Rob Edmunds
@robedmunds.bsky.social
I'm a Welsh writer of two novels about the ancient Numidian King Masinissa set during the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage. 🏴
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https://linktr.ee/robedmunds
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https://linktr.ee/robedmunds
I'm not sure if you're familiar with the film adaptation of Born Free but I've recently written something which features Billl Travers who played George Adamson in the movie. His military experience included quite a notable and unusual episode which made him ideal for my purposes!
January 2, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I'm not sure if you're familiar with the film adaptation of Born Free but I've recently written something which features Billl Travers who played George Adamson in the movie. His military experience included quite a notable and unusual episode which made him ideal for my purposes!
It would have been historically more accurate. Although the artwork is relatively crude, the Severan Tondo, showing Septimius Severus, Julia Domna, Caracalla and an effaced Geta would have served as an excellent reference point.
November 17, 2024 at 3:37 PM
It would have been historically more accurate. Although the artwork is relatively crude, the Severan Tondo, showing Septimius Severus, Julia Domna, Caracalla and an effaced Geta would have served as an excellent reference point.
I've yet to see the film but the clips of Caracalla and Geta that I have seen seem to have completely disregarded all the evidence of their and Septimius Severus's appearance. Caracalla does appear to have quite a conspicuous mean streak by the expression he has here.
November 17, 2024 at 10:42 AM
I've yet to see the film but the clips of Caracalla and Geta that I have seen seem to have completely disregarded all the evidence of their and Septimius Severus's appearance. Caracalla does appear to have quite a conspicuous mean streak by the expression he has here.
The Numidians don't get the attention they deserve. A favourite Numidian bust I'd like to see is this one of Juba II, a great grandson of Masinissa who was taken to Rome by Julius Caesar, mentored by Caesar Augustus and married the daughter of Cleopatra. He was known as Rex Literitissimus.
November 14, 2024 at 7:53 PM
The Numidians don't get the attention they deserve. A favourite Numidian bust I'd like to see is this one of Juba II, a great grandson of Masinissa who was taken to Rome by Julius Caesar, mentored by Caesar Augustus and married the daughter of Cleopatra. He was known as Rex Literitissimus.
A relief of Dionysus, discovered in 1907 in a shipwreck off the coast of Mahdia, ancient Aphrodisium, in Tunisia. Archaeologists believe the ship was sunk in the 1st century BC, and its cargo, which contains other important statues, may have been stolen during the sack of Athens by Sulla in 86BC. 🏺
November 14, 2024 at 12:39 PM
A relief of Dionysus, discovered in 1907 in a shipwreck off the coast of Mahdia, ancient Aphrodisium, in Tunisia. Archaeologists believe the ship was sunk in the 1st century BC, and its cargo, which contains other important statues, may have been stolen during the sack of Athens by Sulla in 86BC. 🏺
The Roman city gate Porta Nigra in Trier, Germany. It is the finest surviving Roman building north of the Alps. Construction began after 170AD. In 1030 Saint Simeon was enclosed in a cell there. He died 5 years later and was buried in his cell. Miracles were reported at his tomb shortly after.
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July 4, 2024 at 10:01 AM
The Roman city gate Porta Nigra in Trier, Germany. It is the finest surviving Roman building north of the Alps. Construction began after 170AD. In 1030 Saint Simeon was enclosed in a cell there. He died 5 years later and was buried in his cell. Miracles were reported at his tomb shortly after.
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Although not my favourite painting, I do like it and feel it would be one you would appreciate. Les Arenes by Van Gogh, the context being that it was inspired by the Roman amphitheatre at Arles. Good luck with your convalescence. All the best!
May 3, 2024 at 6:10 PM
Although not my favourite painting, I do like it and feel it would be one you would appreciate. Les Arenes by Van Gogh, the context being that it was inspired by the Roman amphitheatre at Arles. Good luck with your convalescence. All the best!
The giant Basalt lion sculpture from the Ain Dara temple complex in Syria. The temple itself dates from around the 13th century BC and was discovered in 1955. The site was largely destroyed in 2018/19 and the lion sculpture was stolen, it’s condition and whereabouts are now unknown.
ancientbluesky 🏺
ancientbluesky 🏺
April 11, 2024 at 10:58 AM
The giant Basalt lion sculpture from the Ain Dara temple complex in Syria. The temple itself dates from around the 13th century BC and was discovered in 1955. The site was largely destroyed in 2018/19 and the lion sculpture was stolen, it’s condition and whereabouts are now unknown.
ancientbluesky 🏺
ancientbluesky 🏺
The poet Apollinaire in 1916 after he was wounded during Word War I. He coined the term Surrealism in 1917 to describe that new art movement
“When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the wheel, which does not look like a leg. In doing this, he was practicing surrealism without knowing it.”
