Germanicus

Thanks, I wonder what the actual Latin word is in the original manuscript. I'm sure it's not Gladius, as he translates that as Sword in many other places. Guess I can look it up...

In reading The Annals, I cam across this reference but am unsure whether it's just my translation (AJ Woodman) or if in fact the Claymore as we know it and the Claymore mentioned would look alike or be one in the same:- Tacitus, The Annals, 12, 35.3. Any idea ? Does the Claymore as a weapon have this long a history ?

What do you think of the link below ? I know it doesn't mean dogs saw any military action, but it would definatly suggest they were present when Legionaries were making bricks in Britain. dog print photo

It's interesting - some Union like activity may have taken place then in Guilds. Like if you had a guild at Rome for Builders for example - would they not sometimes all agree to charge the same rate to customers ? (Like an ancient version of a wage fixing agreement in a modern union) Just a thought..?

And a good post too Pax. I concur entirely with your sentiment here. Quite simply, the Legion was founded to defeat anyone the Romans had, or wanted, a beef with. Leadership, and discipline seem to be the other detirmining factors, but with veteran legions, and a general like Caesar, the outdated, outmoded Phalanx would be not just defeated, but slaughtered. Another thing about Caesars veteran legions....they would have enjoyed it.

They look great Pertinax, colors are really vibrant too, nice shots. You live in York or nearby ?

I'd have to agree. I made the point in an earlier thread. We know from Tacitus and Suetonius that Gaius witnessed a number of events and knew of many more involving the demise of family members and was probably exposed to graphic actual violence at a very young age when in camp with his father on the Rhine. I feel that what we know or at least theorize now regarding mental disfunctions such as sociopathic and psychopathic personality types, goes quite some way to explaining Gaius' behavior later in life.

Speaking of which, there's a documentary series on here at the moment alleging that The new world was discovered in 1421 - by the Chinese Ming Dynasty.

Crocodile is nice, I'm sure you'd have tried Kangaroo too Tobias ? As long as you don't overcook it, it's pretty good eating. Sorry, I forgot to mention:- PERTINAX YOU ARE OBSESSSED WITH FOOD !!!!

I live in Australia too. I hope it stays a great place to live Tobias, although with Johnny Rotten in control of both houses, I doubt it.

New Order were long my favourite band. If you like Joy Division, you should get either of the albums by Interpol, I am 100% certain you'll love them. I also really liked that Scissor Sisters album that came out recently, and went to see them when they toured here. I love the Pixies, and even Frank Blacks solo stuff. I agree that Longbow has some good taste in his selections too, Something about the Cure and Smiths fitted well with my high school days. I saw the Cure on the Disintegration tour and still listen from time to time.

Another reason people don't post that regularly is that they saw the same topic last year when it was first raised, the strings seem to go in cycles. Mind you, I could read and post in a topic about Popularis Vs Optimate factions no matter how many times it came up.

We know he wasn't incapable of fathering children - he had I daughter who he married off to Pompey. As to his bisexuality - we'll never know, but I prefer to take Colleens view - that he raised a fleet in Nicomedia by befriending the aging king and showing his future political brilliance.......not by selling his ass.

I don't think it was a "big deal", and would have only been detrimental to your reputation if you'd been on the receiving end, so to speak. Rumours of Caesars daliances in Nicomedia didn't stop him becoming Consul, then Dictator and founding the Empire. Tiberius' actions on Capri with little boys didn't get him overthrown, niether did Trajans appetites for young boys. And as for Hadrian - being the "Greekling" he positively revelled in his own homeosexual realionship with Antoninius, and had hin deified after his drowning in the Nile.

I can't really say I have any special knowledge in the area, but have witnessed attacks by packs of Dogs both at home, and in Thailand and would have to agree that an undisciplines force would be susceptable. Pit bulls don't stop after cracks over the head with baseball bats, so....

Commodus was strangled by the greek wrestler !

You mean I have to do something ? What the #@%^! Just kidding, thanks Viggen.

Just be sure and build your bridges, roads and aqueducts well and death may well be avoided, one slip up and it'll be curtains - political wrangling or not!

Just thought it might be a good idea to have a link - similar to that "Posts since my last visit" link, that says "Show me my last post". If there was a post you're waiting on response to, etc you could click the link when you arrive next time, and you'd be right back where you left off.....if you catch my meaning. You wouldn't have to look for the topic, even if you'd been away for a week. I have no idea how easy or hard it would be to do, just a thought is all. Germanicus

Wrong, when people say "Clubbed to death" or "Stoned to death" they literally mean "Clubbed to death" or "Stoned to death". As in beaten, to death.

Nice post Pax, "The tribune takes a cudgel and just touches the condemned man with it, after which all in the camp beat or stone him, in most cases dispatching him in the camp itself" Who's to say which actual members of the camp layed the blows, or threw the stones ? Probably those closest to the condemned. Either way, the quote you've used indicates it certainly was the offending legion performing the punishment. I certainly take your point that no ancient sources directly identify who did the beatings other than members of the camp.

What do people think about this story and the subsequent "Saints"? I hadn't heard the story until today when doing some reading about Decimation. If you need a run down on the myth, type "Theban Legion" into google and take your pick.

quote]It must be remembered that the actual punishment, that is the killing, was not performed by the offending legion. Actually, they were usually clubbed to death by their own tent mates as I understand it. The reason for this was that those escaping the actual death, were still punished by being forced to kill one of the men who had shared all their labours up to that point. Crassus decimated during the slave revolt, and it was the offending legion who drew lots, and beat their own to death. I believe during this and earlier periods, shame was a big motivator. And most legionaries after Marius would have preffered taking chances with the lots, to simply being disbanded, missing out on their accumulated pay, land allotment etc.

He did it to run for Tribune of the Plebs

Gaul, mostly because of the rapidity, the conqueror and the number of sieges. I also would go for Marius' victory at Aquia Sextiae against the Cimbri and Tuetones, that was stellar.