|
 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
ANCIENT
AMERICAN * ISSUE #30
An Ancient North African Treasure-Trove... ©
(continued)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Roman style is repeated
in the helmet of another Mauritanian soldier featured on an Illinois
portrait-stone. |
| |
opposed by both
the Senate and his generals. They argued that colonized peoples
elsewhere would interpret any lenience toward Mauritania as proof
of Roman weakness and stage their own revolts. Soon, the whole
Empire would be aflame with insurrection. Moreover, the Mauri,
in their wrath at the death of Ptolemy, had gone too far, and
massacred innocent Romans peacefully residing in their country.
There was another consideration, now more palatable, given the
nature of the situation: Claudius had inherited a bankrupt imperial
purse, thanks to the profligacy of his lunatic predecessor. Seizing
the Mauritanian treasury, as standard practice in any such punitive
operation, would have a salubrious impact on the royal household's
financial affairs.
But the Mauri were not some colonial exotics to be pacified by
the mere sight of a Roman standard. They operated a large navy
whose vessels bested Roman |
Treasure-Trove... Page 4
Part of the Mauritanian
treasury? Gold coins from Illinois'
subterranean site |
|
| |
| The incised image of
a Mauritanian warship (note battering-ram at prow) appears on
this stone from the Illinois collection. Such vessels may have
accompanied the fleet of refugees from North Africa to America. |
|
before, Phoenicians from Carthage built important
cities at Tangier, Lixus (modern Larache) and Mogador (Essaoira)
in what later became Mauritania. Juba also believed in religious
freedom, and early Christians flocked to Caesarea. So did many
Jews, who brought their wealth with them. But the predominant
religion of the Mauri was a synthesis of Phoenician and Egyptian
beliefs and practices. Skilled at international diplomacy, Juba
established cordial relations with his southern neighbor, the
black kingdom of Senegal, well-known for the boat-building abilities
of its shipwrights.
| A Hebrew "prayer
stone" found among the Illinois collection. The first line
bears the possible translation, "Juda". |
|
|
 hen
he died an old man in 24 A.D., Juba was succeeded by the Queen,
Cleopatra Selene, who maintained his wise policies. She similarly
groomed their son, Ptolemy XV, to one day rule his country in
the same, enlightened fashion. Meanwhile, Mauritania became a
center for great wealth and cultural opulence. Relations with
the Empire were exemplary, so much so, prosperous Romans often
vacationed in the sun-kissed North African land, and many stayed
to form their own community.
But these halcyon days of high civilization were about to come
to a catastrophic end. In 40 A.D., the new Emperor, Gaius Caligula,
invited Mauritania's popular leader to a party in Rome. Such
an invitation was not to be turned down, so young Ptolemy sailed
for Italy. There he was magnificently feted by Caligula, who
referred to him as his brother and loaded the Mauritantian monarch
down with costly gifts. However, on his way to Ostia, the port
of Rome, where a ship was waiting to take him home, Ptolemy was
suddenly stabbed to death by members of his own Roman guard.
The killers fled, but botched their escape, and were apprehended
soon after by centurions. The murderers confessed under interrogation
that they had been commissioned by none other than Caligula himself.
The Emperor, having drained the imperial purse through his grandiose
debaucheries, planned to blame Ptolemy's death on Numidian assassins,
then pose as the avenger of the betrayed king and the protector
of his people by occupying Caesarea and seizing its royal treasury.
But when the plot was exposed, the Mauri rose in angry revolt
against Rome.
 efore he could do anything
about it, Caligula was himself assassinated. His successor was
a sane and liberal-hearted man, Claudius, who wanted to make
amends with the Mauritanians and restore them to their previous
position of friendly semi-independence within the imperial system.
He was unanimously |
|
Home | Subscribe
| Current Issue | Back
Issues | Book Store
Exclusive Articles and Photos | Related Sites | Contact
Us
|