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#antiquity — Public Fediverse posts

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  1. You Know My Name, But Do You Really Know Me?

    For my last post in this series, I decided to cover two heroines who you may have heard of; you may even think you know about them. But do you? One of these women is a historically documented warrior, while the other’s existence has not been established. While it would be far more interesting if these ladies had encountered each other in battle, one lived in the first century while the other lived in the 12-13th century. So, who are these ladies? Boudica and Lagertha, of course. You may have guessed that from the AI image.

    So which one actually existed and which one are we unsure of? Boudica has been historically documented while Lagertha’s existence has never been confirmed via archeology or other historical record. We know about Boudica by virtue of the written record from two Roman historians—Tacitus, who wrote in the late first century/early second century, and Cassius Dio who wrote in the third century. On the other hand, the stories of Viking Shield Maiden Lagertha (also known as Lathgertha, Ladgerda or Lathgertha) come from the Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum (Deeds of the Danes) which was written between the 12-13th century. Scholars, according to World History Encyclopedia, consider the early Saxon histories to be fictionalized. The History Channel’s series Vikings made Lagertha a household name in spite of her questionable authenticity. Nevertheless, it is likely that a shield maiden like Lagertha existed and makes a comparison to Boudica interesting.

    Boudica, as I have stated above, lived during the first century CE in eastern Britannia in the area of Norfolk. She was the queen of the Iceni tribe. The Iceni were a British Celtic-speaking people who were not necessarily a single, extended family group, but rather a large tribal community made up of numerous local groups and settlements. A terrific series called Britannia on Prime Video presents this period of time and similar Celtic tribes. Roman historians spoke of them as the Icenci and the Eceni. They were known to be prosperous having good soil for agriculture and access to the North Sea for trade with Europe. They were not considered primitive for the time period. They were known for sophisticated metalworking and long-distance trade routes. One of the most significant pieces of evidence of the Iceni was the Snettisham Hoard which was discovered in Norfolk. These treasures included gold and silver torcs, jewelry, coins, ingots and other decorated metalworks. In spite of this, however, their economy was primarily agricultural. They raised wheat, barley, cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses.

    The Icenci had an organized political structure prior to the Roman occupation of Britain. They also coined their own money. Boudica came to power after the death of her husband King Prasutagus. He is described as more of a “client” king—a local ruler who governed his people while recognizing Roman supremacy; however, that relationship broke down. One of the fascinating characteristics of the Iceni people was that women were allowed to possess significant wealth and status which is reflected in the graves discovered in the area of Norfolk. While not being a matriarchal community, women were allowed to own property and political power, like Boudica. Unfortunately, the Roman invasion of 43 CE under the leadership of Claudius would change the Iceni.

    As we have noted, the Iceni initially cooperated with Rome, but that relationship broke down following the death of Prasutagus. At the time of his death, he provided for the transfer of his wealth to be divided between his two daughters and Rome. However, Rome was not happy with that arrangement. According to Tacitus, Roman leaders seized the wealth and property of the Iceni, publically beat Boudica, and assaulted her daughters. The Iceni, lead by Boudica, revolted. They were joined by other tribes like the Trinovantes which was based in the area of modern day Essex and Colchester. Boudica and her forces destroyed the Camulodunum, Londinium, and the Verulamium through fighting and fire. Evidence of these battles has been found around Colchester, London, and St. Albans. Destruction was so severe that archaeologists have termed the rebellion the “Boudican Destruction Horizon”.

    Despite their initial success against Roman forces, the Iceni people were ultimately defeated by Suetonius Paulinus. Boudica would die soon after this. According to Tacitus, Boudica committed suicide by poisoning; Dio, on the other hand, claims that she died due to illness. The region once controlled by the Iceni was brought firmly into the Roman provincial system. Eventually their identity disappeared being assimilated into Anglo-Saxon Britain. Boudica was more than a warrior woman who took on the enemy; she was a symbol of the people she represented; a group of people who were more developed technically, wealthy, and politically sophisticated than many tribes of the day. However, Boudica was not an outlier in her community; the community produced other women like her. We know about her because she was a queen who faced Rome head on.

