#punic culture

[uncleclaudius]

I wouldn't want to come across these in the middle of the night, they would scare my pants off. Phoenicians/Carthaginians apparently thought so too because they placed these menacingly grinning masks inside their tombs to scare off evil spirits and guard against evil. These particular exemplars come from Tunisia, Spain, and Sardinia respectively.

[blueiscoool]

2,300-Year-Old Punic Tomb Complex Found in Malta

A 2,300-year-old Punic tomb was discovered during work in a car park near Mater Dei Hospital in Msida, Malta.

The archaeological discovery was made during trenching works near Mater Dei Hospital while preparing the site for the installation of a new potable water line.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) has been overseeing the site since the start of the project, ensuring the protection and study of any potential discoveries during development works.

An excavation revealed a chamber hewn out of solid natural rock. After additional examination by the SCH’s on-site archaeology monitors, it was found that the chamber was a component of a larger burial complex.

The discovery consists of three burial chambers, each accessed through a central shaft, characteristic of Punic and Roman tombs. It is thought to have been used for multiple inhumations during the Punic and Roman periods. Remarkably, the entrance to each chamber was sealed with original slabs, and the contents inside included human remains and grave goods.

The burial chambers were meticulously excavated over two weeks by a committed team of SCH archaeologists and osteologists. The human remains were primarily inhumations, with some cremated remains stored in urns. The fact that many of the bones were arranged in a methodical manner raises the possibility that earlier remains were moved to make room for later burials. There were several inhumations in each chamber, with at least six in Chambers 2 and 3 and at least two in Chamber 1. A small collection of grave goods and cremation urns were also discovered, offering important new information about the burial customs of the time.

A team of experts, has been working on site to excavate, document, and interpret the remains, some of which have been transferred to the laboratory of the superintendence for further analysis.

Researchers will examine the remains for evidence of the age, sex, and health of the individuals, and conduct DNA analysis.

“The findings, which include skeletal remains, cremation urns, and other funerary artifacts, provide valuable insight into the ancient community that once inhabited the region. Preliminary analysis indicates a Punic timeline, although some artifacts suggest an extended period of use into the early Roman era,” the Foundation for Medical Services and SCH said.

Efforts are underway to ensure the tomb is retained in its entirety, with plans for permanent controlled access to allow for continued study and preservation of this significant archaeological site.

By Oguz Kayra.

[ateneanike]

Diosa Tanit , s.V-III a.C necrópolis Puig des Molins, Ibiza

Construida en cerámica presenta un collar de cuentas vitreas y pendientes de oro.

Cultura punicoebusitana

Tanit era una diosa muy venerada en Cartago, relacionada con los ciclos lunares, las cosechas y la fertilidad. Su culto se extendió por las zonas de influencia púnica.

[sherdnerd]

Today in wild takes I've stumbled across: in a list of examples someone gave as they complained about "brown-washing" of history by depicting folks as people of color... was Hannibal. Hannibal Barca. From Carthage. The city in North Africa, with roots in the region modern syria. A man who if not ethnically north African was likely Syrian. WHY WOULD YOU EXPECT THIS MAN TO BE A WHITE GUY?!?!

[centrally-unplanned]

For a bit of a left-field materialist moment, people have been mentioning recently (due to an ACX post) the fact that people in the ancient world did not have PTSD from war. I think this result is quite robust; war was a nigh-universal part of life for many people, writings about war and its aftermath were the most popular topic of writing around, and we have robust documentary evidence about every other negative impact of war that people did experience. Certainly someone in the ancient world had some equivalent, but if it was at all as common as it is now it would have been discussed, and probably even named and addressed as part of martial culture. Instead its a complete ghost.

I do feel like reaching towards "martial culture" as the explanation is a bit weird though? It plays a role, for sure, I do agree that a society that raises someone to know that killing and fighting is Good, Actually, is going to be better mental prep for said activities. But a lot of societies today, and way more within "modern war" memory, had martial cultures! Virtually all societies fighting in WW1, where PTSD was first widely observed, had very similar values to the Romans; fighting is noble & good, and it is right to kill for your country. Those values just broke down in the conflict itself. And I think this too is giving the past too much monoculture; wars like the Second Punic War or the Thirty Years War had intense levels of population mobilization, which meant they were tapping manpower from every sector of society, and a lot of those individuals or communities had their own values that were less martial (think Jewish communities in Europe, for an example). And those wars don't show much new evidence. That evidence could be lost, its the kind of evidence that would be lost ofc, but it still points in that direction.

