Some Marginal Remarks on Prof. Randazzo's Paper

L'interessante intervento del Prof. Randazzo sulla continuità e discontinuità del decurianato ha offerto molti spunti di riflessione. Certamente il decurionato rappresenta in questi secoli, oggetto del Convegno, la spina dorsale dell'amministrazione locale. Vorrei fare alcune osservazioni in proposito, anche in relazione a quanto detto dal prof. Randazzo. Prof. Randazzo’s paper on the question of continuity or discontinuity in the decurionate is very interesting and he made many inspiring observations. It is a long period we are talking of, and the decurionate was in any case for a greater part of this period the backbone of local government. It is, therefore, a large subject and I can only hope to make some marginal remarks and contribute to his paper

Exploring Pompeii: discovering hospitality through research synergy

Hospitality research continues to broaden through an ever-increasing dialogue and alignment with a greater number of academic disciplines. This paper demonstrates how an enhanced understanding of hospitality can be achieved through synergy between archaeology, the classics and sociology. It focuses on classical Roman life, in particular Pompeii, to illustrate the potential for research synergy and collaboration, to advance the debate on hospitality research and to encourage divergence in research approaches. It demonstrates evidence of commercial hospitality activities through the excavation hotels, bars and taverns, restaurants and fast food sites. The paper also provides an example of the benefits to be gained from multidisciplinary analysis of hospitality and tourism

Cosmological simulations for combined-probe analyses: covariance and neighbour-exclusion bias

We present a public suite of weak-lensing mock data, extending the Scinet Light Cone Simulations (SLICS) to simulate cross-correlation analyses with different cosmological probes. These mocks include Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS)-450- and LSST-like lensing data, cosmic microwave background lensing maps and simulated spectroscopic surveys that emulate the Galaxy And Mass Assembly, BOSS, and 2-degree Field Lensing galaxy surveys. With 844 independent realizations, our mocks are optimized for combined-probe covariance estimation, which we illustrate for the case of a joint measurement involving cosmic shear, galaxy–galaxy lensing, and galaxy clustering from KiDS-450 and BOSS data. With their high spatial resolution, the SLICS are also optimal for predicting the signal for novel lensing estimators, for the validation of analysis pipelines, and for testing a range of systematic effects such as the impact of neighbour-exclusion bias on the measured tomographic cosmic shear signal. For surveys like KiDS and Dark Energy Survey, where the rejection of neighbouring galaxies occurs within ∼2 arcsec, we show that the measured cosmic shear signal will be biased low, but by less than a per cent on the angular scales that are typically used in cosmic shear analyses. The amplitude of the neighbour-exclusion bias doubles in deeper, LSST-like data. The simulation products described in this paper are made available at http://slics.roe.ac.uk/

Robust diffraction-limited near-infrared-to-near-ultraviolet wide-field imaging from stratospheric balloon-borne platforms — super-pressure balloon-borne imaging telescope performance

At a fraction of the total cost of an equivalent orbital mission, scientific balloon-borne platforms, operating above 99.7% of the Earth’s atmosphere, offer attractive, competitive, and effective observational capabilities—namely, space-like seeing, transmission, and backgrounds—which are well suited for modern astronomy and cosmology. The Super-pressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope (SUPERBIT) is a diffraction-limited, wide-field, 0.5 m telescope capable of exploiting these observing conditions in order to provide exquisite imaging throughout the near-infrared to near-ultraviolet. It utilizes a robust active stabilization system that has consistently demonstrated a 48 mas 1σ sky-fixed pointing stability over multiple 1 h observations at float. This is achieved by actively tracking compound pendulations via a three-axis gimballed platform, which provides sky-fixed telescope stability at < 500 mas and corrects for field rotation, while employing high-bandwidth tip/tilt optics to remove residual disturbances across the science imaging focal plane. SUPERBIT’s performance during the 2019 commissioning flight benefited from a customized high-fidelity science-capable telescope designed with an exceptional thermo- and opto-mechanical stability as well as a tightly constrained static and dynamic coupling between high-rate sensors and telescope optics. At the currently demonstrated level of flight performance, SUPERBIT capabilities now surpass the science requirements for a wide variety of experiments in cosmology, astrophysics, and stellar dynamics

Observation of the suppressed Λb0→DpK−Λ_b^0\to D p K^- decay with D→K+π−D\to K^+ π^- and measurement of its C ⁣PC\!P asymmetry

A study of $\Lambda_b^0$ baryon decays to the $DpK^-$ final state is presented based on a proton-proton collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the LHCb detector. Two $\Lambda_b^0$ decays are considered, $\Lambda_b^0\to DpK^-$ with $D\to K^-\pi^+$ and $D\to K^+\pi^-$, where $D$ represents a superposition of $D^0$ and $\overline{D}^0$ states. The latter process is expected to be suppressed relative to the former, and is observed for the first time. The ratio of branching fractions of the two decays is measured, and the $C\!P$ asymmetry of the suppressed mode, which is sensitive to the CKM angle $\gamma$, is also reported

Where did the Theodosian compilers take their texts from?