    How does Lagertha compare to Boudica? According to legend, Lagertha would have lived in nineth century Norway. Like Britain, Norway was not yet a unified country. Additionally, women were not “subordinate housewives”. They could possess wealth and political power within a traditional, patriarchal society. Men and women in Norway had different social roles, but historical evidence reflects wealthy and powerful people of both sexes. Marriage was a family and economic alliance. The woman’s family negotiated the marriage and it typically joined together two kin groups, though women were not distanced from their own families. Women often brought substantial wealth and property into marriages. In many cases, she could retain ownership of the property she brought into the marriage. This is quite different from European marital traditions. Moreover, women could divorce their husbands under certain circumstances like abuse, neglect, or insults towards her or her family.

    In Norwegian culture, the center of power was within the household, and the farm was the key economic unit. They did not look at this circumstance as women doing women’s work and men doing men’s work. Women managed the critical economic operation. While the men were out raiding and trading, women were producing textiles, tending to livestock, managing household resources, producing and preserving food, caring for their children, and much more. Archaeologists have discovered large numbers of graves of Viking women that contained keys, a symbol of household authority.

    A prime example of how Norwegian wealthy women could possess great power is contained in the Oseberg burial site which dates to around 834 CE. In this burial site, archaeologists discovered two women buried in an enormous ship along with a wagon, sledges, beds, chests, textiles, household equipment, elaborate carvings, animals, as well as the ship itself. While we do not know who these women were, it is evident that they were of high status. There is also archaeological evidence of women being buried with weapons like swords, axes, spears, and arrowheads. This is not to say that Norwegian culture was to be admired; the culture possessed dark aspects which negatively affected women. Specifically, women could be captured in battle, enslaved, sexually abused, sold, or killed in circumstances we would find reprehensible.

    So what does this tell us about our character Lagertha? Saxo had similar women upon which to create Lagertha. She embodied the independent, wealthy, politically influential and, sometimes, physically imposing Viking woman and then he pushes it to the extreme. Lagertha does it all and then some. She doesn’t just have influence inside her home; she becomes a ruler and commands warriors; ultimately killing the man who stood between her and political independence.

    Boudica and Lagertha could not have existed if not for the liberal, cultural ideals and practices of their communities. Boudica and the Iceni could have set the course for the women of Scandinavia having ten to eleven centuries between them. The comparison is quite compelling and inspiring. While other societies treated women as property to be controlled and of lower intellectual abilities, both of these societies provided, if not encouraged, women to participate in similar activities as men.

    I hope you have enjoyed these posts about influential women of antiquity. I have greatly enjoyed writing about them. I am now considering what my next series will be about. If you have any ideas, please comment!

    God Bless!

    #Antiquity #Boudica #Celts #FemaleWarriors #history #Lagertha #Vikings
  2. The Odyssey: Lots of Good Stuff, Some Bad Stuff as Well 🔱

    What’s likely to be the biggest cinematic hit of 2026 is Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey. Anyone and everyone have already said their bit about the film, but we’ve decided to crop up with our opinions all the same!

    At nearly three hours it’s a monstrous undertaking. Unquestionably a mighty cinematic experience in IMAX, it does also suffer from stumbling stuff that drags it down, but all of it adds up to a glorious time of it. We had fun.

    Guilt and PTSD in The Odyssey

    Right. You probably know the plot already as this is adapted from Homer’s ancient Greek poem of the same name. Christopher Nolan has taken various liberties with the text, but the thrust of the story is sort of the same.

    Star, front and centre, is Odysseus (Matt Damon) the King of the island of Ithaca. He’s been away from home for 20 years as he’s been battling it out during the Trojan War of 12th century BC.

    After winning in a thrilling, last ditch Trojan Horse war move thing, it’s now left to Odysseus and his men to finally head on home. His wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) tentatively awaits him, in his absence she’s barely able to hold off 100 suitors eager to take Odysseus’s throne.

    But on the way back, Odysseus hits a series of relentless problems that escalate steadily into increasingly disastrous nightmares. As each episode plays out, the reality of the previous decade weighs heavily on his mind.

    For Nolan’s Odyssey, it sees Odysseus become mired in an increasing sense of PTSD. The reality of war plays on his consience to the extent he questions whether he even wants to return home.

    Hmmm! Well, there aren’t any official scenes available on YouTube yet, but you can get a great sense of the film with some sequences in the below.

    Okay, the great stuff sits with the set pieces. The cyclops, the giant dudes in armoured plating, the Trojan Horse build-up and battle sequence, and Circe the witch are all goddamn outstanding.

