Plenty of Nothing

Traprain Law Silver Reproductions

In 1919 a hoard of Roman silver tableware was discovered on Traprain Law in Midlothian, the citadel of the Votadini of Gododdin in the Dark Ages. The silver had been broken up for use as money, but the designs were recoverable, so Brook and Sons silversmiths produced a series of reproductions which are now collectible in their own right. Source.

It’s the Scottish League Cup, Round Two. Sixteen teams remain, nine from the Premiership, four from the Championship, two from League One and one from League Two. The games are:

Rangers [3 - 1] Queen of the South

QoS have never beaten Rangers in this cup. Rangers last won the Cup in 2010-11, QoS never.

Partick Thistle [1 - 0] Arbroath

Arbroath appear in Round Two for the third straight year. Partick Thistle last won the Cup in 1971-72, Arbroath never.

Dundee [3 - 0] Falkirk

This is the first League Cup match between these two since 1988. Dundee last won the Cup in 1973-74, Falkirk never.

Annan Athletic [1 - 4] Aberdeen

Annan have never made it to Round Two before. Aberdeen last won the Cup in 2013-14.

Motherwell [4 - 0] Inverness CT (tomorrow)

This is the first League Cup match between these two since 2009. Motherwell last won the Cup in 1950-51, ICT never.

Livingston [1 - 2] Dundee United (tomorrow)

First League Cup match between these two since 2007. Livi last won the Cup in 2003-04, Dundee United in 1980-81.

Hearts [0 - 1] Kilmarnock (tomorrow)

Killie last beat Hearts in this cup in the year 2000. Killie last won the Cup in 2011-12, Hearts in 1962-63.

Ross County [1 - 4] Celtic (tomorrow)

Ross County knocked Celtic out of the Cup in 2011. Celtic won the Cup last year. Ross County won it in 2015-16.

The 2022-23 Championship table as predicted by points earned in the League Cup group stage:

12    Dundee (7 points, 3rd)

12    Arbroath (2 points, 10th)

11    Inverness CT (5 points, 6th)

11    Partick Thistle (7 points, 2nd)

  8    Hamilton Accies (3 points, 8th)

  7    Queen’s Park (7 points, 4th)

  7    Morton (5 points, 7th)

  6    Raith Rovers (6 points, 5th)

  4    Cove Rangers (3 points, 9th)

  4    Ayr United (8 points, 1st)

The numbers in brackets show the club's points and league position after four league matches. Queen's Park and Raith Rovers were the only teams to earn the same number of points in the group stage and their first four league matches. Morton and Cove Rangers were the only teams to land on their predicted positions. The big surprise is how Arbroath and Ay United have swapped places.

Walhalla

Commissioned by Ludwig I and opened in 1842, this copy of the Parthenon is located near Regensburg, Bavaria and contains busts of exemplary Germans. Compare the one in Nashville. Source.

Pompeii, 1826

"Street scene with a fountain, near the house of Pansa" after Charles Joseph Hullmandel, 1826. Source.

Darius the Great as Pharoah

Source.

The Mortonhall Scabbard

The bronze Mortonhall Scabbard, made about 100 AD, and discovered at Mortonhall, Edinburgh, is a fine example of Roman-era Celtic art. Source.

Chariclea and Theagenes

Heliodorus' 4th-century romance Aethiopica was fantastically popular in the 17th century -- it was Racine's favourite book -- but after 549 volumes it's still not available as a Loeb. Source.

Roman Scissors

Scissors from the site of Roman Conimbriga in Portugal. Source.

Knežji Kamen

When the Slavs settled the old Roman province of Noricum they took the base of an Ionic column from the city of Virunum, turned it over, and used it as the investiture seat of their ruler. It was used in the coronation of the Dukes of Carinthia until 1651. Source.

Amazons in the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493

Source.

Gaulish Words in Dioscorides

Below is a list of Gaulish words found in Dioscorides, De Materia Medica (trans. Osbaldeston and Wood, 2000). De Materia Medica is a compendium of plants, animals and minerals and their medicinal uses, compiled by Pedanius Dioscorides around 60 AD. He identifies each plant by its Greek name, but often gives a number of alternate names, usually in Greek or Latin, but sometimes in Egyptian, Syrian, Dacian, Gaulish, etc.

Each Gaulish word is followed by the book and chapter number where it appears, the chapter heading (a Greek name in Latin all-caps), the Linnaean or other taxonomical name as suggested by Osbaldeston and Wood, and a common English name. I have only listed the words that Dioscorides specifically credits to the Gauls; there could be other Gaulish words attached to phrases like 'some others call it'. Because Dioscorides credits the Latin phrase piper apum (bees' pepper) to the Gauls I have included it in the list.

albolon        3.36 GLECHON.    Mentha pulegium.    Pennyroyal.

baccar        1.9 ASARON.    Asarum euopaeum.    Hazelwort.

beliucandas        4.115 MURIOPHULLON.    Myriophyllum spicatum.    Water milfoil.

bilinuntiam        4.69 UOSKUAMOS MELAS, UOSKUAMOS LEUKOS, UOSKUAMOS MELOIDES.    Hyoscyamus niger.    Henbane.

corna        2.208 ARGEMONE.    Papaver argemone.    Pale poppy.

ducone        4.175 CHAMAIAKTE.    Sambucus ebulus.    Dwarf elder.

gelasonen        3.132 GNAPHALION.    Filago germanica.    Cudweed.

iumbarum        4.16 LEIMONION.    Pyrola rotundifolia.    Wintergreen.

jupisellusum        1.103 ARKEOTHOS MEGALE, ARKEOTHOS MIKRA.    Iuniperus minor.    Lesser juniper.

laginum        4.150 ELLEBOROS.    Veratrum album.    Hellebore.

merisimorion        3.118 MELISSOPHULLON.    Melittis mellisophyllum.    Honey balm.

ousubim        4.148 DAPHNOIDES.    Daphne mezereum.    Laurel.

ousubim        4-149 CHAMAIDAPHNE.    Prunus laurocerasus.    Dwarf laurel.

pempedula    4.42 PENTAPHULLON.    Potentilla alba.    Cinquefoil.

piper apum        1.2 AKORON.    Iris pseudacorus.    Yellow flag.

ponem        3.127 ARTEMISIA MONOKLONOS, ARTEMISIA MONOKLONOS ETERA.    Artemisia vulgaris.    Mugwort.

sapana        2.209 ANAGALLIS, KORKOROS.    Anagallis arvensis.    Scarlet pimpernel.

scobie        4.174 AKTE.    Sambucus nigra.    Elder tree.

scubulum        4.71 STRUCHNOS KEPAIOS.    Solanum melongena.    Eggplant.

sistrameor        3.82 IPPOMARATHRON.    Foeniculum vulgare.    Wild fennel.

subites        2.210 KISSOS.    Hedera helix.    Common ivy.

tarbidolopion        2.153 ARNOGLOSSON, ARNOGLOSSON MIKRON.    Plantago major.    Greater plantain.

theximon        3.6 ARISTOLOCHIA KLEMATITIS.    Aristolochia clematitis.    Apple of earth.

thona        2.211 CHELIDONION.    Chelidonium majus.    Greater celandine.

Source: Dioscorides, Materia Medica.

Further reading: Dottin, La langue gauloise.