THEDAILYEAGLE

“For who could keep his hands off Libya, or Carthage, when that city got within his reach, a city which Agathocles, slipping stealthily out of Syracuse and crossing the sea with a few ships, narrowly missed taking?” Plutarch

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Last Notes

2026-07-19 21:03:16 CEST

Suppiluliuma I
https://blossom.primal.net/2022a9589c923fc3419b3fc524c49f31b0b18b7e96a0f5fce85e5b61a86a9bad.jpg

2026-07-19 00:50:26 CEST

⚫️ PLOT AGAINST THE KING
“Because both sides were digging tunnels in the area, they frequently encountered and even talked to each other; and from these encounters he became known to the king's men. Once, when he was caught on his own in the tunnels, one of the enemy pressed him to betray his allies, and he pretended to agree to the suggestion. When the king was informed of this, in his desire to capture the city he promised a reward and arranged a time to discuss the betrayal. Because the Roman demanded a surety for the agreement, the king sent men to settle it on his behalf. But the Roman said that he would not trust the agreement, unless the king gave him an oath in person. Mithridates considered that it was beneath his royal dignity to descend into the mines. But since the traitor said that he would not co-operate otherwise, and he was very eager to capture the city, Mithridates was forced to agree to the request. As a result the king would have been captured, if he had not been protected by one of his friends who, rightly suspecting a plot, produced a device that fitted in the tunneland could quickly be opened and closed. When this had been placed in the tunnel, and Mithridates and his friends went in, the centurion . . . the men who intended to help him seize the king, drew his sword and rushed at the king. But just in time the king closed the gate, and so escaped the danger.”
Diodorus Siculus
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2026-07-19 00:44:07 CEST

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“As the sun was rising the soldiers of the third legion, called the Gallic, that wintered in Syria and was now by chance on the side of Vespasian, suddenly greeted it according to their custom; but the followers of Vitellius, suspecting that Mucianus had arrived, underwent a revulsion of feeling, and becoming panic-stricken at the shout, took to flight. Thus it is that the smallest things can produce great alarm in men who are already exhausted.” Cassius Dio

2026-07-18 10:35:08 CEST

🟡 PLINY ON SYRIA
“Next to these countries Syria occupies the coast, once the greatest of lands, and distinguished by many names; for the part which joins up to Arabia was formerly called Palestina, Judaea, Coele Syria, and Phoenice. The country in the interior was called Damascena, and that further on and more to the south, Babylonia. The part that lies between the Euphrates and the Tigris was called Mesopotamia, that beyond Taurus Sophene, and that on this side of the same chain Comagene. Beyond Armenia was the country of Adiabene, anciently called Assyria, and at the part where it joins up to Cilicia, it was called Antiochia. Its length, between Cilicia and Arabia, is 470 miles, and its breadth, from Seleucia Pieria to Zeugma, a town on the Euphrates, 175. Those who make a still more minute division of this country will have it that Phoenice is surrounded by Syria, and that first comes the maritime coast of Syria, part of which is Idumaea and Judaea, after that Phoenice, and then Syria.
The whole of the tract of sea that lies in front of these shores is called the Phoenician Sea. The Phoenician people enjoy the glory of having been the inventors of letters, and the first discoverers of the sciences of astronomy, navigation, and the art of war.”
https://blossom.primal.net/ac5008bffb72f923785f23fe4e4b41335a6ac3e01856e127443b801caf06d90d.jpg

2026-07-17 00:40:48 CEST

🔶 DOUBLE PERIL
“Hannibal, when the Romans, among other articles of peace, demanded from Antiochus that he should be surrendered to them, received notice of this demand from the king, and, taking to flight, went off to Crete. Here, when he had long led a quiet life, but found himself envied for his great wealth, he deposited some urns, filled with lead, in the temple of Diana, as if thus to secure his treasure. The city, in consequence, being no longer concerned about him, as they supposed that they had his wealth in pledge, he betook himself to Prusias, putting his gold into some statues which he carried with him, lest his riches, if seen, should endanger his life. Prusias being subsequently defeated in a battle by land, and transferring the war to the sea, Hannibal, by a new stratagem, was the cause of procuring him a victory; for he ordered serpents of every kind to be enclosed in earthen pots, and to be thrown, in the hottest of the engagement, into the enemy's ships. This seemed at first ridiculous to the Pontic soldiers, that the enemy should fight with earthen pots, as if they could not fight with the sword. But when the ships began to be filled with serpents, and they were thus involved in double peril, they yielded the victory to the enemy.”
Justinus

2026-07-15 18:55:28 CEST

🔴THE MEDICAL LIBRARY OF PONTUS
“It was he (Mithradates) who first thought, the proper precautions being duly taken, of drinking poison every day; it being his object, by becoming habituated to it, to neutralize its dangerous effects.”
“Among the other gifts of extraordinary genius with which he was endowed, Mithridates displayed a peculiar fondness for enquiries into the medical arts; and gathering items of information from all his subjects, extended, as they were, over a large proportion of the world, it was his habit to make copies of their communications, and to take notes of the results which upon experiment had been produced. These memoranda, which he kept in his private cabinet, fell into the hands of Pompeius, when he took possession of the royal treasures; who at once commissioned his freedman, Lenæus the grammarian, to translate them into the Latin language: the result of which was, that his victory was equally conducive to the benefit of the republic and of mankind at large.”
(Mithridates VI 134-63 BC, King of Pontus, fierce opponent of Rome in the Mithridatic Wars. Known for his ambition and attempts at poison immunity. Ultimately defeated by the Romans).
The Natural History. Pliny the Elder
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2026-07-15 18:53:39 CEST

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

2026-07-07 16:20:56 CEST

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2026-07-07 01:21:56 CEST

🟡 PLINY ON THE GERMAN TRIBES
“There are five German races; the Vandili, parts of whom are the Burgundiones, the Varini, the Carini, and the Gutones: the Ingaevones, forming a second race, a portion of whom are the Cimbri, the Teutoni, and the tribes of the Chauci. The Istaevones, who join up to the Rhine, and to whom the Cimbri belong, are the third race; while the Hermiones, forming a fourth, dwell in the interior, and include the Suevi, the Hermunduri, the Chatti, and the Cherusci: the fifth race is that of the Peucini, who are also the Basternae, adjoining the Daci previously mentioned. The more famous rivers that flow into the ocean are the Guttalus, the Vistillus or Vistula, the Albis, the Visurgis, the Amisius, the Rhine, and the Mosa. In the interior is the long extent of the Hercynian range, which in grandeur is inferior to none.”
“NINETY-SIX ISLANDS OF THE GALLIC OCEAN. In the Rhine itself, nearly 100 miles in length, is the most famous island of the Batavi and the Canninefates, as also other islands of the Frisii, the Chauci, the Frisiabones, the Sturii, and the Marsacii, which lie between Helium and Flevum. These are the names of the mouths into which the Rhine divides itself, discharging its waters on the north into the lakes there, and on the west into the river Mosa. At the middle mouth which lies between these two, the river, having but a very small channel, preserves its own name.”
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2026-07-06 08:25:18 CEST

🔶 THE ROMANS IN ASIA MINOR
“As the Romans were coming from Troy, king Eumenes met them with some auxiliary troops; and soon after a battle was fought with Antiochus; in which one of the Roman legions, on the right wing, being beaten back, and fleeing to their camp with more disgrace than danger, Marcus Aemilius, a military tribune, who had been left to defend the camp, ordered his men to arm themselves, and advance without the rampart, and to threaten the fugitives with their swords drawn, saying that "they should be put to death unless they returned to the field, and should find their own camp more hostile to them than that of the enemy." The legion, alarmed at such peril on both sides, returned to the battle, their fellow soldiers, who had stopped their flight, accompanying them, and, making great havoc among the enemy, were the first cause of the victory. Fifty thousand of the enemy were slain, and eleven thousand taken prisoners. Antiochus suing for peace, nothing was added to the former articles, Africanus observing that "the spirit of the Romans was never broken if they were defeated, and, if they were victorious, they were not rendered tyrannical by success." The cities that were taken they divided among their allies, deeming that glory was more desirable for the Romans than dominions merely for pleasure; and that the honour of victory was worthy of being attached to the Roman name, but that the luxuries of wealth might be left to their adherents.”
Justinus
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2026-07-06 08:24:02 CEST

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2026-07-01 10:52:04 CEST

🔘 ATTIC FAITH
“If anyone regards this period of rebellion, during which Athens suffered siege at the hands of Sulla, as a breach of good faith on the part of the Athenians, he shows a strange ignorance of the facts of history; for so constant was the loyalty of the Athenians towards the Romans that always and invariably, whenever the Romans referred to any act of unqualified loyalty, they called it an example of "Attic faith." But at this time, overwhelmed as they were by the arms of Mithridates, the Athenians were in a most unhappy plight. Held in subjection by their enemies and besieged by their friends, although in obedience to necessity they kept their bodies within the walls, their hearts were outside their fortifications.”
Velleius Paterculus, Roman History
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2026-06-25 01:17:44 CEST

