🟤 AEMILIANUS AND THE NUMANTINES The Numantine War (143-133 BC) was the final and most devastating conflict of the Celtiberian Wars. It centered around the city of Numantia, a fiercely independent Celtiberian stronghold in Hispania (modern-day Spain). The Romans had struggled to subdue the Celtiberians throughout earlier conflicts, and Numantia proved to be an especially formidable challenge. Repeated Roman attempts to conquer the city met with fierce resistance and ultimately failed. In 134 BC, Scipio Aemilianus, a general who had previously triumphed in the Third Punic War, was appointed to command the Roman forces in Hispania. Scipio implemented a plan to isolate and starve the city into submission. He constructed a series of fortified camps that encircled Numantia, cutting off the city's access to supplies and reinforcements. He also limited water access, further restricting the city's resources. Roman engineers utilized battering rams and other siege engines to breach the city walls. The Numantines mounted frequent sorties against the Roman camps, and endured prolonged periods of starvation and hardship without surrendering. After a protracted siege, facing starvation and despair, the Numantines chose a tragic path. They decided to commit mass suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. In 133 BC, the Romans entered the city and found it largely deserted, with many of the inhabitants having taken their own lives. The fall of Numantia ended the Celtiberian Wars and solidified Roman control over Hispania.

🔶 CHRISTIAN PRAYER 5TH OR 6TH CENTURY AD “Greek text: Date:   5th or 6th cent. A.D. O God almighty, holy, true, benevolent, Creator, Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, reveal to me your truth, whether it is your will that I go to Chiout. Shall I find you aiding me and gracious? So be it; Amen!”

🔺 WHAT WAS A SIGNIFER? The signifer was a non-commissioned officer within a Roman centuria (a unit of around 80-100 men). Their primary role was to carry the signum, the standard specific to that centuria. This signum served as a visual identifier for the unit and a rallying point in battle. the signum often consisted of a pole topped with a manus (an open hand) made of bronze or silver. Below the manus, there might be a number of phalerae (metal discs or medallions) awarded to the centuria for valorous deeds or to individual soldiers.
Sometimes, small religious images or other symbolic decorations were also attached. Importantly, the signifer also acted as the paymaster and banker for the soldiers within their centuria, holding their savings. They were typically experienced and trustworthy veterans, earning double the basic soldier's pay.

🔘 THE CHRISTIANS AND JEWS OF RAVENNA “Then Theoderic made Eutharicus consul and celebrated triumphs at Rome and at Ravenna. This Eutharicus was an excessively rough man, and an enemy to the Catholic faith. After this, while Theoderic was remaining at Verona through fear of the neighbouring peoples, strife arose between the Christians and the Jews of the city of Ravenna; accordingly the Jews, being unwilling to be baptised, often in sport threw the holy water that was offered to them into the water of the river. Because of this the people were fired with anger, and without respect for the king, for Eutharicus, or for Peter, who was bishop at the time, they rose against the synagogues and presently set them on fire. And this same thing happened in a similar affair at Rome.” The Anonymus Valesianus

🔵 MAXENTIUS AND CONSTANTINE Constantine married Fausta, the sister of Maxentius, which could be seen as a political alliance or at least a family connection. Both men sought to consolidate their power and control over the Roman Empire, leading to a growing rivalry. This rivalry ultimately escalated into open conflict. The decisive confrontation occurred at the Battle of Milvian Bridge near Rome in 312. Constantine strategically positioned his forces near the bridge, a vital crossing point over the Tiber River. Maxentius established strong defensive positions to guard the bridge. The battle was fierce, with both sides engaging in intense combat. According to later Christian accounts, Constantine had a vision prior to the battle, where he saw a luminous cross in the sky with the inscription "In this sign conquer." Constantine's forces prevailed. Maxentius, attempting to flee across the bridge, drowned in the Tiber River.

Good take.

🟣 “OUTDONE BY US ROMANS” "[In great buildings] as well as in other things the rest of the world has been outdone by us Romans. If, indeed, all the buildings in our City are considered in the aggregate, and supposing them - so to say - all thrown together in one vast mass, the united grandeur of them would lead one to imagine that we were describing another world, accumulated in a single spot. Not to mention among our great works the Circus Maximus, that was built by the Dictator Caesar - one stadium broad and three in length - and occupying with the adjacent buildings no less than four iugera [about 2 acres] with room for no less than 160,000 spectators seated - am I not, however, to include in the number of our magnificent structures the Basilica of Paulus with its admirable Phrygian columns [built also in Julius Caesar's day], the Forum of the late Emperor Augustus, the Temple of Peace erected by the Emperor Vespasian Augustus - some of the finest work the world has ever seen? [and many others].” Pliny the Elder

The Spanish asked the Aztecs to make em folded bread in the Arabian way. The Aztecs did it but used other ingrediënts and TACO’S were born.

Thank God for God.

⚪️ THE CELTS ENTER ROME “For the Celts spent the first day cutting off, according to their custom, the heads of the dead. And for two days they lay encamped before the city, for when they saw the walls deserted and yet heard the noise made by those who were transferring their most useful possessions to the acropolis, they suspected that the Romans were planning a trap for them. But on the fourth day, after they had learned the true state of affairs, they broke down the gates and pillaged the city except for a few dwellings on the Palatine. After this they delivered daily assaults on strong positions, without, however, inflicting any serious hurt upon their opponents and with the loss of many of their own troops. Nevertheless, they did not relax their ardour, expecting that, even if they did not conquer by force, they would wear down the enemy in the course of time, when the necessities of life had entirely given out.” Diodorus Siculus