Hello everyone. Several years ago, I wrote a short article for Prehistoric Times magazine about the Sundance Sea. This was a shallow saltwater sea which covered much of central North America during the middle to late Jurassic Period. One of… Read More ›
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Baptanodon
This is Baptanodon, an ichthyosaur which lived during the late Jurassic Period about 160-155 million years ago. During this time, the central part of North America was covered with a body of saltwater known as the Sundance Sea, and Baptanodon… Read More ›
Stegosaurus
Introduction There are over a thousand species of dinosaurs that are known to science today. Kids, it seems, are more disposed to remember these names than adults, and I have encountered several examples of children trying to impress people by… Read More ›
August 13 – The Feast of Pomona, Goddess of Fruit
Ancient Roman still life painting from the House of Julia Felix in Pompeii. Naples National Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy. As we approach the middle of August, the heat of Summer is still on full-blast. Gardens are bursting with tomatoes, peppers,… Read More ›
Champsosaurus: The Croc-Lizard of the Cretaceous
When most people hear the words “aquatic reptile”, they usually think of two things: turtles and crocodilians. Some clever people might mention sea snakes, and others might mention marine iguanas. Those who are keen on impressing you may bring up… Read More ›
July 15 – The Equitum Romanorum Probatio and the Lusus Troiae: The Public Exhibitions of the Ancient Roman Knightly Class
July 15 was the date for the Equitum Romanorum Probatio, “the Roman Knight Exhibition”. This event commemorated the anniversary of the Battle of Lake Regillus, in which the Roman Republic fought against its Latin neighbors during the 300s BC. Legend… Read More ›
Allosaurus, revised
Greetings, all. For those who regularly visit this website, you will know that this post has been a long time coming. Years ago, I mentioned that I was planning on re-doing my Allosaurus drawing so that it would be more… Read More ›
The First Roman-Illyrian War, 229-228 BC: Ancient Rome’s First Armed Conflict in the Western Balkans
Introduction For many people learning about ancient history in any detail for the first time, the title “civilization” is largely confined to the civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome. In the West, especially, the Greek and Roman civilizations are… Read More ›
Some Morrison Formation Sauropods: Apatosaurus, Barosaurus, and Diplodocus
Hello everyone. Here are some simple sketches of three Late Jurassic sauropod dinosaurs from the Morrison Formation of western North America: Apatosaurus, Barosaurus, and Diplodocus. All three of these sauropods are members of the family Diplodocidae, which includes the eponymous… Read More ›
May 9, 11, and 13 – Rest in Peace: The Lemuria Festival of the Dead
Manes, Lares, and Lemures. © Jason R. Abdale (August 21, 2021) Do you believe in ghosts? The ancient Romans certainly did. The spirits of the Undead were a real concern and a real fear for the ancient Romans. Therefore, it… Read More ›