GIS technology verifies Caesar and Helvetii history

Phys Spam Org ^ | May 2014 | Science Network WA

[SunkenCiv]

An international team is using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) modelling to assess Julius Caesar's account of his war with a Celtic tribe.

According to Caesar, more than a quarter of a million Helvetii were settled in the Swiss plateau before they decided to abandon their territory and invade Gaul in 58 BCE.

In his Gallic Wars he says the Helvitii were running out of food.

UWA archaeologist Tom Whitley is developing a GIS model to test Caesar's population estimate and is testing geophysical techniques to see if they can detect signs of the migration and war.

He is using the GIS to model a large scale economic system focussing on subsistence; looking at local wild and agricultural sources of potential energy available in the environment.

The model tests Caesar's assertions against the amount of calories that would have been available to the people if they had completely populated the territory...

Prof Whitley says using the historical account, ecological and archaeological data allows him to construct detailed models of a complex economic system...

The other part of the study aims to find specific archaeological signatures for the war, such as Roman riverfront fortifications, using untested techniques.

"Some of the GIS modelling is intended to say where it is likely that the Romans would have been building these structures," he says...

They are also testing the effectiveness of ground-penetrating radar, magnetometry and aerial photogrammetry, to see if the massive Helvetian encampments can be identified on what are now vinyards and small farms.

Vinyards contain wire and metal posts, making magnetometry impractical, and radar can only be used in strips between the vines.

[SunkenCiv]

Google technology means having to view source and cobbling the post together from that, because attempts to highlight and copy text from the article always results in an ad blocking the content. Intercourse Google and the litter it's riding in on -- it certainly is too good to let its feet touch the ground.

According to Caesar, more than a quarter of a million Helvetii were settled in the Swiss plateau before they decided to abandon their territory and invade Gaul in 58 BCE. Credit: Thomas Whitley

[SunkenCiv]

More information: A translation of "Caesar's Gallic Wars" is available online: classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.html

[SunkenCiv]

Good weekly Digest ping as well -- not least because I've barely been online this week.

[gibsonguy]

I despise the use of the idiotic phrase BCE instead of BC. Any publication that uses it is immediately suspect.

[NativeSon]

One would think that an organization/media dedicated to uncovering, preserving and sharing history would at least honor and preserve ours.

Why change 'BC' now and attempt to re-write history?

[catnipman]

“Caesar and Helvetii”

I think I see a bit in this for Emily Litella.

[stormer]

I can see why you would feel that way. Of course it’s only been used for the last three hundred years and was advocated by Jewish scholars in Europe who understood the utility of the Gregorian Calendar but felt that acknowledging Christ was irreligious. And if by “any publication” you mean every scholarly journal, then I’m afraid your access to knowledge will be pretty limited.

[NYer]

I despise the use of the idiotic phrase BCE instead of BC. Any publication that uses it is immediately suspect.

Regardless of its adoption, the need to do so still originates with Jesus Christ. Once He appeared, He struck history with such impact that He split it in two, dividing it into two periods: one before His coming, the other after it. Buddha did not do this, nor any of the great Indian philosophers.

[PIF]

Changing historical terminology, as well as morphing language, is part of the Socialist attempt at rewriting history and our knowledge base. Thus the birth of Christ becomes irrelevant and Christianity just a cult.

[chajin]

Why change 'BC' now

Because Goody's is cheaper?

[CurlyDave]

Regardless of its adoption, the need to do so still originates with Jesus Christ. Once He appeared, He struck history with such impact that He split it in two, dividing it into two periods: one before His coming, the other after it. Buddha did not do this, nor any of the great Indian philosophers.

This "splitting history" in two did not happen all over the world. For instance, Jews still us a Hebrew calendar, although the vast majority can also easily use the Gregorian calendar, which is the Christian or "Common" calendar Westerners use today.

Moslems, Indians and Chinese are major groups who each use their own calendars. Educated people in these groups can clearly convert to the Gregorian calendar, which is the one used for most international purposes. But, the average man in many of these groups still uses his traditional calendar for everyday living.

This is not to denigrate the importance of Jesus, but, even today there are many other calendars in use.

[Chode]

i tell who ever says that, "you mean Before CHRISTIAN Era?" it drives the RATS mad...

[SunkenCiv]

Yes, I suspect the publication of using a scholarly convention.

[Verginius Rufus]

Caesar, Bellum Gallicum 1.29, says that documents were found which gave the totals of the Helvetii and other tribes--262,000 Helvetii and 106,000 from six other tribes for a total of 368,000. The Helvetii who returned after they were defeated by Caesar numbered 110,000, according to a census Caesar had taken.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

bkmk