Clay Lane

Posts in The Copybook credited to ‘Clay Lane’

493
The Martyrdom of St James the Great Clay Lane

James, brother of John the Evangelist, was executed for his faith by a close friend of the Emperor Caligula.

In Acts, Luke refers only briefly to how James, one of Zebedee’s ‘sons of thunder’ and brother of St John the Evangelist, met his end. History and tradition, however, can tell us a little more of the story.

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494
The Battle of Ynys Mon Clay Lane

Suetonius Paulinus, Governor of Britain, hoped to enhance his reputation.

THE Roman Governor of Britain in AD 60 was Gaius Suetonius Paulinus. He relished the task of subduing the natives, as he hoped to surpass the reputation of Corbulo, the man who had just restored order in Armenia.

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495
Horatius at the Bridge Clay Lane

Horatius Cocles was the last man standing between Rome’s republic and the return of totalitarian government in 509 BC.

Before it became a republic, Rome was ruled by seven kings, absolute monarchs. The last of these was King Tarquin the Proud, who was forced out in 509 BC. He was not the man to give up his throne easily.

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496
The Last Gladiator Clay Lane

The people of Rome suddenly turned their back on centuries of ‘sport’ - all because of one harmless old man.

After Alaric the Goth’s assault on Rome was successfully turned back, victory games were held in the Roman Colosseum on January 1st, 404. As usual, they quickly descended into savagery.

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497
Hannibal’s Passage of the Alps Clay Lane

Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps with nearly 50,000 men and 38 elephants is the stuff of legend.

In 218 BC the North African empire of Carthage and the Roman Republic stood, as they often did, on the brink of war. But when war came, it came not from Africa but from Cartagena on the east coast of Spain.

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498
The Battle of Neville’s Cross Clay Lane

Ralph Neville spoiled David of Scotland’s alliance with France in the Hundred Years’ War

King David II of Scotland tried to help his ally France in the Hundred Years’ War, by knocking boldly on England’s back door. But after he stumbled across Ralph Neville’s defence force in a mist, things went from bad to worse.

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