XIIII

Yeah, I figured as much. I enjoy Dando-Collins for what it is, dunno if I will ever use any of his work as reference material, though. LOL

Does Dando-Collins provide any references in this Legionary book, or is it practically historical fiction like his other books? Goldsworthy's Complete Roman Army mentions an Egyptian soldier writing home to notify his family of his new Latin name. Not sure what chapter this was, but I will look for it.

Might very well have been so, but these masks were highly decorative as they were - I cannot really see the need to plug the eyes before hanging the thing on a wall. Then again, it is very difficult to poke around in the heads of people so long lost. Owner may have found the lack of eyes a tad creepy? We'll never know! Awesome piece, though, lucky it survived at all.

I figured it was plugged and used as a wall ornament or some other decorative purpose.

After the second Punic War, Carthage had been severely reduced in power and influence. It certainly was no longer a threat to Rome. This vindictiveness did not make sense to me. Twice was enough, I think, for a good many Romans. Carthage would undoubtedly produce another son or cousin or nephew or some other convaluted relation of Hamilcar or Hannibal who would, of course, take up arms a third time. It was time to nip it in the bud, so to speak.

It is terribly difficult to capture likeness in sculpt. Particularly if the subject has a hand in the process and that subject could have you flayed for recreating his cock-eyedness or hairlip.

Looks like a Roman subduing Chaos.

Video would be much more interesting without the author referring to Christians as retards.

All the lost text that we keep hoping gets found in a well preserved chest, somewhere.

It is hard to say, in general, slaves were in one condition or another. I believe this rings true in most slave owning societies: Some slave owners treated their slaves like family, others abused, tortured, and killed them.

The True Cross itself was found in the same manner, suspiciously or miraculously depending on your point of view. According to Gibbons, even Christian contemporaries during the Crusades joked that there were enough "True Cross" fragments being peddled to build Noah's ark.

I asked this question many years ago and the conclusion was that our "Roman soldier" in the fable is in fact probably one of Herod's men and almost certainly not a legionary, much less a Roman.