Dans son ouvrage Laying down the Law. A Study of the Theodosian Code, J. F. Matthews a défendu la thèse, déjà avancée par O. Seeck, qu’en fait, tous les textes du Code Justinien antérieurs à environ 380 avaient pour origine des édits provinciaux puisque publier une loi était nécessaire pour en assurer la validité. Notre propos est ici de montrer que tel n’était pas le cas. Tout d’abord, ce n’était pas là pratique courante sous la République romaine ou le Haut-Empire, ensuite parce que les définitions des règles générales dans CJ 1, 14, 2 et 3, ne l’impliquent pas. Il s’en suit que les textes des lettres, envoyés par l’Empereur et conservés dans les manuscrits des archives impériales étaient source suffisante pour les compilateurs du Code Théodosien. Recourir à d’autres sources n’était nécessaire que lorsque les archives impériales étaient insuffisantes dans ce domaine, mais cela fut beaucoup moins fréquent que ne l’avance Matthews. Cela ne peut qu’avoir une incidence sur le degré de fiabilité de la datation des textes.In his Laying down the Law. A Study of the Theodosian Code, J. F. Matthews has defended the thesis, already submitted by O. Seeck, that basically all texts in the Justinian Code before ca. 380 derive from provincial edicts, since publication was necessary for the validity of a law. It is argued here, that was not the case: firstly, since that was not the practice in the Roman Republic and Early Empire, secondly, because the definitions of general rules in CJ 1, 14, 2 and 3 do not imply that. This means that the texts of the letters, sent by the emperor and preserved in the copybooks in the imperial archives, sufficed for the Theodosian compilers. Recourse to other sources was only necessary where the imperial archives in this respect failed, but that was much less the case than assumed by Matthews. This bears upon the reliability of the dating of the texts

The episcopalis audientia in Late Antiquity

The constitution Sirmondiana 1 of 331/3 is seen by a number of scholars as evidence that in the period 331/3–408 bishops had full jurisdiction, i.e. that even against the wish of one party, a case could be brought before his court and lead to an enforceable sentence (without, by the way, the possibility of appeal). Previous to and after this period this was only possible if both parties agreed, which reduces the bishop’s court to arbitration. However, Sirm. 1 cannot be authentic, not just because such an extension of jurisdiction without guarantee of appeal is amazing and contrary to the structure of Roman procedure, but also because the constitution gives the single testimony of a bishop full and conclusive power of evidence. That is contrary to another fundamental rule of Roman procedure, viz. the unus testis nullus testis rule, which rule, Constantine, just before and after the imputed issue of Sirm. 1, strongly confirmed. Particularly this, neglected by those in favour of authenticity, demonstrates that Sirm. 1 may not be considered as authentic. It is a forgery, likely concocted to buttress the claims of the Church in Merovingian Gaul for more power and combined with true constitutions to give it veracity.La Constitution de Sirmond 1 de 331/3 est considérée par un certain nombre d’universitaires comme la preuve que, durant la période 331/3-408, les évêques avaient pleine juridiction, c’est-à-dire que même contre la volonté de l’une des parties, une affaire pouvait être portée devant le tribunal épiscopal qui pouvait prononcer une décision exécutoire (par conséquent sans possibilité d’appel). Auparavant et après cette période, cela n’était possible que si les deux parties étaient d’accord, ce qui réduisait le tribunal épiscopal à un simple rôle d’arbitre. Cependant, la Sirm. 1 ne peut être authentique, non seulement parce qu’un tel élargissement de compétence sans possibilité d’appel est peu vraisemblable et contraire à la structure de la procédure en droit romain, mais aussi parce que la Constitution donne au témoignage unique d’un évêque, entière force probante. Cela est contraire à une autre règle fondamentale de la procédure en droit romain, à savoir la règle unus testis nullus testis,vigoureusement confirmée par Constantin juste avant et juste après l’émission supposée de la Sirm. 1. Négligé par les partisans de l’authenticité, c’est cet argument qui démontre que la Sirm. 1 ne doit pas être considérée comme authentique. C’est un faux, vraisemblablement concocté dans le but d’étayer les prétentions de l’église en Gaule mérovingienne à plus de pouvoir, joint à de vraies Constitutions pour lui donner un caractère véridique