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sonic

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Posts posted by sonic

  5. Late Roman officer found, chained to a plough

    in Archaeological News: Rome

    Posted

    There are a couple of problems here.

     

    One is that the find is dated to the 'end of the fifth century'.  The area of Noricum/Pannonia was probably 'ruled' by Odovacer at this time, so it will be interesting to see what specific finds indicate a 'Roman' officer, rather than either a mercenary or someone equipped with looted gear.

     

    Second, if the grave goods include material with a 'Byzantine feel', does this mean that the man was a 'Byzantine' officer?

     

    So many questions and so long to wait for the publication of the findings.

  6. Ancient Archers Reassessed

    in Gloria Exercitus - 'Glory of the Army'

    Posted

    Obviously (!), I agree with Barca and Bryaxis.  It isn't simply a matter of getting a bow and firing it:  training, methodology, type of bow, type of arrow, whether the target was armoured or unarmoured, shielded or unshielded, trained or untrained, etc. etc.

     

    The 'volume' method which appears to have been used by the Sasanids required little training and relied on sheer numbers of arrows fired to cause casualties.  In contrast, the Huns relied more on superior skill to select and hit individual targets - hence their reputation:  a few specialist archers could cause large numbers of casualties amongst unarmoured and untrained troops.

    • Like 1

  11. Treason

    in Romana Humanitas

    Posted

    According to Sidonius (Ep. 1.7.5), in 468 Arvandus, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul, sent a letter to Euric telling him not to make peace with the emperor Anthemius, and stating that Gaul should be divided between the Visigoths and Burgundians.    He was found guilty of treason and was sentenced to death. His friends petitioned the emperor and his sentence was commuted to exile (Cass. Chron. s.a. 469:  Paul. Diac. Hist. Rom. 15.2). 

    • Like 1

  16. Ten moments that shook the Roman world

    in Imperium Romanorum

    Posted

    I think that's quite a good list.  I would question whether the invasion of "December 31, 406 AD" was "A huge mixed force of Alans, Vandals, and Sueves", but apart from that it's quite good.  It's actually difficult to think of additions off the top of my head.

     

     

     

      Doesn't focus on imperial indifference and Cynicism ... of an increasingly useless and backwards government. This list assumes that an orthodox, centralized military state under direct imperial control getting overwhelmed was the cause of the collapse ... because it couldn't assert enough force in all places.

     

    'Indifference' is probably the wrong word:  'arrogance' would be more apt.  The Romans couldn't believe that their Empire would end, any more than the British before WW2.  Further, they couldn't 'levy it for free'.  The social conditions had changed drastically between the Republican and the Late Imperial times. 

  17. Scottish Independence

    in Historia in Universum

    Posted

    "Few up here have any faith in Westminster though I believe that holds true for parts of England too.

    The lack of action shown to SW England earlier this year only adds fuel to the fire."

    Large parts of England think that Westminster is a waste of taxpayers money, as it's filled with upper-class twits who all look and sound the same and have no idea about how the vast majority of the country lives.  This can be summed up by an advert I once saw advertising a new shop for a company "Oop Norf" (their spelling).  In Birmingham.  To all non-British readers, Birmingham is in the Midlands and is nowhere near the 'Norf'.

    • Like 1

  20. How Roman was Dumnonia

    in Postilla Historia Romanorum

    Posted

    The collapse of the western empire did not involve amnesia. Barbarian or not, the cultural identity of the Romans survived intact. Some tribes kept roman titles and offices even though their true context had long since vanished. Further, the spread of the post Roman church, especially with regard to the rivalry with irish christianity, maintained links with the Roman past.

    The question is, did this affect the whole of Dumnonia in the south west, or just the elite?  Or just the poor?

  22. How Roman was Dumnonia

    in Postilla Historia Romanorum

    Posted

    From the little I can remember (my studies specifically on late Roman Britain were a long time ago!) the south-western extremities of England were never really settled by 'Romans' and so were not heavily influenced by Romans and probably failed to adopt any Roman traditions.  I think it possible that in the last 20 years or so archaeology has found evidence to modify this view, but if so I am unaware of it.  Any takers?

    • Like 1
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