CiceroD

Gezundheit!

Ohh and what state is Brooksexinghamfordshire in? I must invoke the right place when I burn the cash on the altar ^_^

But this begs the Question N.N. In an earlier age would they need to keep heavy infantry "To maintain morale" of the spatha fodder? The way your description strikes me N.N. I picture the Battle of Stalingrad where the Russians killed their own retreating men. Now I admit that might not be the case. One can even draw parallels of this policy to that of Triarii in the Pre Marian legions. But still discipline had suffered. So much so that they needed to 'mark' legionaries, Right? As to the material strength Ive heard that they adopted the Lorica Hamata instead of Segmentata (or more properly returned to it). On the picture of the "Late Legionary" at Roman-empire.net it appears that he is wearing a Lorica Squamata. They also adopted the Spatha in place of the Gladius They also adopted Martiobarbuli in place of Pila (These look to me as much more primitive) Did this alone weaken them?

I'll sacrifice fifty white bulls to you Dominus!!! Of course you'll have to take my word on it

I heard that they processed sugar from Carob, a kind of locust tree that has a sweet pulp in its seedpods. This is supposed to be the "Locust" (or so I heard) that John the Baptist subsisted off of in the wilderness. let me see if I can find the website where I read this from. ahh its at Wikipedia. just wiki "carob" and you'll see it under 'uses'

If they had the slightest doubt as to the age of the piece, wouldn't they have carbon dated it?

Hmm, I think that by the time of Augustus they had switched over to togas with sinuses. Im taking this from the reliefs on the Ara Pacis. I can e-mail anyone Wilson's reconstruction (Its in PDF form)

It could have been a factor of time period Weren't mid-Republican Togas draped from both shoulders? I'm taking this from Lillian M. Wilson's The Roman Toga her reconstrucion of "The Large Toga of the Republic" Ive noticed that the only way Clavii could be visible with this toga is with a centrally located stripe.

Well Catilina certainly could have, and almost did (Arguementative?). I personally feel for whatever faults Caesar had (Yes I know they were numerous!) that Catilina was certainly a Lesser Man. What do you guys think?

Does anyone know how and when Munera became Ludii? I mean how exactly did a human sacrifice ritual lose its original meaning? Additionally before the construction of permanent amphitheaters did the Romans set up temporary wooden structures as they did to put on plays? Much has been made of Bread and Circuses as an negative institution. Part of the loss of their societal vigor has been blamed on the increasing number of game days. But did Romans have any alternatives? What caused the snowballing number of Games?

So with the death of the Republic there died the last of the Romans MPC? Its a bit harsh for me, but a valid point nonetheless. I expect that Asinius Pollio was added to the Wikipedia list by someone (like my dad) who believed that "I Claudius" was real! My history on the Byzantines is a bit fuzzy. Who was Heraclius? and why did he preside over the last "recognisably Roman State"

Im surprised that so many know about Boethius. This is a character who has (to my knowlege) never had a movie or a novel written about him. I wouldve suspected the well-known Aetius to have swept the polls!

I was told (In ancient Greece at least) that when a slave was "loaned out" for whatever purpose they were generally given a few coppers as a reward. he/she could save these later and that way one could buy their freedom. Is this true?

A Freedman was locked into his social class. His progeny, however, were not and could even stand for offices. Apparently Freedmen of the Imperial household gained much power in politics. (Much to the chagrin of the Patricians)

It also depends in whether the causes were managerial (Is that a word? ) or not. For instance climate problems would affect them equally, but one empire's financial policy versus another can affect their outcomes differently.

Yes, Apparently in the Thirteenth year of Justinian's reign

At least in the later empire their chief duties were to give a name to a year and to put on games for the plebs according to Gibbon. (Sorry Im using him so much but he's my handiest reference) Since this useless honor could bankrupt a man it led to the extinction of the office. I'd imagine in the principate they'd take up space and give the shallow impression of collegiality. Since Ive always viewed the Roman's as being ultimately practical this impracticality of theirs is most interesting.

Do you all think that we should include the Byzantines? I was under the Impression that they were more Greek than Roman in any case. Although they did preserve a Roman civilization.

Apparently Gibbon also mentions the degradation of the land "Since the Age of Tiberius, the decay of Agriculture had been felt in Italy; and it was a just subject of complaint that the life of the Roman people depended on the Accidents of the wind and waves. In the division and decline of the Empire the tributary harvests of Egypt and Africa were withdrawn; the numbers of inhabitants diminished with the means of subsistance;and the country was exhausted by the irretrievable losses of war, famine, and pestilence." Now does he mean an actual loss of soil fertility or just in the number and effectiveness of farms?

If anyone feels disappointed that their "hero" didn't make the list don't worry. Mine didn't either. I personally think that Majorian as the last good western emperor is most deserving. The list is courtesy of Wikipedia and reflects who has actually been called Ultimus Romanorum. So what do you all think?

even though foederati had fought with the Romans in the later empire they had become most of the force at the beginning it was a strength to have Balearic slingers and Barbarian Cavalry but according to Wikipedia (Roman Infantry Tactics) at Chalons the legions did little except occupy an important piece of ground. Attila apparently derided them and told his men to forget about them! How can you say that Barbarization wasn't a factor Aurelius?

For those unaware in 68 B.C. Pirates destroyed the Fleet and Town of Ostia. The overwhelming reaction of the Roman people was the Lex Gabinia offering Pompey supreme command of an unheard of force to clear the seas of Pirates. He officially accomplished this in six month's time. This leaves me with two questions Did Pompey really clear the seas? It has been observed by many that six months is scarcely adaquate an amount of time to clear the entire Mediterranean? According to Lindsay Davis in "Scandal takes a Holiday" these ex pirates were merely chastised and settled by Pompey. She makes it appear as though the source of slaves during the Pax Romana was in large part dependent on Piracy, therefore it was tolerated. Did the unheard of power vested in Pompey hasten the Fall of the Republic? Last year Robert Harris (Author of Pompeii and Imperium) wrote an article linking the destabilization of Republican Rome to this event and comparing it to 9,11 and the US senate's restrictions on Habeas Corpus to Terrorism detainees and other Patriot Act like measures. this can be found at (www.commondreams.org/views06/0930-28.htm) I wish I could make a link So what do you guys think?

It is important to realize that advanced weapons and armor cost money somthing the Later Roman Empire did not have.

so are you actually from Laconia?

Thank you!!!!