Genava55

It is curious because other depictions suggest otherwise: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24048288?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents I think the relief is depicting something else: https://www.robertharding.com/preview/724-2550/medes-arachos-priests-tachara-palace-darius-exclusive-building/ https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Persepolis_Relief_Priests.jpg https://www.flickr.com/photos/dynamosquito/2527681346

Very probably yes. It is the case with Mycenaean Greece as well. I think the earliest known IE naked heroized warrior are the Yamnaya statues, which are a continuing tradition in the following Bell Beaker complex of cultures in Western Europe. http://data.over-blog-kiwi.com/0/57/66/91/20140218/ob_60cb16_an-attempt-at-reconstruction-of-the-earliest-indo.pdf

Exactly. This is the first proposal I made in the past. We don't know. There are two clear accounts of naked warriors in classical literature, the famous Gaesatae of Telamon and some Celts in the Balkans. In both accounts, no religious motive is said by the authors. From a mythological perspective, the Irish literature doesn't specify anything of religious about it. Although, it is a common thing in Indo-European comparative mythology (the Berserkir for example), it doesn't seem to have the same meaning for the Celts. There are some accounts of nakedness concerning mythical Welsh champions fighting in front of their host, challenging the enemies and enemies' champions. In my perspective, everything has a religious meaning in Celtic ethos but I don't think it was necessary a complex ritual involving a priest. I see it more like a warrior rite with a vow to the Gods, performed on the battlefield. Anyway, recruiting them in the temple is fine. I don't have a conclusive answer, this is a topic lacking evidences for their motives. For Greeks and Romans of the Republic era, probably not indeed. But for Hellenistic dynasties there isn't any reference of barracks? I am kindly asking, I have no idea if this is the case.

More critical views.

Taverns are indeed a very particular thing in the Gallic society and they appeared mostly around the 1st century BC with the Roman influence growing through trading. Taverns are often associated with amphorae storage, mostly filled with wine. There was one in the oppidum of Corent. Although the material found there is associated with strong Mediterranean influence and it could be owned by merchants, even Roman merchants. The tavern made by Stan is based on the shape of the tavern found in Lattara dated to the early Roman occupation of Gallia Narbonnensis. Lattara itself is not a typical "La Tène" oppidum, the town has been strongly influenced by Etruscans and Greeks. Although, if he was inspired by the shape of the building, he made a much more Gallic depiction of the tavern. Personally I have no issue with his depiction. The only thing is that in the Gallic society, there is no use of a tavern from a traditional perspective. There is a strong custom in Celtic societies for hospitality, a bit like Xenia in ancient Greece. Most of the respectable travelers would have been welcomed in the houses of Gallic freemen and aristocrats. Probably that the taverns arise with the increasing trade and also probably for the establishment of merchant guilds or networks across Gallic and Roman societies. So I don't see which use it could have excepted in the case of campaign scenarios. It could be recycled to another thing, this is another option. There are Gallic houses with courtyards and actually the depiction made by Stan falls better in this category (the heads at the entrance, the weapons, it suggests a warlike aristocratic house). I think the building can still be useful for people wanting to portray a Gallic oppidum. Either the act to put themselves naked is a religious vow to grant them the Gods favor in battle or it is a way to prove their bravery in the eyes of their peers. So the easiest ways to give access to their recruitment for the player is the temple, the fortress or the barracks. This is uninspired but at least it doesn't require new mechanics. The core of the problem is that from a historical perspective there are no barracks and no archery ranges in the Gallic society. There is no building dedicated to the recruitment of a specific warrior since it is a warrior society. Maybe there was some kind of storage for the weapons during the Oppida period (150 - 30 BC) since there are hints of general draft in the Gallic Wars accounts. So it means anyway there is no proper way to depict how it was really happening in the Gallic society with the game mechanics. So if someone wants particularly to create a specific barracks for Naked fanatics, I cannot disagree with it since it is the same situation with the regular barracks.

Actually they did. Through their marketing, their blog and their advertising. In France, they added the label "recommandé par Historia" (a historical magazine) on the cover of Empire Total War. There was "Decisive Battles" documentaries by the History Channel (US) using Rome Total War engine. This is like the History Channel, often inaccurate and misleading because of their lies by omission.