🔴 LIVY ON CINCINNATUS
“Now I would solicit the particular attention of those numerous people who imagine that money is everything in this world, and that rank and ability are inseparable from wealth: let them observe that Cincinnatus, the one man in whom Rome reposed all her hope of survival, was at that moment working a little three-acre farm (now known as Quinctian meadows) west of the Tiber, just opposite the spot where the shipyards are today. A mission from the city found him at work on his land - digging a ditch, maybe, or ploughing. Greetings were exchanged, and he was asked - with a prayer for God's blessing on himself and his country - to put on his toga and hear the Senate's instructions.
This naturally surprised him, and, asking if all were well, he told his wife Racilia to run to their cottage and fetch his toga. The toga was brought, and wiping the grimy sweat from his hands and face he put it on; at once the envoys from the city saluted him, with congratulations, as Dictator, invited him to enter Rome, and informed him of the terrible danger of Minucius's army.”
Livy, The History of Rome, Books 1-5: The Early History of Rome
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2026-06-23 00:39:19 CEST

🔘 OLD ENEMIES MEET AGAIN
“A rope was cast about his neck and he was led to the prison of Minturnae on the order of its duumvir. A public slave of German nationality was sent with a sword to put him to death. It happened that this man had been taken a prisoner by Marius when he was commander in the war against the Cimbri; when he recognized Marius, giving utterance with loud outcry to his indignation at the plight of this great man, he threw away his sword and fled from the prison.”
Velleius Paterculus, Roman History
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2026-06-20 16:16:02 CEST

⚪️ STRABO ON THE MAURI
“Here dwell a people whom the Greeks call Maurusians, and the Romans and the natives Mauri — a large and prosperous Libyan tribe, who live on the side of the strait opposite Iberia.” (Mauretania, Morocco).
“However, it is agreed by all that Maurusia is a fertile country, except a small desert part, and is supplied with both lakes and rivers. It is surpassing in the size and in the number of its trees, and is also productive of everything; at any rate, this is the country which supplies the Romans with the tables that are made of one single piece of wood, very large and most variegated.”
“Now a little before my time the kings of the house of Bogus and of Bocchus, who were friends of the Romans, possessed the country, but when these died Juba succeeded to the throne, Augustus Caesar having given him this in addition to his father's empire. He was the son of the Juba who with Scipio waged war against the deified Caesar. Now Juba died lately, but his son Ptolemy, whose mother was the daughter of Antony and Cleopatra, has succeeded to the throne.”
Strabo
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2026-06-14 19:16:25 CEST

🟣 STRABO ON THE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICANS
“The Aethiopians live on millet and barley, from which they also make a drink; but instead of olive-oil they have butter and tallow. Neither do they have fruit trees, except a few date-palms in the royal gardens. But some use grass as food, as also tender twigs, lotus, and reed-roots; and they use meats, blood, milk, and cheese. They reverence as gods their kings, who generally stay shut up at home. Their greatest royal seat is Meroê, a city bearing the same name as the island. The island is said to be like an oblong shield in shape. Its size has perhaps been exaggerated: about three thousand stadia in length and one thousand in breadth. The island has both numerous mountains and large thickets; it is inhabited partly by nomads, partly by hunters, and partly by farmers; and it has mines of copper, iron, gold, and different kinds of precious stones. It is bounded on the Libyan side by large sand-dunes, and on the Arabian side by continuous precipices, and above, on the south, by the confluence of the three rivers — the Astaboras, and the Astapus and the Astasobas and on the north by the next course of the Nile, which extends to Aegypt along the aforesaid windings of the river. In the cities the dwellings are made of split pieces of palm-wood woven together, or of brick. And they have quarried salt, as do the Arabians. And, among the plants, the palm, the persea, the ebony, and the ceratia are found in abundance. And they have, not only elephants to hunt, but also lions and leopards. They also have serpents, the elephant-fighters, as also many other wild animals; for the animals flee for refuge from the hotter and more arid regions to those that are watery and marshy.”
Strabo
(Note: In ancient Greek and Roman times, "Aethiopians" was a broad term used to describe people of sub-Saharan Africa. It wasn't a specific ethnic group but rather a geographical and sometimes racial designation.)
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2026-06-09 13:11:04 CEST

⚪️ DEVOTION
“Gnaeus Pompeius devoted himself to a military life, and inured himself to the hardships and fatigues of war, so that in a short time he was acknowledged as an expert in military matters. Casting off all sloth and idleness, he was always, night and day, doing something or other that was useful for the conduct of the war. He was very sparing in his diet, ate his food sitting, and altogether refrained from baths and other such luxurious activities. He allotted fewer hours for sleep than nature demanded, and spent the rest of the night in the concerns of a general, relating to the problems that he faced during the day; so that, by his habitual planning for the uncertain events of war, he became most accomplished in military activities. And therefore, in far less time than another could have prepared himself to take charge of an army that was already raised, in that time he raised an army, trained them, and disciplined them. And when the news of his remarkable exploits was brought to Rome, everybody at first, reflecting upon his youth rather than on his valour, supposed that the messengers were merely exaggerating in their accounts.”
Diodorus Siculus
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2026-06-03 13:21:10 CEST

https://blossom.primal.net/d2f222de918c9526551afc15c0db03aff35be8033f73e7446d300f4de057d2ac.mp4

2026-05-30 12:40:48 CEST

🔵 GALLIC WALLS
“But this is usually the form of all the Gallic walls. Straight beams, connected lengthwise and two feet distant from each other at equal intervals, are placed together on the ground; these are mortised on the inside, and covered with plenty of earth. But the intervals which we have mentioned, are closed up in front by large stones. These being thus laid and cemented together, another row is added above, in such a manner, that the same interval may be observed, and that the beams may not touch one another, but equal spaces intervening, each row of beams is kept firmly in its place by a row of stones. In this manner the whole wall is consolidated, until the regular height of the wall be completed. This work, with respect to appearance and variety, is not unsightly, owing to the alternate rows of beams and stones, which preserve their order in right lines; and, besides, it possesses great advantages as regards utility and the defense of cities; for the stone protects it from fire, and the wood from the battering ram, since it [the wood] being mortised in the inside with rows of beams, generally forty feet each in length, can neither be broken through nor torn asunder.”
Julius Caesar, the gallic war
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2026-05-28 22:32:23 CEST

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The Transfiguration

2026-05-25 18:46:21 CEST

🟡 THE SPARTAN CONSULTANT
“Now it happened that just about this time one of their recruiting agents, who had some time before been despatched to Greece, arrived home. brought a large number of men with him, and among them a certain Lacedaemonian named Xanthippus, a man trained in the Spartan discipline, and of large experience in war. When this man was informed of their defeat, and of how it had taken place, and when he had reviewed the military resources still left to the Carthaginians, and the number of their cavalry and elephants, he did not take long to come to a decided conclusion. He expressed his opinion to his friends that the Carthaginians had owed their defeat, not to the superiority of the Romans, but to the unskilfulness of their own commanders. The dangerous state of their affairs caused the words of Xanthippus to get abroad quickly among the people and to reach the ears of the generals; and the men in authority determined to summon and question him. He appeared, and laid his views before the magistrates; in which he showed to what they owed their present disasters, and that if they would take his advice and keep to the flat parts of the country alike in marching, encamping, and giving battle, they would be able with perfect ease to secure safety for themselves and to defeat their opponents in the field.”
Polybius, histories
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2026-05-25 18:45:25 CEST

🟤 ANTONINUS PIUS
Antoninus Pius was widely praised by his contemporaries and later historians for his just and benevolent rule. His adopted son and successor, Marcus Aurelius, held him in the highest regard, viewing him as an ideal ruler and a model of Stoic virtue.
Roman historians like Cassius Dio and Aurelius Victor also painted a positive picture of him, describing him as a wise and moderate emperor. Even the general public seemed to have a favorable view of Antoninus.
Born in Lanuvium, Italy, in 86 AD, Antoninus came from a wealthy and influential family. He held various political offices, including consul, before being adopted by Emperor Hadrian in 138 AD. This adoption made him Hadrian's heir and successor.
In 161 AD, he adopted Marcus Aurelius as his co-emperor, ensuring a smooth transition of power.
Antoninus died in Lorium, Italy, in 161 AD, at the age of 75. He is remembered as one of the most successful and beloved Roman emperors.
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2026-05-24 23:55:23 CEST

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2026-05-24 23:55:12 CEST

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2026-05-24 23:54:26 CEST

Germania inferior
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2026-05-23 23:48:25 CEST

hello world

2026-05-23 03:00:17 CEST

🔘 ACCURACY
“He (Emperor Domitian) took no interest in arms, but was particularly devoted to archery. There are many who have more than once seen him slay a hundred wild beasts of different kinds on his Alban estate, and purposely kill some of them with two successive shots in such a way that the arrows gave the effect of horns. Sometimes he would have a slave stand at a distance and hold out the palm of his right hand for a mark, with the fingers spread; then he directed his arrows with such accuracy that they passed harmlessly between the fingers.”
Suetonius
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2026-05-20 23:14:17 CEST

🟣 PTOLEMAIC EGYPT DISSOLVED
“Having passed through the Hippodrome, one comes to Nicopolis, which has a settlement on the sea no smaller than a city. It is thirty stadia distant from Alexandria. Augustus Caesar honoured this place because it was here that he conquered in battle those who came out against him with Antony; and when he had taken the city at the first onset, he forced Antony to put himself to death and Cleopatra to come into his power alive; but a little later she too put herself to death secretly, while in prison, by the bite of an asp or (for two accounts are given) by applying a poisonous ointment; and the result was that the empire of the sons of Lagus, which had endured for many years, was dissolved.”
Strabo
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2026-05-18 23:41:16 CEST

