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Our Fascination with the Romans, why?

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Also, how many different shapes can you pile bricks in to make a high "thingy". Pyramid shape is only the next refinement after just throwing stones in a random pile.
Willow you understand. The boys throw rocks in a pile, take another swig of the bottle and say "OMG we are brilliant to think of this, a pile of rocks! Bet those stupid girls would never think of this! They're off weaving garments or something dumb like that! LOL, have another swig!"
 
Something occurred to me regarding our idea that the Roman soldiers wold not always wear armor or dress uniforms for mundane tasks like remote province crucifixion of minor country preachers. This is of course very reasonable. However, to give the cheesy Hollywood sand and sanddles epics their due, many of the scenes in those movies are in Rome, in the Emperor's house on the Palatine Hill (wench or word palace derives) of in the arena, when the solders, even for hard sweaty work would be in full dress uniforms (Smartly Done!)
 
Back to the forum topic.

I present for your consideration, the Roman festival of Lupercalia, a mid February festival of cleansing and fertility. Derived from prehistoric times, it was orchestrated by a special priesthood, the Luperci, young men between 20 and 40. The Vestal Virgins had a minor role in supplying mealcakes for the offering.

Now the part that should interest us (especially the distaff side here), was that some of the young Luperci would run naked (or nearly so, it isn't clear - at most loinclothes) through the streets swinging whips made of the skin of the sacrificed goat. As Plutarch describes it:

At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. 3 And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped to an easy delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.
 
Gotta love high class Roman women who believed being whipped in public by naked young men would help their pregnancy or their fertility.
 
Praefectus praetorio said:
Back to the forum topic.

I present for your consideration, the Roman festival of Lupercalia, a mid February festival of cleansing and fertility. Derived from prehistoric times, it was orchestrated by a special priesthood, the Luperci, young men between 20 and 40. The Vestal Virgins had a minor role in supplying mealcakes for the offering.

Now the part that should interest us (especially the distaff side here), was that some of the young Luperci would run naked (or nearly so, it isn't clear - at most loinclothes) through the streets swinging whips made of the skin of the sacrificed goat. As Plutarch describes it:

At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. 3 And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped to an easy delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.
Click to expand...

Interesting ceremony. I wonder if you could increase the role of the Vestal Virgins?
 
ShadowWolf said:
Interesting ceremony. I wonder if you could increase the role of the Vestal Virgins?
Click to expand...

Thnak you for the response. Since the origin of the festival was already buried in the mists of history in Roman Republican times, and it has been out of practice for over 1,700 years , I would have trouble making changes.
 
The Vestal were disbanded in 394 CE. They were regarded as especially sacred among the Roman priests and officials. Injuring a Vestal carried a sentence of death!

If you are thinking of a more sexual role for the Vestals, it would be hard to imagine. They were chosen before puberty, between 6 and 10 years of age (sorry Admin, just reporting a fact of Roman custom - no underage intended or implied), and took a 30 year vow of celibacy. Breaking the vow (of course not until they were at least 18 years and one day old!) was regarded as incest and treason. A Vestal who broke her vow was buried alive in a kind of vault under a cursed field. She was given some food and drink to prolong her death. (another connection to the thread topic - Roman's had many interesting and cruel ways to kill people)
 
Another reason for fascination (from Latin Fascinus, phallus) for the Romans for crucifixion and torture, is the great Twentieth Century Horror - the fascists. Started by Mussolini as an homage to the glorious Roman past, he adopted, among other symbols: Eagles, the word fascist (from the Roman fasces, a bundle of rods tied around an axe. It was carried by lictors before a magistrate to symbolize his regal power (beating and beheading), and the Roman salute (right hand flat, palm down against the heart then raised ahead at 45 degrees). The Nazi in Germany borrowed these symbols. And this became the universal symbol of evil, torture and abuse (I still get off thinking of those great pulp magazines from the 50's and 60's with Nazis on the cover threatening scantily-clad women.....excuse me, I'll be right back! (three minutes later). ok, I'm back now, just something I had to take care of. Where was I. Oh yes those pulp covers with the scantily-clad women..... excuse me again!

TIME LIMIT REACH. POSTED WITHOUT MEMBER ACTION
 
Hello again, sorry I had to do something. I think I was posting about those scantily-clad women.... Oh, Hell, I'm outta here!
 
Another great story of Roman Bravery and disregard for pain.

Gaius Mucius Scaevola

Recorded by Livy in his history of Early Rome, Ab Urbe Condita, (from the founding of the City, also the way Romans counted years AUC) 2:12-13.
In an early war with nearby Clusium, the King of Clusium, Lars Porsena, laid siege to Rome to starve the city out. A young patrician, Gaius Muscius, volunteered to sneak into Porsena’s camp and kill him. He almost succeeded. Unfortunately, it was payday, and the King’s secretary who was sitting by the King and paying the soldiers, was dressed almost exactly like the King. Gaius made the mistake of killing the secretary and was seized by the King's bodyguards. Mucius told the king that other Romans would follow. When the King threatened him with torture, Livy describes what happened next:

‘Look,’ Mucius cried, ‘and learn how lightly those regard their bodies who have some great glory in view.’ Then he plunged his right hand into a fire burning on the altar. Whilst he kept it roasting there as if he were devoid of all sensation, the king, astounded at his preternatural conduct, sprang from his seat and ordered the youth to be removed from the altar.

Mucius then said there were 300 more sworn to kill Porsena. Porsena let him go back to Rome and soon lifted the siege.
Mucius returned to Rome a hero and adopted a new last name, a cognomen, Scaevola, which means left-handed. I always liked the story because I’m a lefty.

Can it be doubted that such a people would specialize in horrendous torture and death?
 
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