Favonius Cornelius

I would be in the same boat if my program would just stop crashing. Now I might as well just load it up. I am glad they chose this as their expansion. It seems common sense really, but some people on the RTW forum had some crazy ideas. I was hoping though they would have some Era of the Soldier Emperor-esque civil war premade battles or senarios.

Between napalm and Greek Fire, there really is little comparison tactically speaking. Greek Fire for the Byzantines granted a huge tactical superiority against all their seaborne foes for quite a while. It was almost the equivalent of the nuclear option for sea. Napalm on the other hand did not change much in the Vietnam war, and still is of dubious use. If you are defoliating to win a war you got problems.

Interesting question. I also would like to know if there are any surviving standards.

Hm I have a question for you Primus. Can you recall the symbols of the various great Roman leaders? Sulla and Marius? Caesar and Pompey? Antony and Octavian? Etc.

Ancient economy was almost totally dependant on agriculture. That being said the advances in agriculture were very slow during this period and not a whole lot changed. Very ancient cultures figured out the whole irregation thing, then came iron tools. After that really not a whole lot changed enough to make any true revolutions in productivity.

Heh. Do you mean bald? I suppose he could be growing bold and bald. I thought it was the right of any wearer of the corona civica to wear it.

As the empire got older, it got increasingly more autocratic and oppressive. I bet their desire to drive home the point of their total power made taking up the real crown an easy choice.

It kind of seems like it has been slow around here lately. I don't suppose this expansion has anything to do with it? I just ordered mine today...can't wait. Anyone have it?

I always thought that the laurel wreath was worn during the empire by the statues of the emperors as a mimic of Julius Caesar. Caesar looked for every excuse to wear his corona civica which he earned by single-handedly protecting a soldier during the siege of Mytiline (I think?) Later emperors constantly sought to prove connection and emulate Caesar, and so wearing that readily recognizable wreath became an icon.

Some day when I retire I will read all the histories again, so I cannot help you unfortunatly on such fine details as these. I am curious however, why you are so interested in such an obscure question?

Perhaps though there would be different colors...maybe shield designs and standards or tunics under armor or even a ribbon tied to an arm. After all, how the heck would they tell friend from foe when a battle got ugly and mixed?

I am not big on Christian history, but I do like hearing about strange offshoots of mainstream Christian beliefs, particularly ancient ones. That coupled with my interest in the obscure makes the mysterious kingdom of Axum an interesting topic of discussion. Anyone know much about this place? Can it be believed about Queen Sheba, Semitic origins? What troops did they have or wars did they conduct? Ancient sources on the area: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/nubia1.html

And what would you do, thrown into the world with a large family name, the over-reaching demands of a brilliant intellect, and the restless energy of a robust body? If life was as fleeting and uncertain as it was in the first century BC, if the body so easily destroyed by casual disease and violence, or perhaps the whim of an uncaring neighboring nation or near unimpeachable gods, would you not live a life of risk? I think men were made for that. The unnatural extension of life by progress warps the natural Caesar within each of us. Each of us able to attain at least that 15 min of fame, now puffed out rather by modern life's steamroller.

*claps*

Good call ungoliant, he is one of my favs actually. Forgotten because he retired peaceably an absurdly rich man. A true act of sanity.

Lol thanks for that SNL skit Violentilla. You know I remember reading the theory that the vomitorium was quite a rarity, perhaps even largely unknown save a few individual exceptions, and that Vitellius made it famous in history, so much so that people assumed it was common Roman practice but the truth being it was just him.

I don't know for sure, but there a quite a few English folk in there. The series has a distinct I Claudius flavor to it as well.

So I guess no mention in the histories of Longinus when Ulpius is in northern Britannia doing his thing?

Hah! I love that idea. Would have to be used in a more empty bar though.

Lol. I laugh because usually (elsewhere) I am the one grilled for spelling errors, so it's nice to look from outside the box.

I like the series, but I get the distinct feeling that it will fail me with regard to the representation of battle. Not seeing those battles in at least some form is a loss to history.

Come on now I know someone in here has to know a little something. Primus?

Aelius Longinus, Prefect of Cavalry Ala II Asturum in northern Britannia during late 2nd century AD. What do we know of this man, his personality and mind, his weaknesses and strengths?

Thanks DanM! You bring up a good point Viggen. I know of few periods of history quite as corrupt as that of the middle to late Roman Republic. Once Augustus reformed Rome, I bet that corruption petered off quite a bit, only to seep back through the Julio-Claudians, then drop again with the Flavians through Pax Romana. I guess corruption comes with bad leadership in part at least, and the late empire is pretty heavy with that!