frankq Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 I have a problem with the reliability of ancients figures. Case in point, Josephus states that in Herod and Sosius' 37BC siege of Jerusalem involved 11 legions. 11 legions? Like we're talking about 66,000 men. Plus 6000 horse and not to mention Herod's mercenaries and Judean allies. My God, the population of Rome alone at that time was only around 1.4 million. Herod had to pay the Romans off out of his own purse less they slaughtered everyone in the city. 66,000 dudes at like what---? It's not possible. Is it? Feedback. Anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted October 22, 2005 Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 I think it seems a bit 'embellished' but consider Josephus motivations... Titus, one of Josephus' benefactors did it with 4 legions. By reporting the previous siege needed 11 legions (and then some) it increases the glory of Titus' accomplishment. While we may not be able to prove whether or not my suggestion has any merit, its still this sort of thing that makes reading the ancients such a chore sometimes. While the overall general history did come to pass, we just can never be quite sure of all the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankq Posted October 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2005 I did some extra checking since I always find lots of inconsistencies between Josephus' Antiquities and his War of the Jews. He seems to be correcting in the latter work all the mistakes he made in the former. Regarding those figures, read now in War of the Jews: ''Sosius also joined him with a large army, both of horsemen and footmen, which he sent before him through the midland parts, while he marched himself along Phoenicia; and when the whole army was gotten together, which were eleven regiments of footmen, and six thousand horsemen, besides the Syrian auxiliaries, which were no small part of the army, they pitched their camp near...'' Note the difference, regiments versus legions. Did Joe mean cohorts? Still, with 6000 horse, it means a lot of Roman foot soldiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sextus Roscius Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 I think it seems a bit 'embellished' but consider Josephus motivations... Titus, one of Josephus' benefactors did it with 4 legions. By reporting the previous siege needed 11 legions (and then some) it increases the glory of Titus' accomplishment. While we may not be able to prove whether or not my suggestion has any merit, its still this sort of thing that makes reading the ancients such a chore sometimes. While the overall general history did come to pass, we just can never be quite sure of all the details. As P.P. said it could be to increase the glory of Titus' achievement. Also, keep in mind that these legions where most likely not a full strength and some of the soldiers could've been quick recruits, armed with nothing more than a spear and a helmet.... So we don't mean 66,000 full equiped men, in perfect health, with all the nessacary supplies. Maybe the actually figures were more along the 40 or 50 thousand man line including calvary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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