I wrote a little article on
devotio, the ritual self-sacrifice of Roman generals. The obvious examples and the Greek parallels are all there, but I somehow have a feeling that there must be more stories. Anyone any suggestions?
Ross Cowan has a chapter on devotio in his book, [amazon]For the Glory of Rome: A History of Warriors and Warfare[/amazon]. I'm afraid I don't have it to hand, though.
Thanks for posting that. I enjoyed your article.
I believe that a later tradition held that Claudius Gothicus performed a
devotio of sorts.
Quote: …another, following the example of the Decii, had sacrificed his life for the safety of the republic …
Ammianus Marcellinus, 16.10.3
This wasn’t a true
devotio, but it was a rewriting of history by Constantine’s supporters. (Other sources say he died in a plague.) Constatine claimed kinship or some connection with Gothicus, I think. So this story was used as propaganda.
You can see a bit more of this story in
this article with sources. I guess this story is in Victor too, but I don't have him handy.
I remember one text about on single soldier running against all the enemy formation. I think it was refered by Josephus... :? Well, it's not a very helpful information, but seems another devotio.
Quote:I remember one text about on single soldier running against all the enemy formation.
Aristodemus in Herodotus 9.71?
Now i'm at home and can give you some citations:
The first devotio: P. Decio Mus (Livy, VIII, 9)
It was a familiar tradition ( :lol: ) because his son and the son of his son have do too devotio: (Livy, X, 28, 12-18; Pol. II, 19; Cicero, Tusc. I, 89)
Another devotio is in Livy V, 41: suicide of the roman magistrati against the gaul inveders of rome.
I try to search more citations...
Wondering howmany reenactor generals are going to star demonstrating ....
Hibernicus