Cleopatra Books
The story of Cleopatra, her life and reign as pharaoh of Egypt, her affairs with Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, her influence on Roman politics, and her flamboyant suicide, with attention paid not so much to the legend as the facts behind the drama, with some material suitable for most levels.Read about Cleopatra Books.
Theda Bara as Cleopatra photo. Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
Greek Tragedy
Rabinowitz' Greek Tragedy is like a modern, lecture-based course on Greek Tragedy, but in book form. As a supplement to a college course on the topic or for someone who has already studied Greek tragedy, yet wants a look at modern scholarship and perspectives, Greek Tragedy is a vein of gold. It is particularly useful for those intrigued with femininist and structuralist perspectives.Read the rest of the review of Greek Tragedy.
Cover photo showing Medusa courtesy of Wiley-Blackwell.
Thargelia
Apollo © Clipart.com
Wordless Wednesday - Medusa
This Month in Greek History - Thargelion
Events for the Month of Monukhia, from the same site (Compiled List of Festivals):
- 4th day of Thargelion - Sacrifice to Leto, Pythian Apollon, Zeus, Hermes & Dioscuri at Erchia
- 6?7 - Thargelia - Festival in honor of Apollo
1st day - Purification, driving out of the scapegoats
2nd day - Offering of the thargelos - 16 - Sacrifice to Zeus Epakrios at Erchia
- 19 - Bendideia Festival in honor of Bendis
- 19 - Sacrifice to Menedeius at Erchia
- 25? - Kallunteria - Spring cleaning of the Temple of Athena
- 25 - Plunteria Festival of washing
Roman Calendar Quiz
Roman Calendar Terminology - Nones, Kalends, Ides, and Pridie
On This Day in Ancient History
Constantine
Public Domain
On this Day in Ancient History
In modern history, Sir James Frazer died on this day in 1941.
Roman Mothers
In last night's newsletter, I sent out a link to an article on Roman Mothers.
Rose Williams suggested that I had left out a couple of important ones and sent me excerpts from her book Duces Romanorum to go along with one of her top pick Roman mothers, Octavia (69 - 11 B.C.), sister of Augustus and wife of Mark Antony. This passage shows how saintly this good woman was:
Quamquam matrimonium cum femina aliena civile non erat et uxorem Octaviam habebat, Antonius Cleopatram in matrimonium duxit. Octavianus iratissimus adversus Antonium ob Octaviam sororem erat; haec una e plurimis causa belli in Antonium erat. Post mortem Antonii in Aegypto, Octavia benignitate amoreque quinque liberos suos ex matrimoniis cum Marcello et Antonio et liberos Antonii ex matrimoniis cum Fulvia et Cleopatra educavit.Reviews of works by and more from Rose Williams:Although marriage with a foreign woman was not legal and he had a wife, Octavia, Antony married Cleopatra. Octavian was very angry with Antony because of his sister; this was one of many causes of his war against Antony. After the death of Antony in Egypt, Octavia reared with kindness and love the five children of her marriages with Marcellus and Antony and the children of Antony from his marriages with Fulvia and Cleopatra.
- Review - The Labors of Aeneas by Vergil
- Review -Tres Porculi
- Review - Lighter Side of the Dark Ages
- Review - Cicero the Patriot
- Using Latin Vocabulary to Form English Verbs
- Ghost Stories: The Younger Pliny's Haunted House
- Latin Mottoes
Photo of painting by Jean-Joseph Taillasson (1787) showing Vergil reading the Aeneid to Augustus and Octavia. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
Pentecost
Pentecost comes from a Greek word for 50 and refers to the 50th day following another special event. Easter is the Christian holiday. Like Easter, Pentecost falls on a Sunday. Pentecost is said to be 50 days after Easter because Easter and Pentecost are both counted when you use the inclusive counting method.
Pentecost celebrates "speaking in tongues". This is a reference to a section from Acts 2:1-4. Here's the relevant passage from the King James Version:
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
More on Pentecost.
Top Mothers in Ancient Rome
Most of the women who were important in the history of ancient Rome were wives and mothers. From these roles they could exert influence over both their children and husbands. Motherhood itself was highly valued. However, just because a woman was able to produce children and marry an influential man did not mean that her name would come down to us. She had to be somewhat special -- for good or ill. Here are my picks for the most important mothers in ancient Roman history: Top Mothers in Ancient Rome.Julia Soaemias Denarius Courtesy of Wikipedia.