‘A Total War Saga: Troy’ studio tries to solve historical accuracy issues https://micky.com.au/a-total-war-saga-troy-studio-historical-accuracy/ Mmm... I have no issue with a fantasy game. I have an issue with a game that pretends to be historical or an accurate representation while not doing really the effort.

https://projectbroadaxe.weebly.com/miscellaneous-history-projects/iron-age-germanic-tunic-marx-etzel Iron Age Germanic Tunic, Marx-Etzel

I think he is talking about the ambiguity in this thread where there are Yayoi and Kofun era material. Yayoi with its bronze weapons is quite different from Kofun.

Mmm the wikipedia article is not coherent, in the beginning it is said as belonging to the Enchele territory but further in the page it is said as belonging to the Dassaretae. A quick glance in Google Scholar gave me this thesis about interactions between Illyrians and Epirotes: https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-02493973/document It seems Selca is associated with the ancient city of Pelion. The author notes the uniqueness of the tombs in comparison with other Illyrian tombs and burials, they are closer to the Macedonian kind. Four names are written on the tombs, Μηκος (the architect), Γενθιανὸς, Πλάτορος and Γένθιος. Excepted the first one, the others look Illyrian. So yeah, it could be a good idea as a wonder.

Not necessarily accurate but it gives an idea how it could have been. Although the symbolic depiction of the lion skin is maybe probably mythological. Edit: Different coins minted by Alexander and his successors: https://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?search=Alexander+the+Great+&s=0&results=100 https://www.moderncoinmart.com/info-vault/articles/coins-of-alexander-the-great.html https://coinsweekly.com/the-coins-of-alexander-iii-the-great-of-macedonia/

Seriously?

Yes I know but I didn't want to be confusing for new member of the forum.

Maya as an invariant noun seems to be the most correct usage. Good point. http://yucatantoday.com/maya-mayas-or-mayan-clearing-confusion/?lang=en

The current version of 0 A.D. in development is focusing on the time span 500 BC - 0 AD. Further development in the future could include 0 - 500 AD. The ancient Egyptian civilization start to collapse after the end of the New Kingdom in 1070 BC. The Minoan civilization vanishes around the same date. So their inclusion in the vanilla version of the game is not planned. However, a mod centered on the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age is planned: https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/forum/420-aristeia/ The Han dynasty of ancient China is a candidate for the game as a new civ. You should try the mod of @wowgetoffyourcellphone, he already included this civilization. See his mod there: https://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?/forum/448-delenda-est/ You can download a mod by following those guides: https://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/Modding_Guide About them, the mod Terra Magna is planning to include much more Asian, American and African civilization. https://www.moddb.com/mods/rote

If he wants to politicize the statue, let's do it with a democratic poll in Bristol. The city is mainly on the left wing, so nobody should be afraid of a democratic process.

Ahaha thx. I didn't see it was also a chapter. I see how I can get it in case.

Someone took it in photo from the museum of Lyon, it said Roman Egypt and it represents Harpocrates https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harpocrates_riding_MBA_Lyon_H2349.jpg

If someone has access to this article: https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004324763/B9789004324763_016.xml There is this picture in it (according to google)

Celtic I doubt so. Italic maybe. Although the absence of spina and of shield boss is particular for an Italic shield.

I think something that should change in US culture and mentality is their excessive and twisted faith in meritocracy. A lot of people in the US do not understand how socio-economical disadvantages can undermine the destiny of individuals and their community. It is really tiresome to hear US politician labelling their opponent as communist or marxist simply because he/she defends a better social system.

A bold claim I assume entirely. But I don't think it is as bold as saying moral values are on the same level than mathematical theories. It means simply that you cannot test a set of moral values and you cannot replicate it. There is no demonstration on the level of a scientific theory. Most defenders of moral absolutism are slightly disagreeing with each others on which values are absolute. The same for moral universalism. For me it is really important to point it out that you cannot hold the entire truth of what is wrong and what is right and everyone should remembers the fact that your opinion on the moral is as much flawed than the human nature. In my opinion, people having an issue with a statue are simply displaying an excess of ego and confidence about their righteousness and are trying to use a monument as a political symbol in the debate. This is politicization of historical monuments and it shouldn't be taken lightly. I can understand the issue with Confederate monuments because they are politicized from the beginning but for monument like Columbus statue this is not the case. People seeing the world only through their ideological and political lens are really a danger in my opinion.