Gordopolis

I went to the #LegionExhibition in London last week. As the name suggests, the exhibition is very much focused on the Roman military, and specifically during the Principate (spanning 27 BC - AD 284). There were some terrific artefacts on show - my favourite being the crocodile armour! But the smartest thing about the exhibition, in my opinion, was how they threaded it all together using the career records of an Egyptian legionary named Claudius Terentianus. A papyrus archive found at Karanis, Egypt, contained several letters Claudius had written and sent home to his family. They reveal how he tried and failed to join the legions in AD 110, thanks to a lack of satisfactory references. So, he instead joined the marines - a less prestigious and lucrative career path. His duties would have included building roads and guarding the grain fleet harbours as well as long and hazardous sea voyages. The letters tell of very practical and human things - his struggles to fit in with his marine colleagues, his need for new shoes and socks, and of his injuries sustained when fighting to supress a revolt. He was deployed in the east for a time, likely in Emperor Trajan's war against Rome's rival superpower, Parthia. Having proved himself he finally achieved his goal and was permitted to join the legions! Here's a couple of photos (of Augustus, and of the Dura Europos shield!) Full gallery with commentary is on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohertyAuthor/posts/pfbid02AqWchBNFauQHLTcK3QSCTLCxziY67inptoe68vHwr1jPAzA9jHXNALNh8ZXW2C6gl

Brilliant info - thank you very much!!! I am interested in the Venetian Empire/Republic history too, but I am very much a novice in that period. Is the Maritime Musuem the same as the Arsenale?

Hi All & HNY, I'm heading to Venice soon for a break. I'm struggling tho to find a good list of late Roman/Byzantine sites to visit there. Can anyone advise on the 'must-see' places there? Cheers, Gordon

The Mother River, strong & swift, bringer of luck... but not always. Read the epic history of the River Danube during the days of the #Roman Empire. https://www.gordondoherty.co.uk/writeblog/the-mother-river?fbclid=IwAR0WLjMEFGjB3gsgbqdPxrjZmHqlq53N-IL7b9X6Wqajc3rPiQSrdxvRrfA

I've put together a blog piece about this legendary figure and the momentous events of the late 4th century AD that changed the course of history: https://www.gordondoherty.co.uk/writeblog/magnus-maximus-hero-or-tyrant Was Magnus Maximus a hero or a villain? In essence, I don't know - he was both loved and hated. Maybe that's the answer - he was human!

"It was an immense slaughter, greater than had ever occurred in any former naval action. Thus the river was filled with dead bodies." - Historia Nova, Zosimus As winter fell in AD 386, the Eastern Roman Empire found itself in a position of delicately-balanced stability. The Gothic War had ended four years prior, thanks to a peace deal that granted the Goths Roman lands in the northern parts of the Diocese of Thracia on which to settle and farm. In return for this, their fighting men were to muster for imperial military service if and when Emperor Theodosius called upon them. This system of gradual cultural integration and laying aside of old grievances was only just beginning to settle into place. So, the last thing Emperor Theodosius needed was for a huge host of erstwhile unknown Goths to descend from the north and appear at the River Danube, demanding entry into the empire. Full article (free, no paywall or anything) here: https://www.gordondoherty.co.uk/writeblog/the-horde-of-odotheus

A couple of videos to give you a flavour of the story The trailer vid: Me doing a reading from the book (Scottish subtitles ON! 😄😞

Book news from myself: my latest Roman romp, 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗬: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗥'𝗦 𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗘𝗟𝗗 will be published on 16th Feb 2023, and is available for pre-order now! "Easier to split the sky, than part a soldier from his blade. 386 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire faces a trident of threats. The Gothic truce grows unstable. The standoff with Persia escalates. And the ambitions of the usurper on the Western throne grow dangerously unchecked. Pavo, a broken veteran of the legions, cares for none of these things. His life is one of pastoral seclusion on his Thracian farm. A life of love, of peace. His wife and young son are his world. Still, every so often, things seen and done in his old life haunt him, like a cold and unwelcome breeze. But that is all they are, echoes of the past… …until the past rises, like a shade, to rip his world and the Roman Empire apart." Blood, steel and high adventure all the way Link to pre-order: https://books2read.com/Legionary9 And here's my newsletter with all the deets: https://mailchi.mp/679b11cc243e/coming-16th-feb-from-gordon-doherty-legionary-the-emperors-shield?fbclid=IwAR3ifn2oLqFR3wzFo2H-874IqskekRVDv74C4QemqVMaCfRoSheT3_0KVe8

Here's what people are saying about Simon Turney's new Roman epic 'Bellatrix': '𝐼𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑖𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑇𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑦.' Anthony Riches '𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒... 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑.' Historical Novel Society '𝐴 𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑡 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑐, 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒!' Gordon Doherty ...not sure I trust that last reviewer though Fancy winning a signed, dedicated first edition (all proceeds going to Myeloma UK, the blood cancer charity)? Yes? Then simply mosey on over to my Facebook page and join the bidding! https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohertyAuthor/posts/pfbid0KgzGCzu3CRz8pZqx9SEicyxk1DkieH6Jewu2jtLbuDixwbcwtmh2stsBm5jcDG9cl

Prior to their conversion to Christianity in the 5th century, the Hasdingi Vandals (Hasdingi probably meaning 'long-haired') worshipped two youthful brother deities. Tacitus identifies the brother gods as the twins, Castor and Pollux - brothers of Helen of Sparta (later Troy). I find this quite interesting, given that the Romans liked to distance themselves from the barbarian 'other', when in fact they were very similar in many respects, including this close alignment in their repsective pantheons. Made me wonder: what other strong Roman-barbarian links do you good folk know of?

