Links

This first article offers selections from a description of the Roman Empire by one Chinese author of the third century AD, and how the Chinese view of this vast, but distant, state was influenced by their trade ties.
Then, in “The Ancient Crocodile Hunters That Helped to Supply the Roman Games,” we learn more of Rome’s fascination with these exotic beasts.
And lastly, this ninth-century Byzantine manuscript of Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica contains charming illustrations of various pharmaceutical critters — several of whom are depicted in the act of defecating!

Here are some items we’ve found interesting online this week:

• James Harbeck at The Week has an article on how old languages add new words.
• Jesse Fokke is writing some online serialized fiction set in the ancient world.
• Mary Beard has caused some pedagogical stirrings with her struggles to read Latin outside of her usual time period in “What does the Latin actually say?”  Make sure to wade through the comments section for extra fun!
• Sarah Bond has an hour-by-hour account of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius on the anniversary of Pompeii’s destruction at Forbes.
• Finally, since the Olympics just finished, we thought you’d enjoy two articles – the first, about the Epinikion from Slate Magazine, and the second from The Atlantic about Olympic cheating.