I recently had the good fortune to travel to France with my wife on holiday. We both wanted to go to Provence which is an area in France that is steeped in history and Roman antiquities.
Okay I admit, we did eat some great food and how could we not drink the wine. What's that expression, "When in Rome … "? Also Provence is home to Châteauneuf du Pape, one of the worlds best known wine regions.
We traveled all over Provence taking in the sights, smells, and yes, our share of wine. It was during a visit to the small city of Arles that the immensity of the Roman Empire really struck me. It was there that I witnessed the awe of a true Roman amphitheater.
This brings me to the popular myth, "Morituri te salutant," known as the gladiators salute. This was what was supposedly said before every gladiatorial contest in Rome and cities like Arles before the gladiators went into combat. Now I ask you, is that something that you would say before going into hand-to-hand combat with an uncertain outcome? I can think of a great many things I would be say, but "Morituri te salutant" would not be one of them. Continue reading "Morituri te salutant = Those who are about to die, salute you"
