Get out that papyrus and sharpen those quills!

It's time for the 201o Golden Sponge on a Stick Competition! If you are a student, fancy yourself the next Caroline Lawrence, Lindsey Davis or Stephen Saylor, and think that you can write a great story set in Ancient Rome, then get busy and get writing! Of course, you should probably read the rules first, so surf on over to the Roman Mysteries blog where you can get all the official details necessary to win that sought after sponge!!!

Math, Science, History and Latin connection

Science Daily is reporting that "buried coins may hold key to solving mystery of ancient Roman population." (6 October 2009) In a fascinating story, a biologist and a historian have concluded that ancient Rome was not as populated as previously believed. Read the article at Science Daily to see this fascinating connection between mathematics, science, numismatic history and Latin.

Nero's Rotating Dining Hall Uncovered!

The New York Times AP news wire is reporting "Nero's Rotating Banquet Hall Unveiled in Rome." (29 September 2009). Archaeologists believe that this is the rotating dining room described by Suetonius in his Life of Nero.

Ancient Rome and America Exhibit, Philadelphia Spring 2010

If you will be anywhere near Philadelphia in Spring 2010, make plans to visit the National Constitution Center. As part of its focus upon "important moments and iconic figures that changed history," the National Constitution Center will be presenting an exhibit entitled Ancient Rome and America in Spring 2010. According to the Center's press release, this will be a 6,000 square foot exhibition and will include a large number of artifacts from the Republican and Imperial periods. Connections will be made between the founding fathers of the American government and the Roman Republic, as well as the continuing influence of the Romans upon our modern world.

Monty Python's Contribution to Classics Education

Apparently, the members of the Monty Python got so fed up with people uploading all their material to YouTube, they have decided to take revenge upon their fans! In response, they've created their very own Official Monty Python YouTube Channel and have placed high quality clips from their movies and television shows there, along (of course) with links for you to purchase full CDs and DVDs.

So, here you go, from the Official Monty Python YouTube Channel, every Latin teacher's favorite Monty Python clip, "Romans, Go Home!"

You've probably watched it a thousand times on YouTube before, but at least now you can do so with a clear conscience!



And as a bonus, "What Have The Romans Done For Us?"

Felicem Natalem Diem, Urbs Roma!

Today is Rome's birthday. The traditional date of the founding of the eternal city is April 21, 753 B.C. and it is from this day (A.U.C. or ab urbe condita, translated "from the founding of the city") that Romans expressed their history in relation to the Roman Era. April 21st was also known as the Parilia (or Palilia), the festival that the Romans considered sacred to shepherds. Romulus and Remus, credited with the founding of Rome, were the foster sons of the shepherd Faustulus. They were considered to be the biological sons of the Roman god Mars. The story of the birth of Romulus and Remus as well as the founding of the city is told by the Roman historian Livy. The modern Latin writer, Lhomond, who wrote in the late 1700s retells the story in easier Latin in his book De Viris Illustribus Urbis Romae A Romulo ad Augustum.

Kentucky Educational Television has some activities for teachers and students who would like to celebrate Rome's birthday. Scroll down the page to find some suggestions, including raking campus grounds and planting a tree (perhaps coinciding with tomorrow's Earth Day), then celebrating with a feast! KET has a birthday song you might sing in Latin too! There are some other ideas there you might use throughout the week, as April had many holidays sacred to the Romans.

Charlotte Yonge, a Victorian author from England who wrote for children , tells the story of The Founding of Rome at Project Gutenberg.

Classics Freebies from the Open University!

The Open University is a distance learning university based in the United Kingdom which awards both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to students around the world. The Open University also offers free non-credit mini-courses through it's Learning Space. Several courses look like they may be of interest to readers of this blog:

• Getting Started on Classical Latin For students who have no experience whatsoever with Latin. You'll develop "an awareness of the links between English and Latin, an understanding of basic English grammar...and an awareness of the fundamentals of pronunciation in Latin." There's also a similar Greek mini-course!
  
• Introducing the Classical World "aims to get you started on exploring the Classical World by introducing you to the sources upon which you can build your knowledge and understanding" as well as "getting you started on an exploration of both time and space in the Classical World."
• Exploring a Romano-African City investigates the archaeology and history of a Roman North African City. The learner will learn to identify both indigenous and Roman identity and culture and study the development of Romano-African culture.
  
• The Roman Empire: Introducing Some Key Terms is a course "introducing key terms that are essential for understanding the Classical Roman world."

The Open University Classics Department also has a neat Interactive Latin Website for students who are learning Latin inflections -- noun, verb and adjective endings -- with vocabulary standard in most Latin courses.

Technology in Rome -- in Situ and in the Lab!

The American Classical League and its Committee on Educational Computer Applications have just announced an exciting 2 week study tour and workshop in Rome and Campania to be held at the American University of Rome from July 20-August 3, 2008.

Entitled Rome: In Situ & In the Lab, this course (which may be taken for college or continuing education credit) is for teachers of Latin, Greek, the Classics and related disciplines. Participants will visit significant archaeological and museum sites and, in a computer laboratory, learn how to digitally record and use the resulting materials in the classroom and on the web. If you've always wanted to incorporate technology into your classroom, this sounds like a fabulous opportunity!

The instructors are Rob Latousek (Centaur Systems), Julian Morgan (J-PROGS) , Paul Gwynne (American University of Rome), and Cindy Caltagirone (Webmaster of the National Latin Exam and American Classical League websites).

Visit the American Classical League to find out more about the course, view an itinerary or download a registration form. You can also write roblatousek@yahoo.com or contact the American Classical League at 422 Wells Mill Dr., Oxford OH, 45056.

The deadline to register is January 15, 2008!

Ancient Bath Complex Unearthed in Rome

Archaeologists have uncovered an incredibly ornate 2nd century bath complex in Rome. This is an unbelievably luxurious bath site. Excavations are still underway.

The most famous baths in the world are the Roman Baths in the city of Bath, England. The official website includes an interactive site plan where you can can find out more about the site in ancient and modern times. If you are ever in England, it's an amazing site to visit in a lovely city, not far from London. You can see more photographs of the Roman Baths in England at the Bluffton University Index of Art Historical Sites as well as the Maecenas archive.