Bryaxis Hecatee
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Posts posted by Bryaxis Hecatee
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@DecimusCaesar : indeed it is the Berkasova helmet. The second complete helmet is from the same place too.
@Klingan : yes it was a copy, as were the giant Constantius head and arm/hand from Maxentius' basilica. In fact they were quite some copies among the statues, but they were also originals
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Unfortunately taking picture was not allowed and the lighting was poor, yet I was able to take some pics of three very famous 4th century helmets that were on display :
http://picasaweb.google.be/bryaxis/TrierAo...squesMilitaires
You can also find other pictures ( non military related ) of the exibition at :
http://picasaweb.google.be/bryaxis/TrierAo...nstantinLeGrand
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Well from the top of my head at 5 in the morning here come some answers :
- Roman attitude toward divorce evolved during the roman periods, with times when it was more frowned upon ( in Augustus' time for example divorce was less tolerated that during Caesar's lifetime, due to natalist and moral concern originated in the Palace's propaganda ). And I'd say that before the first century BC divorcing was not a very good thing especially for the wife which is most often blammed of something. Even earlier was divorce forbidden as is kept in some forms of marriage.
- Greek women were held more often home and seems to have had much less freedom than their roman counterpart, especially if we consider Periclean Athens and Caesar's Rome. But saying that is missing the fact that a country girl had much more freedom than a city girl, and a lower class girl had more than a noble born one. Indeed we forget too often that what we see through our sources is more often than not a high born class view of the world with the rules ( written or not ) that apply to this small elite.
- As far as I know divorce was not common but we see through hellenistic papyrus that some formulations used for marriages contracts in Ptolema
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You give a very good example Asclepiades. The controversy that arose in Rome around the statue of Flaminius that the Greeks offered him ( the famous bronze statue we can still see at the Palazzo Massimo in Rome ) because he was represented in the heroic nude as a god is a famous case showing how the Romans saw their generals.
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Well one has to be careful : the roman rulers of Republican time may indeed have been the object of a cult but only outside of Rome, in the Hellenic area. Cult inside of Rome did not arrive until Augustus when the Princeps orchestrated a cult for his father Caesar which he made central to the whole empire. Before then it was left to each city to decide if they wanted to organize a cult to someone, and they did it mainly to stand into the good graces of those leaders and their descendant.
Caesar, while indeed using his divine descent in his propaganda, did not say he was a god himself for other could have made the claim base on similar ancestry...
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You are right on all accounts. I had to do a paper on wine in the ancient world some years ago, I'll try to find it back so I can point you to the best ancient texts on the subject ( I can't give you the paper since it is in french and I presume most of you don't understand my langage ).
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Yes indeed many additives were added to the wine at this time, one of the most common being salt and/or seawater. Indeed it was needed for conservation especially during travel. Thus for the romans every greek wine was salted even if they were not initially.
But the worst I heard about was the use of lime into the hardest wines
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Yes, especially in the Greek world but in the roman world too. In fact drinking unwatered wine was the mark of the barbarians while drinking wine watered was part of the rituals of civilized men in Greece which they exported to the etruscan and the romans. the first comments to that effect are to be found in Herodotus if i remember well, but it is a common subject in ancient litterature.
I'd recommend you to find the book "Athenaeus and his world", there you should find quite a good discussion on banquet and it's rules
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To Marcus L Ralla from P. Laelius Macer salve,
I begin today the operations against the northern camp of the barbarians. I will walk close by and then raid it with my cavalry, drawing them toward my legion which will be in a narrow pass waiting to butcher them, protected by some field defenses. After I'm sure to have raised their interest I'll begin to retreat toward Durocortorum, a five days trip that I should be able to do without suffering too much for I've got enough cavalry to protect my flanks and I know the way well enough tanks to my reconnaissances, which should make me much more faster than our enemies and their slow logistical train. Then I'll shut myself inside the city and I'll wait for your arrival : once you arrive I recommend that you begin to build a circumvelation, that should be rather easy since you have more men then I do. Then we'll be able to repel all their attempts at taking your or my walls, and we'll cut them down without much losses.
Of course I hope that the second barbarian camp will come with their friends but should they not you'll have to make sure you can't be attacked from the back.
