09-25-2007, 11:07 PM
Though the author of the site claims to base his information on Warry's "Warfare in the Classical World", it is done rather inaccurately in my view.
The purple clad figure in the photos is pure fantasy, and not based on any artifacts I am aware of......... :roll:
It is unlikely that African soldiers wore purple ....true purple dye came from the murex sshellfish, a tiny amount from each one. It was thus very rare and incredibly expensive and so was reserved to Kings and Emperors in the ancient world. When ancient authors refer to 'purple' clad troops, they mean a colour which is more of a dark crimson.
The purple clad figure in the photos is pure fantasy, and not based on any artifacts I am aware of......... :roll:
It is unlikely that African soldiers wore purple ....true purple dye came from the murex sshellfish, a tiny amount from each one. It was thus very rare and incredibly expensive and so was reserved to Kings and Emperors in the ancient world. When ancient authors refer to 'purple' clad troops, they mean a colour which is more of a dark crimson.
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