    It’s up to you which is best of the lot, but for us it’s the Trojan Horse stuff. Nolan at his absolute best and one of the best cinematic moments we’ve ever seen.

    However, quite a chunk of The Odyssey is also a bit on the flat side of things. Some of the acting and casting are questionable (we’re looking at you Tom Holland), the script can be Mickey Mouse, plus there are big chunks of dull stuff. Mainly anything involving Tom Holland’s bland performance.

    Plus, the super talented Mia Goth is in this film and she’s utterly wasted with almost no screen time or character development. As is the case for the excellent Robert Pattinson, whose Antinous is the main antagonist but 97% of the time is only ever in one room whilst grimacing.

    It’s almost like Nolan should have spread this out into two films to properly develop out the story. To get everything into three hours was hellish ambitious of him and it often works, but for us this isn’t a 5/5.

    It’s a very good film all the same. Highly recommended you see it in IMAX as this is the whole point. Take in the full cinematic spectacle, revel in the set pieces, and don’t get too upset about the story dwindling around a little bit. Well done to Mr. Nolan, he’s got people interested in history!

    A Quick Note on Odyssey’s Soundtrack

    Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson handled the music for Nolan’s latest film. The result is often very beautiful, he went to great lengths to use musical instruments that were around in antiquity.

    This meant his team had to bring many of them back to life, re-inventing instruments that haven’t been around in thousands of years. That included an ancient lyre and aulos (a wind instrument). Hurling in Albanian iso-polyphony choral music over the top and it’s quite distinct as a soundtrack, although does lapse into bombast when it needs to.

    Our favourite pieces? Sirens above is eerie and fabulous, then you’ve got the lush Ithaca theme below.

    The sound effects in the film are frequently deafening, too. In IMAX, the scream from Polyphemus the cyclops registers in at 125 decibels. That’s the loudest scream in modern cinema and up there with Roger Daltrey’s big moment in The Who’s hit single Won’t Get Fooled Again (for reference).

    Anyway, full credit to Ludwig Göransson as he does create some excellent moments with his score. Although, following Nolan’s lead, he’s often left to produce less intriguing pieces than the above.

    The Production of The Odyssey

    Okay, so this launched on 17th July 2026 and is still very much in cinemas. It’s just had its IMAX run extended into at least September as the tickets keep fully booking out. It’s really triggered a big response from the public, many of whom will experience the glory of IMAX for the first time.

    It’s like being hit by a sledgehammer of cinematic spectacle and that’s why we love it.

    The downside? It’s had a tedious backlash from the alt-right (headed by Elon Musk), who claim the film is whitewashing “history”. Their main beef is it’s “woke” as it was a trans actor in a small role and Helen of Troy is Lupita Nyong’o (i.e. not white). The hysterical meltdown they’ve had about it has done nothing to dent global box office figures. The film has already made $1.301 billion off its $250 million budget.

    Go woke, go broke indeed…

    As for the production cycle, following Nolan’s last film (2023’s Oppenheimer) he hadn’t worked out what to do next. Once decided, he went on to write the screenplay for The Odyssey and take on directing duties.

    The shoot last for 91 days across February and August of 2025. He worked so effectively everything wrapped nine days ahead of schedule! Despite shoots taking place all over the shop, including locations such as Morocco, Western Sahara, Greece, Italy, Scotland, and the US.

    Nolan is famous for embracing practical effects, so pretty much everything you see in the film most definitely isn’t CGI. That included building a 30ft cyclops for that scene, plus setting 5ft stunt actors against 7ft ones for others.

    The Odyssey is almost certain to win a big bunch of Oscars. No way a film earning this much, and getting so much internal attention, isn’t going to win a load of them. Watch this space in 2027 then for the Academy Awards.

    #Antiquity #ChristopherNolan #Cinema #Films #History #Homer #IMAX #Lifestyle #MattDamon #Movies #Odysseus #Odyssey #TheOdyssey
  3. Super spannende Rezension zu einem Buch, das erstmals die Geschichte Skandinaviens als Region am Rande des Imperiums rekonstruiert. Man erfährt die coolsten Dinge & wird schlauer was Methodologie für so prä-schreibende Kulturen angeht. Und ja: Eisbären im Kolosseum.
    #history #antiquity #prehistory #scandinavia #romanempire #books #Review

    lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v48/n14/mi

  4. “We now know that the interiors of wealthy people's homes in #Pompeii smelled woody and earthy, with a hint of citrus.”

