03-23-2004, 08:51 PM
Robert, it is clear that you do not comprehend the point I was trying to make. "Thousands" of Romans simply didn't "beam down" into the German ambush point. They had to walk into it, on a forest trail, probably not more than four abreast and from my own experience on extended Roman marches, at least a two meter interval between each rank. So even if we dismiss the fact that there would have been some kind of scouts or vanguard, and envision the head of the Roman column blundering directly into the German earthwork (with a pack mule improbably in the lead, there would have been scarcely over one thousand men in the so called "ambush". If a larger body of Romans were ambushed, the broken equipment/weapons finds must extend for many kilometers, and they do not.<br>
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The excavators of Kalkriese believed from the start that they had found the Varus battlefield, and slanted all of their interpretations to that effect. But the artifacts tell a different story.<br>
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I did not claim there was a Roman "fort" at the center of the artifact area, but a "station", which probably consisted of some rude huts (postholes) and tents. This area is identified the the pottery, nails, furniture parts etc. The Earthwork was a later feature, hastily built when news was received of an impending German attack. It really does seem a lot like the Rourke's Drift scenario of 1879.<br>
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The notion of a German earthworkmbankment makes absolutely no sense because it is logical the Romans would have some scouts or vanguard (even if suppposedly demoralized), and this feature would have given away the ambush, the column would have stopped, and went into a defensive mode.<br>
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One does not have to have "been there during the battle" to come to these conclusions. One only has to interpret the evidence unfettered by the Germanic "duty" to turn a small "incident' at a Roman post station (which the Romans seem to have succesfully defended), into the fabled "last stand of Varus". Geesh, no wonder you love Lord of the Rings.... Pure Fantasy.<br>
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Dan <p></p><i></i>
<br>
The excavators of Kalkriese believed from the start that they had found the Varus battlefield, and slanted all of their interpretations to that effect. But the artifacts tell a different story.<br>
<br>
I did not claim there was a Roman "fort" at the center of the artifact area, but a "station", which probably consisted of some rude huts (postholes) and tents. This area is identified the the pottery, nails, furniture parts etc. The Earthwork was a later feature, hastily built when news was received of an impending German attack. It really does seem a lot like the Rourke's Drift scenario of 1879.<br>
<br>
The notion of a German earthworkmbankment makes absolutely no sense because it is logical the Romans would have some scouts or vanguard (even if suppposedly demoralized), and this feature would have given away the ambush, the column would have stopped, and went into a defensive mode.<br>
<br>
One does not have to have "been there during the battle" to come to these conclusions. One only has to interpret the evidence unfettered by the Germanic "duty" to turn a small "incident' at a Roman post station (which the Romans seem to have succesfully defended), into the fabled "last stand of Varus". Geesh, no wonder you love Lord of the Rings.... Pure Fantasy.<br>
<br>
Dan <p></p><i></i>
