08-08-2016, 01:54 PM
Jaroslav wrote:
Triarii were as armored as others, they were nothing special, as they were selected from the same class citizens as Hastati and Principes. Selection was made on age, and not on wealth.
Both Livy and Polybius describe the legion based on age, with those wearing the better armour being older. So how can you be so sure that selection was solely based on age and not both age and wealth? The military age for the Romans is from 18 years to 45 years. This gives a span of 27 years, and when divided by the three battle lines of hastati, principes and triarii, each battle line could have a span of nine years. So the hastati could be from 18 to 27 years, the principes from 27 years to 36 years of age, and the triarii from 36 to 45 years of age. For the Servian constitution of five property classes, and Polybius statement the legion (hastati, principes and triarii) consisted of four property classes, this leaves open the possibility the triarii could be Class I, the principes Class II and III, and the hastati Class IV, leaving the possibility of the velites being Class V.
Jaroslav wrote:
you see - ALL THOSE WHO ARE RATED at more than ten thousand drachmae... no mention of hastati, principes or triarii... only mention is for weapons used.
But what do those troops below 10,000 drachmae wear? Could they not be the hastati?
Jaroslav wrote:
Its beyond me why everybody automatically expects Hastati to be equipped worse than Principes and Triarii, while there is no such mention anywhere, and only source everybody is using to back this claim actually doesnt say such thing at all.
Oh dear, I can hear the army of the conformist gathering their forces to smite all those who question and do not conform to the latest academic theories. Well good luck, to you.
Triarii were as armored as others, they were nothing special, as they were selected from the same class citizens as Hastati and Principes. Selection was made on age, and not on wealth.
Both Livy and Polybius describe the legion based on age, with those wearing the better armour being older. So how can you be so sure that selection was solely based on age and not both age and wealth? The military age for the Romans is from 18 years to 45 years. This gives a span of 27 years, and when divided by the three battle lines of hastati, principes and triarii, each battle line could have a span of nine years. So the hastati could be from 18 to 27 years, the principes from 27 years to 36 years of age, and the triarii from 36 to 45 years of age. For the Servian constitution of five property classes, and Polybius statement the legion (hastati, principes and triarii) consisted of four property classes, this leaves open the possibility the triarii could be Class I, the principes Class II and III, and the hastati Class IV, leaving the possibility of the velites being Class V.
Jaroslav wrote:
you see - ALL THOSE WHO ARE RATED at more than ten thousand drachmae... no mention of hastati, principes or triarii... only mention is for weapons used.
But what do those troops below 10,000 drachmae wear? Could they not be the hastati?
Jaroslav wrote:
Its beyond me why everybody automatically expects Hastati to be equipped worse than Principes and Triarii, while there is no such mention anywhere, and only source everybody is using to back this claim actually doesnt say such thing at all.
Oh dear, I can hear the army of the conformist gathering their forces to smite all those who question and do not conform to the latest academic theories. Well good luck, to you.
