Tobias Menzies was born in North London, England, the son of Gillian (nÃ©e Simpson), a teacher, and Peter Menzies, a BBC radio producer. He has one younger brother, Luke, who is a solicitor.
Cinnabar is a toxic mercury sulfide mineral with a chemical composition of HgS. It is the only important ore of mercury. It has a bright red color that has caused people to use it as a pigment and carve it into jewelry and ornaments for thousands of years in many parts of the world.
Associated modern precautions for use and handling of cinnabar arise from the toxicity of the mercury component, which was recognized as early as ancient Rome.s the most common source of mercury in nature, cinnabar has been mined for centuries, even as far back as the Neolithic Age. During the Roman Empire it was mined both as a pigment, and for its mercury content.