⚪️ THE ETRUSCAN SOOTHSAYERS
“The civil war that broke out in Rome in the consulship of Sulla was (according to Livy and Diodorus) heralded by many omens. When the sky was cloudless and perfectly clear, a trumpet was heard making a sharp and plaintive sound, and all who heard it were struck with fear. The Etruscan soothsayers declared that this portent heralded a revolution in human affairs; they added that there are eight different races of men, each differing in their character and manner of life. The deity has assigned to each of them a certain period of time, which is the length of a great year. At the end of this period and the beginning of the following one, there appears some miraculous sign, either on earth or in heaven, from which the sages immediately know that a race of men has arisen with a different character and manner of life, and that the gods have less care for them than for previous men. Whether this is true or not, is something that I will not discuss here.”
Diodorus Siculus
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2026-05-12 23:39:15 CEST

⚫️ GAIUS GRACCHUS
“After an interval of ten years the same madness which had possessed Tiberius Gracchus now seized upon his brother Gaius, who resembled him in his general virtues as well as in his mistaken ambition, but far surpassed him in ability and eloquence. Gaius might have been the first man in the state had he held his spirit in repose; but, whether it was with the object of avenging his brother's death or of paving the way for kingly power, he followed the precedent which Tiberius had set and entered upon the career of a tribune. His aims, however, were far more ambitious and drastic. He was for giving the citizenship to all Italians, extending it almost to the Alps, distributing the public domain, limiting the holdings of each citizen to five hundred acres as had once been provided by the Licinian law, establishing new customs duties, filling the provinces with new colonies, transferring the judicial powers from the senate to the equites, and began the practice of distributing grain to the people. He left nothing undisturbed, nothing untouched, nothing unmolested, nothing, in short, as it had been. Furthermore he continued the exercise of his office for a second term.”
Velleius Paterculus, Roman History
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2026-05-11 00:12:35 CEST

🔶 ESCORTING A ROMAN CITIZEN
“Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen[b] to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”
He wrote a letter as follows:
Claudius Lysias,
To His Excellency, Governor Felix:
Greetings.
This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. When I was informedof a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.”
ACTS 23.
https://blossom.primal.net/6cc11c4fd9c48fa1024f46ce66ce0580bae3557e49e72e6a353cb1d112ff3fd9.jpg

2026-05-10 22:59:30 CEST

🔺 FACING GOLIATH
(361 BC) “A Gaul of extraordinary stature strode forward on to the unoccupied bridge, and shouting as loudly as he could, cried: "Let the bravest man that Rome possesses come out and fight me, that we two may decide which people is the superior in war."
“A long silence followed. The best and bravest of the Romans made no sign; they felt ashamed of appearing to decline the challenge, and yet they were reluctant to expose themselves to such terrible danger. Thereupon T. Manlius, the youth who had protected his father from the persecution of the tribune, left his post and went to the Dictator. "Without your orders, General," he said, "I will never leave my post to fight, no, not even if I saw that victory was certain; but if you give me permission I want to show that monster as he stalks so proudly in front of their lines that I am a scion of that family which hurled the troop of Gauls from the Tarpeian rock." Then the Dictator: "Success to your courage, T. Manlius, and to your affection for your father and your fatherland! Go, and with the help of the gods show that the name of Rome is invincible." Then his comrades fastened on his armour; he took an infantry shield and a Spanish sword as better adapted for close fighting; thus armed and equipped they led him forward against the Gaul, who was exulting in his brute strength, and even - the ancients thought this worth recording - putting his tongue out in derision. They retired to their posts and the two armed champions were left alone in the midst, more after the manner of a scene on the stage than under the conditions of serious war, and to those who judged by appearances, by no means equally matched. The one was a creature of enormous bulk, resplendent in a many-coloured coat and wearing painted and gilded armour; the other a man of average height, and his arms, useful rather than ornamental, gave him quite an ordinary appearance. There was no singing of war-songs, no prancing about, no silly brandishing of weapons. With a breast full of courage and silent wrath Manlius reserved all his ferocity for the actual moment of conflict. When they had taken their stand between the two armies, while so many hearts around them were in suspense between hope and fear, the Gaul, like a great overhanging mass, held out his shield on his left arm to meet his adversary's blows and aimed a tremendous cut downwards with his sword. The Roman evaded the blow, and pushing aside the bottom of the Gaul's shield with his own, he slipped under it close up to the Gaul, too near for him to get at him with his sword. Then turning the point of his blade upwards, he gave two rapid thrusts in succession and stabbed the Gaul in the belly and the groin, laying his enemy prostrate over a large extent of ground. He left the body of his fallen foe undespoiled with the exception of his chain, which though smeared with blood he placed round his own neck. Astonishment and fear kept the Gauls motionless; the Romans ran eagerly forward from their lines to meet their warrior, and amidst cheers and congratulations they conducted him to the Dictator. In the doggerel verses which they extemporised in his honour they called him Torquatus ("adorned with a chain"), and this soubriquet became for his posterity a proud family name. The Dictator gave him a golden crown, and before the whole army alluded to his victory in terms of the highest praise.”
Livy
https://blossom.primal.net/217999a2c1208ae77964b43afafdd906cca4e85d41e4f07e198d2474c64668c1.jpg

2026-05-05 05:43:33 CEST

⚪️ THE GOD OF GOLD
“Wealth, the subject of so much dispute amongst men, sometimes causes great misfortunes to those who long to gain it. It drives them to unjust and criminal actions; it provides fuel for licentiousness, and leads the unwise into shameful behaviour. Thus we see these men fall into the greatest misfortune, and bring disaster on their cities. Such is the pernicious power of gold over men, when they foolishly over-value it. In their insatiable greed, they apply to everything these verses of the poets”
  "Blessed gold, most beautiful gift to mortals, greater pleasure than a mother . . ."
And also:  "Let them call me wicked, as long as I make a profit. "
Diodorus Siculus
https://blossom.primal.net/7706c33c06449be1ba2102526ac584dfa06feebc7b62efde0e95b1655923870a.png

2026-05-05 00:09:59 CEST

🟢 HASTE TO SURRENDER
“When Domitius Corbulo was besieging Tigranocerta and the Armenians seemed likely to make an obstinate defence, Corbulo executed Vadandus, one of the nobles he had captured, shot his head out of a balista, and sent it flying within the fortifications of the enemy. It happened to fall in the
midst of a council which the barbarians were holding at that very moment, and the sight of it (as though it were some portent) so filled them with consternation that they made haste to surrender.”
Frontinus: The Strategemata
https://blossom.primal.net/a86ad17664305e76f0d098c76e88df0d4375347fdb88a24b29b12000b134d7a3.jpg

2026-05-02 11:53:56 CEST

2026-04-28 23:52:16 CEST

🔺 DEEP HOLE IN THE FORUM
“In this year (362 BC), owing either to an earthquake or the action of some other force, the middle of the Forum fell in to an immense depth, presenting the appearance of an enormous cavern. Though all worked their hardest at throwing earth in, they were unable to fill up the gulf, until at the bidding of the gods inquiry was made as to what that was in which the strength of Rome lay. For this, the seers declared, must be sacrificed on that spot if men wished the Roman republic to be eternal. The story goes on that M. Curtius, a youth distinguished in war, indignantly asked those who were in doubt what answer to give, whether anything that Rome possessed was more precious than the arms and valour of her sons. As those around stood silent, he looked up to the Capitol and to the temples of the immortal gods which looked down on the Forum, and stretching out his hands first towards heaven and then to the yawning chasm beneath, devoted himself to the gods below. Then mounting his horse, which had been caparisoned as magnificently as possible, he leaped in full armour into the cavern. Gifts and offerings of fruits of the earth were flung in after him by crowds of men and women.”
Livy
https://blossom.primal.net/875f8e03bf13803c2fe6be4cd00d98d3388ebed2a6b0717ccd79a1d0a192c7d5.png

2026-04-27 19:52:39 CEST

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I saw you while you were still under the fig tree

2026-04-20 09:54:55 CEST

🟡 CHARIOTS
The Roman chariot was crucial for both warfare and entertainment. Constructed primarily from wood, often ash or elm, the lightweight frame provided both strength and flexibility. Four-spoked wheels, typically made of wood with iron tires for durability and traction, were a key feature.
In racing chariots, a single iron tire was often applied to the right wheel to enhance cornering. The body was a simple, open platform with low sides, and suspension was basic, relying on the flexibility of the wooden frame and leather straps.
Teams of horses, ranging from two (biga) to four (quadriga), pulled the chariots. Harnessing involved a system of leather straps and collars designed for rapid acceleration and sharp turns. Iron tires increased wheel durability and traction, while the wheel design itself was optimized for speed and maneuverability. Harnessing techniques allowed for precise control of the horse team.
War chariots were equipped for combat, carrying a driver and one or two warriors armed with javelins, swords, and bows. Some even featured scythes attached to the wheels for slashing enemy legs. In contrast, racing chariots were designed for speed and agility, with a streamlined shape to minimize wind resistance and specialized wheels for enhanced cornering.
https://blossom.primal.net/d1d4cbcce2544904ce7d91a1c4bc91bf158dc45bd318aec64506411d4e4396f5.png

2026-04-18 23:44:57 CEST

🔶 TWO BROTHERS, TWO SIDES
“The river Weser ran between the Roman and Cheruscan forces. Arminius came to the bank and halted with his fellow chieftains:— "Had the Caesar come?" he inquired.⁠ On receiving the reply that he was in presence, he asked to be allowed to speak with his brother. That brother, Flavus by name, was serving in the army, a conspicuous figure both from his loyalty and from the loss of an eye through a wound received some few years before during Tiberius' term of command. Leave was granted, <and Stertinius took him down to the river>.⁠ Walking forward, he was greeted by Arminius; who, dismissing his own escort, demanded that the archers posted along our side of the stream should be also withdrawn. When these had retired, he asked his brother, whence the disfigurement of his face? On being told the place and battle, he inquired what reward he had received. Flavus mentioned his increased pay, the chain, the crown, and other military decorations; Arminius scoffed at the cheap rewards of servitude.”
Tacitus
https://blossom.primal.net/76e5f6df527b3dbb3f4bf7127a2e37a07dee1b1c6cb22de3883540772588cd1e.jpg

2026-04-10 00:35:10 CEST

- reply

Good for you👍🏻 reading a bible also helps in my experience✝️ God bless you brother.