And its weird to point to culture when technology seems like the way bigger cause? Its why we called it shell-shocked after all! War in the older days was very concrete and typically concentrated. You marched at more-or-less peace for months, saw an enemy, arrayed for battle, and fought right up against a guy in front of you. If you won it was on your own strength against dudes in eyesight swinging metal; if you lost you ran away or were dead and so don't get PTSD. I can see how this isn't a recipe for flashback triggers, it wasn't that different an environment from your day to day 99.9% of the time. Meanwhile modern war is massively loud explosions, people randomly dying next to you, and in contexts like trench warfare or counterinsurgency its constant levels of awareness for the idea of metal cracking your skull in every direction. And we do get reports of PTSD-style symptoms from earlier WW1-style conflicts like the Russo-Japanese War. I think war-based PTSD is in some part a literal noise issue, and modern war is much louder.

Both probably play a role, but I think technology is the main one. War is now a factory for breaking one's sense of place in the world, almost by design (that works better for killing the enemy), so it really isn't even that surprising.

[whencyclopedia]

Roman Britain

Britain was a significant addition to the ever-expanding Roman Empire. For decades, Rome had been conquering the Mediterranean Sea – defeating Carthage in the Punic Wars, overwhelming Macedon and Greece, and finally marching into Syria and Egypt. At long last, they gazed northward across the Alps towards Gaul and ultimately set their sights across the channel (they believed it to be an ocean) into Britannia. After Claudius' invasion in 43 CE, part of the island became a Roman province in name, however, conquest was a long process. Constantly rebellious and twice reorganized, it was finally abandoned by the Romans in 410 CE.

Britain before Rome

At the time of the Roman arrival, Britain (originally known as Albion) was mostly comprised of small Iron Age communities, primarily agrarian, tribal, with enclosed settlements. Southern Britain shared their culture with northern Gaul (modern-day France and Belgium); many southern Britons were Belgae in origin and shared a common language with them. In fact, after 120 BCE trading between Transalpine Gaul intensified with the Britons receiving such domestic imports as wine; there was also some evidence of Gallo-Belgae coinage.

Continue reading...

[mapsontheweb]

Map of Spain's provinces with their possible historical meaning.

by u/SirRickOfEarth

Spain has a long history, and most of the territories have been named the same for millennia, adapting to new languages and cultures. Some meaning of these names are yet unknown, although there are interesting hypothesis. These names come from Iberians, Celts, Phoenicians, Punics, Romans, Greeks, Basques, Muslims, Visigoths, and Christians, among others, which makes this country one of the most interesting in this matter.

Sources: Each Wikipedia article for every province (in Spanish), and this NatGeo article in Spanish

[beardedmrbean]

Denzel Washington being cast in Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming Netflix movie as ancient Carthaginian general Hannibal is sparking some controversy in Tunisia, the home country of the great military commander.

According to French newspaper Courrier International, there are complaints about depicting the Carthaginian general as a Black African being made in the media and the Tunisian parliament. Member of Parliament Yassine Mami has pointed out that Hannibal, who was born in 247 BC in Carthage — now known as Tunis, the Tunisian capital — was of West Asian Semitic origin. “There is a risk of falsifying history: we need to take position on this subject,” the Tunisian politician reportedly stated.

Concurrently, French-language Tunisian newspaper La Presse has published an editorial in which it similarly objects that depicting Hannibal as a Black African is “according to Tunisians and many observers, a historical error.”

However, Tunisian culture minister Hayet Ketat-Guermazi had a different, more pragmatic take on the matter.

“It’s fiction. It is their [Netflix‘s] right to do what they want,” she responded, according to French newspaper Le Monde. “Hannibal is a historical figure and we are all proud that he was Tunisian. But what can we do?” She went on to note that she is trying to negotiate with Netflix to shoot at least a portion of the film in Tunisia. “I hope they decide to shoot at least a sequence of the film here and that that this is publicized. We want Tunisia to go back to being a location where foreign films are shot,” Ketat-Guermazi said, as reported by Le Monde.

Representatives for Netflix, Washington and Fuqua did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The controversy in Tunisia over Washington playing Hannibal is reminiscent of the uproar sparked in Egypt in April over Britain’s Adele James, who is of mixed heritage, playing Cleopatra in Netflix’s docudrama “Queen Cleopatra.” The first-century Egyptian queen was born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in 69 BC and belonged to a Greek-speaking dynasty. Egyptian academics went on a rampage over the fact that Cleopatra was of European descent and not Black.

