August and Augusta (article) by Cornelia Amiri on AuthorsDen

Four stars for this virtual tour of Herculaneum, a sleepy roman town by the
bay in 78 AD before the earthquake buried it. At the bottom of that page
click Here to try a sample QTVR scene. Links at the bottom of each page take
you from one building to another. Began at City Street, hit Continue then
click on the Notebook of your choice. The first is Chapter XI, Marcus Pays
The Rent which takes you into the Tablinum, the office where he would do
that. The next notebook is Petronia's and Her Dinner Party takes you into
the kitchen where you can browse the menu her kitchen master planned: Boiled
turtledoves, wine cakes, and date-stuffed figs fried in honey. Yum Yum.

2.   Mysteries in Stone
      ****
Four stars for a site to honor the Rosetta stone, which made the translation of hieroglyphs possible and preserved the ancient Egyptians’ history as superbly as mummification preserved their bodies. Click on the Glossary Of Major Gods for a scorpion quick and succinct summary of the deities of the pharos. Click on The Sorrow Of Isis page for an excerpt of Sir E.A. Willis Budge’s The Gods Of The Egyptians.
http://www.mysteries-in-stone.co.uk/

3. You Wouldn't Want To Be A Roman Gladiator
    *****
Five stars for a colorful, humorous, graphic intensive children's web book.
To turn the pages click Next on the bright red, right side menu. Lay your
cursor on each picture to read the hilarious cartoon captions. This fun tale
is intermingled with fascinating historical facts.
http://www.salariya.com/web_books/gladiator/introduction/pages/intro.html

4. Ancient Egyptian Virtual Temple
*****
Five stars for the temple to goddess Sekhmet, the right eye of Ra, a goddess with the head of a lioness. On the sidebar menu click on culture and daily life to visit an ancient nobleman’s villa complete with furnishings and ancient Egyptians going about their daily routines. As an added bonus click on the names of Sekhmet for a few of the over 200 names of the goddess. My favorite titles are At Whose Wish The Arts Were Born and Lady Of The House Of Books.
http://showcase.netins.net/web/ankh/

5. Roman Ball
****
Four stars for a site featuring Roman clad Bikini ladies of 4th century AD.
Scroll the home page for fascinating facts about ancient sports. On the
right side bar menu click on Field Hockey for information on one of the
oldest ball games, going back to at least 2500 BC. It is likely that this
game is still played today much like its original form. The Dutch had a
variation where the ball was hit by a crook towards a target and that game
later became an individual sport known as Kolf, which the Scottish call
Golf. If you click on Expulsim Ludere you will find a roman version of
handball played on courts at the baths (the ancient equivalent of health
clubs) though it is likely children and teenagers played the game in the
streets.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/romeball.html

6. Guardian’s Egypt
*****
Five stars for a full color Eye of Horus graphic which greets all who enter. Click on Pyramids then go to Guardian’s Bent Pyramid. Now, for the first time, you can enter and explore the inside of Pyramid at Dahshur. Click on mummies for everything you ever wanted to know about Egyptian afterlife. Check out Faces Of The Pharaohs, for reconstructions based on authentic monuments and human remains. Click on hieroglyphics for an on-line beginner course deciphering the language of the pharos. If you have school age children the Kid's Section is perfect for fun activities. Make egyptology a family event. Vivid, stunning photos throughout the site transport you to Egypt.
http://www.guardians.net/egypt/

The First Roman Emperor

By Cornelia Amiri

The month of August is named after Octavian (Augustus) Caesar. The first roman emperor’s political career began at age 18 when his great uncle, Julius Caesar, died. Before he was assassinated, Caesar adopted his grandnephew Octavian. Even though Octavian was Julius’s heir he had no claim to Caesar's position because state offices weren’t inheritable. Caesar did however leave Octavian three fourths of his estate. This vast wealth was very significant to Octavian's political career.^.

Octavian, along with general Marcus Lepidus, and the famous Marc Anthony, formed a Roman committee of three rulers called a Triumvirate. The Roman territory was divided between them. Octavian took the west, Anthony the east, and Marcus Lepidus had the African provinces.

In 40 B.C., Anthony married Octavia, (Octavian’s sister). But when Anthony left his wife Octavia for his lover, Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, Octavian became angry. Octavian said Anthony and Cleopatra wanted to rule Rome. Octavian declared war against Anthony and Cleopatra. The Roman army defeated the two lovers at the battle of Actium. They committed suicide. Anthony fell on his sword and Cleopatra stung herself with an asp.

With the Triumvirate broken up, Octavian took full power, becoming the first Roman Emperor. The Roman Senate gave him the name Augustus, (which meant The Exalted.) Where as Julius Caesar was dashing and daring, Augusta Caesar was practical and prudent. Augusta maintained peace after 100 years of civil war, controlled the minting of all roman coins, developed a dependable postal service, improved trade to the provinces, and built roads, bridges, aqueducts and buildings. Augusta annexed most of southwestern Europe up to the Danube River, but kept Egypt under his direct control.

Augusta’s most interesting endeavor was the creation of the Julian laws. These morality laws were meant to increase the birth rate by discouraging bachelors and adulterers. But even when facing stiff penalties, most noble Romans failed to live up to August’s standards. Even his daughter and granddaughter broke the Julian laws by committing adultery. But Augustus enforced his laws and permanently banished his daughter and his granddaughter (both of them were named Julia).

Augusta lived a long and prosperous life. He died at age 76. After his death, he was worshiped as a god throughout the Roman empire. We still honor him, even in modern times, by calling the 8^th month of the year, August.