“When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the wheel, which does not look like a leg. In doing this, he was practicing surrealism without knowing it.”
March 5, 2024 at 5:02 PM
The poet Apollinaire in 1916 after he was wounded during Word War I. He coined the term Surrealism in 1917 to describe that new art movement
“When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the wheel, which does not look like a leg. In doing this, he was practicing surrealism without knowing it.”
“When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the wheel, which does not look like a leg. In doing this, he was practicing surrealism without knowing it.”
I hope it is and it's based on a true story for the most part. The heroine of my novels, Sophonisba, is also on the basis of her depictions in all sorts of art forms over the millennia, the second most famous person in history. There are many paintings, plays, operas and ballets about her life.
February 7, 2024 at 10:42 AM
I hope it is and it's based on a true story for the most part. The heroine of my novels, Sophonisba, is also on the basis of her depictions in all sorts of art forms over the millennia, the second most famous person in history. There are many paintings, plays, operas and ballets about her life.
This mural of Julius Caesar is located outside the Roman Walls of Lugo. The city walls are the most complete example of Roman military architecture within the Western Roman Empire. The mural was created by the graffiti and urban artist Diego AS. It was awarded the best mural in the world in 2022 🏺
January 24, 2024 at 3:59 PM
This mural of Julius Caesar is located outside the Roman Walls of Lugo. The city walls are the most complete example of Roman military architecture within the Western Roman Empire. The mural was created by the graffiti and urban artist Diego AS. It was awarded the best mural in the world in 2022 🏺
The Roman wall surrounding the city of Lugo in Galicia is the only complete Roman wall remaining. According to legend the Romans built it to protect a forest and not a city, the“Sacred Forest of Augusto”. The walls still contain 85 towers and have survived intact for 18 centuries.
ancientbluesky 🏺
ancientbluesky 🏺
January 24, 2024 at 3:44 PM
The Roman wall surrounding the city of Lugo in Galicia is the only complete Roman wall remaining. According to legend the Romans built it to protect a forest and not a city, the“Sacred Forest of Augusto”. The walls still contain 85 towers and have survived intact for 18 centuries.
ancientbluesky 🏺
ancientbluesky 🏺
A section of the painting "Scipio presents gifts to the king of Numidia, Massinissa." by the Italian Baroque painter Lazzaro Baldi. (1624-1703) It depicts a scene that I also wrote about in my first novel about Masinissa (1 less S for me!) The jewels Scipio Africanus offers him really sparkle!
December 12, 2023 at 6:17 PM
A section of the painting "Scipio presents gifts to the king of Numidia, Massinissa." by the Italian Baroque painter Lazzaro Baldi. (1624-1703) It depicts a scene that I also wrote about in my first novel about Masinissa (1 less S for me!) The jewels Scipio Africanus offers him really sparkle!
A pair of Etruscan Bronze attachments, circa 5th Century B.C. They depict the 3rd and 4th Labours of Hercules, the capture of the Ceryneian Hind and the Erymanthian boar. The lion skin-clad Heracles is on the left and Iolaus, his charioteer and one of the Argonauts, is on the right.
🏺 ancientbluesky
🏺 ancientbluesky
December 12, 2023 at 1:08 PM
A pair of Etruscan Bronze attachments, circa 5th Century B.C. They depict the 3rd and 4th Labours of Hercules, the capture of the Ceryneian Hind and the Erymanthian boar. The lion skin-clad Heracles is on the left and Iolaus, his charioteer and one of the Argonauts, is on the right.
🏺 ancientbluesky
🏺 ancientbluesky
Perhaps that might account for it. How he made the poster when quite a few of the stars didn't is a complete mystery. I've tried to put a name to the morose face but this rather blurry picture of some of the extras is the best I can manage.
December 5, 2023 at 6:51 PM
Perhaps that might account for it. How he made the poster when quite a few of the stars didn't is a complete mystery. I've tried to put a name to the morose face but this rather blurry picture of some of the extras is the best I can manage.