    Ashes From Pompeii Reveal What The Doomed City Smelled Like 2,000 Years Ago : ScienceAlert sciencealert.com/ashes-from-po #science #archeology #archaeology #anthropology #incense #rome #antiquity

  5. librivox.org/pagan-christian-c

    Pagan & Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning

    This #audiobook strengthened by beliefs that #Christianity is not only originated in #Judaism but also in the whole culture of #antiquity especially that of the Roman Empire. In my opinion the Roman Church is called #catholic and not #Christian for this reason.

    #history #books #philosophy

  6. Teuta and Zenobia: Revolutionary Queens Who Challenged Rome

    You may wonder why I chose to write about “bad girls”. I think most of us understand that we each have a dichotomous nature and that, often times, we are guided by one side more than the other. Some of us can balance the two; but, others have more difficulty. I have experienced that difficulty myself. I can sometimes be more headstrong and independent than I should be. I have learned over the years when those traits are more positive than negative. Other times it has been my greatest failure. It is my intention to relate women who are little known to us, but who made an impact on our world, whether good or bad. I will leave that interpretation and judgment to the reader.

    The first woman is Teuta who lived in 3rd Century BC in the Eastern Roman Empire. Teuta was the queen regent of the Ardiaei tribe in Illyra, which includes parts of the Western Balkans including Albania, Montenegro, and the southeastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. She ruled the tribe from 231 to approximately 228-227 BCE.

    Teuta assumed control of the monarchy on behalf of her young step-son, Pinnes, after the death of her husband King Agron. She is best known for her defiance against Rome which demanded she stop attacking Roman shipping and the murder of a Roman envoy. Teuta was a pirate known for intercepting Roman ships and stealing their wares for the support of her people. Her tribe along with other Illyrian tribes were known as warriors and pirates. Their economy, which struggled, was based on agriculture, mining, and commerce, primarily with Greek colonies.

    Teuta utilized their navy to control the Adriatic trade routes and to capture coastal cities like Phoenice. Teuta’s fierce advocacy for her people led to conflict with the greater Roman Empire eventually leading to the First Illyrian-Roman war in 229-228 BCE. Teuta lost the war and was forced to surrender and cede territory. She is an enduring heroine in Albanian culture because they consider her a protector of their traditional ways of life.

    Another such bad girl was Zenobia, a warrior during the 3rd Century AD in Syria. Like Teuta, Zenobia obtained power by becoming the regent to her oldest son, Vaballathus. She ruled from 267 to 272 AD. In 270 AD Zenobia launched an invasion of the Roman Empire that increased her kingdom. By the mid part of 271, her realm from Ancyra, central Anatolia, to Upper Egypt. She declared her son emperor and she claimed the title of empress which essentially declared the independence of Palmyra (modern day Syria).

    Both of these women placed the security and well-being of their kingdoms above allegiance to the Roman Empire. They were willing to fight personally for their people when they could have passed the problems on to others. Moreover, both women had the benefit of ruling on behalf of their sons. Neither would be known had they not been widowed young and been placed in the position of needing a regent for their young children. Their personalities and characters were just what their kingdoms needed at the time they needed it. They were independent, courageous, physically and mentally strong, and faithful; though their adversaries considered them as criminal, treasonous harlots.

    The historical significance of these two women should not be ignored. For the time periods in which they reigned women were considered property in most situations. Women were never consulted on their opinions much less their ideas on how to secure and improve the lives of their people. Women during antiquity were usually nothing more than objects to be admired, wives to secure the positions of their husbands, and property to be controlled. They lived among other leaders like Hannibal, Spartacus, and Julius Caesar. The courageousness of these women should be shared with our daughters so that they understand how women have been influential in their world, especially in antiquity which their history books will never include.

    Have a great week!

    For more information on Teuta and Zenobia:

    https://syrianguides.com/the-epic-tale-of-palmyras-queen-zenobia/

    https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/fierce-queen-illyrians-teuta-untameable-003126

    Of course there’s always Wikipedia and YouTube!

