All Things Roman (History)

[Mick Harper]

You know what we think about anything with a Cotton hallmark. The blurb's reference to Alfred's resettlement of London is hilarious. What was it, injun territory?

[Wile E. Coyote]

I watched an internet video today, courtesy of my silicon servant who has worked me out so she serves me up a medley of Roman stuff. Today's offering: "why the Romans did not invade Ireland"

It was entirely orthodox, ie they, the Romans, could have done, it would have been useful, they even had a mysterious Irish King willing to assist etc etc etc but, err, never got round to it as were distracted fighting battles elsewhere.

Still, ends with a real cliffhanger "when at the time of writing, 70% of the Irish identify as Roman catholic, we might say the Romans conquered Ireland not with swords but with ideas".......

Wow! I desperately looked for Part 2 but alas....

[Mick Harper]

Everyone uses religion as a badge of identity and the British Isles are a good test bed.

* The English chose Anglicanism to differentiate themselves from Europeans
But recusant Catholicism in north and west to differentiate themselves from London
* Scotland stayed with Calvinism to differentiate themselves from the English
But Catholic in the highlands and islands to differentiate Gaelic Scots from Lallan Scots
* The Irish stuck with Catholicism to differentiate themselves from the English
But the Scots stayed Calvinist in Ulster to differentiate themselves from the English in Dublin
* The Welsh had Anglicanism thrust upon them
But went 'chapel' when it was safe to do so.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Why did the Romans badge themselves as Christians?

[Mick Harper]

If you're talking about the Ancient Romans, they wouldn't have heard of Christianity but if you're talking about Christians, who couldn't badge themselves by their official HQ, Jerusalem, on account of it being occupied by Muslims, they badged themselves on the two capitals of the Roman Empire, Rome and Constantinople.