[HPforGrownups] Re: 382 BC (Ollivander's)

[James P. Robinson III]

No: HPFGUIDX 46710

As the clock struck 03:15 PM 11/17/2002 -0500, eloiseherisson at aol.com took 
pen in hand and wrote:
>Very good! As I said, not a Briton, then.
>I suppose if the descendents knew that their family had come over at the time
>of the Sack of Rome, then they could retrospectively have dated it to 382 BC.
>Well, it would have to have been dated retrospectively anyway, wouldn't it?
>
>I think it would have been a bit more than the equivalent of going to the
>Antipodes, though, given that the Romans didn't even know of Britain at the
>time. And one wonders *why* he might venture from Rome precisely through the
>Gaulish territories inhabited by the 'Celts' who had just sacked his home
>city.

I think it is difficult to claim that the Ollivanders are not British, just 
because they immigrated in 382 BC.  That probably makes them about 1448 
years older as a British family than the Malfoys, who appear to be of 
Norman lineage (thus, probably emigrated from France/Normandy in 
1066).  But, yes, my suggestion does make the founder of Ollivanders in 
London a a Roman immigrant.

As to the retrospective dating, I presume you mean that, when he founded 
the shop, the date 382 BC would have been nonsense.  Quite right.  When he 
opened the shop, he probably wrote something to the effect of "Fine Wands 
Since 371 A.U.C."  371 ab urbe condita would be the Roman dating equivalent 
of 382 BC (or close to it).  Eventually, they would have changed the sign.

Why did he go West?  Welll, maybe he was a pioneer....maybe he wanted to 
make his fortune in new, unknown lands.  By moving West, he was moving in 
front of, not into, the Gauls who were attacking Rome.  Those Rome-Sackers 
were not coming from present day France, but farther East.  They are 
believed to have invaded Italy, at least partly, because they were being 
forced West by other tribal movements.

As for Britain being the antipodes, it was, at least, known to 
exist.  Romans and earlier peoples imported tin from Cornwall.  Britain had 
been written about not long before 382 BC in the Periplus of Pythias.

                                                                 Jim