Rob Cain?
Rob Cain?
Which one is me? The more I look in the mirror I see a Roman bust staring back at me. What you don’t understand, the guy on the left, was proud of every wrinkle on his face. It gave him dignatus. It marked him as a serious minded force to be reckoned with. This marks the difference between us. I am bemoaning the white hair, the bags under the eyes. The guy on the left revels in them. The wrinkles are badges of honor. He survived horror, death, war, and disease. I look at a picture of myself and shrink back in horror. Where was the youth that was? The Rob Cain (left) sees himself as a model of Roman virtue, the Rob Cain (right) is wondering about plastic surgery.
That is the difference between us and them. Why do you think he allowed himself to be carved that way? A photo of me is one thing, it is taken in seconds, but to sit through the long process of a stone bust being carved of your likeness tells me that it was intentional.
I am old and still alive! The gods favor me!
Rob Cain has traveled extensively through Europe, Italy, and Egypt. He was formerly on active duty with the United States Army. He is a fan of history, and enjoys reading books on the history of Rome. He currently has a podcast presentation on itunes and hipcast. The blog is for the free and open discussion of Ancient Rome based on Mr. Cain's observations noted in his podcast. Most episodes start out with an original dramatic narration written by Mr. Cain. In the podcasts he will include his own unique commentary, and interviews with subject matter experts. Comments are welcome and will be highlighted on the show. 
Episode 10, “Nothing New Under the Sun. Get Over it”, features the book, “The Ancient Guide to Modern Life” written by author, comedian, and TV commentator Natalie Haynes.” Whether political, cultural, or social, there are endless parallels between the ancient and modern worlds. Whether it's the murder of Caesar or the political assassination of Thatcher; the narrative arc of the hit HBO series, The Wire, or that of Oedipus; the popular enthusiasm for the Emperor Titus or President Obama – over and over again we can be seen to be living very much like people did 2,000 or more years ago. It's time for us to re-examine the past. Our lives are infinitely richer if we take the time to look at what the Greeks and Romans have given us in politics and law, religion and philosophy and education, and to learn how people really lived in Athens, Rome, Sparta and Alexandria. 
This is a book with a serious point to make but the author isn't just a classicist but a comedian and broadcaster who has made television and radio documentaries about humor, education and Dorothy Parker. This is a book for us all, not for an elite.
[...] What a face (and I earned it)! « Ancient Rome RefocusedThe wrinkles are badges of honor. He survived horror, death, war, and … [...]