Twitter discussion

[Rex Somnorum]

Don't forget the ancient world is the first period in human history where we find recorded instances of humour.

It's the first period in human history where we find recorded instances of anything.

I would be interested in some examples of ancient humour, though, if you would share them.

[Moros]

I would be interested in some examples of ancient humour, though, if you would share them.

There is actually an ancient jokebook that we have found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philogelos And there appear to have been more.
Some really don't work for us anymore, others surprisingly do.

some examples:

Barber: how would you like your hair cut?
Customer: in silence.
(source: QI, the tv show)

Bitten by many fleas, a fool put out the lamp, saying: - "You can’t see me now!"

An Abderite saw a eunuch talking to a woman and asked if she was his wife.
When he replied that eunuchs can’t have wives, the Abderite asked:
-"So is she your daughter then?"


Wishing to teach his donkey not to eat, a pedant did not offer him any food.
When the donkey died of hunger, he said:
- "I've had a great loss. Just when he had learned not to eat, he died".

(find more at: http://www.hellenism.net/cgi-bin/sec...?section_id=60)

Except for real jokes, sometimes inscription are quite funny as well. A fun example is this Greek sling bullet which now is in the British Museum:

If you look wel you can see DEXAI, well at DEXA, the I is difficult to see in this picture. It Greek for "Catch".

An example of Roman Humour? The only thing I can think of is this anecdote of very rich Roman who just randomly punched people in the face as he walked through the streets. He had a servant running behind him giving these people money, the exact amount as the fine the law dictated. Obviously one can doubt whether this humour, but apparently the bloke did. I can't recall the source at this moment though.

If really interested see Mary Beard's Laughter in ancient Rome: http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520277168

[gedingradski]

I heard a Roman joke once in a doco.. I've forgotten the name of the doco (am fairly sure it was Mary Beard again), but I remembered the joke:

Two men, known to each other, have a chance encounter in the street. As they greet, the first man notices that the second looks very confused.
The first man asks: "What is the matter, my friend?"
The second man replies: "Please excuse my confusion, but I was told just recently by a good friend that you had died."
Surprised, the first man says: "Well as you can see, here I am - very much alive!"
The second man thinks for a moment, then says: "I'm not so sure, my friend is usually much more reliable than you."

[Brennus]

It's the first period in human history where we find recorded instances of anything.

Depending on where you draw the line between the Ancient World and prehistory, of if you observe such a distinction. If you do then we have records of hunting, farming, sex and warfare before literacy.

[Rex Somnorum]

Depending on where you draw the line between the Ancient World and prehistory, of if you observe such a distinction. If you do then we have records of hunting, farming, sex and warfare before literacy.

I consider "recorded" to refer implicitly to written records, so I tend to exclude cave paintings and scratchings on bones.

[RAWROMNOM]

Depending on where you draw the line between the Ancient World and prehistory, of if you observe such a distinction. If you do then we have records of hunting, farming, sex and warfare before literacy.

I call bullshit.

[joshmahurin]

I call bullshit.

I wouldn't be surprised if that was the first subject ever touched on by human recorded human communication.

[RAWROMNOM]

Everyone knows you need a "pick-up line". My favorite from that era was "UGGGGGGGGGGGGGH!". Preferably written on the rock you intend to knock her over the head with.
@Brennus can elucidate.

[Brennus]

I call bullshit.

I will see your bullshit and raise you archaeological data.

Arguably the first overtly sexual images are the Venus figurines from the Upper Palaeolithic. These sculptures represent female bodies with overtly sexual features such as large buttocks, swollen breasts and engorged vulva:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ska_venusa.jpg

One the first artefacts to actually depict the act of sexual intercourse, however, are the Ain Sakhri Lovers from near Bethlehem, which dates from the Natufian Mesolithic:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ish_museum.jpg

Both of these examples pre-date the first written records by several millennia.

[RAWROMNOM]

See everyone? That's how you score free porn.

[Ca Putt]

Does a 'yo mama' joke count as humour?

http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php...&id=1832#comic

[Grimmy]

So, basically, just like the internet, rock art was for porn?

[Ibrahim]

So, basically, just like the internet, rock art was for porn?

you're starting to get the idea about this world: all the worlds art began as porn

[Kull]

*Cough, cough* "Errr, is this thing working? Testing? testing? OK......"

Now returning this thread to it's originally intended purpose (Hint: Not sex or porn)

[Ailfertes]

There are indeed a lot of those updates

Experienced in 3D modelling or 2D artwork? The EBII team would love to hear from you: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...uitment-thread … Thanks for all the support!

All Boii, Aedui, Arverni and Pritanoi strat map characters finished - nazgool

Developing ideas for a unique Pritanoi government system with V.T. Marvin - Brennus

Interesting! This makes EB so good, every faction is unique.

Concepting Cisalpine Gauls. This time the Batroi swordsmen - Brennus

Reviewed/revised/replaced all tga files in the eventpics culture folders (over 1000 files were edited). No more Knights & Castles! - Kull

Strat map Captains for Bosporan kingdom finished - nazgool

A big thank you to sirtim for his province descriptions of Ilergetia and Lacetania. All Iberian provinces now have a description - Brennus

Working on Pergamese temple descriptions - paullus

Diplomat and assassin strat map characters for Takashila finished - Tux

It was the spy who would be special, right?

According to Chinese linguist Haereticum over at TWC, EB is a huge hit in China. Very Cool! http://tieba.baidu.com/p/2238983139 - Kull

Scotch, Metal, and Seleukid work. \m/ - abou

[LusitanianWolf]

Scotch, Metal, and Seleukid work. \m/ - abou

Thats why its called "The Grey Death" \m/

[kdrakak]

I do not follow this thread regularly. After these last few posts I am convinced that is a mistake... Subscribing immediately!

[Ailfertes]

Have to admire abou's approach to work - Brennus

Saka General strap map character finished - nazgool

Hooray!

Pahlava Captain and Hayasdan General strat map characters finished - nazgool

Thank you to CanOmer for all his recent work building new siege engines. - The EBII team

After all the problems the mod has endured over the past few years, its great to see so many old faces returning to lend a hand.

Insane day at work and awful weather means more Scotch, The Sword, Pearl Jam, and Seleukid work. Let's rock. - abou

'Jeremy' is about king Antiochus III Megas. It is known.

Proposing an idea for the Celtiberian government tomorrow, hope it's not too ambitious. - Brennus

All these new government systems, I'm quite curious.

Thank you to everyone who has donated via the Europa Barbarorum website! It's thanks to you we keep our servers working and website running.

And abou's steady supply of scotch, it seems

Parthian cataphract model almost complete: https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/80...90/23/niym.jpg … ~Tux

Thanks to Ulises and sirtim for plugging the holes in the Lusotannan descriptions, now the faction will float - Brennus

Back from retirement and making new shields - Gustave

Never enough shields.

Thanks to CanOmer for building a 1-Talent Lithobolos Palintones. That's heavy artillery for the Greek factions if you were wondering.

[Rex Somnorum]

So how goes beta testing? Bugs getting squashed?