2026-04-09 23:45:52 CEST

🟣 MALLORCA RABBIT PLAGUE
“In addition to the fruitfulness of the soil, there is also the fact that no injurious animal can easily be found in the Gymnesiae. For even the rabbits there, it is said, are not native, but the stock sprang from a male and female brought over by some person from the opposite mainlind; and this stock was, for a fact, so numerous at first, that they even overturned houses and trees by burrowing beneath them, and that, as I have said, the people were forced to have recourse to the Romans. At present, however, the ease with which the rabbits are caught prevents the pest from prevailing; indeed, the landholders reap profitable crops from the soil.”
Strabo
https://blossom.primal.net/9bc6bd559819bccf78ec0f7d956a6273925ecaa2bc05d00580aad27b1b19c152.jpg

2026-04-09 23:44:43 CEST

⚪️ LENIENCY
“Mithridates having conquered the Roman generals in Asia, and taken many prisoners, sent them all home with clothing and provisions for the journey. This mild treatment was reported everywhere, and the cities generally came flocking over to him; so that envoys came to him from all cities, inviting him by their public decrees to enter their territory, calling him their god and deliverer. Upon notice of the king's approach, the people came in crowds out of the several cities, wearing bright garments to greet him, and received him with great joy and acclamation.”
Diodorus Siculus
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2026-04-06 20:18:28 CEST

🟤 EUPHORBIA
“It is a well-known fact, that adjoining to these localities is a nation of Aethiopions which bears the name of Perorsi. Juba the father of Ptolemy, who was the first king who reigned over both the Mauritanias, and who has been rendered even more famous by the brilliancy of his learning than by his kingly rank, has given us similar information relative to Mount Atlas, and states that a certain herb grows there, which has received the name of 'euphorbia' from that of his physician, who was the first to discover it. Juba extols with wondrous praises the milky juice of this plant as tending to improve the sight, and acting as a specific against the bites of serpents and all kinds of poison; and to this subject alone he has devoted an entire book. Thus much, if indeed not more than enough, about Mount Atlas.”
Pliny the Elder
https://blossom.primal.net/d040131c6cb8d7f8fd50aa4654387df5ef37757c452cd43948779f638ac1a578.jpg

2026-04-06 20:17:08 CEST

🔶 CONTEMPT FOR THE PARTHIAN HOSTAGE
“After domestic murders had made an end of Phraates and his successors, a deputation from the Parthian nobility arrived in Rome, to summon Vonones,⁠ as the eldest of his children, to the throne. The Caesar took this as an honour to himself and presented the youth with a considerable sum. The barbarians, too, accepted him with the pleasure they usually evince at a change of sovereigns. It quickly gave place to shame:— "The Parthians had degenerated: they had gone to another continent for a king tainted with the enemy's arts, and now the throne of the Arsacidae was held, or given away, as one of the provinces of Rome. Where was the glory of the men who slew Crassus⁠ and ejected Antony, if a chattel of the Caesar, who had brooked his bondage through all these years, was to govern Parthians?" Their contempt was heightened by the man himself, with his remoteness from ancestral traditions, his rare appearances in the hunting-field, his languid interest in horseflesh,⁠ his use of a litter when passing through the towns, and his disdain of the national banquets.⁠ Other subjects for mirth were his Greek retinue and his habit of keeping even the humblest household necessaries under seal. His easy accessibility, on the other hand, and his unreserved courtesy — virtues unknown to Parthia — were construed as exotic vices; and the good and ill in him, as they were equally strange to the national character, were impartially abhorred.”
Tacitus
https://blossom.primal.net/f13a3c33564bcd621d8b7942adbf0aea8f9b0da7825360e8f89b9df621290c86.jpg

2026-04-04 01:47:08 CEST

🔘 THE BELOVED CLAUDIUS
“But in adding to his own dignity he was modest and unassuming, refraining from taking the forename Imperator, refusing excessive honours, and passing over the betrothal of his daughter and the birthday of a grandson in silence and with merely private ceremonies. He recalled no one from exile except with the approval of the senate. He obtained from the members as a favour the privilege of bringing into the House with him the prefect of the praetorian guard and the tribunes of the soldiers, and the ratification of the judicial acts of his agents in the provinces. He asked the consuls for permission to hold fairs on his private estates. He often appeared as one of the advisers at cases tried before the magistrates; and when they gave games, he also arose with the rest of the audience and showed his respect by acclamations and applause. When the tribunes of the commons appeared before him as he sat upon the tribunal, he apologised to them because for lack of room he could not hear them unless they stood up.”
“By such conduct he won so much love and devotion in a short time, that when it was reported that he had been waylaid and killed on a journey to Ostia, the people were horror stricken and with dreadful execrations continued to assail the soldiers as traitors, and the senate as murderers, until finally one or two men, and later several, were brought forward upon the rostra by the magistrates and assured the people that Claudius was safe and on his way to the city.”
Suetonius
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2026-04-04 01:43:02 CEST

🔵 TWIN RULE
“And now, after they had assumed the imperial power, the two emperors acted in so democratic a manner that no one missed the lenient ways of Pius; for though Marullus, a writer of farces of the time, irritated them by his jests, he yet went unpunished. They gave funeral games for their father. And Marcus abandoned himself to philosophy, at the same time cultivating the good-will of the citizens. But now to interrupt the emperor's happiness and repose, there came the first flood of the Tiber — the severest one of their time — which ruined many houses in the city, drowned a great number of animals, and caused a most severe famine; all these disasters Marcus and Verus relieved by their own personal care and aid. At this time, moreover, came the Parthian war, which Vologaesus planned under Pius and declared under Marcus and Verus, after the rout of Attidius Cornelianus, than governor of Syria. And besides this, war was threatening in Britain, and the Chatti had burst into Germany and Raetia. Against the Britons Calpurnius Agricola was sent; against the Chatti, Aufidius Victorinus. But to the Parthian war, with the consent of the senate, Marcus despatched his brother Verus, while he himself remained at Rome, where conditions demanded the presence of an emperor. Nevertheless, he accompanied Verus as far as Capua, honouring him with a retinue of friends from the senate and appointing also all his chiefs-of‑staff.”
Historia Augusta
https://blossom.primal.net/59b8df56bccd148d3fdcf99cbec9f690857f575c9292e75185cebdfa4a5250e0.jpg

2026-04-01 22:35:52 CEST

🟣 SLINGERS OF IBIZA
“And it is on account of the fertility of these regions that the inhabitants are peaceable, as is also the case with the people on the island of Ebusus. But merely because a few criminals among them had formed partnerships with the pirates of the high seas, they were all cast into disrepute, and an over-seaexpedition was made against them by Metellus, surnamed Balearicus, who is the man that founded their cities. On account of the same fertility of their islands, however, the inhabitants are ever the object of plots, albeit they are peaceable; still they are spoken of as the best of slingers.”
“And their training in the use of slings used to be such, from childhood up, that they would not so much as give bread to their children unless they first hit it with the sling. This is why Metellus, when he was approaching the islands from the sea, stretched hides above the decks as a protection against the slings. And he brought thither as colonists three thousand of the Romans who were in Iberia.”
Strabo
https://blossom.primal.net/efb9523879b31069a99867886f8c81517e5eebaaff383bd83c2093a9a35cd30e.jpg

2026-04-01 00:10:23 CEST

⚪️ HORRIBLE VIEW
“The soul of man partakes of the divine nature; sometimes it can predict the future, and by using natural images it can foresee what is going to occur. This is what happened to women of Pinna, who lamented their misfortune before it happened to them. The Italians led the children of the people of Pinna to the foot of the walls of the city, and threatened to kill them if they did not abandon their alliance with Rome. But the people of Pinna were prepared to suffer terribly, and replied : "If you deprive us of our children, we will produce some more easily, as long as we remain faithful to the Romans." These Italians, despairing of taking the city by persuasion, performed an act of great cruelty. They brought the children up to the walls, and ordered those who were about to die to implore the mercy of their fathers, and to raise their hands to heaven, begging the sun, which oversees the life of all men, to save their innocent lives. The inhabitants of the city of Pinna fell into most dreadful calamities on account of their constant fidelity to the Romans; for, being obstinately resolved not to desert the Romans, they were forced to put aside any sense of natural affection, and watch their children being slaughtered before their eyes.”
Diodorus Siculus
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2026-04-01 00:09:25 CEST