The still-untitled film about the Carthaginian general will be written by John Logan, the three-time Academy Award winner who scribed Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator” and Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator.”

According to the official logline, the movie is “based on real-life warrior Hannibal, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history. The film covers the pivotal battles he led against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.”

Hannibal invaded Italy while riding a Northern African war elephant. Under his lead, the Carthaginians won key victories against the Romans, allowing Hannibal to occupy the majority of southern Italy for 15 years. Eventually, Hannibal was defeated by the Romans at the Battle of Zama after they counter-invaded North Africa.

Fuqua most recently directed Washington in the action-thriller “The Equalizer 3,” in which Washington reprised his role as ex-Marine Robert McCall.

Washington is currently involved in another war epic, the upcoming sequel to Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator,” which has resumed shooting in Malta after production was halted due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.  _______________

Netflix is at it again i see.

[nellywrisource]

A writer’s guide to art and civil construction: worldbuilding insights – #1 Early Christian art (Part I)

In this guide, which delves into the history of art and civil construction, my aim is to explore the cultural and anthropological factors that influenced the emergence of particular art forms within their respective historical contexts. The goal is to inspire and offer practical insights for those engaged in worldbuilding, especially in crafting art and urban environments that resonate with their chosen settings. Throughout the guide, I will analyze various historical periods from a cultural and historical perspective, providing inspiration rather than prescriptive worldbuilding advice. It's worth noting that the focus will primarily be on the Mediterranean and Europe (I'm Italian ✨ so my academic studies focus on Italy and its surroundings), spanning from the end of the ancient age to the contemporary age.

The emergence of stylistic elements in early Christian art is fascinating because it inspires envisioning the characteristics of religious buildings in a situation where two coexisting religions, one significantly older, shape the cultural landscape.

Diachronic excursus

Let's briefly summarize the historical context surrounding early Christian art to better understand the culture and motivations behind the stylistic choices in urban and rural settings, as well as the care or neglect of these environments. 

Two key points to focus on for understanding this historical reality through our chosen lens are:

Spread of Christianity

Germanic invasions (which we'll discuss in the next post)

The spread — not birth — of Christianity occurred gradually, beginning around the time of the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, issued by Constantine, which declared Christianity a religio licita, meaning that it granted freedom of worship. It was further established as the “state religion” with the Edict of Thessalonica by Theodosius I in 380, mandating worship.

While Constantine had political motives for issuing this edict (yes, the legend about Constantine’s vision is just that), our focus lies on the socio-cultural context in which an emperor favored a religion amidst a predominantly pagan Roman aristocracy.

Origins of early Christian art

In its early stages, before Christianity became the state religion, Constantine, who oversaw the construction of the first Christian places of worship, took into account the pagan sensitivities of the aristocracy. As a result, these early buildings exhibited the following characteristics:

Located outside the city center, where pagan temples were typically found (often situated beyond the city walls, as was the case in Rome);

Featuring a simple exterior, often constructed with common brick (laterizio) and lacking elaborate decorations;

Boasting monumental dimensions to accommodate the public liturgy of Christianity, inspired by the Last Supper, as well as reflecting Roman appreciation for grandeur.

The decision to depart from classical norms stylistically served both to avoid offending the aristocracy and to visually distinguish Christian structures symbolically from classical temples.

Types of buildings

Basilica

The basilica, which predates Christianity, emerged in Italy following the Second Punic War in the first half of the 3rd century BC. Originally serving administrative functions, it featured a rectangular layout with three naves (side corridors) and two apses (semicircular protrusions) on either side, with the entrance situated along the longer side.

The architectural design of basilicas was chosen for its spacious layout, although modifications were made to suit the needs of Christian worship. Unlike their original purpose, which varied, Christian basilicas typically adopted a longitudinal plan with three or five naves. They featured an entrance on one of the shorter sides, leading to a single apse opposite the entrance.

This adaptation involved repurposing buildings originally intended for other functions, driven primarily by practical considerations. An important detail regarding the structural elements is seen in the narthex and the quadriportico.

Narthex: a sort of rectangular entrance area.

Quadriportico: a large external four-sided portico attached to the entrance wall.

Both spaces were used to accommodate catechumens (the unbaptized) and penitents¹. Initially, the quadriportico fulfilled this role, but it was gradually replaced by the narthex between the 6th and 8th centuries.

