How really \'different\' were the Romans?

[petrinus]

Thanks all for some of the other points - but my query is simple...

'Culture' (laws, religious practices, custom and practice) is a background, but admittedly very important, factor - as is nutrition.

But my point is - what are the fundamental differences between a human being 2,000 years ago and now? Does their body work in the same way? Are they capable of the same range of movements. or carrying weights, of wielding weapons? Is there some effect on maths, physics or the functioning of the brain that is different? Has the basic binary nature of brain function and the 'fight or flight' response changed?

If I gave an order to a Roman soldier or a modern soldier - is he expected to carry it out? It doesn't matter whether he's under the threat of death or of a fine and temporary imprisonment, I think he's still supposed to carry out the order.

'Culture'/'Nurture' may have changed, but not the base form. It may affect how the 'base' behaves in context - but it's all taught and experienced.

If, for some reason, 'we' changed - and adopted (as we would be taught by classicists) all the Roman laws, customs, et al - how would that affect actually what we can do or how things like orders are communicated (technology is just a medium)?

If we equip a group of re-enactors with everything we believe a Roman century would have - why could they not be trained to replicate anything we think a Roman century could do? :?

I think, and this is just in my uneductaed on the matter mind, that our shift in civilization and subsequent sociological and resulting psychological changes have the modern soldier at a disadvantage. While technically superior, and maybe given to more complex thought and problem solving capabilties as a result, modern soldiers serve within an establishment and institution that is increasingly compromised by political correctness; the rank and file of conventional forces I am sorry to say have undergone a most unfortunate shift in discipline, and bearing just in my decade of service in the US Army. The WWII generation has given way to a number of organizational indulgences/allownaces/directives that have forever changed the face of the modern military, so much so that it in my mind it cannot be remotely contrasted with the likes of the legion, nor a modern service member to a legionaire. Modern wars are not fought for the same reason of exploitation, occupation, and acquisition as in days of old. The consequence of failure and cost of insuborndination do not drive the modern soldier like they drove the men of the legion, "decimation" anyone? thus I will unappologetically submit that "generation why" sloppily assembled with their sense of entitlement and with a mind towards the MANY organizational safety's that have made this mess possible, could never hold a candle to what it was to serve in the legions.

I love my country, I love my army, but good gods daaaamn, have yall looked around lately?