Tobias

I've been reading a book on Julius Caesar, and a number of times i came across references to "Aquiae Sextiae". Caesar and his commanders occassionally debated in a section of the book (during his Gallic Campaign), on finding suitable ground for an "Aquiae Sextiae" against the gauls. After a little research, i found that Gaius Marius defeated a huge army on a battlefield bearing the same name. I wonder if anyone could give me anymore in-depth details about the battle. As well, have there have been many other examples of an "Aquiae Sextiae" throughout Rome's histroy by other Roman Generals? If so, what?

One example of special forces in Rome would be the Lictor. The lictor was a member of a special class of Roman civil servant, with special tasks of attending magistrates of the Roman Republic and Empire who held imperium. The lictor's main task was to attend as bodyguards to magistrates who held imperium: consuls, praetors, dictators and curule aediles; the dictator's deputy, the magister equitum ("Master of the Horse") was also escorted by six lictors. Men with proconsular or prepraetorian imperium were also entitled to lictors. They carried rods decorated with fasces and, outside the pomerium, with axes that symbolized the power to execute. They followed the magistrate wherever he went, including the Forum, his house, temples and the baths. If there was a crowd, the lictors opened the way and kept their master safe. They also had to stand beside the magistrate whenever he addressed the crowd. Magistrates could only dispense their lictors if they were visiting a free city or addressing a higher status magistrate. Lictors also had legal and penal duties: they could at their master's command arrest Roman citizens and punish them. Although they were not special forces in essence of elite soldiers, there were certainly a special class of citizen. As well, this may be a little past the time you're looking for, but in the time of the Later Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, the Varangian Guard were elite Russian Forces employed to protect the Emperor.

I'm a byzantine buff myself. I always have found the Byzantine Empire far more interesting because everyone has heard of the Ancient Roman empire but everyone always thinks that the Roman empire ended with the fall of the west. I'm firmly convinced that the Byzantine Empire was a genuine Later Roman Empire, and i love finding as much out about it as possible. i don't mind a bit of Boethius either

I believe that may be the case. From 1042 to 1068 a succession of weak rulers ran down the army. To save money, active units on the eastern border were disbanded, while inactive units closer to Constantinople (and hence more of a threat politically) were maintained.

I agree, if i were a ruler of a small state near for example Charlemagne's or Frederick Barbarossa's Empires, i would not be questioning the legitimacy of their claims.

As far as defning the Roman and Byzantine Empire is concerned, i have a website which might give people something to think about. It puts forward an argument along the lines you've already stated, and it supplies maps with it. Have a look at this site: http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~sctwiseh/Roman/R...omanEmpire.html, it really puts a good argument forward.

When Basil Bulgaroktonos was the Emperor, he forged an alliance with Varangian Tsar Vladimir of Kiev, and this man, as well as converting his nation to Christianity, supplied the Byzantine Empire with 6000 Varangians, who were eventually organised into the Varangian Guard. The Varangians were known in Byzantium as the pelekephoroi, or Axe-bearers, from their customary weapon, the two-handed axe. The only contemporary representation of Varangians in action, in a copy of the Chronicle of John Skylitzes, which show the Varangians in armour of Byzantine style. Byzantium was the mightiest, richest and most sophisticated civilization in Christendom. It seems unlikely that a Byzantine Emperor would knowingly endanger his own safety and that of his Empire, by allowing his personal bodyguards to be vulnerable to the first weapon that came their way. I think we can assume that whatever their social origins as individuals, as members of the Varangian Guards they would have been well equipped, with Byzantine armour from the Imperial arsenal.

Hello, the name's Tobias. I'm not too much of a scholar either, but the long history of the Roman Empires have always fascinated me, and i love to discuss it with more knowing people. It's an honour to be a member, thank you for your tolerance

I would also argue that being "Roman" is more of an ideal than a culture. Up to the 20th century many Greeks in former Byzantine territory still called themselves "Rhomaioi", or Romans. But it is a bit off topic, i was just adding a little bit lol.

I voted for Julius Caesar because he subdued the Gauls in the most complete fashion, and for his brilliant achievements at Alesia and Zela, but I think Trajan, the "Optimus Princeps", could do with a bit more recognition, as he was the Emperor who extended the Empire to it's maximum, and his victories over the Dacians and the Parthians were quite impressive.

I apologise for calling the Ottomans "barbarians", i was not thinking when i wrote that. On the subject of a reborn Roman nation in Greece, i believe it would probably never be real without Istanbul (Constantinople), and i'm sure Turkey won't be giving it up anytime soon. It'd be really nice to see a nation in the modern world that called itself a Roman successor nation, however. Could someone help me with something? Did the Byzantines have any cannon themselves when they were defending against the Ottomans?

Hello I realise i've probably joined in this forum a bit late, but i'm really interested in the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire, and i know a few things about it. Constantinople played an essential part in preserving much of the knowledge gained by the Romans during the Dark and Middle Ages because it never fell to barbarians until 1453, and by then Europe was ready for the Renaissance. Indeed, the exodus of the Byzantine elite to Italy from the Turks transported that preserved knowledge to Italian cities and helped begin the Renaissance.