Mediterraneus

We all want to retire in a place somewhere in the countryside in old age. Ideally, we would like to have a house there and if it is by the sea and has a garden, it gets even better. Image source: Musement Diocletian , one of the last emperors of ancient Rome did exactly this in the beginning of the 4th century AD. He constructed a palace on the Dalmatian coast and spent his retirement years tending to his vegetable garden after abdicating the throne due to illness. It did not matter if the colossal size of the construction reminded more of a fortress and that half the building was used to house a military garrison. Diocletian was an important emperor in the ancient Roman history: he made radical changes in the government structure and helped the stabilisation of the economy and the army, which granted the Empire another 100 years of life with all its conquests intact. The palace remained deserted after the Romans left until local people sought refuge from invaders within ...

A new interesting exhibition opened to the public twelve days ago in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Its theme is the paintings of the first-known female Florentine artist, Sister Plautilla Nelli , who lived in the 16th century. Sister Plautilla came from a wealthy family and joined the Dominican convent of St. Catherine of Siena in Florence at the age of fourteen. She was self-taught in painting and was influenced by the teachings of Savonarola and the art of Fra Bartolomeo. Grieving Madonna -  Image source:  Wikimedia Art created by a nun were considered to have magical powers and her works were very popular among her contemporaries. Her paintings enjoyed the favour of many patrons and she executed both large pieces and miniatures. The main characteristic of her work is religion and the vivid emotions on the faces she painted. Moreover, her male figures bear a feminine element as she was not allowed to study and depict a nude male body. The Uffizi exhibition ...

Monachus Monachus is the rarest seal species in the world and the most endangered marine mammal in Europe. Half of the population of 600-700 individuals live and reproduce in the Aegean Sea. Subsequently, they are protected by law and killing one constitutes a criminal offence.  Nevertheless, this does not prohibit sick minds from harming these innocent creatures. A Mediterranean monk seal was found shot on a beach in the island of Ios, Greece yesterday morning. The seal, which was a female and was lounging by the sea, has a through and through bullet wound on the neck and carries old shot marks on her belly. MOM , the non-governmental organisation for the protection of the Monachus Monachus seal, is pledging anyone who has information to report to the local authorities .  Will the person responsible be caught and pay for their crime? It is much doubted as in closed societies as the ones found in small communities hardly anyone speaks the truth. Hopefully justic...