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Gladius Hispaniensis

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Everything posted by Gladius Hispaniensis

  1. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Regarding the Gladius

    Ave I am quite aware that the famous Gladius Hispaniensis was not in use in the Roman Army until the Second Punic War when the Romans adopted it from the Iberian tribes but what did they use before that? If it isn't too much trouble would someone bother downloading a picture of such a weapon? Thanks in advance.
  2. Ave There seems to be some evidence that some legionaries "expediti", that is, without armour, on campaign. Does anyone know why this was? I wonder if it was just a question of no being able to afford armour or if there were tactical reasons for it. I suspect that the majority of legionaries did wear armour though.
  3. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Need help with my Latin lessons

    Google helps in translating Latin to English but what about vice versa? There are many exercises where translation from English to Latin is required.
  4. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Need help with my Latin lessons

    Ave I just purchased and am working on Wheelock's 6th edition. Translating English to Latin is a lot harder than vice versa. For some reason the answers to exercise questions are not given. I am trying to translate the following sentence: You ought not to praise me I am translating this as Non debit me laudar. Is this correct?
  5. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Need help with my Latin lessons

    Wow. Thanks Maty. You have no idea how much that will help.
  6. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Need help with my Latin lessons

    It's just one of the sentences in Wheelock's exercise section.
  7. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Need help with my Latin lessons

    What's throwing me off is the 'poena'. I understand it to mean 'penalty' or 'punishment'. I give up. You tell me Ludovicus.
  8. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Need help with my Latin lessons

    Here's one that's really pissing me off: Non poterant, igitur, te de poena amicorum tuorum heri monere. Any suggestions?
  9. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Need help with my Latin lessons

    Thanks a lot. I wish we could make this a sticky.
  10. Gladius Hispaniensis

    A question about the census of Quirinius

    Ave There is a well known conflict between the dating of the census conducted by the procurator Quriinius in the writings of Josephus and the author of the Gospel of Luke. While Josephus dates the census as 6 C.E the latter would have it in the reign of Herod the Great, which would mean no later than 4 B.C.E. Luke's narrative has come under some criticism in the past but lately I came across one apologetic version: that the relevant passage is just a mistranslation. The original Greek rendition: αὕτη ἀπογραφὴ πρώτη ἐγένετο ἡγεμονεύοντος τῆς Συρίας Κυρηνίου which can be translated thus: "Done first survey when he was ruler of Syria Cyrene". The apologist in question has the viewpoint that what is being referred to here is the city of Cyrene not Quirinius the procurator and the "he" refers to Augustus himself. In other words it refers to the previous census taken by Saturninus in 8 B.C.E during the reign of Augustus when the latter was ruler of Syria Cyrene. This obviously begs the question of why Cyrene the city would be mentioned along with Syria in the first place, but I would love to get some input on this apologia from fellow forum members. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
  11. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Top ten Roman Atrocities?

    Wow, I'll take that with a dose of sodium chloride but I'll still look into it with an open mind.
  12. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Top ten Roman Atrocities?

    Best I can tell from Plutarch, Cato the Elder was concerned that the geographic position of Carthage gave it an enduring competitive advantage in maritime trade and made it a permanent military threat to Sicily and the western Mediterranean. Moreover, Carthage was in constant conflict with Numidia, a good Roman ally. I don't think either of these factors required razing the city (nor did most Roman senators either), but it does explain Cato the Elder's beef with Carthage, against whom he had personally fought. Thanks for the info. Any details on Cato's military career against the Carthaginians? What battles etc?
  13. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Top ten Roman Atrocities?

    I agree it is hard to justify the destruction of a beaten, cowed enemy. What was Cato's beef with Carthage anyway? That's one thing I never understood. Was it paranoia as in paranoia of a post-war unified Germany I wonder.
  14. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Top ten Roman Atrocities?

    I completely agree. Of all the Roman atrocities, the one that makes me particularly sick is the idea of leading a defeated king out in a triumph and then having him ritually strangled. A brave warrior like Vercingetorix deserved more chivalry. Maybe if you were in Caesar's shoes you'd think differently. War has no sympathy or compassion my friend. Pompey was in Caesar's shoes more than once. This is one level he never descended to, quite uniquely among his compatriots I might add. The war fought in the North African desert in WW2 between the Allies and the Axis is witness that in war there is room for sympathy, compassion and chivalry - Krieg ohne hass. Otherwise this whole thread would be pointless.
  15. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Changes in the Scutum

    You're right. I wonder about the weight differences between the oval shield and the rectangular versions. Perhaps it was easier to manouver with the oval shields in comparison with other types? I remember reading that the scutum weighed around 20 to 25 pounds but I can't remember where. It may have been Goldsworthy. But I'm not sure which design was being referred to. I imagine there wasn't much difference in weight. Does anyone remember when the earliest dated rectangular scutum was found?
  16. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Email from admin

    Got that one too. I thought I logged on last week anyway it's all good.
  17. Gladius Hispaniensis

    What's the last book you read?

    Currently reading some early Socratic dialogues by Plato.
  18. Gladius Hispaniensis

    What's the last book you read?

    You must be referring to the Cornelius Ryan book. It's a good primer. Some of the information is dated though.
  19. Gladius Hispaniensis

    What's the last book you read?

    Currently reading Jane Austen's 'Northanger Abbey'
  20. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Who was King Porus?

    I believe his actual name was Paurava. There is a Paurava dynasty mentioned also in the famous epic the Mahabharata. One thing that has never been clear to me is if this particular king ruled the entire Indo-Gangetic plain or if he was just one of the local rulers there.
  21. Gladius Hispaniensis

    What's the last book you read?

    I'm currently reading a fascinating book called 'Infidels' by Andrew Wheatcroft. It examines the centuries old conflict between Islam and Christendom.
  22. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Top ten Roman Atrocities?

    I completely agree. Of all the Roman atrocities, the one that makes me particularly sick is the idea of leading a defeated king out in a triumph and then having him ritually strangled. A brave warrior like Vercingetorix deserved more chivalry.
  23. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Learning the Latin language

    Here's another online course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if4XZVFTK5A Found it pretty useful actually
  24. Gladius Hispaniensis

    What's the last book you read?

    I just finished reading "Lost History - The Enduring Legacy Of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers, and Artists" by Michael Hamilton Morgan
  25. Gladius Hispaniensis

    Dorian and Ionian colonies in Italia

    Salve I am curious to learn about the ethnic extraction of the various Greek colonies in Sicily and the Italian peninsula. I do know that Tarentum was settled by Doric colonisers who had named it Taras and I believe the same goes for Syracuse. Can anyone fill in the gaps here? Which cities were Doric and which Ionic? Thanks in advance
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