Full aware that I seem to be dominating this part of the forum. Just nudge me if I'm spamming. However, I couldn't not let you know about this freebie: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54068

Thought you guys might be interested - three of my books, including LEGIONARY - the opener to my Late Roman series - are on sale via BookFunnel right now, along with a whole bunch of great #Histfic reads from other fine authors. Check it out! https://books.bookfunnel.com/fantastichistoricalfiction/ja2dafshao

Hippy Jesus began to emerge in the 4th c AD. I do find these alternative depictions very interesting - they are in some ways a mirror held up to the creators, reflecting self-image, culture, values and often agendas.

Interesting, thanks. I'd assume there is a contextual message that is lost with that excerpt in isolation, but I really don't know. However, I've read some pretty uncomfortable stuff in all the scriptures to be honest, so it wouldn't surprise me if it was meant literally.

You'll need to elaborate (you obviously study scripture more closely than me!)

The way I interpret that quote (and the Abrahamic religions in general) is that they are all talking about the same "Father", though each professes different versions of the "right" way to worship him.

Supposed to represent the devil! The inscription on the book Jesus is holding reads from John 14.6: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life". From Psalm 91 we read - "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet."

It's not news, but I just wanted to share this fascinating depiction of Jesus Christ from the Archiepiscopal Chapel in Ravenna, Italy. He is portrayed as beardless, dressed as a Roman soldier (or possibly emperor, given the purple cloak), and trampling a lion and an adder. It is the Roman armour that intrigues me most of all. Ironically, the mosaic dates from around AD 500, a time when the Western Roman Empire had disintegrated, and Ravenna was part of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy. Then again, the Ostrogoths by that period were most probably very Roman in appearance. I love how vastly different this depiction is from what came to be the norm. And something is also bugging me: I'm *certain* that there were other, possibly even earlier, Christ images that showed him as a young man (slightly androgynous) with short blonde hair and again no beard. It was wither in a Mary beard or Bettany Hughes program or book. Can't find said image on the web for love nor money. Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

That would be quite brilliant if Dolichenus had been transmitted via the mythical (or maybe not so mythical) Trojan migrations to Italy! However, Jupiter Dolichenus only seems to appear around the 1st c AD, which is why I think this was possibly brought back from abroad by Rome's itinerant legions.

Yes, the Hittite Empire was known as "The Land of a Thousand Gods" for a good reason! They syncretised widely, absorbing Hurrian and Babylonian and many other deities into their pantheon. The Dolichenus image from Vindolanda is perhaps not the best representation of him. Of the many other Roman images of him, he is armoured, and typically wears something like the tall hat/helmet of the Hittite Gods (although not horned - the Hittite God 'marker'). Then again, another poster on another forum suggested that the presence of a bull and a weapon (and the potential for the hat to be the Phrygian cap) might indicate some Mithraic influence on the cult of Dolichenus!

Aye, Noah is basically Deucalion or Utnapishtim from the Epic of Gilgamesh. And those two are probably derivatives or carry-ons from some earlier root event. That Hittite imagery survives into the Roman era is not surprising, but that it is adopted, given new life and meaning in that time is - I think - quite special. Particularly because the Hittite Empire was "lost" to history before, during and after the time of Rome.

I had this article published recently on 'Military History Now', and wanted to hear the thoughts of the UNRV gang. https://militaryhistorynow.com/2022/11/10/echoes-of-the-thunder-god-how-the-likeness-of-a-forgotten-hittite-deity-found-its-way-into-a-roman-army-fort-in-britain/ In essence, I was at Vindolanda Roman fort, and found there a carving of what struck me as the spitting image of an old Hittite god (the Hittites vanished from history long before Rome was founded). I've tried to draw some plausible lines across the centuries to work out how the Hittite god from the Bronze Age might have made it to rainy 2nd c AD Britannia! Hope you like, and let me know what you think

Fancy a trip through the war-torn late Roman Empire? Fancy doing it via this signed, stamped, numbered and dedicated hardback of LEGIONARY: THE BLOOD ROAD? Then look no further than this week's charity auction, with all proceeds going to Myeloma UK, the blood cancer charity! Please enter bids as comments on the original post: https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohertyAuthor/posts/pfbid02W1KdH9FcaBXshBLkn6k65zEuVAxdyTmKnKXqMdQmD57bcWJ1VudY7D45PKX8Chv7l Good luck 🙂 !

The 4th century AD military handbook "De Rebus Bellicus" ("On the Things of Wars") describes Roman warships powered not by oar or sail, but by ox-driven paddle wheels. These crafts had an advantage of short bursts of speed (with the disadvantage that vast hay and water supplies had to be carried onboard to keep the oxen going) “. . . .𝑜𝑥𝑒𝑛, 𝑦𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑠, 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝; 𝑝𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠, 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠, 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑜𝑎𝑟-𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒, 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. . . .” This is quite an incredible concept. Does anyone have any further info on this in a Roman context?

Thanks for the thoughts, Caldrail and Guy. My two penneth is that it was some common symbol that would unite rather than divide his forces. Guy, you argue quite convincingly that the Chi-Rho might not have been a partisan Xtian symbol at that time (that coin is brilliant!). I wonder if it might have been a more widely-known and respected symbol, such as the sun - the emblem of Mars Neton, Apollo, Sol Invictus, Mithras... and Christ. Handily, a Mithraic sun/star can quite easilt be tweaked to be a Chi-Rho too!