M. Porcius Cato Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 "Residents of a remote Chinese village are hoping that DNA tests will prove one of history's most unlikely legends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 "Residents of a remote Chinese village are hoping that DNA tests will prove one of history's most unlikely legends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 The man in the feature is totally European in appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 The Chinese name for Roman 'Western Syria' was Li-kan. Similar to the name of the village. I believe that the Chinese were fighting the Parthians and not the Huns. An-tun = M.A. Antoninus. Something about a Roman Prefect of Li-kan in(?)/to(?) Cochin China. An embassy of Constans II Pogonatus in 643AD. Earlier, in another thread on this subject, I inserted a link to a Fordham Univ. site. Can't find it. Maybe one of you can. Has lots of info about Roman (and 'Byzantine') and Chinese intercourse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 (edited) By some fortuitous circumstance, someone (Votadini) posted to another Chinese thread. See post #5 by Onasander: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5479&st=0 Edited February 2, 2007 by Gaius Octavius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiceroD Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 This was also the main story line behind The Lost Legion Is this ethnic group that is awaiting this momentus news called the Wusun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
votadini Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 This was also the main story line behind The Lost Legion 'Lost Legion' is about Honorius being taken to Britannia, etc, not China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandias Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Could be linked as well to the Tocharians who knows ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skarr Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I've read about this before, on the link between Rome and China. It seems quite possible to me that some legionaries from the defeated army of Crassus would have been captured, maybe then later freed and used as mercenaries for the Chinese side and eventually settling down, after taking the local women as their wives. I've heard about a similar village in a remote area of Pakistan where Greek soldiers from Alexander's army may have settled down as the residents of that village have similar Caucasian features - blue eyes, blond hair, well above average height (six feet and over) etc. etc. They have local features as well and all in all, a very similar story. If I recall, it was once featured in National Geographic some years ago with some photographs of some of the striking local residents of the village. It's a good thing they are doing DNA testing, which could conclusively prove the links and I wonder if someone would do a similar exercise with the residents of the Pakistani (or maybe Afghani, I'm not sure exactly - it was in the North West frontier of the Indian pensinsula - formerly the British North West province which encompasses today most of Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan). Coming back to Crassus, each time I think about him, I can't imagine the horrendous fate that he ultimately met at the hands of the Persian general, who "fed" him with molten gold. A terrible end to the richest Roman of his time. Although he was vain, greedy and possibly responsible for the deaths of many ill fated Roman citizens unfortunate enough to become the tenants of his toterring, fire prone insulae in the crowded Subura, I don't think anyone deserves to die the way he did. An ignoble end to a less than noble man. I do believe that if Caesar had not been assassinated by the short sighted senators (who were vain and greedy in their own way), he would have made his last campaign against the Parthians and would have taught them a terrible lesson. Anyway, it was not to be and perhaps the course of history might have changed completely if Caesar had just a few more years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandias Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Yup, there's some story about Alexander's soldiers in Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan (India as well, in Malana valley), especially linked to the remaining Kalash tribes were one finds lots of caucasoid features. But it's not about a single village but a whole & wide area. Chitrali and Hunzakut too have caucasoid features, and you'll find lots of tall, red/blond haired blue/green eyed people in Nuristan (Afghanistan). You'll find lots of caucasoid features among Pashtun population, and Kashmiri people too, and in Tajikistan too. But more than to Alexander's soldiers, we should not forget about the possible link with Tocharians (pushed away) by Turkic invasions & Kushans who conquered a vast empire from the Northern fringe of Pamir to the Arabian sea and Gange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 It's very interesting. A similar story was featured in 'The Truth about History' published by Readers Digest. They also discuss the Crassus Legions/China link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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