[What's Your Favorite...]

Alesia and Aquae Sextiae also

[Emperor Vespasian]

I really like the portrait sculptures I've seen of Vespasian too, part of that "for the people" thing. He always looks pretty rugged, like a flea bitten old warrior.

[Members Age Range]

yeah sorry bout that Sparticus - sitting on my b- Roman Wargamer - can you confirm for me ?

[Members Age Range]

Hi Spartacus - was that the Battle of Crecy you refer to with British longbow power ending the dominance of French heavy cavalry ?

[Would You]

Hi Marcus Regulus - it's definatley a friendly vote, but aint it funny how heated these same factional disputes still get after so long ? Populares Vs Optimates, Left Vs Right, democracy Vs Monarchy etc etc.

 

Hi Primus Pilus - is it safe to say that if you had been a plebian, say a merchant or slave trader, you'd have sided with the populares ?

[Forum User Names]

I chose Germanicus, because he was extreemly popular with the people........not really like me, but maybe one day (Of course I'm talking the original Germanicus, not his psychotic son)

[Movies Best Quotes]

Did somebody step on a duck ?

[Would You]

So you are saying Augustus Caesar was not "Popular" with the masses ? Sure he played both sides like a master. But he was only the heir of the most famous popularis of all time after all. At least the Caesareans actually succeeded in something other than just holding up much needed reforms with small minded delaying tactics in the senate !(which didn't work in the long run anyway). I suppose you believe in the devine right of kings too ? Now I'm tagging you back in the ring Clodius !

[Would You]

I'm kind of against these kind of comments in a string like this

 

Got to go with what works

 

 

It boils my blood and makes me want to launch a scathing counterstrike, but I can't as this is not the string for it.

 

oh well, I guess Marcus Regulus got in first with his two cents.

[Would You]

I would be a radical Popularis too Clodius.

[Roman Drug Use]

Thanks PP!

[Roman Drug Use]

Thanks all, will have to go back to Pliny the Elder. Now that you mention it, I do remember something about Marcus, maybe that was the real reason behind his Parthian campaign - the spoils included 50 talents of raw opium !

[How Did Romans Used Architecture In Empire Buildin]

Briefly, Roman architecture sprung up wherever the empire went. I suppose architecture helped remind the vanquished of who was in charge, and what they were capable of technologicaly. Until roman invasion, those barbarian nations invaded would probably never have seen buildings constructed entirely of stone, nor buildings on such a scale. I would say that architecture was part of the process of Romanisation of provinces already conquered, but you can't really say that it "built" the empire. It helped to stabalise an Empire already in exsistance through military might.

[Expanding The Empire]

For the earlier wars I would say that the money would have come from the Senate treasury, and would have been handed to the person (in most cases consul) who had been given command in the campaign, so that he could then go about arranging the logistics of the campaign, levying troops, organising supplies and equipment. I believe the General didn't do all that in person however, but had a subordinate Tribune who was specifically charged with overseeing logistics. But can't remember what this position was called.

 

This setup didn't change during the republic, although generals started paying bonuses and monies from their own purse to the troops, to get loyalty directly for themselves, above and beyond SPQR. Senators with command could propose bills in the senate for more money and more troops if the initial amount ended up being insufficient, they would also have to do this if the campaign took longer than expected, and they required more time or an extension of their imperium.

 

Later, Imperial campaigns I am less sure of - As the Emperor had permenant imperium. I suspect the Dacian campaign would still have had senate backing even though that backing was less important than before.

[Roman Drug Use]

Can someone point me in the right direction on this ? Am I correct in assuming that alchohol was the drug mostly used for both medicinal purposes and recreational ones ? What about Opium ? One would think the Romans may have come into contact with it, and marijuana through the Parthian campaigns. I'm interested to know if they used these in medicine or for recreation, if at all ?

[Testudo Formation]

Thanks Skenderbeg - that was a great picture of it too !