There goes my Plan B! The unpleasant smell reminds me of the stench associated with an earlier dye, the imperial Tyrian purple, used by Phoenicians & Romans. It was extracted from murex snail shells which the Tyrians kept in large vats to decompose. 250,000 shells were needed for a tablespoon of dye
December 5, 2023 at 1:23 PM
There goes my Plan B! The unpleasant smell reminds me of the stench associated with an earlier dye, the imperial Tyrian purple, used by Phoenicians & Romans. It was extracted from murex snail shells which the Tyrians kept in large vats to decompose. 250,000 shells were needed for a tablespoon of dye
This sounds fascinating. Hen is Old in Welsh. Coel Hen is otherwise known as Old King Cole. Guotodin must be synonymous with the ancient Brittonic kingdom of Gododdin. There is an ancient Welsh poem 'Y Gododdin' which includes elegies for the men of this tribe who fought at the Battle of Catraeth.
December 5, 2023 at 11:07 AM
This sounds fascinating. Hen is Old in Welsh. Coel Hen is otherwise known as Old King Cole. Guotodin must be synonymous with the ancient Brittonic kingdom of Gododdin. There is an ancient Welsh poem 'Y Gododdin' which includes elegies for the men of this tribe who fought at the Battle of Catraeth.
This looks like fun Helen. I'm not familiar with it although I have included a similar Roman game Ludus Latrunculorum, otherwise known as Latrunculi, Petteia, or Latrones in my first novel. It's mentioned in Plato's Republic and a version is available (as Latrones) on Google Play. It's really good!
December 4, 2023 at 10:09 PM
This looks like fun Helen. I'm not familiar with it although I have included a similar Roman game Ludus Latrunculorum, otherwise known as Latrunculi, Petteia, or Latrones in my first novel. It's mentioned in Plato's Republic and a version is available (as Latrones) on Google Play. It's really good!
A lot older but the Rococo artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo also had a fondness for events in the Second Punic War. This famous one depicts Scipio Africanus freeing Massiva, the nephew of Masinissa, unharmed. It was a masterstroke of wartime diplomacy. At the time, Masinissa was allied with Carthage
December 4, 2023 at 8:57 PM
A lot older but the Rococo artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo also had a fondness for events in the Second Punic War. This famous one depicts Scipio Africanus freeing Massiva, the nephew of Masinissa, unharmed. It was a masterstroke of wartime diplomacy. At the time, Masinissa was allied with Carthage
I find the Punic Wars, specifically the Second, really fascinating and incredibly momentous in terms of Mediterranean civilization for centuries thereafter. There were 7 Spahi regiments from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia on the Western Front by 1918. Their dress uniforms were particularly colourful.
December 4, 2023 at 6:43 PM
I find the Punic Wars, specifically the Second, really fascinating and incredibly momentous in terms of Mediterranean civilization for centuries thereafter. There were 7 Spahi regiments from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia on the Western Front by 1918. Their dress uniforms were particularly colourful.
They're probably Spahi cavalry soldiers Bill. There is still a Spahi regiment serving in the French military today.
December 4, 2023 at 9:22 AM
They're probably Spahi cavalry soldiers Bill. There is still a Spahi regiment serving in the French military today.
You should be. I hope it was as delicious as it looks. It reminded me a little of a ranunculus flower with it's tightly arranged petals. That might be just me though!
December 1, 2023 at 10:24 AM
You should be. I hope it was as delicious as it looks. It reminded me a little of a ranunculus flower with it's tightly arranged petals. That might be just me though!
The legacies of Roman Emperors can be varied. Vespasian, known for the Colosseum, is also more humbly associated with public toilets in Italy and France, known as Vespasiano and Vespasienne. This association arose as a result of a tax he imposed upon the collection of urine.
ancientbluesky 🏺
ancientbluesky 🏺
November 30, 2023 at 1:59 PM
The legacies of Roman Emperors can be varied. Vespasian, known for the Colosseum, is also more humbly associated with public toilets in Italy and France, known as Vespasiano and Vespasienne. This association arose as a result of a tax he imposed upon the collection of urine.
ancientbluesky 🏺
ancientbluesky 🏺
I had to look into this. It is a museum now across two adjacent addresses. Jimi Hendrix lived at 23 Brook Street in Mayfair in London and Handel lived at 25 Brook Street, unless I've mixed up the addresses. Here's the building. The blue plaques indicating historical interest are just noticeable.
November 26, 2023 at 9:35 PM
I had to look into this. It is a museum now across two adjacent addresses. Jimi Hendrix lived at 23 Brook Street in Mayfair in London and Handel lived at 25 Brook Street, unless I've mixed up the addresses. Here's the building. The blue plaques indicating historical interest are just noticeable.
There is certainly a resemblance to the simple features of ancient Carthaginian glass pendants in the artistic style and facial expressions.
November 16, 2023 at 11:40 AM
There is certainly a resemblance to the simple features of ancient Carthaginian glass pendants in the artistic style and facial expressions.