Primus Pilus Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 A hardy band of Welshmen in red, who took on the might of the Italians 2,000 years ago, could prove inspirational for tomorrow's Welsh Six Nations warriors. A leading historian has documented the exploits of the ancient Silures tribe, who fought a long campaign against the Romans two millennia ago. Dr Ray Howell from the University of Wales, Newport, even says our penchant for wearing red may spring from the tribe's favourite battle colour... Wales.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 Is this a harbinger of new 'wars' to come? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 Wow, what a load of nationalist hoohaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 Tacitus described the Silures as a "naturally fierce people" and also said of them "......neither terror or mercy had the least effect; they persisted in war and could be quelled only by legions encamped in their country" There's no doubt that they were a pretty ferocious tribe, but as for the Welsh rugby team taking inspiration from them and wearing red because of them....Ha, what a load of cock and bull! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 Can't help but think that Dr. Ray Howell is trying shift a few copies of his work by jumping on the rugby bandwagon. Who knows, his work might be a well researched study of the Silures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 (edited) I believe the Romans defeated the combined might of the Silures, Demetae and Ordovices last saturday, in the dying minutes of the game at Rome. It was close, though. Edited March 14, 2007 by Northern Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgewaters Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 There's no doubt that they were a pretty ferocious tribe, but as for the Welsh rugby team taking inspiration from them and wearing red because of them....Ha, what a load of cock and bull! It isn't half as bad as the Minnesota Vikings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 There's no doubt that they were a pretty ferocious tribe, but as for the Welsh rugby team taking inspiration from them and wearing red because of them....Ha, what a load of cock and bull! It isn't half as bad as the Minnesota Vikings. It seems the roman penchant for 'interesting history' is just as prevalent today as then. I do think the romans had a hard time with the Silures, which was as much to do with their mountainous home as the gritty violence they received. I also think that the descendants of silurians who remain more or less in place do have certain tendencies bred into them. As for the Welsh Rugby Team, most of them haven't heard of the romans never mind the silures. Regarding the vikings, there's also an interesting theory that some of them travelled down the american coast south of the equator. Not impossible, just somewhat hard to believe without evidence. Except for that persistent rumour of long departed bearded white men the spanish conquistadors came across. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Except for that persistent rumour of long departed bearded white men the spanish conquistadors came across. Are you saying that the Spanish came across them or heard of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 The locals had a long oral tradition on this subject. No white bearded men (other than the spanish) were present. Its one reason why the spaniards did so well, most of the locals simply fell at their feet thinking they were the returning king and his retinue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiceroD Posted March 29, 2007 Report Share Posted March 29, 2007 It seems the roman penchant for 'interesting history' is just as prevalent today as then. I do think the romans had a hard time with the Silures, which was as much to do with their mountainous home as the gritty violence they received. I also think that the descendants of silurians who remain more or less in place do have certain tendencies bred into them. Did anyone see the Movie "The Englishman who went up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain"? In it the Narrator tells us that the Welsh have always maintained that the beautiful Cambrian Mountains kept them independent for so long. But in reality it was the weather Is there any truth to how rainy its supposed to be there? or just a storyline of a movie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Being a mountainous area close to the sea the weather can change rapidly, and yes, it does rain frequently. In fact, the weather can make things dangerous when you're walking around those mountain trails and the last time I visited Wales I went up soaked in sweat and came down soaked by rain. Lovely scenery but something to treat with respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil61 Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 Being a mountainous area close to the sea the weather can change rapidly, and yes, it does rain frequently. In fact, the weather can make things dangerous when you're walking around those mountain trails and the last time I visited Wales I went up soaked in sweat and came down soaked by rain. Lovely scenery but something to treat with respect. My brother was engaged to a girl from Wales for a couple of years. He visited her family twice and was taken aback by just how cliquish it was in the small town they lived in. His first visit to a local pub resulted in the whole place turning and staring at him like in some movie. Once it was known he was a guest of the her family he was accepted and made a few visits there as the resident 'expert on America'. He was shocked at how anti-English they were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 Being a mountainous area close to the sea the weather can change rapidly, and yes, it does rain frequently. In fact, the weather can make things dangerous when you're walking around those mountain trails and the last time I visited Wales I went up soaked in sweat and came down soaked by rain. Lovely scenery but something to treat with respect. My brother was engaged to a girl from Wales for a couple of years. He visited her family twice and was taken aback by just how cliquish it was in the small town they lived in. His first visit to a local pub resulted in the whole place turning and staring at him like in some movie. Once it was known he was a guest of the her family he was accepted and made a few visits there as the resident 'expert on America'. He was shocked at how anti-English they were. I guess there are historical (and modern) reasons for that. I'm occasionally taken aback by how anti-Welsh one or other of my English friends turns out to be ... Rural parts of Europe (and surely the United States too) have various ways of responding to outsiders -- defence mechanisms, I would say, and such defences are sometimes needed. As your brother evidently found, you can get past these initial responses if you're prepared to work at it and respond sensitively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotWotius Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 Bah! It is just revisionism for the sake of finacial gain. When were the Silures ever as advanced as their southern brethrens? They did not possess a material culture! And when did the Welsh ever defeat 'a whole Roman legion'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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