Angela
Elite member
- Messages
- 21,823
- Reaction score
- 12,329
- Points
- 113
- Ethnic group
- Italian
This is the link to the article:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...nt-roman-burial-ground-in-france-9907291.html
Although these deaths in the arena originally arose out of the custom of animal, and human, sacrifice as part of the funeral of notable men, it rapidly lost some of its sacrificial and religious aspect, I think, and just became a particularly bloody and vicious sport for many, a sport on which fortunes were made, and lost.
It just goes to show that however civilized the Empire was in certain ways, it was also a part of its era, with the brutality typical of that time. Although, then again, the horrors of World War II are not even a century in the past, so who are we to be so smug?
I wish the papers upon which these articles were based stayed on the radar screen for a while. I usually can't do any follow up on them.
I also wish there was some sort of mobile "Genetics Busters" or "Genetics Swat Team" that could swoop down when these ancient remains are found, prevent contamination, and get them to a lab for genetic analysis.
In this case, it would be interesting to know the origin and make up of these poor people. Were they slaves imported from the latest conquest, locals who had committed crimes or perhaps sold themselves into slavery to pay their debts? So much of history could be illuminated if they would just do the analyses.
Oops! Maybe this is the wrong section. If the moderators feel it would fit better in another section, please move it.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...nt-roman-burial-ground-in-france-9907291.html
Although these deaths in the arena originally arose out of the custom of animal, and human, sacrifice as part of the funeral of notable men, it rapidly lost some of its sacrificial and religious aspect, I think, and just became a particularly bloody and vicious sport for many, a sport on which fortunes were made, and lost.
It just goes to show that however civilized the Empire was in certain ways, it was also a part of its era, with the brutality typical of that time. Although, then again, the horrors of World War II are not even a century in the past, so who are we to be so smug?
I wish the papers upon which these articles were based stayed on the radar screen for a while. I usually can't do any follow up on them.
I also wish there was some sort of mobile "Genetics Busters" or "Genetics Swat Team" that could swoop down when these ancient remains are found, prevent contamination, and get them to a lab for genetic analysis.
In this case, it would be interesting to know the origin and make up of these poor people. Were they slaves imported from the latest conquest, locals who had committed crimes or perhaps sold themselves into slavery to pay their debts? So much of history could be illuminated if they would just do the analyses.
Oops! Maybe this is the wrong section. If the moderators feel it would fit better in another section, please move it.