Roman History Books and More

book chats resume after summer break - new book list needed

Now that summer is over – at least by U.S. convention, as this is Labor Day weekend – we resume our book discussions this coming Wednesday, September 6, with the second of three chats on The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough.

Our current book schedule runs through December, so it is high time to entertain suggestions for 2007 – at least through June, with an assumed summer break of July.

So . . .  recommendations are welcome.  Main criteria are:  easy available in public libraries or through the inter-library service, inexpensive paperbacks, or online if it's ancient historians.  I will assemble the suggestions and submit them to the group for votes.

Here is my frequently updated reading list as a guide.

pontifex, pontifex maximus

In The First Man in Rome, there are squabbles about who should become a pontifex, as well as pontifex maximus, after either post has become vacant, and families are jealously trying to preserve their prerogatives.

The pontifex maximus was the highest priestly position in Rome, head of the college of the pontifices.

Smith's Dictionary at Lacus Curtius has this:

wine in the roman world, continued

Back in April, I blogged  Wine on the Roman World. 

Now,  Ancient Classical History points us to an article  in About.com's  Senior Travel:

Ancient Roman Wines in France - - A Fountain of Youth in a Bottle?

Not far from Nimes, ancient Latin recipes are turned to surprising wines

The ancient Romans believed Mulsum, a deep red wine with notes of cinnamon, pepper and thyme, increased potency and maintained youth, put hair on the chest, so to speak.  I hope not because I rather liked it when I tasted it recently in the South of France and hairy chests are not much of a look for a woman…

mulsum  ī, n  honey-wine, mead, wine mixed with honey:  (venenum) cum daretur in mulso: frigidum.   (Lewis & Short)

“Schlangenfadenglas” (serpent threads)  decanter from Cologne, Germany