[Expanding The Empire]

Romes initial conquests seem almost forced upon her. By this I mean that the "idea" for invasion of the Italian allies like the Etruscans was as a result of the latins being in conflict with them already, it was "Invade or be invaded" There was a similar situation with Carthage, Romes hand finaly being forced by Hannibal. I am unsure on the reasons or basis for invading Macedonia and the Greek states, but later invasions like Gaul seem to stem directly from individuals desire for new clients, money, income and power. Germania was considered I believe because of the earlier Germanic invasions which had been turned back/defeated by Marius and Sulla. To Romans the Germans were seen as a constant threat, hordes of gigantic barbarians that could sweep through Italia at any time. Caesars official reason for Gallic invasion was that he was helping Gallic allied tribes repel other tribes not aligned with Rome, so when invasions were sanctioned by the senate, it was usually for a reason, but not always one based in fact, as I belive Caesars real motivation was money, power and popularity.

[Homosexuals In Rome Society]

Caesar was certainly not happy with being accused of homosexual liaisons. There was an instance during his Gallic triumph where his soldiers sang a song that alluded to his rumoured afair with Nicomedes of Bythnia, he wasn't happy and had the centurions put an end to it. I think attitudes must have actually grown increasingly tolerant of bisexuality once individual Emeperors like Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius made a point of embracing all things Greek, for Hadrian this included Antonius' role as his passive lover. I believe the latin "fellator" referred to the person playing the passive riole in a homosexual oral encounter and was considered a gross insult. As you say Ursus - much better if a Roman to be the receiver in that situation !

[Concientious Objection]

Like most elements of Roman society, I think military service would have been relatively easy to get out of if you were rich. Pay the right office holder enough and you'd drop off the rolls. As for the pleb soldiers used after Marius, no idea how they would get out of it aside from running away (resulting ultimately in their deaths for cowardice) or suicide to save face, or perhaps another way would have been to sell yourself into slavery ? Slaves couldn't be in the legions could they ? You might have a crap life, but at least you wouldn't be in the Legions (maybe just the arena ).

[Testudo Formation]

Does anyone know if there were variations on the Testudo ? By that I mean - were the soldiers ever able to go into the formation, but with their pilum pointing outward either between or above their sheilds ? In that way they may have been able to withstand the first shock of a cavalry charge, locked together with the horses charging onto their outward pointing spears ?

 

I suppose the formation wouldn't hold though for the same reason as skenderbeg mentions - a horse falling prone on one mans sheild would wreck the whole thing.

[Advances In Medicine]

psyco class.....cool

[Rome's Defiers And Enemies. Who Was Your Number 1?]

Thanks for that correction P. Clodius - what were they ? 18th, 19th and ?

[Rome's Defiers And Enemies. Who Was Your Number 1?]

Arminius was my favourite, probably just because he's the one I know most about. Wiping out two legions in one ambush - that he himself set up. Winning the trust of Varus, so much so that dumb Varus was willing to lead his legions in a massive line 5 abreast through hadly pacified Germanian forest. I would have fallen on my sword too !

[What If Juilus Caesar Never Was Alive]

None of us are experts Sebastianus, thats the beauty of the forum. I often try to think of another individual who has echoed down through the ages as much as Caesar. Alexander certainly, then Caesar, but is it purely romanticism that prevents me from adding Napoleon to the list ? I don't think so. We have Caesars commentaries, and many other accounts of his exploits both political and military that lend weight to his legend. Along with the point that you make - that so many other rulers have been called by his name, none other seemed sufficient at the time I guess..........uh oh, I seem to have come down with a case of Divius Julius I suppose this is the topic to do it in ??

[Cleopatra Seduced The Romans]

She was undoubtedly a very astute person. it was simply a timing issue that the man she ultimately had to deal with was Octavian - who recognised her for what she was - extreemly intelligent, and therefore dangerous.