🟢 INCENTIVES
“The same Pyrrhus, among many other precepts on the art of war, recommended never to press relentlessly on the heels of an enemy in flight — not merely in order to prevent the enemy from resisting too furiously in consequence of necessity, but also to make him more inclined to withdraw another time, knowing that the victor would not strive to destroy him when in flight.”
Frontinus: The Strategemata
https://blossom.primal.net/22c95cd23b939bb563aa3a19096dae97c9752e674f976ffc9c1daa08ea6ac2cf.png

2026-03-30 03:02:17 CEST

⚫️ EVENTS IN MESOPOTAMIA
“Trajan learned of this at Babylon; for he had gone there both because of its fame — though he saw nothing but mounds and stones and ruins to justify this — and because of Alexander, to whose spirit he offered sacrifice in the room where he had died. When he learned of the revolt, he sent Lusius and Maximus against the rebels. The latter was defeated in battle and perished; but Lusius, in addition to many other successes, recovered Nisibis, and besieged and captured Edessa, which he sacked and burned. Seleucia was also captured by Erucius Clarus and Julius Alexander, lieutenants, and was burned. Trajan, fearing that the Parthians, too, might begin a revolt, desired to give them a king of their own. Accordingly, when he came to Ctesiphon, he called together in a great plain all the Romans and likewise all the Parthians that were there at the time; then he mounted a lofty platform, and after describing in grandiloquent language what he had accomplished, he appointed Parthamaspates king over the Parthians and set the diadem upon his head.”
Cassius Dio
https://blossom.primal.net/2f6d834e9bab9762f9b975d92360e014fdf8da3419af98fd7a5d8c596be700c7.png

2026-03-28 20:33:57 CET

🟡 POENA CULLEI
"Poena cullei" was a Roman form of capital punishment, specifically reserved for those convicted of parricide. It involved sewing the condemned person into a leather sack, along with live animals such as a dog, rooster, snake, and monkey, and then throwing the sack into water, causing them to drown. This punishment was considered exceptionally dishonorable and severe, reflecting the Roman abhorrence of killing close relatives. The practice is documented in Roman legal history, though its usage varied over time, and similar practices appeared in later periods, such as medieval Germany.
https://blossom.primal.net/d33f08682f76c27998e89cc7a40e17c76df6dac11552344f947345bf93c68516.jpg

2026-03-28 17:26:03 CET

About time.
https://blossom.primal.net/56380f33b43977f5a42f1e2986635b3f3c70dfca54fa672df9f0c23bc7ca3ae3.jpg
https://blossom.primal.net/3b84be1e7f65a98cc910cad29f78e84f2ba12882dacd89fb8c88447b666236c8.jpg

2026-03-28 17:23:13 CET

🟤 PLINY THE ELDER ON CHINESE SILK
supplied through the Parthians in the 1st century BC, the Romans thought silk was obtained from trees:
“The Seres (Chinese), are famous for the woolen substance obtained from their forests; after a soaking in water they comb off the white down of the leaves... So manifold is the labor employed, and so distant is the region of the globe drawn upon, to enable the Roman maiden to flaunt transparent clothing in public.”
-(Pliny the Elder (23- 79, The Natural History)
https://blossom.primal.net/3c6ea33fc2d58a1f41c623217579572657d489a2edb0467766d2da2744beb6be.jpg

2026-03-26 22:39:53 CET

🔶 ATHENIAN VS ROMAN GLORY
“The acts of the Athenians, in my judgment, were indeed great and glorious enough, but nevertheless somewhat less important than fame represents them. But because Athens produced writers of exceptional talent,⁠ the exploits of the men of Athens are heralded throughout the world as unsurpassed. Thus the merit of those who did the deeds is rated as high as brilliant minds have been able to exalt the deeds themselves by words of praise. But the Roman people never had that advantage, since their ablest men were always most engaged with affairs; their minds were never employed apart from their bodies; the best citizen preferred action to words, and thought that his own brave deeds should be lauded by others rather than that theirs should be recounted by him.”
Sallust
https://blossom.primal.net/108545f8e3c7f8c79c5e9d75058b4b2cc6b410ca21a5ac9a17eb19b0dff7dfeb.jpg

2026-03-26 12:57:22 CET

🔺REVISIONS
“At first the Romans used the large round shield called the clipeus, afterwards, when the soldiers received pay, the smaller oblong shield called the scutum was adopted. The phalanx formation, similar to the Macedonian of the earlier days, was abandoned in favour of the distribution into companies (manipuli).”
“When the battle formation of the army was completed, the hastati were the first to engage. If they failed to repulse the enemy, they slowly retired through the intervals between the companies of the principes who then took up the fight, the hastati following in their rear. The triarii, meantime, were resting on one knee under their standards, their shields over their shoulders and their spears planted on the ground with the points upwards, giving them the appearance of a bristling palisade. If the principes were also unsuccessful, they slowly retired to the triarii, which has given rise to the proverbial saying, when people are in great difficulty "matters have come down to the triarii." When the triarii had admitted the hastati and principes through the intervals separating their companies they rose from their kneeling posture and instantly closing their companies up they blocked all passage through them and in one compact mass fell on the enemy as the last hope of the army. The enemy who had followed up the others as though they had defeated them, saw with dread a now and larger army rising apparently out of the earth.”
Livy
Interesting video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OWAkNNWo920&t=
https://blossom.primal.net/89d5f318e46a39ce8f5027a09954492408509db787a5f9754dd4fee8da551136.jpg

2026-03-25 13:47:51 CET

https://blossom.primal.net/f107496c4ee80d15dc418239ffa2668402a43e70d89b783fe9faaa46bd759573.jpg
https://blossom.primal.net/74c70b8cec351cbe2f2e91b4d746d82640111d37198aa82402c95f9eb39324e3.jpg

2026-03-24 23:42:18 CET

- reply

https://blossom.primal.net/657434fc7a5e83a6d78865a45a7c5c09c151dbaeca9487748e3ae606d997ccb3.jpg

2026-03-24 22:57:20 CET

🔘 CLAUDIUS BEFORE BEING EMPEROR
“But all this did not save him from constant insults; for if he came to dinner a little after the appointed time, he took his place with difficulty and only after making the round of the dining-room. Whenever he went to sleep after dinner, which was a habit of his, he was pelted with the stones of olives and dates, and sometimes he was awakened by the jesters with a whip or cane, in pretended sport. They used also to put slippers on his hands as he lay snoring, so that when he was suddenly aroused he might rub his face with them.”
Suetonius
https://blossom.primal.net/56f026f74cc8c17d964b667ce0a77cd36c32fee32ffda6868c486c4044736bba.jpg

2026-03-24 22:56:27 CET

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2026-03-24 22:37:25 CET

“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you
who once laid low the nations!”
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2026-03-24 22:29:27 CET

🔵 THE STOIC EMPEROR
“He studied philosophy with ardour, even as a youth. For when he was twelve years old he adopted the dress and, a little later, the hardiness of a philosopher, pursuing his studies clad in a rough Greek cloak and sleeping on the ground; at his mother's solicitation, however, he reluctantly consented to sleep on a couch strewn with skins. He received instruction, furthermore, from the teacher of that Commodus who was destined later to be a kinsman of his, namely Apollonius of Chalcedon, the Stoic;
and such was his ardour for this school of philosophy, that even after he became a member of the imperial family, he still went to Apollonius' residence for instruction. In addition, he attended the lectures of Sextus of Chaeronea, the nephew of Plutarch, and of Junius Rusticus, Claudius Maximus, and Cinna Catulus, all Stoics. He also attended the lectures of Claudius Severus, an adherent of the Peripatetic school, but he received most instruction from Junius Rusticus, whom he ever revered and whose disciple he became, a man esteemed in both private and public life, and exceedingly well acquainted with the Stoic system, with whom Marcus shared all his counsels both public and private, whom he greeted with a kiss prior to the prefects of the guard, whom he even appointed consul for a second term, and whom after his death he asked the senate to honour with statues. On his teachers in general, moreover, he conferred great honours, for he even kept golden statues of them in his chapel, and made it a custom to show respect for their tombs by personal visits and by offerings of sacrifices and flowers. He studied jurisprudence as well, in which he heard Lucius Volusius Maecianus, and so much work and labour did he devote to his studies that he impaired his health — the only fault to be found with his entire childhood. He attended also the public schools of rhetoricians. Of his fellow-pupils he was particularly fond of Seius Fuscianus and Aufidius Victorinus, of the senatorial order, and Baebius Longus and Calenus, of the equestrian. He was very generous to these men, so generous, in fact, that on those whom he could not advance to public office on account of their station in life, he bestowed riches.”
Historia Augusta
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2026-03-24 22:28:20 CET

Of all the sins I have struggled with, I found rage and sexual sin to be the most distructive.
Thank you for all the blessings in my life, Lord Jesus Christ.

