Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Tuesday, 29 September 2020

Roman rainfall, Roman ructions...


In my previous post I linked to an article on LifeScience Essentials which itself contained a link to an article on that website in 2018 about research which suggested a correlation between years with light rainfall in the Roman period and the incidence of mutinies in the army because of food shortages, leading to the assassination of the ruling Emperor. This is based on tree ring data from the north eastern frontier in what is now France and Germany.

As both the proposer and commentators cited by the article say it is not a case of direct cause and effect but does add to our understanding of the political dynamics of the Empire. Food shortages consequent on bad harvests or severe winters are recognised as helping precipitate historical upheavals - not least in France in 1789, as well as in the modern world. This research appears to suggest similar factors in the Roman Empire, especially in relation to keeping the Army fed and happy rather than fed up...



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