12.5.19
So this is the final journal entry. It’s a 2-for-1, mainly because I had two exams between Monday and Wednesday’s class so writing an entry for Monday fell through. But I don’t feel like a total hack on grounds we were essentially discussing Rome on Wednesday.
One thought is that Greece and Rome really aren’t separate in people’s minds. Even when we studied them in High School, the unit was straight up “Greece and Rome.” JHP’s course is Ancient Greek and Roman Medicine (though it covers a fair bit more) because those are the two that capture people’s memories.
People have always hated taxes. My modern connection is that I will have to pay taxes for the first time this year and am dreading how it will screw with my financial aid. We’ve swung heavily towards codified tax laws and tax evasion, but in the past, with the publicans, the issues was over-taxation to line people’s pockets which is profitable in the short-term but eventually turns people against the empire ruling them.
The mythritism thing got me thinking, funnily enough, about a book I read where a character does this. Not much to add but I had a whole tangent in my head thinking about why they would have that word since it takes place in Faerieland.
Hadrian and Emperor Julian did the same thing just about 5 centuries apart, but Julian was ruthlessly mocked for it. Funny how facial hair is such a political statement.
Thinking on the concept of dual-citizenship with Rome and wherever. I wonder why some countries mandate only one citizenship, i.e. China? I guess for loyalty’s sake.
Any that’s the end of my thoughts for this. This course has opened a lot of doors to me. I went home and came back with two volumes of Jaeger and some book called “It’s all Greek to Me” apparently about Athens. Looking forward to getting talk to my dad about it over the winter break.
