09-18-2009, 10:39 PM
I don't know much about lentils, maize or violets, but here are a few suggestions for the other queries:
Columella should be your man for that one: De Rustica, all about agriculture, including viniculture. Here's an online text, (if you can pick through the Olde English!):
[url:2qijuj2b]http://books.google.com/books?id=qcNbAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=columella#v=onepage&q=&f=false[/url]
Do a search on 'vines' or whatever and it should come up with what you need.
I had a look in Dalby's Empire of Pleasures: Luxury & Indulgence in the Roman World - which if you haven't got a copy is a must-have for all these sorts of questions, and full of great info on produce from slaves to snails. Actually, there's no mention of sandalwood, although references are given to import of cassia and a form of cardamom from India. Jessica Langenbucher seems to believe that sandalwood was brought in through Berenike in ancient times (e.g in this article: [url:2qijuj2b]http://www.archbase.com/berenike/UCstudentLA1.html[/url]): apparently, The Periplus of the Erythræan sea (a digest of trade in the Indian Ocean in the Hellenistic (?) era) mentions sandalwood coming from south India, Ceylon and Java.
Eight days after death, according to Smith's Dictionary - from a note in Honoratus' Commentary on the Aeneid...
Here's the entry, on Lacus Curtius - lots more info on funereal matters here:
[url:2qijuj2b]http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Funus.html[/url]
Hope that helps - Nathan
Quote:How long do vines take from planting to harvesting grapes?
Columella should be your man for that one: De Rustica, all about agriculture, including viniculture. Here's an online text, (if you can pick through the Olde English!):
[url:2qijuj2b]http://books.google.com/books?id=qcNbAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=columella#v=onepage&q=&f=false[/url]
Do a search on 'vines' or whatever and it should come up with what you need.
Quote:Although sandalwood is Indian (or Australian) is there any info about it being transported with the pepper etc which came to Rome?
I had a look in Dalby's Empire of Pleasures: Luxury & Indulgence in the Roman World - which if you haven't got a copy is a must-have for all these sorts of questions, and full of great info on produce from slaves to snails. Actually, there's no mention of sandalwood, although references are given to import of cassia and a form of cardamom from India. Jessica Langenbucher seems to believe that sandalwood was brought in through Berenike in ancient times (e.g in this article: [url:2qijuj2b]http://www.archbase.com/berenike/UCstudentLA1.html[/url]): apparently, The Periplus of the Erythræan sea (a digest of trade in the Indian Ocean in the Hellenistic (?) era) mentions sandalwood coming from south India, Ceylon and Java.
Quote:Was there a formal length of time in Rome from a person's death to their funeral? e.g. in Ireland it's usually 3 days.
Eight days after death, according to Smith's Dictionary - from a note in Honoratus' Commentary on the Aeneid...
Here's the entry, on Lacus Curtius - lots more info on funereal matters here:
[url:2qijuj2b]http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Funus.html[/url]
Hope that helps - Nathan
Nathan Ross