Vale
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Well I also posted some pictures from recent trips on a Picassa gallery ( http://picasaweb.google.be/bryaxis ) with lot's of close up of the Constantine's Arch, Titus' Arch, Severus' Arch, Forum Romanum, Palatine Hill, Carolingian Basilica on Nerva's forum, Augustus Mausolee and Ara Pacis, and I'm currently uploading the Largo Argentina area, Trajan's forum and market, and also lot's of sculptures and pieces from various museums, taken in April 2007. Trier will follow ( both my April 2006 and March 2007 trips ) as will Arlon's roman museum ( March 2007 ). Then I'll scan the Egypt summer 2005 pictures ( but that'll be for another day ). Some pictures of Brussels are also online.
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To our divine Emperor, Salve
News has reached me that the preparations of the city of Durocortorum are now complete. The city's walls have been finished, new towers added, a wooden wall built in front of it, preceded by a ditch, a vallum on top of witch is a palisade, a second ditch and lillies for some one hundred feet in front of this outermost ditch. Only four access have been kept in front of the doors.
All the men and women who had long hairs donated them to our artillery corp which has put ballistae on every tower and they have also built around 50 lighter, smaller ballistae to be used from inside the towers or even directly upon the walls. Around one thousand bows have also been prepared along with thousands of projectiles. A whole forest has been cut, the wood stored inside the stone walls or used on the new works. We have food inside for two month, three if we reduce the rations. Wicker shields and new weapons have also been stored and the citizens are currently training in the use of the bows while the legion trains every day. The city should thus be safe from anything but a Parthian or roman army !
On my side of the operation I have now mapped the whole area between the barbarians and Durocortorum and have found the best way through which to dram them to our defenses while making some ambushes along the way to blood my men and thus make them better without the benefit of the training my legion at Durocortorum has had. The legion I got with me is still pretty much green but they are most competent at building camps for they have built some dozens since they were recruited.
My cavalry is a precious tool with which I've been able to make some raids on barbarian parties looking for food, and my men showed great valor during those engagements. Those 300 men shall all have to be recompensed when this war will be over.
This, my Emperor, conclude my report on the situation here in the North.
I hope not to have disappointed you in any way.
Vale
P. Laelius Macer
Legatus Divi Augusti
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I do intend to, even if I'm not sure of the subject yet, for I'll have finished my graduation paper by the 16th of Augustus ( better be otherwise I don't get my diploma this year... ) and will thus have some time. Maybe I'll do a synthesis on the province of Belgium ?
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No need to use such violence my dear Ralla, no need at all, at least not yet. I'd like better to increase support by loyal Gauls as much as possible, to show that we are the civilized ones and those on the border the barbarians. Since your forces are still so far from the battlefield I'll use the time to better scoot the land and I'll play the bait with one of my legions and my cavalry in order to draw them toward Durocortorum where my second legion awaits while improving the fortification and where huge stocks of food and all my artillery are kept. They will think that only my bait legion is in the town and they'll besiege me, giving you some time to come behind them at which time I'll do a sortie. Also the siege will discourage some of them who'll get home all by themselves.
But this plan means you'll have to act soon enough for even with food aplenty and good fortifications my men will not be enough to hold the city against those barbarians among whom might still be some veterans of the wars against Caeser who might remember a bit about siegecraft.
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My first legion has now regrouped and moved out of Lutecia with the cavalery ala while half of my second legion is in Durocortorum, the rest not 5 days away.
Also an ambassy of 15 nobles from the Parisii is gone to the northern camp of the barbarians to try to cause enough fear in them so that as much barbarian as possible gets home. They'll also try to charm them with the virtues of the Empire. In any case they will be good sources of information on both the land ahead and the barbarians themselves.
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Sagalassos is almost a new Pompey since it was too far from the closest town to serve as a quarry and since it was destroyed in an earthquake which left everything in place. I've been to a conference by Waelkens two years ago and his discoveries were rather exiting even then as were his anastylose projects. The documentary on the town, with a lot of 3D reconstructions ( some availlable on the web ) was also rather good. A pity those archeologists are Flemish
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I Annee Epigraphique review or something similar
Do you know if there is anything online as yet. I have got to trawl through stuff at random at the moment looking for stuff relating to land ownership. Has any kind soul made the sorting of the CIL their life's work yet
The lazy and opitimistic grad student strikes again
Unfortunately you won't find anything really good on the Internet, even in books inscriptions are rarely translated. Best you ca hope is that some anglo saxon scholar wrote a book on "the ownership of land set in stone" or something like that, but I know of none. Books by Salmon might hold some clue in their bibliography but I would'nt be 100% affirmative.
