I was wrong about thinking that I could join this forum and all would be good. Instead, it seems that some forum members would like me to disappear forever. My time at this forum started out good, but after a while, all anyone seemed to think of me was that I was just a young idiot who liked ancient Rome and thought that I knew something about the subject. All posts directed to me were like " stop posting" and "you don't know" so I will stop posting then. And I will learn more before I offer advice. So there, I admit that I was wrong.
Don't worry about the criticisms Jason, you are still young so wear them proudly like war wounds, proof that you have been in good scrap. There will always be somebody who disagrees with you but this is a discussion group after all. Be like my mate the rooster below. mile:
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Regards
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
There are a lot of members who post very rude remarks especially if their opinion differs from yours. In my humble opinion you should ignore them. If you enjoye the forum why leave? Keep your post civil and you will be ok. In any case while I am not a scholar just a retired military guy who loves the legions as the first professional military. I believe the folks who resort to bashing are the ones whose facts are weak so they have to resort to that.
Jason.
There is an easy way to get around any objections to your opinions and that is where when you find the other guy is right you simply reply by saying " That is right and I stand corrected"
In fact on many occasions I have had to do that myself and find many do accept it but there are the odd one or two who still need educating.
Jason,
My advice to you would be that, to avoid criticism, you should cite your sources whenever possible or, if you cannot do so at the time that you post, be prepared to do so later, if you are challenged. That way, if you quote an ancient source, others can look it up and, if they disagree with your interpretation, engage in a reasoned discussion. On the other hand, if you are relying on a modern book, those who are familiar with it can say if it is reliable or, if it is not, warn you and others off it.
Michael King Macdona
And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
Quote:Jason,
My advice to you would be that, to avoid criticism, you should cite your sources whenever possible or, if you cannot do so at the time that you post, be prepared to do so later, if you are challenged. That way, if you quote an ancient source, others can look it up and, if they disagree with your interpretation, engage in a reasoned discussion. On the other hand, if you are relying on a modern book, those who are familiar with it can say if it is reliable or, if it is not, warn you and others off it.
Renatus has a good point. I think the really important thing is that you always contribute. Citing a contemporary written source, or citing a specific artifact means that you are contributing, because it other posters can examine your evidence and respond to your assertion. That improves our level of discourse. Even our veteran posters often forget this basic rule.
On the other hand, some of our less respected posters either 1) squabble without contributing or ask questions without doing their own due diligence to find an answer. As long as you are always contributing (as opposed to just arguing), I think others will come to respect you in due time.
(p.s. It never hurts to be polite and civil, even when the other posters are not. Stay on it, and you will get the respect you deserve.)
Jason I think you may be speaking about me. Sorry if you took it the wrong way. Please re-read my post to you quoted below:
"As I said Jason I admire your enthusiasm. We all start somewhere and we were all anxious to get our stuff together. However, It is pretty clear that you are very new at this, that you haven't held any of these pieces or even seen them in person and that you are not listening to the good advice given. If you have never seen these in person how in the world can you offer a manufacturer advice on how to make things more accurate? This is a big deal for Gagan, so ask yourself, are you qualified to make these suggestions for change? I know I'm not and I know many others are not including yourself. Again the experts have already made their opinions known. They have already documented with photos and drawings what needs changing. Gagan doesn't know that you're brand new at this. He's asking you for advice when there are many others who are far more qualified to give an answer than you and me. I'm including myself here, I don't know enough.
Stick around, read, question and learn..."
It wasn't rude, it was intended to help you with constructive criticism. In fact I included myself as not knowing enough to contribute to Gagan developing new products. Nobody is asking you to stop posting, just to stop and think before posting/replying.
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
Do not shy away from either debate or criticism. Do not assume that someone who finds it very easy to make adverse comments necessarily has the right answer either.
Like many of us old military guys, I am used to criticism, sometimes in pointed ways....literally. You simply need to develop a thick hide.
Take care and don't get too worried about disagreements.
Remember Julius Caesar had his detractors.
Publius Quinctius Petrus Augustinus
(aka Pierre A. KIeff, Jr.)
You need to develop a thicker skin and stop taking things personally, Jason. Learn to "disagree without being disagreeable," as they say.
At my workplace, I have received multiple death threats, but I take them with a grain of salt. You have to roll with the punches sometimes.
In another thread about the Sassanids, you wrote:
Quote:Though the infantry were looked down on by the cavalry, they still were the backbone of the Sassanid army, like any standing army has ever been. Now, show your evidence AND your source that MUST be a credible one ( Wikipedia and Rome Total war Barbarian Invasion do not count! )
Telling someone to put down the video games on a forum such as this one is a backhanded comment at best, an insult at worst. It's one step away from "move out of your mom's basement and get a clue!"
The guy disagreed with you; there's no need for the ad hominem attack. If you think he's wrong, the most effective response is a detailed refutation of his argument that cites strong sources.
(As an aside, it's just not true to say that infantry has always been the "backbone" of "any standing army" that's "ever been.")
Okay, I will follow everyone's advice that was given to me here on this topic and I will use it to try to become a better poster and member on this forum.
mile: 
