🔵 PATRIOTISM

“The story goes that Horatius Cocles, while fighting with two enemies at the head of the bridge over the Tiber, which is the entrance to the city on the north, seeing a large body of men advancing to support his enemies, and fearing that they would force their way into the city, turned round, and shouted to those behind him to hasten back to the other side and break down the bridge. They obeyed him: and whilst they were breaking the bridge, he remained at his post receiving numerous wounds, and checked the progress of the enemy: his opponents being panic stricken, not so much by his strength as by the audacity with which he held his ground. When the bridge had been broken down, the attack of the enemy was stopped; and Cocles then threw himself into the river with his armour on and deliberately sacrificed his life, because he valued the safety of his country and his own future reputation more highly than his present life, and the years of existence that remained to him. Such is the enthusiasm and emulation for noble deeds that are engendered among the Romans by their customs.”

Polybius, histories

🟣 SANDALS EVEN IN THE COLD?

Roman legionaries typically wore sandals called caligae as their standard footwear. These sandals were well-suited for the Mediterranean climate, which is generally mild. However, the Roman Empire and its legions operated across a vast area, including much colder regions.

While caligae were the norm, it's highly probable that legionaries took measures to keep their feet warm when stationed in colder climates. They likely used some form of socks, perhaps made of wool, and possibly foot wrappings of wool or other materials for added insulation.

There's also some evidence suggesting they may have thickened the soles of their sandals with cork to provide a bit more protection from the cold ground.

Eventually, as the Roman Empire evolved, especially in its colder regions, legionaries transitioned to wearing closed boots, which offered significantly better protection from the elements.

A few years ago i told my psychologist “I’m not into that” when she mentioned the best way forward was CBT.

I was shocked even. 🤯

⚪️ GALLIC BATTLE EQUIPMENT

“Their trumpets are of peculiar nature and such as barbarians use, for when they are blown upon they give forth a harsh sound, appropriate to the tumult of war. Some of them have iron cuirasses, chain-wrought, but others are satisfied with the armour which Nature has given them and go into battle naked. In place of the short sword they carry long broad-swords which are hung on chains of iron or bronze and are worn along the right flank. And some of them gather up their shirts with belts plated with gold or silver. The spears they brandish, which they call lanciae, have iron heads a cubit in length and even more, and a little under two palms in breadth; for their swords are not shorter than the javelins of other peoples, and the heads of their javelins are larger than the swords of others. Some of these javelins come from the forge straight, others twist in and out in spiral shapes for their entire length, the purpose being that the thrust may not only cut the flesh, but mangle it as well, and that the withdrawal of the spear may lacerate the wound.”

Diodorus Siculus

Maybe the so called climate lockdowns is something we do to ourselves if diesel is 25$ a gallon at some piont in the future

Arbeid!

🟢 EVOLUTION OF THE BATTERING RAM

“I have said as much as I could on these matters; it now remains for me to treat of those things relating to attacks, namely, of those machines with which generals take and defend cities. The first engine for attack was the ram, whose origin is said to have been as follows. The Carthaginians encamped in order to besiege Cadiz, and having first got possession of one of the towers, they endeavoured to demolish it, but having no machines fit for the purpose, they took a beam, and suspending it in their hands, repeatedly battered the top of the wall with the end of it, and having first thrown down the upper courses, by degrees they destroyed the whole fortress.

After that, a certain workman of Tyre, of the name of Pephasmenos, turning his attention to the subject, fixed up a pole and suspended a cross piece therefrom after the method of a steelyard, and thus swinging it backwards and forwards, levelled with heavy blows the walls of Cadiz. Cetras the Chalcedonian, was the first who added a base to it of timber moveable on wheels, and covered it with a roof on upright and cross pieces: on this he suspended the ram, covering it with bulls' hides, so that those who were employed therein battering the walls might be secure from danger. And inasmuch as the machine moved but slowly, they called it the tortoise of the ram. Such was the origin of this species of machines.”

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, de Architectura

I like how in the Middel Ages they did not do chemtrails.