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From P. Laelius Macer came another letter four days after the Emperor had sent his latest dispatch.
"To our Princeps, Pater Patriae, Salve.
I thank you for the weapons. May I ask that they be loaded on ships at Ostia and sent to Massalia from where they should be sent to Lugdunum on the river Rhone ? I'll leave Mediolanum in two days with 5 raw cohorts, half a legion, and go to Lutecia in order to collect the cavalry I've ordered and begin some reconnaissance with them. I've named three legates who will leave Mediolanum two days after they got their own 5 cohorts ( for some time is to be allowed to settle the men into the units and make sure they know how to pack for the travel ), to go to Lutecia too. Indeed I think getting on site and gather information by myself is more important a task than look at my veteran friends training some raw recruits or putting older men back in form. I know those men well and thrust them to be able to train the men as well as is needed and possible under the current conditions. It won't be Marius' legions at Vercellae but I garentee you that it'll be the best army to be had under the circumstances.
As ordered I'll make sure a system is set up to keep you advised of any progress.
Vale
P. Laelius Macer
Legatus Divi Augusti
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Well the parade face masks theory is still disputed since some of those face masks were found in the Teutebord Wald on the place were Varus' forces fell. Thus they could have even been used in battle, partly to protect and partly to make enemies afraid.
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A messenger comes riding to the imperial residence, carrying a message marked with the seal of P. Laelius Macer :
"To our Princeps, Pater Patriae, Salve.
I am currently in Mediolanum where the recruits are coming to form our units but as you now this takes some time for many lives two or three days from the town and the news had to reach them, they had to prepare and then come. I currently have some 3 cohorts mobilized.
Since time is of essence I decided to send some messengers in Gaul with orders for the nobles of Lutecia and Durocortorum, ordering them to prepare food so that I can leave Italy with the assurance that I'll have food waiting for me when I arrive on the terrain of operation and that Durocortorum will be able to withstand a siege. To that city I also sent a veteran centurion and an experimented engineer with orders to prepare a local militia and to strenghten the defenses of the city, should I need to fall back.
Also I've seen that many of my men lack scutum or even lorica hamata ( not speaking of the new lorica segmentata ). Since I could not wait for enough armor to be produced I gave orders to those two cities to produce as much armors and weapons as they can and I'll take the artillery of the southern Gaul garrisons when I'll go through these areas, saving me some more time in order to intervene more quickly in the north.
I read your Divine Father's books on his wars in the area and I could not notice how important is the use of cavalry for the enemy has a good one and will have an even better one if German mercenaries are brought in by our foes. Thus I ordered the levy of a full ala of allied cavalry from the Lutecia area, which I hope to find completely formed when I'll get in the town, some 3 or 4 weeks from now depending on the day I leave Mediolanum. Those horsemen will serve as scouts for me and will be a powerful tool should the enemy have it's own cavalry.
I don't want to rush my men too much for two reasons : even if I do have quite some veterans, even 3 who were soldiers under Q. Cicero during the siege of his camp by the Eburons during the campaigns of your Divine Father, many recrue are raw and must be taught how to carry a sword. And of course how to build a night camp or a proper camp, which are important crafts as shown by your Divine Father's campaign. Also I don't want those men exausted when we arrive because poor soldiers coming dead tired on the battlefield is a sure way to come to death and I'm sure you don't want a new Arausio or Cannae. Yet rest assured I'll proceed with all due speed.
Respectfully,
P. Laelius Macer
Legatus Divi Augusti
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You honor me, Augustus, and I shall do my utmost best to satisfy you. My forces will muster at Mediolanum and will consist of Legio IV Minerva and V Pia Fidelis. I shall ask my friends of the Xth to reengage for a single campaign in order to stiffen the ranks with veterans, I should be able to have at least 10 centurions and some 200 soldiers of lesser ranks which I know personally to mingle with the 12000 men you gave me. I shall act with the utmost speed yet will need at least two weeks before I can move from Mediolanum toward Gallia Transalpina where i'll go to Nemausus. There my men will rest two days, if intensive training can be called rest. Then we'll move toward Lutecia, the city Labienus took after such a memorable battle. It shall be my rear logistical base for the campaign for it is well deserved by rivers and roads and has good defenses should I need to fall back on a strong point.