This transition was prompted by changes in baptismal practices. As the custom of adult baptism declined, it became apparent that many individuals were already baptized, rendering the extensive space for catechumens unnecessary. Consequently, the need for a large quadriportico diminished.

The narthex, too, began to decline in importance from the 7th century onward, reflecting a decrease in the number of unbaptized individuals attending services.

Another fascinating aspect illustrating the synthesis of paganism, Roman art, and Christianity is evident in the architectural feature known as the triumphal arch. Typically semicircular, the arch serves as a division between the central nave and either the presbyterial area.

The architectural concept of the basilica’s arch finds its origins in the Roman triumphal arch, a grand structure with one or more openings (fornix) traditionally erected to commemorate military victories. In Christianity, this symbol was reimagined to signify Jesus' triumph over evil and death. Moreover, the arch served a dual purpose as both a symbolic gateway between the space reserved for worshipers and that designated for the clergy (the presbyterial zone).

Now, I won't dive into discussing every single architectural detail of basilicas or the liturgical furnishings (although, if anyone desires, they can ask, and I'll gladly provide a glossary). Instead, let's briefly look at the different floor plans a basilica can have:

Latin cross: this design is longitudinal, with a shorter horizontal section intersected by a transept, either about ¾ along its length (immissa) or closer to the apse (commissa or tau).

Greek cross: here the transept intersects at the center, with arms of equal length to the nave. This layout was more prevalent in the Eastern tradition.

Circiform: this is a distinctive basilica design used for cemeteries, as well as for hosting specific masses like funeral banquets and an annual mass in honor of the titular saint's martyrdom. It lacks a transept and features a ring corridor intended for burials.

Baptistery

The baptistery was a centrally planned building², often octagonal, specifically designed for conducting baptisms, with the baptismal font positioned at its center. 

Was traditionally distinct from the main body of the church, it was commonly situated adjacent to or in front of the main facade, especially until the Gothic period, notably in Italy.

The octagonal design held symbolic significance; eight represented an eschatological number, closely linked with the Resurrection of Christ, who rose eight days after his entry into Jerusalem. Thus, the octagon came to symbolize the concept of eternal life conferred upon the faithful through baptism.

This architectural feature reflects influence from Roman traditions, drawing inspiration from thermal buildings, particularly the frigidarium, which the Romans referred to as a baptisterium (derived from the Greek, meaning “place where one receives enlightenment”). Hence, the origin of the term can be traced back to this context.

Martyrium

Another centrally planned building (circular or polygonal) prevalent in the 4th century, the martyrium (from the Greek “witness”) was erected on the site of a martyrdom or over the tomb of a martyr.

Over time, they also began to serve as repositories for the remains of martyrs, often located at the center of the building. The martyrium's origins lie in the cult of martyrs, which itself evolved from the more common pagan reverence for the dead. Its architectural design was influenced by classical mausoleums, grand tombs traditionally used to house the remains of significant individuals.

Images, iconography, and iconology

The influence of architecture extends to imagery as well; Christianity originally spread through pagan iconography and symbolism. Art served as a means of proselytism. Why? Because classical art had long been used to convey the divine, and Christianity also drew inspiration from Roman culture in this aspect. 

Even the artistic techniques bore similarities to those of the pagans:

Sculpture, as evidenced by sarcophagi.

Mosaics, widely employed for adorning basilicas (which in Roman art were mainly used for floors but eventually shifted to the apse — see subsection on the hierarchy of light).

It can be argued that from this classical influence emerged the conceptual link between wealth, splendor, and divine grandeur; gold symbolized divine light (indeed, numerous mosaics featured golden backgrounds) — a motif that would resonate throughout the Middle Ages — reminiscent of the portrayal of the deified emperor in the declining centuries of the Roman Empire. Pagan iconographies were thus reinterpreted, with scenes of apotheosis transformed into representations of the Ascension, pastoral imagery adapted to depict the Good Shepherd, and even the apostles portrayed akin to philosophers.

A clearer Christianization and a distancing from pagan iconography will be seen as we move forward in time, in the upcoming posts. If you're interested in a post focused on the various iconographies and their resemantization, lemme know!

Acheropite images

An intriguing outcome of the fusion between ancient cultural practices and evolving concepts of imagery is the phenomenon of “acheropite images”.

It's essential to understand that early Christians adhered closely to Jewish traditions, which forbade the creation of divine images to prevent the risk of idolatry. Moreover, due to the threat of persecution, early Christians concealed references to their faith in the catacombs through subtle allusions understood only by fellow believers, akin to a form of coded language.

