🟣 NIGHT BOAT, DAY WALK “Near Tarracina, as you go toward Rome, there is a canal which runs alongside the Appian Way, and is fed at numerous places by waters from the marshes and the rivers. People navigate the canal, preferably by night (so that if they embark in the evening they can disembark early in the morning and go the rest of their journey by the Way), but they also navigate it by day. The boat is towed by a mule.” Strabo

Esch-sur-Sûre, Luxemburg

⚪️ A TOUR OF EGYPT “Scipio Africanus came to Alexandria along with other ambassadors, to view the whole kingdom of Egypt. Ptolemy met them in pomp and state, with a great retinue, and feasted them sumptuously, and, going about with them, showed them his palace and treasury. But they, being persons eminent for virtue, contented themselves with a spare and wholesome diet, and scorned the rich food they were given, as prejudicial both to mind and body. As for those things which the king esteemed as rarities and admirable, they only glanced their eyes upon them, and looked on them as things of no value; but they observed most carefully those things which were really worth their viewing; such as the situation of the city, and its prosperity, and particularly the features of the Pharos. From there they sailed to Memphis, and took notice of the goodness of the land, the advantages provided by the river Nile, the number of the cities, the infinite thousands of inhabitants, the strong defences of Egypt, the excellence of the country, and how well it was provided to support and defend a large empire. Having admired both the populousness of Egypt, and the advantages of the county, they were of opinion that the kingdom of Egypt could easily swell into a vast empire, if it once had worthy masters. After the ambassadors had viewed all they needed of Egypt, they went to Cyprus, and thence on to Syria.” Diodorus Siculus

🟢 CLOACINA Cloacina was the Roman goddess of the sewers, her name derived from the Latin word "cloaca" meaning sewer. She held responsibility for the efficient functioning of the vast Roman sewer systems, and also offered protection to the workers who maintained these vital underground networks. The Romans honored her with a shrine, the Sacrum Cloacina, built directly above the Cloaca Maxima, Rome's primary sewer. This shrine likely served a dual purpose, acting as both a sacred space and a practical access point, perhaps a rather ornate manhole. Cloacina held an important place in Roman religion, associated with cleanliness, purification, and even fertility. Romans believed she played a crucial role in maintaining the health and prosperity of their city. Originally an Etruscan goddess, Cloacina was adopted by the Romans around the 1st century BCE. She also became associated with Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Her shrine in the Roman Forum was a significant religious site, and the remnants of its foundations can still be seen in Rome today.

⚫️ CAMPAIGNING IN DALMATIA “For the place itself had been strongly fortified and a river with a swift current flows all around its base except for a short distance. But the deserters fell into a dispute with the inhabitants, because the latter were anxious for peace, and came to blows with them. They were assisted by the women in the fort, for these, contrary to the decision of the men, craved liberty and were ready to suffer any fate whatever rather than servitude. Accordingly a fierce struggle ensued, and the deserters were worsted and surrendered, though some of them made their escape; but the women, catching up their children, either threw themselves into the flames or hurled themselves into the river below. Thus that fort also was taken, whereupon the other places in its vicinity voluntarily made terms with Germanicus; and he, after accomplishing this much, rejoined Tiberius, leaving Postumius to complete the subjugation of the remaining districts.” Cassius Dio

🟡 THE SMARTER SAMNITE “Pontius took counsel with his father, sending to Caudium to fetch him in a carriage on account of his age. The old man said to him: "My son, for a great enmity there is but one cure,--either extreme generosity or extreme severity. Severity terrifies, generosity conciliates. Regard this first and greatest victory as a treasure-house of good fortune. Release them all without punishment, without shame, without loss of any kind, so that the greatness of the benefit may inure to your advantage. I hear that they are very sensitive on the subject of their honor. Vanquished by benefits only, they will strive to surpass you in deeds of kindness. It is in your power to attain this state of kindly action as a security for everlasting peace. If this does not suit you, then kill them to the last man, not sparing one to carry the news. I advise as my choice the former, otherwise the latter is a necessity. The Romans will avenge themselves inevitably for any shame you put upon them. In that case you should strike the first blow and you will never deal them a heavier one than the slaughter of 50,000 of their young men at one time." Appian, the foreign wars

🟤 THE SELEUCID WAR 192-188 BC The Romans saw Greece as their sphere of influence and Asia Minor as a buffer area while the Seleucids saw Asia Minor as a core part of their empire with Greece as the buffer zone. After the Aetolian League triggered a small war which drew in Antiochus, Rome and the Seleucids came to blows. Antiochus' landed in Greece but was forced to retreat across the Aegean after being defeated at the Battle of Thermopylae by the consul of 191 BC, Manius Acilius Glabrio. The Aetolians attempted to reach a settlement with the Romans but were unsuccessful in the face of excessive Roman demands. Antiochus' naval forces in the Aegean were defeated in two major engagements which saw the Roman coalition gain naval superiority. The consul of 190 BC, Lucius Cornelius Scipio, then pursued Antiochus into Asia Minor with the support of the Pergamene king Eumenes II. The Battle of Magnesia in modern day Turkey was a decisive Roman victory that crushed Antiochus' forces and effectively ended the war. The war concluded with the Treaty of Apamea, which severely weakened the Seleucid Empire. Antiochus was forced to cede significant territories in Asia Minor to the Romans and their allies. Antiochus ceded all of his territories beyond the Taurus mountains to Roman allies and paid a large indemnity covering the Roman cost of the war. The Aetolians reached separate terms with the Romans, reducing them to a Roman client state, the next year. The Romans thereby gained uncontested hegemony over the Greek city-states in the Balkans and Asia Minor while also largely excluding the Seleucids from the Mediterranean.

🔶 SERTORIUS FINDS A GIANT “In this city the Libyans say that Antaeus is buried; and Sertorius had his tomb dug open, the great size of which made him disbelieve the Barbarians. But when he came upon the body and found it to be sixty cubits long (26 meters?), as they tell us, he was dumbfounded,⁠ and after performing a sacrifice filled up the tomb again, and joined in magnifying its traditions and honours. Now, the people of Tingis have a myth that after the death of Antaeus, his wife, Tinga, consorted with Heracles, and that Sophax was the fruit of this union, who became king of the country and named a city which he founded after his mother; also that Sophax had a son, Diodorus, to whom many of the Libyan peoples became subject, since he had a Greek army composed of the Olbians and Mycenaeans who were settled in those parts by Heracles. But this tale must be ascribed to a desire to gratify Juba, of all kings the most devoted to historical enquiry; for his ancestors are said to have been descendants of Sophax and Diodorus.” Plutarch

🔺 THE IDES OF MARCH HAVE NOT YET PASSED “The knowledge of Spurinna (the soothsayer) in interpreting the warnings of the gods was more accurate than the city of Rome would have desired. For he foretold to C. Caesar, that he should beware of the deadly aspect of the next thirty days, the last of which was the Ides of March.” “Upon that day in the morning, when they were both in the house of Calvinus Domitius, Caesar exclaimed to Spurinna, "Do you realise that the Ides of March have now come?" And he replied, "Do you realise, that they have not yet passed? The one had cast off all fear, believing the time of danger was over; though the other did not think even the last minute to be void of danger.” Valerius Maximus