After three days there I shall move personally to the north with the IVth while an embassy will be sent. In order to make it look more real I shall have some Parisii nobles lead it, Gauls knowing the value of the peace of the Empire to Gauls who do not yet, along with an escort. During this time the Fifth will move toward Durocortorum, the capital town of the Remi who helped your Divine Father years ago. The legion will see to it's defense, improving the fortifications.
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The best read I had on the subject was Mariusz Mielczarek's book "Cataphracti and clibanarii: studies on the heavy armoured cavalry of the ancient world " (1993) : it does study the question in details providing interesting comparison with various kind of heavy cavalry up to the polish heavy cavalry of the modern times. He shows that the Sarmatian heavy cavalry played an important role in the development of roman heavy cavalry and shows that their armor was probably a scail mail armor made not of metal but of horse hooves material, light and solid.
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May the Gods bring you the best solution for the safety of our Empire, Augustus. I for one shall make an offering to Minerva tonight as well as to Roma, Fortuna and your ancestors Divi Julius, Mars and Venus.
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Klingan is not wrong to suggest action to you, Augustus, yet action must be organized, directed, with but a purpose and a method. That is the main skill of a leader, that and the skill to insufle the sense of purpose to those around him of course.
And I'm sure that while you are here looking for the best leaders you have also taken actions so that some of your subordinates begin to raise soldiers and equip them...
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I thank you, Augustus, for your kind words. And I shall now retire as you instructed me, to read some of your Divine Father's writings on the Gauls of the North and the Germans, as well as some of Poseidonios writting on those warriors. Maybe a cup of wine could be brought for my thirst along with the proper volumen ?
Imaginary Battle
in Hora Postilla Thermae
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At the head of his cavalry Macer charge outside of the doors which he has had opened for his men had seen the attack from the top of their towers. Behind the cavalry came a full legion, the other one being kept as reserve inside the walls while the trained civilian militia was on top of the walls. The objective was to strike from one direction and then when the barbarian would all look in one single direction to open the two lateral gates and attack with half a legion on each side, cutting the retreat of the Gauls that would be taken between the walls, Ralla's armies and the two half legions of Macer.
Cavalry would open the way for the legion to deploy a bit past the dangerous defenses that littered the ground in front of the walls and would then keep the way to the gate open so that the legion could retreat if needed.
Once more the formidable organization of the Roman army showed itself in the way the units deployed themselves in a most orderly way, falling on the back of the barbarian. A signal was then sent to the town and the two lateral doors of the city opened, ranks after ranks of soldiers getting out. The first barbarians are beginning to loose confidence but still they keep their ground, but not for long.
From a tower flag signals tells Macer that the enemies rank are thinning somewhere to the right of his position. Taking half his cavalry and a century of foot soldiers with him he plunges into the action, sword drawn, in order to cut the enemies in two pockets and link with Ralla's men.
As he press the enemy a powerful warrior targets him. His horse is downed by a powerful blow on the front left leg and Macer falls on the ground. He has almost not enough time to get back on his feet before the warrior tries to strike him. From his look, long hairs and mustache and golden torks around his neck and arms as well as his chain mail armor and his helmet the man is clearly a leader of the band. Holding a large and broad sword he attempt to land a killing blow on Macer's helmet but another combatant falls upon him at this time, disturbing his aim. Getting his sword back in hand Macer face his assailant, seeing that the man is a powerful warrior of some 40 years, in very good condition and with experience if his scars on the right cheek is any indication.
Macer knows that with his shorter blade he has to get closer to the giant Gaul. They both own no shield, they only have their armors and swords. After a faint Macer goes straight to his enemy's neck, trying to slice him where he is unprotected. Unable to use his sword to defend himself at such a close range the barbarian moves to his left, a bad move for the point of Macer's sword catch him in the middle of the throat, killing him. Looking around Macer then gets the shield of a fallen legionary and rallies his men to press the attack on. Then he sees other legionaries with another shield design, Ralla's men : the Gauls are now separated in two pockets.
Ordering his men to hold this link between the two armies Macer then gets back to the rest of his cavalry where he is given a fresh mount and orders reinforcements for the men he just left. Signals from the tower tells him that the men on the flanks of the town are now in place and that the battle is going according to the plan...
( sorry for the delay I had to prepare my graduation and then I had to feast my diploma for I am now officially a diplomaed historian of the ancient world )