2026-03-24 22:25:59 CET

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2026-03-24 22:24:39 CET

Breaking: I have been told that in the end, Jesus wins! ✝️

2026-03-24 22:23:29 CET

🟣 NASTY CUSTOMS
“there is also that custom, barbarous and exotic, which attends most of the northern tribes — I mean the fact that when they depart from the battle they hang the heads of their enemies from the necks of their horses, and, when they have brought them home, nail the spectacle to the entrances of their homes. At any rate, Poseidonius says that he himself saw this spectacle in many places, and that, although at first he loathed it, afterwards, through his familiarity with it, he could bear it calmly. The heads of enemies of high repute, however, they used to embalm in cedar-oil and exhibit to strangers, and they would not deign to give them back even for a ransom of an equal weight of gold. But the Romans put a stop to these customs, as well as to all those connected with the sacrifices and divinations that are opposed to our usages. They used to strike a human being, whom they had devoted to death, in the back with a sabre, and then divine from his death-struggle. But they would not sacrifice without the Druids. We are told of still other kinds of human sacrifices; for example, they would shoot victims to death with arrows, or impale them in the temples, or, having devised a colossus of straw and wood, throw into the colossus cattle and wild animals of all sorts and human beings, and then make a burnt-offering of the whole thing.”
Strabo
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2026-03-23 21:00:44 CET

⚪️ YES
“Marius led his army into the plain of the Samnites, and encamped in front of the enemy. Pompaedius, who had been invested with the chief command of the Marsi, also advanced with his troops. As the two armies approached one another, their warlike attitude changed into a peaceful mood. When they came into sight, the soldiers of each army recognized many of their hosts, their comrades, and finally many of those with whom they were bound by family ties. Natural sympathy therefore drove them to exchange kind words; they called each other by their names, and exhorted them not to defile themselves with the murder of their kinsmen. Putting aside their panoplies, which they held ready to fight, they stretched out their right hands, and cordially embraced. Marius, when he saw this happening, also left the ranks; Pompaedius did the same, and the two leaders talked amicably. While these leaders were talking at length about peace and citizenship, both sides were filled with joy and hope, and instead of a battle, there was the appearance of a festival. By appropriate words the (?) commanders encouraged a peaceful conclusion, and they all gladly abstained from bloodshed and fighting.”
Diodorus Siculus
https://blossom.primal.net/83886afc75043f2a9b5e3d5a22e72c6618a01eb001656cf674861056f1d911f5.jpg

2026-03-23 20:59:52 CET

🟢 TRASIMENE
“At Trasimenus, when the Romans had been enveloped and were fighting with the greatest fury, Hannibal opened up his ranks and gave them an opportunity of escape, whereupon, as they fled, he overwhelmed them without loss of his own troops.”
Frontinus: The Strategemata
https://blossom.primal.net/0babb9558b640c89a82051383807a289e0974b5cf31f2222d0058f6fba339f01.jpg

2026-03-20 10:17:02 CET

2026-03-20 10:16:50 CET

⚫️ REASSAMBLING BOATS IN MESOPOTAMIA
“And since the region near the Tigris is bare of timber suitable for building ships, he brought his boats, which had been constructed in the forests around Nisibis, to the river on waggons; for they had been built in such a way that they could be taken apart and put together again. He had great difficulty in bridging the stream opposite the Gordyaean mountains, as the barbarians had taken their stand on the opposite bank and tried to hinder him. But Trajan had a great abundance of both ships and soldiers, and so some vessels were fastened together with great speed while others lay moored in front of them having heavy infantry and archers board, and still others kept making dashes this way and that, as if they intended to cross. In consequence of these tactics and because of their very consternation at seeing so many ships appear all at once out of a land destitute of trees, the barbarians gave way. And the Romans crossed over and gained possession of the whole of Adiabene. This is a district of Assyria in the vicinity of Ninus; and Arbela and Gaugamela, near which places Alexander conquered Darius, are also in this same country. Adiabene, accordingly, has also been called Atyria in the language of the barbarians, the double S being changed to T.”
Cassius Dio
https://blossom.primal.net/4fde97309915298551824c52a9d8979ada196e5ac0540294c65005f680595be6.jpg

2026-03-20 10:15:44 CET

🟡 “THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STRUGGLE”
“Now it was the purpose of the Romans to sail across to Libya and transfer the war there, in order that the Carthaginians might find the danger affecting themselves and their own country rather than Sicily. But the Carthaginians were determined to prevent this. They knew that Libya was easily invaded, and that the invaders if they once effected a landing would meet with little resistance from the inhabitants; and they therefore made up their minds not to allow it, and were eager rather to bring the matter to a decisive issue by a battle at sea. The one side was determined to cross, the other to prevent their crossing; and their enthusiastic rivalry gave promise of a desperate struggle. The preparations of the Romans were made to suit either contingency, an engagement at sea or a disembarkation on the enemy's soil. Accordingly they picked out the best hands from the land army and divided the whole force which they meant to take on board into four divisions. Each division had alternative titles; the first was called the "First Legion" or the "First Squadron,"—and so on with the others. The fourth had a third title besides. They were called "Triarii," on the analogy of land armies. The total number of men thus making up the naval force amounted to nearly one hundred and forty thousand, reckoning each ship as carrying three hundred rowers and one hundred and twenty soldiers. The Carthaginans, on the other hand, made their preparations almost exclusively with a view to a naval engagement. Their numbers, if we reckon by the number of their ships, were over one hundred and fifty thousand men. The mere recital of these figures must, I should imagine, strike any one with astonishment at the magnitude of the struggle, and the vast resources of the contending states. An actual view of them itself could hardly be more impressive than the bare statement of the number of men and ships.”
Polybius, histories
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2026-03-16 21:59:05 CET

🟤 GAN YING’S JOURNEY
Gan Ying was a Chinese diplomat and explorer who lived during the Han Dynasty. He is best known for his attempted journey to the Roman Empire in 97 CE.
Gan Ying's mission was initiated by the Chinese general Ban Chao, who sought to establish diplomatic relations with the Roman Empire. Ban Chao believed that such a relationship would benefit both empires, particularly in trade and cultural exchange.
Gan Ying embarked on his journey westward, traveling along the Silk Road. He reached Parthia, an empire that controlled much of the trade routes between China and the West. In Parthia, he was discouraged from continuing his journey to Rome.
The Parthians, fearing that closer ties between China and Rome would disrupt their own trade dominance, misled Gan Ying, telling him that the sea voyage to Rome was long and perilous.
https://blossom.primal.net/b1f253c5671338a83582ca890d50ed6e29e4002cd35e2591b263a1654b4cd29e.png

2026-03-15 14:36:31 CET

🔶 MARKING BREAD
The Romans used bread stamps to mark their loaves. In Roman cities, many people didn't have their own ovens and would take their prepared dough to communal or commercial bakeries to be baked. To ensure they got their own bread back, or to identify the baker in case of issues (like a short loaf or poor quality), they would press a stamp into the dough before it went into the oven.
These stamps could bear the baker's name, a family mark, or even symbols.
The importance of bread in Roman society, particularly with the state distribution of grain (later bread) to citizens, meant that quality and accountability were significant.
Photo: Carbonized bread from the city of Pompeii or Herculaneum.
https://blossom.primal.net/c72ac77999e84c91fd0cfa83bad9ef981a1809393d18691b9493b9d39d9d5f22.jpg

2026-03-13 23:25:23 CET

🔺 THE SUB-CENTURION
“A force of equal size used to be supplied by the Latins, now, however, they were hostile to Rome. The two armies were drawn up in the same formation, and they knew that if the maniples kept their order they would have to fight, not only vexilla with vexilla, hastati with hastati, principes with principes, but even centurion with centurion. There were amongst the triarii two centurions, one in each army - the Roman, possessing but little bodily strength but an energetic and experienced soldier, the Latin, a man of enormous strength and a splendid fighter - very well known to each other because they had always served in the same company. The Roman, distrusting his own strength, had obtained the consuls' permission before leaving Rome to choose his own sub-centurion to protect him from the man who was destined to be his enemy. This youth, finding himself face to face with the Latin centurion, gained a victory over him.”
Livy
The Latin War (340-338 BC) was fought between the Roman Republic and its former allies in the Latin League who desired independence from Roman dominance. Rome won, dissolving the League and solidifying its control over Latium.
https://blossom.primal.net/dd7fcc46cfa66cf38eaba34f65cb17ba6ebc7261e2e754a49b3d2ddcc7271d65.jpg

2026-03-13 21:24:28 CET

🔘 THE FORTUNATE PRINCEPS
“What then? Caesar's son, who was the first to be styled Augustus, and who ruled for fifty-four years, when he was sending forth his grandson to war, did he not pray to the goddess to bestow upon the young man the courage of Scipio, the popularity of Pompey, and his own Fortune, thus recording Fortune as the creator of himself, quite as though he were inscribing the artist's name on a great monument? For it was Fortune that imposed him upon Cicero, Lepidus, Pansa, Hirtius, and Mark Antony, and by their displays of valour, their deeds, victories, fleets, wars, armies, raised him on high to be the first of Roman citizens; and she cast down these men, through whom he had mounted, and left him to rule alone.
It was, in fact, for him that Cicero governed the State, that Lepidus commanded armies, that Pansa conquered, that Hirtius fell, that Antony played the wanton.
For I reckon even Cleopatra as a part of Caesar's Fortune, on whom, as on a reef, even so great a commander as Antony was wrecked and crushed that Caesar might rule alone. The tale is told of Caesar and Antony that, when there was much familiarity and intimacy between them, they often devoted their leisure to a game of ball or dice or even to fights of pet birds, such as quails or cocks; and Antony always retired from the field defeated. It is further related that one of his friends, who prided himself on his knowledge of divination, was often wont to speak freely to him and admonish him,
"Sir, what business have you with this youth? Avoid him! Your repute is greater, you are older, you govern more men, you have fought in wars, you excel in experience; but your Guardian Spirit fears this man's Spirit. Your Fortune is mighty by herself, but abases herself before his. Unless you keep far away from him, your Fortune will depart and go over to him!”
Plutarch
https://blossom.primal.net/54ad7e7c7063af8d0e2a8715fe4c85ba345e87f522200db0b512d877da01656d.jpg