The incorporation of images into Christianity, particularly in the Western world, occurred gradually, as apprehension about inadvertently creating idols spawned legends surrounding acheropite images - icons purportedly “not made by human hands”, but possessing a “miraculous” origin. These images were believed to be not products of human craftsmanship, but rather “revealed” through divine intervention, thereby attaining status as revered relics (e.g., the Shroud of Turin, the Madonna of Guadalupe, etc).

The hierarchy of light

Why do mosaics transition from the floors to the apse and, more broadly, to the walls?

We first notice this transition at the onset of the 5th century, exemplified by the apse mosaic of the Basilica of Santa Pudenziana in Rome. The driving force behind this change is light, or more precisely, the hierarchy of light. This hierarchy derives from the earlier discussed concept: the translation of divine light into the symbolism of gold and actual illumination within a basilica.

Light holds great significance in this context. It is strategically channeled through windows, particularly illuminating the apse (the sanctuary area closest to God, traditionally restricted to the clergy) and the central nave, with the side naves receiving less light. Mosaics, meticulously crafted with tesserae to reflect and enhance light, are placed in the apse to intensify this effect, emphasizing the hierarchical importance of light in this central space.

¹Penitents: in the ancient and medieval Christianity, penitents were faithful individuals who, after committing serious sins post-baptism, sought forgiveness from God. They publicly assumed a specific status within the community. ²Central plan: buildings where all parts are organized around a center are termed as having a central plan. This plan can take the form of a square, a circle, an octagon, or other regular polygons, such as a Greek cross. The centrality of space is usually emphasized by a dome.

This blog is supported through tips here on Tumblr. If you’d like to support me, please consider giving a tip.

[super-who-locked-me-in-here]

I think the most fun part to me with writing Hannibal fanfics is seeing how far I can run with the dialogue I make Will and Hannibal use. Because I feel like there's a scale of how to write them that also very much falls in line with how they are in the show.

There's Hannibal-esque writers. They know seem to know a lot about music, art, food, and/or mythology from lots of different places and communities. They're cultured and well-informed or at the very least, they've done a lot of research into these things.

And then there's Will-esque writers. Those that aren't necessarily well-educated on all those subjects, but they're smart enough and cognizant enough of the various subjects to be able to snap back with some metaphor of their own.

And these are both good types of Hannibal fic writers don't get me wrong, but I do very much enjoy being a Will Writer. I don't know a lot about music or dancing or art, and by God I try to avoid describing whatever meals Hannibal might be making at risk of sounding like an idiot, but I'm a history major and published poet. I can work with that.

I can be pretentious and flowery and philosophical with my words, and hey, maybe throw in some metaphor about:

Well, Hannibal is so headstrong because he's following his namesake. Hannibals are supposed to be leaders, like Hannibal, the Carthaginian general of the Second Punic War, or Hannibal Hamlin, the fifteenth vice president of the United States (and a revolutionary one at that as the first Republican vice president).

But then have a clap back of, well, General Hannibal of Carthage may have been one of the greatest military tacticians in known history, but he did lose the Second Punic War (like Hannibal Lecter lost Will to justice in the Second season), was exiled many times over (except Hannibal Lecter ran to Italy rather than being pushed from it and its surrounding territories), and then ended up killing himself after being betrayed (much like Hannibal Lecter gave up his life (hyperbolically) to the BSHCI after Will betrayed him and his feelings).

And of course Hannibal Hamlin wasn't all that bad either, until Abraham Lincoln decided he needed to appeal more to those that opposed him, and he dropped Hamlin and picked up Andrew Johnson because that seemed like the best thing to do (kind of like how Will dropped Hannibal Lecter in Digestivo only to pick up a shiny little family for himself, because it was what he was supposed to want and do).

And in the end I'll spin it all with "Is that all your namesake is, Hannibal? A crutch of greatness keeping you from falling directly into abandonment's gaping maw? One could wonder why you try to avoid your sorrows when the legacy of your name scrambles the letters until all they spell is rejection."

But uh yeah that explanation really got out of hand and I just meant to say that I love writing Hannibal dialogue even if I don't have all the culture knowledge that Hannibal characters seem to have. It's fun.

[uncleclaudius]

Crosscut of the quinquereme, the warship that was ubiquitous in ancient navies. It had a set of three oars on each side, handled by five rowers, hence the name.

Contrary to the popular image of slaves rowing these ships, the majority of the rowers were free albeit poor citizens as it required skill and experience.

