Posted on 03/25/2008 11:25:47 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Archaeologists want to use light to recreate the brilliant colors once seen on Trajan's Column in Rome.
The chaste white of Roman temples and monuments is a product of centuries of wear that has removed the original paint. The archaeology department in Rome is discussing the technical details of creating a light beam that would temporarily repaint the column, with the power company Acea and researchers at Rome University, the Italian news agency Ansa reported.
Under the plan, the column would be illuminated on weekends for a few minutes every hour.
"Nothing acts like light to deepen our understanding, activating our emotional brain," said Maurizio Anastasi, head of the technical office in the city archaeology department.
The column was erected in A.D. 113 to celebrate Trajan's two successful campaigns against the Dacians, depicted in carved relief. Trajan, who reigned from 98 to 117, pushed the boundaries of the Roman Empire to their farthest extent.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
It’s fun to argue history, isn’t it. Sure the Romans held Dacia for 165 years until the barbarians got their act together but once that happened it couldn’t be defended. Contrast that with Gaul, with it’s much more defensible borders. As for the East, while he didn’t plan for his death his advances there were ultimately untenable. Hadrian was wise to pull back. Either you conquer Parthia or you leave it alone. Most of Rome’s troubles in the East were of their own making.
Gaul was overrun at the same time, and was one of the two rebellious, independent kingdoms or empires that Aurelian had to deal with. Gaul was continually resettled for most of the period of Roman rule, by small groups entering from the east, as natural climate change caused migrations out of Central Asia.
Rome’s problems in the east were due to their not finishing off the Parthian kingdom. Overland linkage with the Kushans, and through them with China, could have made it quite a different world.
As for the Parthians, keep in mind that Rome's problems there were of their own making. If Crassus hadn't invaded Parthia in search of glory and booty things might have been more peaceful.
Roman history is fascinating, isn't it?
The nice part is that the picture of that time is much richer, despite the decline in classical ed.
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