2026-03-13 20:11:14 CET

🔵 PESCENNIUS NIGER
“Pescennius Niger, then, was born of humble parentage, according to some, of noble, according to others. His father was Annius Fuscus, his mother Lampridia. His grandfather was the supervisor of Aquinum, the town to which the family sought to trace its origin, though the fact is even now considered doubtful. As for Pescennius himself, he was passably well versed in literature, thrifty in his habits, and unbridled in indulgence in every manner of passion. For a long time he commanded in the ranks, and finally, after holding many generalships, he reached the point where Commodus named him to command the armies in Syria, chiefly on the recommendation of the athlete who afterward strangled Commodus; for so, at that time, were all appointments made.
And now, after he learned that Commodus had been murdered, that Julianus had been declared emperor, and then, by order of Severus and the senate, put to death, and that Albinus, furthermore, had assumed in Gaul the name and power of emperor, Pescennius was hailed imperatorby the armies he commanded in Syria;— though more out of aversion to Julianus, some say, than in rivalry of Severus.
Even before this, during the first days of Julianus' reign, because of the dislike felt for the Emperor, Pescennius was so favoured at Rome, that even the senators, who hated Severus also, prayed for his success, while with showers of stones and general execrations the commons shouted "May the gods preserve him as Emperor, and him as Augustus". For the mob hated Julianus because the soldiers had slain Pertinax and declared Julianus emperor contrary to their wishes; and there was violent rioting on this account.”
Historia Augusta
https://blossom.primal.net/2f26315d2604d978fea088ac63811b53971585b1e8515338ef6e9f3306b823c3.jpg

2026-03-13 20:10:15 CET

🟣 THREE SETS OF MEN
Among all the Gallic peoples, generally speaking, there are three sets of men who are held in exceptional honour; the Bards, the Vates and the Druids. The Bards are singers and poets; the Vates, diviners and natural philosophers; while the Druids, in addition to natural philosophy, study also moral philosophy. The Druids are considered the most just of men, and on this account they are entrusted with the decision, not only of the private disputes, but of the public disputes as well; so that, in former times, they even arbitrated cases of war and made the opponents stop when they were about to line up for battle, and the murder cases, in particular, had been turned over to them for decision. Further, when there is a big yield from these cases, there is forthcoming a big yield from the land too, as they think. However, not only the Druids, but others as well, say that men's souls, and also the universe, are indestructible, although both fire and water will at some time or other prevail over them.”
Strabo
https://blossom.primal.net/f99ea7544537a0cacaba238970388d2649824ed3be0b9634ba2c0a5d6c381bc5.jpg

2026-03-11 14:47:21 CET

⚪️ THE VIRTUE OF THE PROCONSUL OF ASIA
“Quintus Scaevola used his utmost endeavour to reform other men's corrupt manners by his own virtuous example. For when he was sent as proconsul to Asia, he chose Quintus Rutilius, the worthiest of his friends, to be his legate, and always took his advice in the government of his province, and in making of laws. All the costs and expenses both of himself and his retinue he ordered to be defrayed out of his own purse; and by his moderation and frugality, together with his just and upright dealings, he freed the province from its former miseries and oppressions. For the proconsuls of Asia before him had conspired with the publicans (tax collectors), who at that time controlled the administration of justice at Rome, and they oppressed the whole province with their illegal exactions.”
Diodorus Siculus
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2026-03-11 14:46:06 CET

🟢 NEW TESTAMENT CENSUS
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
Luke 2. 1-5 NKJV
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2026-03-10 15:39:58 CET

⚫️ FRIENDSHIP
“When Licinius Sura died, Trajan bestowed upon him a public funeral and a statue. This man had attained to such a degree of wealth and pride that he had built a gymnasium for the Romans; yet so great was the friendship and confidence which he showed toward Trajan and Trajan toward him, that, although he was often slandered, — as naturally happens in the case of all those who possess any influence with the emperors, — Trajan never felt any suspicion or hatred toward him. On the contrary, when those who envied Sura became very insistent, the emperor went uninvited to his house to dinner, and having dismissed his whole body-guard, he first called Sura's physician and caused him to anoint his eyes, and then his barber, whom he caused to shave his chin (for the emperors themselves as well as all the rest used to follow this ancient practice; it was Hadrian who first set the fashion of wearing a beard); and after doing all this, he next took a bath and had dinner. Then on the following day he said to his friends who were constantly in the habit of making disparaging remarks about Sura: "If Sura had desired to kill me, he would have killed me yesterday."
Cassius Dio
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2026-03-10 15:36:34 CET

🟡 DON’T CELEBRATE TO EARLY
“As for Gaius Duilius, he no sooner heard of the disaster which had befallen the commander of the navy than handing over his legions to the military Tribunes he transferred himself to the fleet. There he learnt that the enemy was plundering the territory of Mylae, and at once sailed to attack him with the whole fleet. No sooner did the Carthaginians sight him than with joy and alacrity they put to sea with a hundred and thirty sail, feeling supreme contempt for the Roman ignorance of seamanship. Accordingly they all sailed with their prows directed straight at their enemy: they did not think the engagement worth even the trouble of ranging their ships in any order, but advanced as though to seize a booty exposed for their acceptance. Their commander was that same Hannibal who had withdrawn his forces from Agrigentum by a secret night movement, and he was on board a galley with seven banks of oars which had once belonged to King Pyrrhus. When they neared the enemy, and saw the "crows" raised aloft on the prows of the several ships, the Carthaginians were for a time in a state of perplexity; for they were quite strangers to such contrivances as these engines. Feeling, however, a complete contempt for their opponents, those on board the ships that were in the van of the squadron charged without flinching. But as soon as they came to close quarters their ships were invariably tightly grappled by these machines; the enemy boarded by means of the "crows," and engaged them on their decks; and in the end some of the Carthaginians were cut down, while others surrendered in bewildered terror at the battle in which they found themselves engaged, which eventually became exactly like a land fight.”
Polybius, histories
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2026-03-09 15:19:55 CET

“and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”
https://blossom.primal.net/cd9308c358cd16c770c52b58b466547432111f8a07e952a13ef5ad743965f9cb.jpg

2026-03-09 13:25:42 CET

“and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”
https://blossom.primal.net/cd9308c358cd16c770c52b58b466547432111f8a07e952a13ef5ad743965f9cb.jpg

2026-03-08 17:41:32 CET

🔶 THE JUGURTHINE WAR ENDS, THE CIMBRIAN WAR CONTINUES
105 BC?
“When day came and he was told that Jugurtha was not far off, he proceeded with a few friends and the Roman quaestor⁠ to a mound in full sight of those who were in ambush, as if he were honouring Jugurtha by going to meet him. Jugurtha came to the same place unarmed and with only a few followers, as had been agreed, and immediately on a given signal those who were in concealment rushed upon him from all sides at once. His companions were killed; the king himself was bound and delivered to Sulla, who took him to Marius.”
“At this same time our generals Quintus Caepio and Gnaeus Manlius were defeated by the Gauls⁠ and terror at this had made all Italy tremble. The Romans of that time and even down to our own day believed that all else was easy for their valour, but that with the Gauls they fought for life and not for glory. But when it was announced that the war in Numidia was ended and that Jugurtha was being brought captive to Rome, Marius was made consul in his absence and Gaul was assigned him as his province. On the Kalends of January⁠ he entered upon his office and celebrated a triumph of great magnificence. At that time the hopes and welfare of our country were in his hands.”
Sallust
https://blossom.primal.net/e004e229a5130237e123e8ba2a396b0a9f658efb798286d1cfa755fd261fc733.png

2026-03-08 17:40:41 CET

🔺 SINGLE COMBAT DURING THE LATIN WAR 340-338 BC
“Geminus rode forward a short distance and said: "Are you willing, before the day comes when you are to set your armies in motion for so great an effort, to have a meeting with me that the result of our single combat may show how much a Latin horseman is superior to a Roman?" Either urged on by anger or feeling ashamed to decline the contest, or dragged on by the irresistible power of destiny, the high-spirited youth forgot the consul's edict and the obedience due to a father and rushed headlong into a contest in which victory or defeat were alike fatal. The rest of the cavalry retired to remain spectators of the fray; the two combatants selected a clear space over which they charged each other at full gallop with levelled spears. Manlius' lance passed above his adversary's helmet, Maecius' across the neck of the other's horse. They wheeled their horses round, and Manlius standing in his stirrups was the first to get in a second stroke; he thrust his lance between the horse's ears. Feeling the wound the horse reared, shook its head violently, and threw its rider off. Whilst he was trying to rise after his heavy fall by supporting himself with his lance and shield, Manlius drove his lance right through his body and pinned him to the earth. After despoiling the body he returned to his men, and amidst their exulting shouts entered the camp and went straight to his father at the headquarters' tent, not in the least realising the nature of his deed or its possible consequences, whether praise or punishment. "That all may say, my father," he said, "that I am a true scion of your blood, I bring to you these equestrian spoils taken from a dead enemy who challenged me to single combat." On hearing this the consul turned away from his son and ordered the trumpet to sound the Assembly.”
Livy
https://blossom.primal.net/d63de548f7f2ee2cf0646d432e7ceb9eea82365942e0d2780ac29c66db22a878.gif

