Author Archives
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April 23 – The Vinalia Priora: The Ancient Roman Spring Wine Festival
I feel the coming of the flowery Spring,Wakening tree and vine;A bowl capacious quickly bringAnd mix the honeyed wine.Weave for my throat a garland of fresh dill,And crown my head with flowers,And o’er my breast sweet perfumes spillIn aromatic showers…. Read More ›
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Hallopus
This is Hallopus victor, a 3-foot long reptile that lived in the Morrison Formation of western North America during the late Jurassic Period approximately 150 million years ago. Hallopus belonged to a group of reptiles called the “sphenosuchians” a group… Read More ›
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Camptosaurus
This is Camptosaurus dispar, a 20 foot long plant-eating dinosaur from the Morrison Formation of western North America during the late Jurassic Period. In most paleo-art, it seems that the only purpose in life for this unfortunate animal is to… Read More ›
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Macelognathus
This is Macelognathus vagans. This animal lived in the Morrison Formation of western North America during the late Jurassic Period approximately 150 million years ago. Macelognathus belongs to a group of animals called the “sphenosuchians”, which is a group that’s… Read More ›
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Dryosaurus
NOTE: This article was originally posted on April 8, 2020. It was substantially updated on December 14, 2022. This is Dryosaurus, a 10 foot long plant-eating ornithopod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation of western North America, and possibly… Read More ›
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Ceratosaurus Osteoderms: A Revised Perspective
Ceratosaurus is an iconic dinosaur due to numerous physical attributes that distinguish it from other theropod species: the horn on the end of its nose, the massive teeth, the tiny hands with the four fingers, the wide tail, etc. However,… Read More ›
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February 23 – The Terminalia: The Feast Day of the Roman Border God
February 23 was the date of the Terminalia, the festival dedicated to the ancient Roman god Terminus, the god of property boundaries. Yep, that was a real thing. Agrarian societies like the Roman peasant class took land ownership extremely seriously…. Read More ›
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February 22 – The Caristia: The Ancient Roman Family Thanksgiving Feast
Fresco from the House of Julia Felix in Pompeii, Italy. February 22 was the ancient Roman holiday called the Caristia, and it was one of the biggest party days in the Roman calendar. Essentially it was Thanksgiving and Christmas put… Read More ›
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February 21 – Rest in Peace: The Feralia Festival of the Dead
Classical Sunset. © Jason R. Abdale (August 20, 2021) The ancient Romans had several days in their calendar dedicated to honoring the dead. Among these was a period that lasted from February 13 to 21 which was known as the… Read More ›
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February 13 – Rest in Peace: The Parentalia Festival of the Dead
Gone But Not Forgotten, painted by John William Waterhouse (1873). The Parentalia was a private remembrance day for the family’s deceased. The festival, for lack of a better word, lasted from February 13 to 21. During these days, all of… Read More ›
