P.Clodius

PM could probably help with this...!!

Yes absolutely. Scipio Africanus used religeon alot to envoke the impression he was/his actions were blessed by the gods. Also, Caesar made a great deal of the "fact" he could trace his ancestory all the way to Venus.

I'm not altogether sure about them being "completely" ficticious. Its been a while since I read the Commentaries but I do recall Caesar telling of a legionary asking for forgiveness after losing his shield in a river after he fought off some Britons. And there was the centurion at Dyrracium who'd had his shield pierced by 100+ arrows and Caesar singled him out for distinction. Not sure if he mentions thier names though. As far as the treasury goes, Pompey and the optimates fled Rome so fast they forgot about it. Caesar siezed the treasury upon arrival which made him very unpopular.

That's all good folks. How about including some translations!

As far as I know, and I've read extensively of Caesar's life Brutus NEVER served under Caesar. Cassius took control of Syria and Brutus of Greece during the build up to Phillipi where they proceeded to rape the provinces of every valuable they could lay their hands on, typical so called Optimate behaviour in my opinion. The triumvirs did not suffer a defeat during 1st Phillipi, but rather a setback in that they were fought to a stalemate due to inclement weather during the uphill battle that turned into a mudfest. Some of Brutus' troops suceeded in entering Octavian's camp only to find it empty and proceeded to plunder rather than destroy the army they were sent to defeat. If one word could define Brutus' millitary abilities that word would be indescisive. He failed to send reinforcements, or instill the "mission" of the war in his men or the Caesarian army could have lost the war during 1st Phillipi when his troops took Octavian's camp. He needed constant reassurance from Cassius. He reacted, he didn't pro-act.

Indeed. Ronald Syme in the much vaunted The Roman Revolution lambasts Octavian for 300 or so pages then praises him on the last page! Fact is, he was possibly the greatest politician who ever lived!

Well, given your scenario I presume that Sulla had not served under Marius and that Sulla would have been unaware of the changes made to the army by Marius. The Marian legions were better than the old republican legions by far. Marius would win, he made vast sweeping improvements to the army, Sulla did not.

True PM was a great organizer and was therefore an efficient (not great) general. But he truly shone in his mediocrity on the political scene. He was almost clueless, or so it appears in his dealings with the senate and with Caesar and was frightened into self imposed house arrest by my namesake. He was as used as Crassus' wallet was by Caesar.

No, it was how PP stated in his post. Cato wore mourning in protest of the Caesarian movement, and to a lesser extent in protest of the moderates. Cicero and Caesar were near contemporaries in age, I believe Cicero was 2 years older than Caesar.

Alesia, probably the most famous of the roman sieges. Circumvellation and contravellation totaling 26 miles constructed at extraordinary speed, with 2 trench systems one of which was flooded. One siege that deserves a place on the poll is Jerusalem by Titus. A fantastic effort against a huge city consisting of 500,000 people and had 3 concentric, massive stone walls.

Exactly. If this is what it meant to have Nobilitas, they can stick it where the sun don't shine!

Cicero's response to Clodius charges was to tear his clothes, and put on mourning. Mourning included not shaving or getting a hair cut. I believe Gelzer talks about Cato's actions on this matter in his Caesar.

Sulla was far from a freak, and he was certainly not unstable. Evil, nah. He did what he did because he believed senatorial control needed to be restored and implemented a number of constitutional reforms to further the senatorial cause. He did implement the proscriptions but the numbers were no where near 10K. The system of lists were abused by his aids to enrich themselves, hence the subsequent proscriptions after the initial one. Remember, roman politics was a series of precedents (Mos Maiorum) and it wasn't Sulla that set the precedents for the permenant ellimination of political enemies. The precedent that WAS set by Sulla was the taking of Rome via military force.

I can speak both english and american...I'll be looking forward to working with you!

Google certainly is awesome. But the idea of an internet dominated by a "faction" doen't appeal to me. The internet is a decentralized network. The internet as is is even more awesome than google. A faction that dominates will dictate.

All the Caesarian leaders saw the folly of Caesar's clementia post mortum. I wonder if any of them advised against it when he was alive.

Critics are the modern equivelants of Delatores...! I'll reserve judgement....

Good job Imperator Caesar Augustus. You rocked...!!!

http://www.walkenforpres.com/

Found this on the History Channel's website. Roman coins have been dug up in America, suggesting that perhaps the Vikings or Columbus weren't the first Europeans to visit the New World. The coins were found in locations as far afield as Texas, Venezuela and Maine. One stash was found buried in a mound in Round Rock, Texas. The mound is dated to approximately 800 A.D. In the town of Heavener, Okla., a bronze tetradrachm bearing the profile of Emperor Nero was found in 1976. The coin was originally struck in Antioch, Syria, in 63 A.D.

The only "concrete" numbers I can recall are from Alesia. About 70,000 Romans against approximately 280,000 Gauls. 80,000 inside Alesia and a 200,000 man relieving army.

There is a wealth of knowlege on this site, and a very good cross section of information can be gleaned from the members of the forum. Just post!!

Here, here.... Without the Commentaries our understanding would be less and they're truly a joy to read. I wish some other of his stuff (he was a prolific writer) was available.

In the days before TV, radio, newspapers etc., there was no mass media. One of the best methods of keeping people informed was to write and have copies distributed. Caesar would probably laugh if he knew he was being refered to as a historian today. He wrote to counter what was said about him by his political enemies in Rome. He wrote to keep his name, his actions, and his politics fresh in the minds the various assembly's and comitia. What was unique was his style of writing. He refered to himself always in the 3rd person, like someone else was writing not him. He also wrote (his commentaries) in an unembelished style, to the point and concise. Caesar's latin was praised by none other than Cicero as being without equal.

I always thought bronze was weaker than iron too. Interesting. With regards to your comments about Britannia, sure tin and copper could have been factors for the invasion. I read another theory though I do not remember which book I gleaned it from. The theory was along the lines of the invasion and colonization of Britannia was a strategic move to secure the Atlantic coast of Gaul from raids by Frisian (Germanic) raiders. The raiders would now have to run the gauntlet of an English Channel occupied on both side by the Romans. Sorry I can't provide better detail but I remember thinking when I read it that it made perfect sense and fitted neatly with the common sense/practical approach that pervaded the Roman millitary machine.