    #Antiquity #CourageousWomen #FemaleRebels #history #RomanEmpire #Teuta #Tradition #Zenobia
  7. If you can't get enough of Homer's epics (in modern formats), try this podcast:
    trojanwarpodcast.com/

    The storyteller did a followup series based on the Odyssey.

    #Homer #Odyssey #Iliad #Trojan #Odysseus #podcast #antiquity

  8. "Modern #textual #scholarship has shown that #ToledotYeshu never existed as a single, fixed #composition. Unlike the #Mishna or the #Talmud, whose textual traditions gradually stabilized through widespread printing, Toledot Yeshu remained fluid for centuries. #Scribes copied from whatever exemplars were available, frequently introducing additions, omissions, stylistic revisions, and entirely new #narrative episodes. Rather than preserving a single "original" version, the #manuscript tradition reflects a living #text continually reshaped by its transmitters.

    The #Łomżamanuscript is especially noteworthy because it preserves a substantially expanded #recension. Its elaborate title-page introduction immediately distinguishes it from many simpler copies. Throughout the text, the #Hebrew is unusually polished, employing a consciously #biblical style that lends the narrative an air of #antiquity and #literary refinement."

    jewishpress.com/a-medieval-jew

  9. #antiquity : the ancient past

    - French: antiquité

    - German: die Antike, Antiquität

    - Italian: antichità

    - Portuguese: antiguidade

    - Spanish: antigüedad

    ------------

    Fill in missing or incorrect translations @ wordofthehour.org/r/translatio

  10. Credited to Homer, the original poem consists of 12,109 lines of nonlinear, nonstop talk and action featuring gods, mortals, monsters, weird doings, hospitality rituals and oceans of blood, tears and wine. Whatever the adaptation, the tale is so ingrained in our cultural DNA that even those who haven’t read the original ... will be familiar with it
    #TheOdyssey #movies #film #art #history #antiquity #literature #mythology #ChristopherNolan
    nytimes.com/2026/07/15/movies/

  11. Through innovative, interdisciplinary research, Sara Mura aims to ensure that the silent voices of the past are heard more clearly – such as those of the Punic people of Sardinia, about whom we know almost exclusively from written sources from a Roman, and therefore hostile, perspective. In their doctoral thesis, Sara examined the affordances and perceptions of the urban sacred landscape of the Punic site of Monte Sirai.

    Read the full story in our series on newly graduated PhD students: uni-kiel.de/en/cluster-roots/d

    #Antiquity #Sardinia #Archaeology #MonteSirai #PhD #Disseration #EarlyCareerScientists #NewlyGraduatedPhdStudents

  12. #Italy museum designed for blind, visually impaired visitors

    At Italy’s #Omero #Museum in Ancona, #art can be explored through touch.

    Designed with #blind & #visually #impaired visitors in mind, museum allows feeling replicas of world-famous #sculptures, #architectural #models, #artworks spanning from #antiquity to present

    The institution challenges traditional “Do not touch” museum rule & aims to make #culture more accessible

    dw.com/en/italy-museum-designe

  13. The First Pandemic? Scientists Find 214 Ancient Pathogens In Prehistoric DNA

    Shutterstock Scientists have uncovered DNA from 214 ancient pathogens in prehistoric humans, including the oldest known evidence of plague. The findings show zoonotic diseases began spreading around 6,500 years ago, likely triggered by farming and animal domestication. These ancient infections may still influence us today, and help guide the vaccines of tomorrow…….Continue reading…. By: University of Copenhagen – The Faculty of Health and Medical […]

    onlinemarketingscoops.com/2026

  14. The new Odyssey film reminds me the Western media usually make movies about antiquity from the perspective of Western culture. The similar movie about Troy/Wilusa ignored their being a vassal/allied state of the Hittites, Anatolian culture, their town was outside their fortified citidel, etc.

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_(fi

    #western #media #classics #antiquity #homer #odyssey #troy #wilusa #greece #greek #hittites #anatolian #culture #movie #film #history #accuracy #fact #fiction

  15. Römische Familine waren anders, als wir es heutzutage kennen: Der Titel ist ein wenig irreführend, doch der Artikel bietet ein paar Einblicke in die sozialen Strukturen, wie sie damals üblich waren...

    Link: carnuntum.at/de/magazin/how-i-

    #roman #römisch #romanitas #carnuntum #antike #antiquity