What happened 207 BC?

[Rokcet Scientist]

Well, a major volcanic eruption occurred in Antarctica. That's what happened in 207 BC.

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/20 ... ble-.html/

But is that noticeable in the historical records of the day? Say, around the med.

[Minimalist]

Hmmm..... well, here are the portents reported by Livy for the year 207 BC (when Claudius Nero and Livius Salinator were consuls, as the Romans reckoned things.


http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Livy/Livy27.html

Prior to the departure of the consuls religious observances were kept up for nine days owing to the fall of a shower of stones at Veii. As usual, no sooner was one portent announced than reports were brought in of others. At Menturnae the temple of Jupiter and the sacred grove of Marica were struck with lightning, as were also the wall of Atella and one of the gates. The people of Menturnae reported a second and more appalling portent; a stream of blood had flowed in at their gate. At Capua a wolf had entered the gate by night and mauled one of the watch. These portents were expiated by the sacrifice of full-grown victims, and special intercessions for the whole of one day were ordered by the pontiffs. Subsequently a second nine days' observance was ordered in consequence of a shower of stones which fell in the Armilustrum. No sooner were men's fears allayed by these expiatory rites than a fresh report came, this time from Frusino, to the effect that a child had been born there in size and appearance equal to one four years old, and what was still more startling, like the case at Sinuessa two years previously, it was impossible to say whether it was male or female. The diviners who had been summoned from Etruria said that this was a dreadful portent, and the thing must be banished from Roman soil, kept from any contact with the earth, and buried in the sea. They enclosed it alive in a box, took it out to sea, and dropped it overboard.

Of course, These expiatory rites took place for portents which had occurred in the prior year (208) so, with that in mind I give you the results of the expiations for 206 BC (whe Caecilius Metellus and Veturius Philo were consuls) on the assumption that these happened during 207.

In the anxiety caused by the strain of such a serious war when men referred every occurrence, fortunate or the reverse, to the direct action of the gods, numerous portents were announced. At Tarracina the temple of Jupiter, at Satricum that of Mater Matuta were struck by lightning. At the latter place quite as much alarm was created by the appearance of two snakes which glided straight through the doors into the temple of Jupiter. From Antium it was reported that the ears of corn seemed to those who were reaping them to be covered with blood. At Caere a pig had been farrowed with two heads, and a lamb yeaned which was both male and female. Two suns were said to have been seen at Alba, and at Fregellae it had become light during the night. In the precinct of Rome an ox was said to have spoken; the altar of Neptune in the Circus Flaminius was asserted to have been bathed in perspiration, and the temples of Ceres, Salus and Quirinus were all struck by lightning. The consuls received orders to expiate the portents by sacrificing full-grown victims and to appoint a day of solemn intercession. These measures were carried out in accordance with the senatorial resolution. What was a much more terrifying experience than all the portents reported from the country or seen in the City, was the extinction of the fire in the temple of Vesta. The vestal who was in charge of the fire that night was severely flogged by order of P. Licinius, the Pontifex Maximus. Though this was no portent sent by the gods, but merely the result of human carelessness, it was decided to sacrifice full-grown victims and hold a service of solemn supplication in the temple of Vestal.

I don't see much that might relate to an eruption in Antarctica. It is also true that 207 BC was the Battle of the Metaurus in which Claudius and Livius defeated and killed Hannibal's brother who was coming to reinforce him in Italy. This was a happy year for the Romans as they now knew they were going to win the Second Punic War. I imagine Vesuvius could have blown up and they would have figured it was Jupiter celebrating the victory!

[Digit]

The report does say 'around' the year 207 BC Min.

Roy.

[Minimalist]

I could easily check 205 BC.

Somehow, I think it will be more of the same.

[Rokcet Scientist]

No references to climatological phenomena, like droughts or excessively wet years? Or inordinate storm activity?
Falling stones could not have come from an eruption on the southern hemisphere, afaik. 'Nuclear winter' type climatological variations might, though.

[Minimalist]

What you see is what you get...although you're welcome to go through Livy year by year.

He's very regular. Every year has its elections and the bad omens from the prior year have to be dealt with.

The Romans would have been great running a motor vehicle office. They loved systems.