Ancient New Year's Celebrations

Until the widespread incorporation of the Julian calendar, cultures throughout the world, including the Romans, each had their own day to start the new year.

The Romans new year's celebrations used to coincide with the vernal equinox - March 20th this year. 

The Babylonians celebrated the rebirth of the natural world following the first new moon of the vernal equinox - March 30th this year.

The Egyptians tied their new year's celebrations to the Nile's annual flood-typically in July.(1)

The recent Chinese New Year started over 3,000 years ago as a celebration of the spring planting season-February 19th this year.

Nowruz or Persian New Year started around the 6th century B.C. under the Achaemenid Empire coinciding with the vernal equinox-March 20th this year.

So if you fall asleep before the drop of the ball in Times Square, you have a number of other dates during the year in which you can celebrate the start of a New Year.

For more information on these customs and festivals, click on the link to History.com's:
 5 Ancient New Year's Celebrations

(1) Synonym.com, Traditional Ancient Egyptian Celebrations, Michelle Lee

The History of Christmas

The History Channel's interesting 5-minute video discussing Nordic, Roman and Christian traditions as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. The History of Christmas

Roman Aqueduct Hunters

Ever since I saw the 93-foot tall Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain, I have always been fascinated by the ingenuity of the Roman water system.

In 2008, Robert Harris in Pompeii wrote in great detail about the water works of the doomed city through the eyes of his protagonist, a hydraulic engineer for the city. The level of knowledge, math and engineering that went into water system was eye-opening.

It's no wonder Europe entered the dark ages after the Western Roman Empire fell - all of those centuries of knowledge lost.

Today I came across a video from AqueductHunter.com on their research and exploration of the Roman aqueduct, Aqua Traiana.

Enjoy!

A scientific theory to Moses' parting of the Red Sea

A very interesting essay in The Wall Street Journal about how Moses may have parted the Red Sea without divine intervention. I found Napoleon's similar experience fascinating.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-did-moses-part-the-red-sea-1417790250

A scene from ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ 20TH CENTURY FOX

Flooring the Colosseum

An article in the Los Angeles Times discussed installing a new floor on Rome's iconic Colosseum.

That is a bad idea.

Tourists by the millions come to view the ancient ruins. Being able to view the pens and chambers that once held animals, supplies, humans and who knows what else enhances that experience. Covering it, means only a handful of people will be able to view them on space-limited ground-level tours.

Also, adding a large new installation that is not part of the original Colosseum will stand in stark contrast to the ruins around, Already, a portion of the Colosseum has been floored for small productions and is bright and cheery compared to its surroundings.

Click on the link to read the full article.

Rome officials consider reinstalling floor of Colosseum



Photo by Alessandra Tarantino / Associated Press