This particular quinquereme is equipped with the so-called "Corvus", a boarding device invented and employed by Romans to great effect in the First Punic War.

(Image Source: Ancient Warfare Magazine)

[blueiscoool]

Ancient Warship’s Bronze Battering Ram Sunk During a Battle Between Rome and Carthage Found

Found near the Aegadian Islands, just west of Sicily, the bronze rostrum played a role in the last battle of the First Punic War, which ended in 241 B.C.E.

In 241 B.C.E., two empires faced off in a naval clash off the coast of Sicily. By then, Rome and Carthage had been fighting for more than two decades. Rome’s victory in the skirmish, officially called the Battle of the Aegates, brought an end to the First Punic War, the initial conflict in a series of wars between the two ancient powers.

Now, explorers have recovered a piece of that final battle: the bronze battering ram of an ancient warship. According to a statement from Sicily’s Superintendence of the Sea, the ram was found on the seafloor off the western coast of the Mediterranean island, at a depth of around 260 feet. To retrieve the artifact, the team used deep-water submarines from the Society for Documentation of Submerged Sites (SDSS) and the oceanographic research vessel Hercules.

The seabed off the Aegadian Islands “is always a valuable source of information to add further knowledge about the naval battle between the Roman and Carthaginian fleets,” Regional Councilor for Cultural Heritage Francesco Paolo Scarpinato tells Finestre sull’Arte. He adds that the find is yet another confirmation of the work of the late archaeologist Sebastiano Tusa, who spearheaded exploration of the seabed as the site of the 241 battle after a separate ram, also known as a rostrum, was first found there in the early 2000s. In the two decades since, researchers have recovered at least 25 rams from the seabed.

At the time of the Battle of the Aegates, Rome and Carthage had been at war for 23 years, fighting for dominance in the Mediterranean. As the Greek historian Polybius later wrote, the Romans sank 50 Carthaginian ships and captured another 70 along with their crews, taking nearly 10,000 sailors prisoner during the naval battle. Rome forced Carthage to surrender. But the fragile peace was short-lived: Over the next century, Rome would go on to fight a second and third war against the Punic people, winning each time.

“It was very costly, both in terms of human life and economically,” Francesca Oliveri, an archaeologist at the superintendence, told BBC News’ Alessia Franco and David Robson in 2022. “In the last phase, Rome even had to ask for a loan from the most well-to-do families to arm the fleet and build new boats.”

The recently discovered ram has been brought to Favignana, one of the Aegadian Islands, for further study. Though its features are difficult to make out because the object is covered in marine life, researchers have been able to discern a decoration on its front: a relief depicting a Montefortino-style Roman helmet decorated with three feathers.

The battering ram adds to the wealth of war relics found on the seabed, which also include 30 Roman soldiers’ Montefortino helmets, two swords, coins and many clay amphorae (large storage jars).

According to the SDSS, rams were the most important naval weapons of their time. They were placed on the bows of warships at water level so that sailors could crash their boats into enemy vessels, damaging and sinking them. The plethora of rams scattered on the seabed are testaments to the weapons’ effectiveness in ancient battle.

“We are finding so many things that help to illustrate a little better the world of the third century [B.C.E.],” Oliveri told BBC News in 2022. “It’s the first site of a naval battle, in the world, that has been scientifically documented like this, and it will continue to be documented—because the area of interest is very large. … It will take at least another 20 years to explore it fully.”

By Sonja Anderson.

[finelythreadedsky]

Hey! I just saw one of your qrts of a poem on censorship and I’m really curious about one of the tags you added that said there is a connection between the Jewish sense of identity and the ancient Carthaginians/Phoenicians and I’m super interested, could you please elaborate?

um so the genesis of those tags is actually in two conference talks i heard in december that discussed dido in the civilization video games, which i have never played and know nothing about, but i found it really interesting that the creators of that game give dido an in-game affinity with judaism (that's the religion she's inclined to 'found' if you play as her? or something) and reconstructed the phoenician dialogue her voice actor delivers based on modern hebrew pronunciation. i think it was maureen attali who went into more detail about various jewish approaches to/reception of dido, but i don't remember specifics. i believe the conference proceedings will eventually be published as a book about the reception of the women of the aeneid-- edith hall and magdalena zira are the people behind that.

