Trash talk, Roman style

So what’s with the crocodile in Nǐmes anyway? Well, back in the day, a Roman general named Octavius, the great nephew of Julius Caesar had to deal with a power struggle. Octavius is the grandson of Julia, Julius Caesar’s sister. Julia is my 75th great-grandmother, so basically my family is responsible for this whole place (smh!). 😄

In 31 BCE, 13 years after the assassination of Julius Caesar, Octavius (later Emperor Augustus) and Mark Antony, allied with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, battled for power over Rome.

This clash culminated in the naval battle of Actium! It was won by Octavius and his general Agrippa. Having become subject to Rome, Egypt was represented as a crocodile chained to a palm: a Roman symbol of victory.

After the battle, Augustus started recommending Nîmes as a retirement home for the Roman officers who had conquered Egypt. Even in those days, professional military men retired with enough time for a second career. Did the emperor want thousands of well-trained, relatively young guys hanging around in Rome? No way! What to do? How about a nice place in the south of France...?

In 1530s, some ancient Roman coins (see picture) were discovered in the area with the logo stamped on it. King Francis I thought it reflected the history of Nǐmes and the kings love for the city and decreed it to become the official coat of arms. Now there are crocodile images all over the city and many palm trees in pots or landscaping.

Over 2,000 years of trash talking! Those Romans had some game!!Read more