Ancient Forum's Picture the Poster

I remembered that I'd say I'd share my Civil War bullet (unfired), so here it is. According to the seller it was found in Petersburg, Virginia (site of a long siege from June 1864 to March 1865 that ended in a Union victory, during which the famous Battle of the Crater also occurred). It is around an inch long.

I like to think, during the fighting, a soldier was getting ready to put this bullet into his rifle but got shot himself before being able to, dropping the bullet until it was found ~150 years later. Or probably (more likely lol) simply a bored soldier was playing with it and dropped and lost it, or it fell out of his pocket or something










And here is a coin from the Crisis of the Third Century, possibly the worst era of civil war Imperial Rome ever went through.

Victorinus

 

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I live ten miles from Petersburg and a neighbor has found such bullets in his yard. Mine never was searched but may have some although the inn was down the street so drops were more likely there. He gave me three local (my street) finds. One was a drop like yours. To be fired, these pieces of lead were packaged with some powder in a paper envelope which had to be torn open for use. When excited (like in war) it was not uncommon to tear open the pack incorrectly and spill the powder. That made the lead worthless so it would be thrown away and another pack used. That makes unshot bullets common. Those that were fired tend to be distorted from hitting something (tree, rock, person). Second was a cleaner bullet. Every so many bullets was shaped with a rim at the bottom that secured a ring of fabric (felt) that would wipe out the bore of the rifle when it was fired. Third was the one below. It is called a Medical Bullet and shows teeth marks perhaps from use in the 'bite the bullet' form of anastesia. Modern theory, however, is that these were rarely used for that stated purpose since hospitals had anesthetics by this time and a leather belt worked better for biting. One theory is that some soldiers chewed a bullet to stimulate salivation curing dry mouth and boredom on a march. There is really no way to know.



More on topic is this Athenian obol which I believe has teeth marks perhaps from being carried in the mouth. Again, proving a 'why' is always hard.

 

I found this in my backyard ...

Hey I'm no historian, so I'm unsure if it's an old bullet or perhaps an ancient coin?

 

I took my kids for a walk along the river this afternoon ...

=> good times had by all

Buster


Larry

 

Dang that was your yard we was partying in. Sorry thought we picked up all our left over

 

Me and my son Luke boating at Topsail.


My daughter Grace and I riding The Beast.

 

@ancientone Not how I imagined you at all.
Currently at the beach getting some well needed R&R before University starts back up.

 

Love the 'thongs' M.M.
Nice white sand, too.
(Which one of your 'friends' is named 'Jonathon'?)

 

@stevex6

That son of your looks (almost) like he needs to start shaving. (Lol)

 

He got blown away

 

I briefly looked at this thread just over a month ago when I joined CT, and not having conversed with any of you did not pay much attention to it, but now I have had a chat to most of you I have gone back through the thread and enjoyed it a lot more, now I know I am talking to a great group of people I will post one of myself a couple of years back in Rome at the Pantheon early one morning hence no crowds. also standing in front of these columns makes you look thinner. And for the coin Julius Caesar 45BC Dupondius 13gm 26mm, as he got this great city going.

 

Although I can't assure the object's provenance or even authenticity, I can say from experience that it is associated with a very fine beverage. Having its origins in Escondido, CA., its presence is now being appreciated throughout the US and even the world.

That said, I don't think a slab would be necessary to verify its fine quality.

This excellent beverage, obviously not as popular in Ancient Rome as wine, was the drink of choice among the Northern uncivilized tribes.

The Roman historian, Tacitus, writing of the Germans (Tac. Ger. 23):
"A liquor for drinking is made of barley or other grain, and fermented into a certain resemblance to wine. The dwellers on the river-bank also buy wine. Their food is of a simple kind, consisting of wild fruit, fresh game, and curdled milk. They satisfy their hunger without elaborate preparation and without delicacies. In quenching their thirst they are equally moderate. If you indulge their love of drinking by supplying them with as much as they desire, they will be overcome by their own vices as easily as by the arms of an enemy."

I would not want to speculate, however, whether this particular brand was available in ancient Rome. It would, nevertheless, explain this fine Roman's rowdy behavior:

 

Nice beach! Enjoy while it lasts.

 

Forgot to post a coin. I like the cartoonish look of this one.

 

Love the hat... Have / had several Tilleys. I wear them all the time, everywhere. (Even to Topsail...)

 

@Alegandron. That pic was taken in Surf City on the Intracoastal waterway. We love Topsail and go there every year, oceanfront of course.

 

Well, this weekend was spent golfing with my wonderful wife and our Godson (he's almost 3 yrs old) ... sure, maybe it's a bit too early to teach him to golf, but we all had a lot of fun trying!!

=> it was good times



yah, it was too bad that Buster & Larry weren't allowed to play (man, they love golf balls)

*edit* => ooops, I forgot to post a coin as well (sadly, there aren't any ancient golf coins)

 

Just me and the sidekick.

 

Seafood... Great weather... Al fresco... Little Dude and wife... Long weekend... PERFECT!