in an even broader context, i just think it's fascinating that a sense of affinity with the ancient phoenicians and carthaginians seems to develop so easily among modern jews. like the way sonya taaffe's poetry frames both carthage and judea as victims of roman imperialism. and it's sort of baked in on a linguistic level too: it's really easy to learn phoenician/punic if you already know hebrew, and the older convention was even to print phoenician and punic with hebrew letters. if you're familiar with hebrew or even just anything jewish, there are a lot of moments of recognition when you start to look at phoenician and punic history and material culture! like oh wait the suffete? same word as the hebrew name for the book of judges, shoftim. and that's the baal that the bible is always going off about.

like a friend of mine recently joked that the movie frozen is an aeneid 4 retelling bc the sisters elsa and anna map onto elissa (dido) and anna, but the names aren't a coincidence! elsa derives ultimately from the hebrew elisheva, which uses the same root el- as the phoenician name elishat which became elissa in greek/latin! and the name anna became common in europe because hannah (anna in greek) was a common jewish name around the turn of the millennium, cognate with the phoenician name based on the same root that was also latinized as anna!

and also the phoenicians were characterized (both in texts and in reality) by their involvement with trade, which rings with more modern characterizations of jews, and there's also often a degree of untrustworthiness attributed to them because of that association with trading that feels weirdly akin to the last millennium of antisemitism. like i'm thinking of dougherty 2001, the raft of odysseus ch 5-- the picture of the phoenicians suggested in the odyssey looks very much like portrayals of jews, with varying degrees of antisemitism. so i do think there's a sense of (sometimes defensive) identification that easily arises there.

and all that is particularly interesting bc within the bible the phoenicians/canaanites are presented as the enemies of the israelites against whom they're trying to define themselves! and that israelite hostility toward the canaanites is perhaps precisely because they are so similar and so closely related.

anyway reception of the phoenicians is so cool

[stirringwinds]

Do u have any headcanons about Rome or the other ancients

i do! here are some of them:

Rome is the Italybros' father, not their grandfather. Children are sometimes bittersweet omens for nations; your beginning is a harbinger of someone else's end.

When he was still a republic, the Battle of Cannae during the Punic Wars against Carthage was the moment Rome most feared dying for real. As the Carthaginian general Hannibal proclaimed; "I swear to arrest the destiny of Rome with fire and steel"—that put some real fear into young Rome's heart.

Persia (aka the Achaemenid Empire) is at least 3,000 years old—they and modern Iran are the same person. Another ye olde helltalia, like China.

Germania's real name is not Germania: he is one of the many Germanic nations that existed; as historically, Tacitus' concept of "Germania" is more of a Roman construction—they didn't see themselves as a single unified "Germanic" cultural or political entity. So, Tacitus' Germania? Much like Herodotus: father of history, father of lies, perhaps...

Yao's earliest memory is of walking along the Yellow River. It's one thing he has in common with many other ancient nations; rivers feature heavily in their earliest sense of being: Rome (the Tiber), Sumer (the Tigris and the Euphrates), Ancient Egypt (the Nile) and Olmec (the Coatzacoalcos, in modern Mexico) being some examples. Yao thinks of the Yellow River as being both life and death; the fertile silt on the banks that would be the lifeblood of his civilisation, but also the source of devastating floods throughout his history.

Yao rather respected Rome, Persia/Iran and India a lot more than his other neighbours; Rome being called da qin（大秦）or "great qin". Almost a sort of "oh, there's another empire at the opposite end of the (then) known world just like me." Bit of a difference from how at various points, Yong-soo and Kiku got much less flattering names. Today, many things have crumbled under the sword of time, but there's still Roman glassware he has from that long-gone time of the Silk Road that linked Rome and China—as well as all the other cultures in between—together.

[olympeline]

A few more headcanons for my National Animals AU. This time let’s talk about some mainland European nation-people to go with my British Isles bros post:

Germany: dog

Germany’s national animal is a black eagle - kinda, it’s the one on their coat of arms - but ehhh, any kind of bird doesn’t fit Ludwig in my mind. A dog does, though. I can definitely see him as some kind of giant, scary looking canine like a German shepherd or a rottweiler. One that appears intimidating but is soft on the inside. These dogs were bred to be hard workers too, just like Ludwig is. As for what he was in his days as Holy Rome…IDK. Their symbol was, again, a black eagle. Maybe Holy Rome was a black eagle chick who never got to fly. What do you guys think? And yeah, I know “Germany is Holy Rome” is very canonically dubious at this point, but I don’t care. I still like it

