen

Roman Emperor Caligula's coffee table

How a lost mosaic from the Roman emperor's reign ended up entertaining guests in a New York City apartment.

www.cbsnews.com

much better quality

Mosaics weren't just restricted to the most expensive houses, they were quite common among the middle class too ranging from very simple crudely made designs to imperial palace level sophistication.

 

[BCNTM]

Mosaics weren't just restricted to the most expensive houses, they were quite common among the middle class too ranging from very simple crudely made designs to imperial palace level sophistication.

I have a feeling the owner had failing eyesight - it's rough - sort of Friday afternoon job before a crucifixion

 

[morris]

Ancient Roman payslip shows he was left penniless after deductions

A payslip made from a sheet of papyrus shows a Roman soldier was left broke after the military took out fees for certain items. Experts believe the man fought in the Siege of Masadas 1,900 years ago.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I received my stipendium of 50 denarii, out of which I have paid barley money 16 denarii. […]rnius: food expenses 20(?) denarii; boots 5 denarii; leather strappings 2 denarii; linen tunic 7 denarii

 

[BCNTM]

Ancient Roman payslip shows he was left penniless after deductions

A payslip made from a sheet of papyrus shows a Roman soldier was left broke after the military took out fees for certain items. Experts believe the man fought in the Siege of Masadas 1,900 years ago.

www.dailymail.co.uk

View attachment 355511
I received my stipendium of 50 denarii, out of which I have paid barley money 16 denarii. […]rnius: food expenses 20(?) denarii; boots 5 denarii; leather strappings 2 denarii; linen tunic 7 denarii

shows that nothing much changes.........

by the way very nice hand writing

 

[Fish&Chips]

by the way very nice hand writing

...which also shows that people were still writing and speaking Greek rather than Latin in the area at the time.

 

[Fish&Chips]

Speaking of the ancient Greeks in the Levant, there is also this:

Israeli Archaeologists Unveil Hellenistic Fortress Destroyed by Jewish Forces in 112 B.C.E.

Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus I, a nephew of Maccabean Revolt leader Judah Maccabee, razed the fortified structure during his conquest of Idumea

www.smithsonianmag.com

 

[Mike1976]

...which also shows that people were still writing and speaking Greek rather than Latin in the area at the time.

Also depends on where the unit was raised.

 

[BCNTM]

Gold earring may have been given to Viking chief by Byzantium Emperor

The priceless gold earring was discovered by a metal detectorist in a field near Bøvling in West Jutland, Denmark.

www.dailymail.co.uk