Reviews and wrap-ups of the sights I've seen at AncientWorlds. Maybe I can make it topical and comment on the comings and goings of the site as seen my two eyes? I do, of course, run the risk of becoming too coarse and opinionated, as I can be quite the disgruntled character. Ah well, let's see how it goes first.
August 12, 2008
The Cato Consular Library
Posted at 23:00 EST
Location: http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Places/Property/1076407
Today I visited the newly opened Cato Consular Library in Rome, dedicated to Marcus Porcius Cato Maior. This project is a major accomplishment for the following two reasons. First, the information provided within is staggering in quantity yet its presentation is controlled and properly categorized. The structure is not so much dissimilar to what one might encounter in a real life museum and library. Secondly, the Library makes innovative use of both Homesite and Hood Property spaces. Combined these two aspects make for a must-see site creation.
Upon arrival at the entrance page to the Library (the link provided above) the visitor is given the option of following one of two tours: the Cato Homestead, which proceeds to a Homesite and recounting of the pastoral childhood and family life of MPC, and the Porcian Portico, where the old censor's military, civic and academic pursuits are recounted. Thoroughly researched, the pages are full of fairly swift reading and the occasional ornamentation (be it illustration, quotation or diagram). One nice feature to note is how the longer Homestead tour proceeds into the Porcian exhibit. When finished with the museum, the visitor finds him/herself in a gift shop where well-thought souvenirs, often of an entertaining nature, stocking shelves alongside a thorough offering of Cato's surviving works for additional reading.
The Cato Consular Library is a tremendous accomplishment whose creation must have been long in the coming. The effort was well worth the result, and AncientWorlds is all the richer for this stunning wealth of knowledge, so competently presented.
A first hand account of the project may be read here. No, I'm not posting this link because there's a shout-out to yours truly. I'm posting it because the Library is something quite spectacular. I've been around for awhile, and rarely have I seen an individual produce such high-quality material.
