The Romans had two-story houses with door locks, underfloor heating, running hot water, private mills, and silver dishes! And toilets-for-two next to the stove in the kitchen!
Little Eli
I love it when Silé calls me ‘Little Eli’ – although I’m only two years younger than he. 
Whenever we can, Lucilla and I like to skip, make necklaces and bracelets with beads, or play this bear game. Otherwise we’re often romping with the boys, Lucy’s brother Pontus, Ruddy Rufus – don’t tell him we call him that! – and Silé.
Silvanus
Hi. I’m known by my friends as Silé, but my full name is Silvanus, after the god of the woods. In 571 A.D., when this story starts, I was just 14 years old. I grew up on the south-west coast of Elba in a tiny village, dominated by Mount Aquila with its eagle-shaped outcrop.
Background
A visit to the Bern’s Historical Museum in August 2012 gave me some insight into living conditions in Late Antiquity – facts I need for establishing my story’s background.
Could this be Silvanus’s mother?
How it all started
In May 2012, my wife and I enjoyed a week-long hiking holiday
on Elba. Organised by Surprise Reisen and very competently led by Achim Gäckle, some 25 people of varying ages travelled by coach and ferry and stayed in the very beautifully located Hotel Viticcio on the north coast. Continue reading “How it all started”