07-24-2007, 09:12 PM
A word of caution may be appropriate in using the videos of Korean riot police. These are very dramatic, and there are similarities in gear to the Romans, but there is one huge difference.
The job of police is to disperse rioters, and the goal of the rioters is to resist being dispersed/arrested.
In the Classical cases, the job of the legionaries and their foes was the same - to kill as many of the enemy as possible.
Korean riots may be violent, but they don't produce heaps of corpses in the hundreds, let alone thousands. The policemen are not trying to kill or even necessarily maim the rioters. The level of aggression which is expected by the police trainers and commanders is way different from what a centurion would expect and encourage. Conversely, if the surpression of a riot did result in hundreds of dead and thousands of injured, the police would likely undergo harsh criticism and retraining.
This may go far in explaining the lack of aggressiveness on the front line which is seen in these videos. These clashes are real clashes, but very far removed from ancient battles.
The job of police is to disperse rioters, and the goal of the rioters is to resist being dispersed/arrested.
In the Classical cases, the job of the legionaries and their foes was the same - to kill as many of the enemy as possible.
Korean riots may be violent, but they don't produce heaps of corpses in the hundreds, let alone thousands. The policemen are not trying to kill or even necessarily maim the rioters. The level of aggression which is expected by the police trainers and commanders is way different from what a centurion would expect and encourage. Conversely, if the surpression of a riot did result in hundreds of dead and thousands of injured, the police would likely undergo harsh criticism and retraining.
This may go far in explaining the lack of aggressiveness on the front line which is seen in these videos. These clashes are real clashes, but very far removed from ancient battles.
Felix Wang