Italy (North and South): Italian wolves

They get it from their grandpa! It’s Romulus and Remus all over again. Feli and Lovi were a pair of fluffy little wolf pups for a very long time. Grandpa Rome himself started as a wolf, but I’m on the fence if he stayed that way until he died. Or if he became an eagle - the standard of Rome - as the Empire expanded. Wolves were very feared in Europe and that fits with everyone being scared of the descendants of the infamous Roma…until they meet Feli and Lovi and realise they are a pair of Moon Moons. 😂

France: ??? → lion → horse

I’ve already talked about why Francis would be a lion that became a horse, so let’s focus on what he would have been before. When he was a babby nation pre-French unification. I’m thinking either a fox cub or a young hare. To match with Arthur’s rabbit because I love these two always being connected in some way, hehe. Red fox pups are bluish grey before they mature and blue is Francis’s colour. He became a lion and cast off his fox form before it grew big enough that he would have had to wear a red coat. Yay, Anglo-French rivalry symbolism! Francis is also sleek, cunning, and pretty like a fox. But hares are sleek and pretty too. IDK, but I can imagine a rabbit looking at a hare and having the “god i wish that were me” meme reaction, you know? Hares just seem cooler in general. Arthur looked up to Francis and was jealous of him when they were kids, even if he would never admit it. 😆 The young nations being prey animals when they were conquered by Rome is good too. Yay, more symbolism! So hmm, not sure which is better. Do you guys prefer a fox or a hare for Francy-pants? Tell me in the replies if you like. Either way, he’s one of the nation-people who’s been through the most dramatic transformations over his lifetime.

Spain: ??? → black (fighting) bull

Ey! Toro! Toro! Not much needs to be said here. The toro bravo image is so married to Spanish culture, I can just leave it as is. I don’t know if Antonio would have been something else before, or if he was always a little calf that grew up. My knowledge of Spanish history is full of holes, sadly. I know there’s a lot with Carthage and Rome and the Punic Wars and that Spain was a Roman colony. Then various invasions, religious wars, the reconquista, all leading up to eventual unification. But it’s all too surface level to make headcanons for this AU. If any of you guys have ideas about how Antonio’s history might translate to pre-bull animal form(s) - or if you think he should have any at all - please tell me below! I’m really interested.

Russia: Eurasian brown bear

Another one where not much needs to be said. Russia is a huge, historically feared country with an incredibly tough climate. So Ivan would be a huge, feared animal that could survive the ice and snow of Northern Eurasia’s winters. Also, bears are solitary and blah, blah “friendless Ivan wants companions but they don’t want him” etc. You know the story. Bears were once so feared and hated in some parts of Europe that people refused to even say their name aloud in case it summoned one. They’re also tall af on their hind legs, eat a lot and get chubby, and love sweet things. Ivan was on easy mode for this post, lol.

(This AU is addictive. I think I need an intervention at this point ffff 🫣)

[whencyclopedia]

Slavery in the Roman World

Slavery was an ever-present feature of the Roman world. Slaves served in households, agriculture, mines, the military, workshops, construction and many services. As many as 1 in 3 of the population in Italy or 1 in 5 across the empire were slaves and upon this foundation of forced labour was built the entire edifice of the Roman state.

Slavery as An Accepted Reality

Slavery, that is complete mastery (dominium) of one individual over another, was so imbedded in Roman culture that slaves became almost invisible and there was certainly no feeling of injustice in this situation on the part of the rulers. Inequality in power, freedom and the control of resources was an accepted part of life and went right back to the mythology of Jupiter overthrowing Saturn. As K.Bradley eloquently puts it, 'freedom...was not a general right but a select privilege' (Potter, 627). Further, it was believed that the freedom of some was only possible because others were enslaved. Slavery, was, therefore, not considered an evil but a necessity by Roman citizens. The fact that slaves were taken from the losers in battle (and their subsequent offspring) was also a helpful justification and confirmation of Rome's (perceived) cultural superiority and divine right to rule over others and exploit those persons for absolutely any purpose whatsoever.

Aside from the huge numbers of slaves taken as war captives (e.g. 75,000 from the First Punic War alone) slaves were also acquired via piracy, trade, brigandage and, of course, as the offspring of slaves as a child born to a slave mother (vernae) automatically became a slave irrespective of who the father was. Slave markets proliferated, perhaps one of the most notorious being the market on Delos, which was continuously supplied by the Cilician pirates. Slave markets existed in most large towns, though, and here, in a public square, slaves were paraded with signs around their necks advertising their virtues for prospective buyers. Traders specialised in the commodity, for example, one A. Kapreilius Timotheus traded throughout the Mediterranean.

Continue reading...