Não é explicado muito claramente no livro ( Mark of Athena é onde o conceito é introduzido, e os outros 2 livros de Heroes of Olympus simplesmente reforçam a ideia de que é super perigoso e proibido por Roman leis do acampamento):
Reyna plucked an apple from a passing fruit tray. She turned it in her fingers, studying the dark red surface. “You propose an expedition to Greece in your warship. You do realize that the ancient lands—and the Mare Nostrum—are dangerous?”
“Mary who?” Leo asked.
“Mare Nostrum,” Jason explained. “Our Sea. It’s what the Ancient Romans called the Mediterranean.”
Reyna nodded. “The territory that was once the Roman Empire is not only the birthplace of the gods. It’s also the ancestral home of the monsters, Titans and giants…and worse things. As dangerous as travel is for demigods here in America, there it would be ten times worse.”
Presumivelmente, ser o lar ancestral pioraria as coisas de duas maneiras:
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Monstros são mais strongs lá, e há mais deles
Percy hoped the ancient lands wouldn’t be as bad as they’d heard. But it was almost like a commercial: You’ll notice the difference immediately! Several times an hour, something attacked the ship. A flock of flesh-eating Stymphalian birds swooped out of the night sky, and Festus torched them. Storm spirits swirled around the mast, and Jason blasted them with lightning. While Coach Hedge was having dinner on the foredeck, a wild pegasus appeared from nowhere, stampeded over the coach’s enchiladas, and flew off again, leaving cheesy hoof prints all across the deck.
Uma razão pela qual os monstros são mais strongs é porque muitos monstros são filhos de Gaeia, e ela disse que é mais strong em Terras Antigas.
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Existem alguns monstros que não seguiram a civilização ocidental para a América e ficaram, o que significa que também enfrentariam esses monstros - ou semideuses do mal (como o exemplo aleatório, Chysaor).
Eu também revi quase todas as suas entrevistas referentes à série HoO, e ninguém fez essa pergunta.