Author Archives

• The Cedar Mountain Hypsilophodont Dinosaur

  By Jason R. Abdale on February 18, 2022 • ( 0 )

  The Cedar Mountain Formation of the western United States, which is dated to the early Cretaceous Period, has produced fossils of numerous dinosaur species. Several of these are still not officially classified, and this post concerns one of them. In… Read More ›

• The Sail-Backed Dinosaur from the Cedar Mountain Formation

  By Jason R. Abdale on February 11, 2022 • ( 0 )

  Greetings. A few days ago, I learned of a remarkable discovery. In east-central Utah within the rock layers of the Cedar Mountain Formation, dated to the early Cretaceous Period about 135 million years ago (the same time and place where… Read More ›

• Gracilisuchus

  By Jason R. Abdale on January 18, 2022 • ( 0 )

  Gracilisuchus, meaning “the slender crocodile”, was a 2-foot-long reptile which lived in South America during the middle of the Triassic Period. Its remains were discovered in northwestern Argentina within the rocks of the Chañares Formation, which are dated to about… Read More ›

• December 5 – The Festival of Faunus

  By Jason R. Abdale on December 2, 2021 • ( 0 )

  In the ancient Roman calendar, each month had three special days assigned to it: the Kalends, the Nones, and the Ides. The “Kalends” was the first day in each month, and it’s from this Latin word that we get our… Read More ›

• December 15 – A Day of Prayers, Sacrifices, and…Mule Racing? The Ancient Roman Consualia Festival

  By Jason R. Abdale on December 1, 2021 • ( 1 )

  In the ancient Roman calendar, December 15 was (at least according to some ancient authors) one of the main feast days for the sea god Neptune. December 15 could also be called “Equine Appreciation Day”, because it was essentially a… Read More ›

• December 1 – The Kalends of December

  By Jason R. Abdale on December 1, 2021 • ( 0 )

  Today is the first day of December. In the minds of some, this day marks the unofficial beginning of Winter, as the Autumn harvests have been gathered in, most of the leaves have fallen off of the trees by this… Read More ›

• The First Battle of the Hundred Years’ War: The Battle of Cadzand – November 9, 1337

  By Jason R. Abdale on November 1, 2021 • ( 2 )

  The Hundred Years’ War is perhaps the second-most well-known military conflict of the Middle Ages, second only to the Crusades. This epic clash between the kingdoms of England and France, which was actually a series of separate conflicts spread out… Read More ›

• The Setantians, Volantians, and Carvetians: The Ancient Celtic Tribes of Northwestern England

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 25, 2021 • ( 0 )

  Introduction I subscribe to several ancient Roman history groups on Facebook, and on one of these, a conversation arose regarding the Celtic tribes of Britain. Specifically, there was a lot of focus on one tribe in particular – that of… Read More ›

• Ancient Rome and the Horror of H. P. Lovecraft

  By Jason R. Abdale on October 1, 2021 • ( 2 )

  Manes, Lares, and Lemures. © Jason R. Abdale (August 21, 2021). Introduction Halloween is nearly upon us. As October rolls through its days and nights, inching ever-closer towards the 31st, some of us may celebrate the spooky season by indulging… Read More ›

• September 5-19 – The Ludi Magni Romani, “The Great Roman Games”

  By Jason R. Abdale on September 19, 2021 • ( 0 )

  The Chariot Race in the Circus Maximus, painted by Alfredo Tominz (1890).Public domain image, Wikimedia Commons. Let the games begin! September was an exciting time in ancient Rome, because it was in early to middle September that one of the… Read More ›