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(the) hardship post in ancient rome

hi kids, i'm back out of the hospital.
you do *not* want to taste the medicine
they sent me home with.  i'm going to try
to catch up with my email today and tomorrow.

while i was in the hospital, i read this
great, long (770 pps!), indulgent, funny novel
called _gospel_ by winston barnhardt.  i
learned a lot about ancient times and western
history in the course of the story, including
this interesting tidbit:

back in the time of caesar augustus, who
according to tradition (but not according to
historians) was the roman caesar at the time
of the birth of jesus, augustus accomplished
self-promotion by having this idealized image
of himself engraved everywhere -- on coins,
on houses, etc...  he had himself portrayed
as the ultimate virile youth.  

these images were called "sebastians".
so "sebastian" = icon of the young, virile,
ultimate youthful emperor.

there was no mention whether half-cent coins
were referred to as "johnnies".  :-)

james

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