The months July and August honour them. Where can you see the temples of Julius Caesar and Augustus in Italy, and online?

The huge Forum in Rome, Italy. The Julius Caesar memorial is on the left, under a wide low roof.

Close up of Julius Caesar area.

Map marked to show sites of temples and memorials to Caesar, August and other Famous Romans, in Rome, Italy

Computer generated model

This is a derivative work of a 3D, Computer generated image of the Temple of Caesar by the model maker, Lasha Tskhondia - L.VII.C.[1]. Variations to the original model include shadows, adjusted for good lighting as well as the file being adjusted for color and contrast.

Long gone, but not forgotten. Flowers left in modern times in Rome for Roman Julius Caesar.

What did the Romans do for us? Roman numerals, for a start. Our English language desk calendars have the words July and August. Named after Romans Julius Caesar and Augustus. 

However, when you watch the play of Julius Caesar, by Shakespeare, at school or in the theatre as a child, you might feel Julius Caesar is from the long distant past, irrelevant, as I did then. I thought that Caesar died centuries ago and has no bearing on life today.

But of course, we all use the word July through the month of July and much of the year. The name is much the same in other European languages too. Caesar also gave us the word Caesarian, although, like so much in history and language, the debate as to whether it is true can keep you entertained for hours. 

Meanwhile, what of the real Julius Caesar? He did rise to great heights. He was betrayed. And after he died, his honour and memory were restored, and he was edified to be a Roman God. (Which makes me think that the fact that Romans called Jesus on the cross, the God of the Jews, was to portray Jesus as an enemy of Rome.)

If you want to see the site of Julius in Rome, it is still there. Reproductions of the original building honouring him are on old Roman coins.

Julius Caesar life, or a myth based on it, appears not only in English lessons, but in history, as well being taught in Latin lessons. Julius Caesar supposedly fell when climbing out of the boat onto the beach when he arrived in England. But, with a piece of smart verbal recovery, he announced, 'Veni, vidi, vici!' That means: I came, I saw, I conquered. 

As a child, I found it distasteful to learn the Caesar had been stabbed to death. I was equally shocked recently, reading a list of Roman leaders, to find that a huge number of them came to power by assassinating somebody, and/or died by being assassinated by somebody else. Very few lived to a ripe old age and died of natural causes. 

If we were to ban statues of Romans who were not saints, and who did not own slaves, we would lose many of the historical sights and tourist attractions. 

After July, comes August. Here is the mausoleum of Augustus.

Mausoleum of Augustus. Campus Martius. Rome. Italy.

Useful Websites 

Overview

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Caesar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_of_Augustus

More photos

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Temple_of_Iulius_Caesar_(Rome)

About the Author of this blog, Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books, including: Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

I  also have a blog on comic poems.

 Please share links to your favourite posts. 

Exhibition on the history of women doctors in London

We were looking online to find out how to get copies of birth certificates because our son is getting married. I mentioned that I was born in the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital, on the Euston Road, Euston Square, London, the hospital being named after a pioneering woman doctor. I thought the hopsital had closed and been demolished. It's more complicated than that, and three places are named after her and you can see an exhibition.

The original hospital amalgamated with another and moved, then moved again into a wing named after the same illustrious female doctor as a wing of the redevceloped University College Hospital.
I studied at University College, one of London's prestigious colleges, known for its statue of founder Jeremy Bentham, which came and went as it was stolen by students, reinstated, taken away, and restored.

Next door is the hospital so as students at the college we often met students from the hospital, and I went into the hospital for free dental treatment when it had an open to the public dental department. this did mean having your teeth inspected or pulled out by a junior, under supervision, but saved on the anxiety of worrying about an appointment.

But what of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital. Elizabeth, fine British name, easy to remember if you take the trouble to think about it. Elizaabeth comes from the Hebrew, El for God, Beth for house, as in Bethlehem which means house (of) bread. Elizabeth, recalling Elizabeth I whose father Henry VIII separated the Church of England from the Catholic church, a name unermarkable in the UK mainland, but which spells Church of England in Northern ireland where Catholics prefer to  e called Mary and the names of saints such as Theresa. On to her middle name, Garrett, she was not living in a garet, which was part of many Victorian houses in her era. Finally, her surname Anderson, son of Ander or Andrew.

However, in the building on the site of the original hospital where I was born, you can see an exhibition about Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and the hospital.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. Picture from Wikipedia.

I have chosen this photo from several in the Wikipedia article because it shows her in her heyday, mature and determined, still a handsome woman.

My late mother claimed that she had one of the first Caesarian operations, post-war (world war two). Which is rather odd, since the first Caesarian operation was named after the baby who became Julius Caesar - or his ancestor. So that would have meant an awfully long gap. When I checked on Caesarians I found that the early ones were done to save a baby from a dead or dying mother. Only after the introduction of antibiotics did it become likely that the mother, too, would survive.

