Roman Limes Tower.

Roman Limes Tower

A limes (/ˈlaɪmiːz/;^[1] Latin pl. limites) was a border defence or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. It marked the boundaries and provinces of the Roman Empire.

The Latin noun limes had a number of different meanings: a path or balk delimiting fields, a boundary line or marker, any road or path, any channel, such as a stream channel, or any distinction or difference.

The word limes was utilized by Latin writers to denote a marked or fortified frontier. This sense has been adapted and extended by modern historians concerned with the frontiers of the Roman Empire: e.g. Hadrian's Wall in the north of England is sometimes styled the Limes Britannicus, the frontier of the Roman province of Arabia facing the desert is called the Limes Arabicus, and so forth.

This was the traditional definition and usage of the term. It is now more common to accept that limes was not a term used by the Romans for the imperial frontier, fortified or not. This is a modern, anachronistic interpretation. The term became common after the 3rd century AD, when it denoted a military district under the command of a dux limitis.^[2] Some experts suggested that the limes may actually have been called Munimentum Traiani, Trajan's Bulwark, referring to a passage by Ammianus Marcellinus according to which emperor Julian had reoccupied this fortification in 360 AD.^[3]

Roman writers and subsequent authors who depended on them presented the limes as some sort of sacred border beyond which human beings did not transgress, and if they did, it was evidence that they had passed the bounds of reason and civilization. To cross the border was the mark of a savage. They wrote of the Alemanni disrespecting it as though they had passed the final limitation of character and had committed themselves to perdition. The Alemanni, on the other hand, never regarded the border as legitimate in the first place. The Romans were foreigners changing native place names and intruding on native homes and families (see under Alemanni), only to be tolerated at all because they were willing to pay cash for the privilege and offered the blandishments of civilized life.

According to Pokorny, Latin limen, "threshold", is related to limes, being the stone over which one enters or leaves the house, and some have gone so far as to view the frontier as a threshold . The Merriam–Webster dictionaries take this view, as does J. B. Hofmann in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Griechischen under leimon. The White Latin Dictionary denies any connection, deriving limen from *ligmen, as in lien from *leig-, "tie". The threshold ties together the doorway. The American Heritage Dictionary refuses to go further than Latin limes.

Limes tower Danube River Valley





Another. style of tower fort.

The stem of limes, limit-, which can be seen in the genitive case, limitis, marks it as the ancestor of an entire group of important words in many languages, for example, English limit. Modern languages have multiplied its abstract formulations. For example, from limit comes the abbreviation lim, used in mathematics to designate the limit of a sequence or a function: see limit (mathematics). In metaphysics, material objects are limited by matter and therefore are delimited from each other. In ethics, men must know their limitations and are wise if they do.

An etymology was given in some detail by Julius Pokorny, Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch. According to him, it comes from Indo-European el-, elei-, lei-, "to bow", "to bend", "elbow". The Latin meaning was discussed in detail by W. Gebert.^[6]

The sense is that a limit bends across one in some way. The limes was a cross-path or a cross-wall, which the Romans meant to throw across the path of invaders to hinder them. It is a defensive strategy. The Romans never built limites where they considered themselves free to attack. As the emperor had ordered the army to stay within the limites except for punitive expeditions, they were as much a mental barrier as material. The groups of Germanic warriors harrying the limes during summer used the concept to full advantage, knowing that they could concentrate and supply themselves outside the limes without fear of preemptive strikes.

In a few cases, they were wrong. The limit concept engendered a sentiment among the soldiers that they were being provoked by the Germanic raiders and were held back from just retaliation by a weak and incompetent administration: they were being sold out. So they mutinied. The best remedy for a mutiny was an expedition across the limes. Toward the later empire, the soldiers assassinated emperors who preferred diplomacy and put their own most popular officers into the vacant office.

Roman Villa Floor Plan || Flickr

Roman Villa Floor Plan | This the floor plan with a descript… | Flickr

Trajan's Column

Trajan's Column

Kuelap, the giant fortress built

The fortress of Kuelap or Cuélap (Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Perú), is a walled city associated with the Chachapoyas culture built in 6th century AD. It consists of more than four hundred buildings surrounded by massive exterior stone walls. The complex is situated on a ridge overlooking the Utcubamba Valley in northern Peru and roughly 600 meters long and 110 meters wide. It could have been built to defend against the Huari or others, but evidence of hostile groups at the site is minimal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuelap

Quill How To Make Quill Pen. Milkyroad قلم پر Перо קולמוס

The story of the pen

Your Quilling me!

The story of the pen

The word pen is derived from the latin term, "penna" which means feather.

The swan, goose and turkey feathers most commonly used to make the pens, had the larger capillaries for better ink flow.

In Shakespeare's time, all that was available as a writing instrument was the quill; he wrote his many masterpieces like Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth & more with a hand cut feather quill pen.(When it comes to Shakespeare, I can see where the term "The Pen is mightier than a sword" comes from; all those tragedies he wrote..In his hand, the pen truly was a sword to his characters!) Unfortunately over time his from dipping his quill into the ink, his fingers turned black and so retired.

This form of writing tool was used for over 1500 year. From the Egyptians' fine reed brushes to the Romans' Hollow reeds & stylus feather quills, fountain pen & now our ballpoint pens, ( typewriter & then computer) writing instruments have come a long way. Sadly thanks to the computer formal writing is becoming a lost art. When I told someone I was handwriting my story, then typing to file they called me "Hardcore"

Aside from Shakespeare, the quill pen has written most of the famous documents if not all in history. The dead sea scrolls, Magna Carter, The constitution of the united states (if I remember right, I think in the pictures of the signing you will see them using quills), and the beautiful Illuminated manuscripts. What do I mean by illuminated? Illuminated lettering is pretty much-decorated lettering. If its block letters it is usually decorated inside with various colors & can be very complex with flora & fauna, animals, Celtic knots, & more all of this inside or outside of the letter, bringing it to life! I've also seen where it was just the background was decorated & the letter was just plain with a different color to pop) The illuminated letter was usually the first letter of the page or paragraph.

These pens around every 2 sheets of writing would have to be sharpened, and would last but about 1 week or 2. It's the left wing of a bird that is used for the quills, mainly goose, swan or crow even Ostrich have been used. (those are the ones that look like they are waving at you while one is writing) and were the most comfortable for those who are right handed as the curve of the left wing quill best fit the right-handed writer.

have you found a large bird feather? Do you want to use it for a quill pen? The best are said to be from geese and for the finest most detailed writing crows flight feathers work best.

They are still used occasionally in modern times usually calligraphy, scrapbooking, and some other creative outlets.

Before you do anything, soften & cure the tip by putting it in a container of hot sand or hot water. This will prevent it from shattering when you cut it with the knife (no matter how sharp)

Calligraphy ink is used when writing with a quill (feather) not India ink as that has adhesive properties. (that will most likely bind itself to & ruin your Quill pen.)

Interesting Map

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