backfire22

The Third Servile and the story of Spartacus is well documented but the preceding two servile wars are, unfortunenetly not. Any information or resources available on the First and Second Servile Wars would be greatly appreciated.

The Varangian gaurd was formed primarily of Russian peoples

Certainly during the Hellenistic era the Greeks that settled in areas like Bactria and other areas beyond the Oxus must have come into contact with the Hindu religion of the Indians or at least at some understanding of their Vedic mythology. Did the knowledge of this relgion diffuse accross Asia to reach Rome? Did it influence the Bactrians or the Seleucids at all? What about Buddhism, I had heard that one of the Greco-Bactrian rulers had convereted to Buddhism.

The myth of the founding of Rome by the descendents of Aeneas was meant to invigorate the Roman people with a sense of national pride, martial spirit, and to link Rome with the ancient Olympian gods. There was no truth to it although its possible that some Greek colonists that settled in the south of Italy migrated into Rome during its founding.

Its probable that the historical basis for "King Arthur" came from the the dux Lucius Artorius Castus in Britain and from Ambrosius Aurelianus during the Saxon invasions. A composite character invented by the Caledonians (who Lucius Artorius would have been fighting) combined with local Celtic legends and then topped off with a Early Middle Ages hero like Ambrosius probably served to create the legendary King Arthur. Too bad I have never been able to compile any very detail and specific information about Ambrosius, Artorius, or the Battle of Mons Badonicus. Maybe even Agricola served to create some of the myth of King Arthur and by the way what was the Caledonian/Scottish influence on Arthurian myth anyways? Something to investigate a little more maybe.

Mons Badonicus and Ambrosius Auerlianus...anyone have any specific details? Saxon and Romano-British troop positions? Casualties? Personality of Ambrosius and his family history? If any of this information is available to anyone I would love to see their primary source info.

Maximin Thrax, a usurper and traitor who killed a legitimate and respectable Emperor (Alexander Severus). The story of the first barbarian emperor is compelling and if at all possible I would like to compile more information on his Dacian expeditions and his siege of Aquelia

I had heard that there was evidence of another Artorii in Britain named Marcus Artorius Nuncius but I cannot recall the media that I obtained this information from.

Parthian decentralization of government allowed the continutation of soveriegn governance despite the capture of the Parthian capital at Cstephon by Trajan and Lucius Varus. Also the natural borders of the Empire were long established at the banks of the Rhine, Danube, and Euphrates and there was not much effort to expand those borders after Trajans campaigns (Julian the Apostate and his war against Shapur being the major exception although they were the Sassinids by that time). The Parthians also did not do much to disrupt trade from the Far East and therefore although they limited Roman expansion they did not seriously try to conquer Romans lands. Finally the Roman-Parthian standoff was mutual in that the Parthians could probably not hope to inflict any serious damage to the Roman Empire and when properly equipped, ambitious, and led the Roman Legions where capable of defeating the Parthians.

The tetrarchy was a positive political reform however it did not come with the neccessary reforms in the military. Upon Constantius Chlorus' death his ambitious son saw the opportunity to usurp the tetrarchy and fell into the temptation of establishing his own hereditary dynasty. Had the reforms of Diocletion included limiting the authority of the military commanders the tetrarchy may not have been corrupted by the military ambitions of Constantine and his peers.

A very curious subject that I always have had much interest in was the attitude of foreign states of the Western Roman Empire following the abdication of Romulus and the conquest of Italy by Odoacer. Imagine an institution that has been around for centuries and then within a very short span of time it simply ceases to exist. How would a foreign polity react to that and what was the general political climate following the "collapse" of the Western Roman Empire. From what I have always understood was that the barbarian conquerors (Visigoths, Franks, etc.) never really considered the Roman Empire in Europe to have "collapsed" at all that it was still in existance in some form. I'm certain there has to be some historical account of this type information but let us DISCUSS

its actually a picture of Thomas PM Barnett one of the foremost thinkers on national strategy, globalization, foreign policy, and international relations. visit his website at www.thomaspmbarnett.com he also has a really great book called "The Pentagons New Map" which I suggest everyone in the country read and another coming out soon called "Blueprint for Action" coming out in September or October cant remember when.

Any information on archaeological discoveries regarding the Ostrogoths or in particular Theodoric the Great...or if anyone just wants to discuss Theordoric.

American archaeologists return to Libya to excavate sites in Cyrene...DISCUSS!

Anyone have information on the Ulpii gens