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Hi folks
I am in Isfahan right now - a beautiful city, but I couldn't resist logging in. I'll drink to all of you (tea of course). :wink:
Jona Lendering
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Take lots of pictures please sir! (If thats allowed)
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
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Wow! Lucky you, Jona - I hope you were in the large square, or near it, when you emailed? I had the privilege of visiting Iran, and Isfahan a while ago, and thought the city was a very special place. You can just see the polo being played in the square while the Caliph looks on...
P.S. If you're lucky, you might be offered a 'special' Coca-Cola, which contains spirits... 8)
Ben Kane, bestselling author of the Eagles of Rome, Spartacus and Hannibal novels.
Eagles in the Storm released in UK on March 23, 2017.
Aguilas en la tormenta saldra en 2017.
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So, Jona, how did you get on in Iran? How long did you go for? I presume you also visited Persepolis - amazing, no? Still as it was after Alexander and his men came through. Did you visit Bam? Or the Assassins' castle in the far northwest?
Ben Kane, bestselling author of the Eagles of Rome, Spartacus and Hannibal novels.
Eagles in the Storm released in UK on March 23, 2017.
Aguilas en la tormenta saldra en 2017.
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Quote:So, Jona, how did you get on in Iran? How long did you go for?
Easily, as always. I had to guide a group of people, and I usually use the second week for a visit to Shiraz (+ Firuzabad, Bishapur, Naqsh-e Rustam, Istakhr, Naqsh-e Rajab, Persepolis) and Isfahan. My agent has found a hotel very close to Persepolis, which makes it easier to visit that splendid site twice: on an afternoon and at dawn.
I am increasingly convinced that there was a substantial number of people living in Persepolis after Alexander. There are Seleucid coin finds, there's at least one piece of Greek sculpture, the Second Book of Maccabees refers to Persepolis as a living city ( quote), and this time, I spotted a piece of Hellenistic bronze sculpture that was labeled "Achaemenid". I have the feeling that archaeologists have too easily dated every find prior to 330; something similar has happened in Germany, where every Roman find east of the Rhine has been dated prior to the battle in the Teutoburg Forest. Archaeologists are sometimes too credulous.
The first week is always different. Sometimes we go to Hamadan, Behistun, Susa, and the Persian Gate; next time we will go to the northwest; this time it was Mazandaran, Gorgan, and the road to Nishapur and Mashhad. Unfortunately, we were this time unable to visit the shrine of the eighth Imam, which was the only indication I had that the authorities are tightening up the rules.
Jona Lendering
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Wow - excellent! Thank you, Jona, for the list of links, which I found fascinating. I now know the names of a couple of places near Persepolis that my guide had taken me to and which I'd forgotten. I find your theory about the site being occupied very interesting too. How lucky you are to have visited Iran so many times. I absolutely loved it - in fact, it's one of the most friendly countries I have been to, in over 60.
Is your job guiding there a formal thing that people pay for, or an informal thing?
Where else do you guide to, if it is the former?
Ben Kane, bestselling author of the Eagles of Rome, Spartacus and Hannibal novels.
Eagles in the Storm released in UK on March 23, 2017.
Aguilas en la tormenta saldra en 2017.
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Quote:Is your job guiding there a formal thing that people pay for
I'm paid for it.
Quote:Where else do you guide to, if it is the former?
Whatever I like... honestly. If I like to go to Jordan, I organize a trip, request permissions and so on, and there are always people who like to join me. Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and -very odd- Italy, Germany, Belgium. Roman army matters are always part of it (although of course not in Pakistan).
Jona Lendering
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Quote:Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and -very odd- Italy, Germany, Belgium. Roman army matters are always part of it (although of course not in Pakistan).
Just out of curiosity, do you make it over to Tunisia, Algeria or Morocco often?
A friend of mine and his wife say that Morocco is a terrific place to visit.
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Quote:Just out of curiosity, do you make it over to Tunisia, Algeria or Morocco often?
Not yet.
Jona Lendering
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Now that is what I call an excellent job! I'm lucky to have given up veterinary science to become a full time writer, but your job also sounds the business!
Do you include English speakers in your trips, or are they Dutch only?
Will you be going to Tunisia or Libya at all this year (not that I have a vested interest in going :lol: )?
Ben Kane, bestselling author of the Eagles of Rome, Spartacus and Hannibal novels.
Eagles in the Storm released in UK on March 23, 2017.
Aguilas en la tormenta saldra en 2017.
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Quote:Do you include English speakers in your trips
Not yet. Maybe in the future. I have been thinking about a RAT trip to the limes Tripolitanus, but the Libyan authorities are not sufficiently reliable.
Jona Lendering
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Quote:ParthianBow:167b1gcf Wrote:Do you include English speakers in your trips
Not yet. Maybe in the future. I have been thinking about a RAT trip to the limes Tripolitanus, but the Libyan authorities are not sufficiently reliable.
but that would indeed be awesome.
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Quote:Jona Lendering:1gxftwiy Wrote:ParthianBow:1gxftwiy Wrote:Do you include English speakers in your trips
Not yet. Maybe in the future. I have been thinking about a RAT trip to the limes Tripolitanus, but the Libyan authorities are not sufficiently reliable.
but that would indeed be awesome. And terribly expensive...
Jona Lendering
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Quote:ParthianBow:2mwb0oo6 Wrote:Do you include English speakers in your trips
Not yet. Maybe in the future. I have been thinking about a RAT trip to the limes Tripolitanus, but the Libyan authorities are not sufficiently reliable.
I'm hoping to take a trip down to the fort at Gholaia/Bu Njem next week. Remada this weekend if the weather holds.
"Medicus" Matt Bunker
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Quote:Jona Lendering:3nlxn4gh Wrote:ParthianBow:3nlxn4gh Wrote:Do you include English speakers in your trips
Not yet. Maybe in the future. I have been thinking about a RAT trip to the limes Tripolitanus, but the Libyan authorities are not sufficiently reliable.
I'm hoping to take a trip down to the fort at Gholaia/Bu Njem next week. Remada this weekend if the weather holds.
Do you still need government permits to visit these sites. I have been in Libya (Janzour, Tripoli) working for a couple of months now, but I am still not sure how to go about visits to the deep south!
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