I suspect that Caesarian operations were rare in WWII because of the risk of losing the lights and electricity in the middle of the op or an air raid warning sending everybody scuttling meaning that nbody could sew up the mum.

The place where you were born is not necessarily the place where your birth was registered, though it is likely to be nearby.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, (born June 9, 1836, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, Eng.—died Dec. 17, 1917, Aldeburgh), English physician who advocated the admission of women to professional education, especially in medicine.

In London there are at least three sites connected with Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the wing at University College hospital, the exhibition in the building on the site of the hospital named after her where I was born, and a school visited by Michelle Obama, wife of a previous US president. 

Useful websites
https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate#other-ways-to-apply
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/29/michelle-obama-elizabeth-garrett-anderson-school
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Garrett_Anderson

About The Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

United States or Independent Countries? What's Best?

Problem
Is it better to unite, or be independent?

Answers
THE USA
At school, I had learned that the United States had united and that was a good thing. Common language. Common currency. Common laws. That made the country great.

However, when we lived in Rockville, Maryland, on the outskirts of Washington DC, as soon as we drove to The South, we travelled back in time to a different world and world view. At stately homes, we met elderly volunteer lady tourist guides wearing costumes which looked like crinolines. These ladies vociferously told us differently. I remember one comment, "They left us in the dust!"

Please don't mention the Boston tea party.

EUROPE
Italy
In Europe, Italy had united. They now speak Italian.

The UK
Long before, the Romans united Italy and Europe and more. The schoolchildren in the UK are keen on Romans. No mention of the fact that the Romans conquered us.

Actually, there is. Julius Caesar's comment on arrival, 'Veni vidi, vici' is a much quoted, popular saying. To the average eight-year-old, it would appear that the Romans were on a jolly day trip.

The Romans did leave us nice straight roads. Lots of names, Chester, Winchester, Manchester.

The United Kingdom united. The UK joined the Common Marked. We were delighted.

Now, we have voted on Brexit. Uproar.

In England we speak British English. At least I do. Am I the only one?

Conclusion
Unification and division have taken place or been promoted in Yugoslavia, Croatia, Nigeria, The Yemen, East Timor and many more places. Travel to another country to hear different views on modern problems and ancient history.

Useful Websites
HISTORY & WEBSITES
UK TV programme: What the Romans did for us.
http://blog.english-heritage.org.uk/what-did-the-romans-do-for-us/

TRAVEL
UK
visitbritain.org
visitbritainshop.com
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/home#/
virginatlantic.com
visitengland.com
visitwales.com
visitscotland.com

Northern Ireland
Belfast, Giants Causeway, Titanic Quarter and Titanic Belfast museum, Game of Thrones
discovernorthernireland.com

Eire - Dublin and southern Ireland, Republic of Ireland
ireland.com/Tourism

ITALY
visititaly.com
umbriatourism.it (For Etruscan Perugia)
italiantouristboard.co.uk
http://www.turismoroma.it/?lang=en

USA
visittheusa.co.uk
virginatlantic.com

GENERAL worldwide
tripadvisor.com
wikitravel.org
wikivoyage.org
skyscanner.net (airlines)

Author
Angela Lansbury
See my posts on the USA and Canada, Asia including Singapore and East Timor, Europe including Umbria and the Etruscans, and many more. Please share links to your favurite posts. See my last post about Slovenia and Yugoslavia and countries splitting up.

Who Celebrates Christmas In January? Where? Why?

Merry Christmas with green tabletop tree. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Problem
I have trouble remember which calendar and which countries celebrate in January and whether it's the 6th or 5th or 7th. Please explain - and make it easy to remember.

Answers
Julius Caesar landed in the UK BC. (Never mind accuracy and controversy - we just want the general easy to remember view.)

From him we get our first calendar, the Julian calendar. Julius Caesar, lived before Jesus. His month, July, occurs before Christmas.

Eventually the seasons got out of sync with the calendar.

Later, long after Jesus, along comes Christianity to the Romans, and a Christian Pope, Pope Gregory, who suggest a new calendar (in around 1582 - but no need to remember when).

If you stuck with the old calendar, events are later. The date of Jesus' birth falls in January.

Different countries were faster or slower to adopted the new, Gregorian calendar which we all follow. Many of the traditional, Orthodox, countries kept the old calendar for Christian festivals (just like Jews and Moslems use a different, lunar calendar so the festivals are on different dates each year).

Who celebrates Christmas eve on December 24th and Christmas Day on December 25th?

UK (and former British Empire - now Commonwealth, including New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Czech Republic.)
USA

January 7th
Russiand and adjacent Ukraine.
In alphabetical order:
Belarus, Egypt, Ehtiopia, Georgia, Kazakstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.