2026-03-05 20:54:16 CET

🔘 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OCTAVIAN AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT
“He learned that Alexander, having completed nearly all his conquests by the time he was thirty-two years old, was at an utter loss to know what he should do during the rest of his life, whereat Augustus expressed his surprise that Alexander did not regard it as a greater risk to set in order the empire which he had won than to win it.”
Plutarch, Sayings Of The Romans
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2026-03-05 20:53:01 CET

🔵 CLODIUS ALBINUS
“As soon as he came of age he entered military service, and by the aid of Lollius Serenus, Baebius Maecianus and Ceionius Postumianus, all his kinsmen, he gained the notice of the Antonines. In the capacity of a tribune he commanded a troop of Dalmatian horse; he also commanded soldiers of the First and the Fourth legions. At the time of Avidius' revolt he loyally held the Bithynian army to its allegiance. Next, Commodus transferred him to Gaul; and here he routed the tribes from over the Rhine and made his name illustrious among both Romans and barbarians. This aroused Commodus' interest, and he offered Albinus the name of Caesar and the privilege, too, of giving the soldiers a present and wearing the scarlet cloak. But all these offers Albinus wisely refused, for Commodus, he said, was only looking for a man who would perish with him, or whom he could reasonably put to death. The duty of holding the quaestorship was in his case remitted. This requirement waived, he became aedile, but after a term of only ten days he was despatched in haste to the army. Next, he served his praetorship under Commodus, and a very famous one it was. For at his games Commodus, it is said, gave gladiatorial combats in both the Forum and the theatre. And finally Severus made him consul at the time when he purposed to make him and Pescennius his successors.”
Historia Augusta
https://blossom.primal.net/c2f3e421adac3a8099fbebb33e45e47d1a8c9b2f39c5310b94fd32ea630ed66f.jpg

2026-03-05 20:49:18 CET

- reply

Paul Washer is the best, as always.

2026-03-04 08:44:40 CET

🟣 THE GAULS OF BELGIUM
instead of tunics they wear slit tunics that have sleeves and reach as far as their private parts and the buttocks. The wool of their sheep, from which they weave the coarse "sagi" (which they call "laenae"), is not only rough, but also flocky at the surface; the Romans, however, even in the most northerly parts raise skin-clothed flocks with wool that is sufficiently fine. The Gallic armour is commensurate with the large size of their bodies: a long sabre, which hangs along the right side, and a long oblong shield, and spears in proportion, and a "madaris," a special kind of javelin. But some of them also use bows and slings. There is also a certain wooden instrument resembling the "grosphus" (it is hurled by hand, not by thong, and ranges even farther than an arrow), which they use particularly for the purposes of bird-hunting. Most of them, even to the present time, sleep on the ground, and eat their meals seated on beds of straw. Food they have in very great quantities, along with milk and flesh of all sorts, but particularly the flesh of hogs, both fresh and salted. Their hogs run wild, and they are of exceptional height, boldness, and swiftness; at any rate, it is dangerous for one unfamiliar with their ways to approach them, and likewise, also, for a wolf. As for their houses, which are large and dome-shaped, they make them of planks and wicker, throwing up over them quantities of thatch. And their flocks of sheep and herds of swine are so very large that they supply an abundance of the "sagi" and the salt-meat, not only to Rome, but to most parts of Italy as well. The greater number of their governments used to be aristocratic — although in the olden time only one leader was chosen, annually; and so, likewise, for war, only one man was declared general by the common people. But now they give heed, for the most part, to the commands of the Romans.”
Strabo
https://blossom.primal.net/abe89557fa0e18604a09f2577665325f501adb37e9617a95a4d89d63b8d9ceca.jpg

2026-03-04 08:43:44 CET

⚪️ MARCUS CATO SPEAKS
“Marcus Cato, a wise man and distinguished by the purity of his morals, spoke in the senate against the luxury that invaded Rome. "Only in this this city," he exclaimed, "does a pot of salted Pontic fish fetch a higher price than a pair of oxen, and a catamite cost more than a slave."
Diodorus Siculus
https://blossom.primal.net/ae7ddf47f66124faf5a88321a2cc09cebb56f2ca0fab32e71c6b9dfe5845ee49.png

2026-03-03 08:57:39 CET

🟢 AMBUSH IN SYRIA
“Gaius Cassius, when fighting in Syria against the Parthians and their leader Osaces, exhibited only cavalry in front, but had posted infantry in hiding on rough ground in the rear. Then, when his cavalry fell back and retreated over familiar roads, he drew the army of the Parthians into the ambush prepared for them and cut them to pieces.”
Frontinus: The Strategemata
https://blossom.primal.net/9bac2454c9b885c34793aa506894eadd5c35c0956bec3d3d41d008cbbf08a384.png

2026-03-03 08:54:58 CET

2026-03-02 21:39:58 CET

It’s March again and that means campaigning season!
https://blossom.primal.net/af539499f71610f1e825b5ac725db0181e9c8eaa4859bb93480f306f321d78d0.jpg

2026-03-01 14:39:52 CET

Went for a walk.
https://blossom.primal.net/c74e63f868cba52b23090430486f83f214db604016b614508f7c679fcd648ee6.jpg
https://blossom.primal.net/eaa1483da8ab7210028152f7bad579c0e93da7aa3c5b5ae6e389eeb1abda030b.jpg
https://blossom.primal.net/5ae2173d532635a784bf2891471daad103a74f33072bbfba20e62030ec3e52f9.jpg
https://blossom.primal.net/a5ad6e52fc6481fa355922f7517acfe839d569bc3fb6ae9e8dd77ce9e8d1203f.jpg
https://blossom.primal.net/599ad2e20d9652a0e4c3f6966819ed717d38fbf1f462bd3cc4fe71d08a444fe1.jpg

2026-03-01 13:42:26 CET

Went for a walk.
https://blossom.primal.net/a5ad6e52fc6481fa355922f7517acfe839d569bc3fb6ae9e8dd77ce9e8d1203f.jpg

2026-03-01 11:30:14 CET

🤯 BREAKING: with Hasmonean support the Roman empire has struck deep in into Parthia, the Parthian Shahanshah died in the chaos.
https://blossom.primal.net/0a10fe88eb504c4a8f3ebd15f1805b94509e0684fb06a360774e36f399f332e1.jpg

2026-03-01 11:23:52 CET

⚫️ A COURAGEOUS HORSEMAN
“Trajan, having crossed the Ister by means of the bridge, conducted the war with safe prudence rather than with haste, and eventually, after a hard struggle, vanquished the Dacians. In the course of the campaign he himself performed many deeds of good generalship and bravery, and his troops ran many risks and displayed great prowess on his behalf. It was here that a certain horseman, after being carried, badly wounded, from the battle in the hope that he could be healed, when he found that he could not recover, rushed from his tent (for his injury had not yet reached his heart) and, taking his place once more in the line, perished after displaying great feats of valour. Decebalus, when his capital and all his territory had been occupied and he was himself in danger of being captured, committed suicide; and his head was brought to Rome. In this way Dacia became subject to the Romans, and Trajan founded cities there.”
Cassius Dio
https://blossom.primal.net/f8804c9d72e064253c26f92a076bc9428d3f09027dc35914d573cd40c06be9b8.jpg

2026-03-01 11:21:50 CET

1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the “gods” I will sing your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.
3 When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me

2026-03-01 00:35:50 CET

https://blossom.primal.net/4101ba15108e9f33603f8264e2eed3c51b74f59e527382f5ed6c1227db7e1260.jpg

2026-03-01 00:30:30 CET

https://blossom.primal.net/823a3ca3552cac8c423c77744c72f1044d0359eb0a02942e710e2b63b32ed221.jpg

2026-03-01 00:23:58 CET

🟡 “NO WARSHIPS AT ALL”
“Their shipbuilders were entirely unacquainted with the construction of quinqueremes, because no one in Italy had at that time employed vessels of that description. There could be no more signal proof of the courage, or rather the extraordinary audacity of the Roman enterprise. Not only had they no resources for it of reasonable sufficiency; but without any resources for it at all, and without having ever entertained an idea of naval war,— for it was the first time they had thought of it,—they nevertheless handled the enterprise with such extraordinary audacity, that, without so much as a preliminary trial, they took upon themselves there and then to meet the Carthaginians at sea, on which they had for generations held undisputed supremacy. Proof of what I say, and of their surprising audacity, may be found in this. When they first took in hand to send troops across to Messene they not only had no decked vessels but no war-ships at all, not so much as a single galley: but they borrowed quinqueremes and triremes from Tarentum and Locri, and even from Elea and Neapolis; and having thus collected a fleet, boldly sent their men across upon it.”
“It was on this occasion that, the Carthaginians having put to sea in the Strait to attack them, a decked vessel of theirs charged so furiously that it ran aground, and falling into the hands of the Romans served them as a model on which they constructed their whole fleet. And if this had not happened it is clear that they would have been completely hindered from carrying out their design by want of constructive knowledge.”
Polybius, histories
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