12-18-2004, 01:46 PM
With regard to the Praeneste relief - this has been interpreted as representing the battle of Actium - the crocodile on the ship's prow being supposedly an 'Egyptian' emblem. If this is the case, the troops on board would be Antonian legionaries, who perhaps would have had a rather Hellenic appearance after many years campaigning in the east - hence the 'attic' helmets etc. Antony did have one legion called (on his 'legionary denarii') Classicae, perhaps meaning that they were raised as marines (or, like the later Adiutrix, were raised <em>from</em> naval personnel...)<br>
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Here's another naval relief - troops with montefortino (I'd say) helmets and typical republican shields:<br>
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<img src="http://www.romaeterna.org/galleria/sala2/foto1.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
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And another - this time, along with the oval scuta, the soldiers are wearing what could be coolus helmets (? - although they seem to have a sort of flared rim... ...) and carrying broad-headed spears (or are they oars?):<br>
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<img src="http://www.romaeterna.org/galleria/sala1/foto4.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
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Here's another naval relief - troops with montefortino (I'd say) helmets and typical republican shields:<br>
<br>
<img src="http://www.romaeterna.org/galleria/sala2/foto1.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
<br>
And another - this time, along with the oval scuta, the soldiers are wearing what could be coolus helmets (? - although they seem to have a sort of flared rim... ...) and carrying broad-headed spears (or are they oars?):<br>
<br>
<img src="http://www.romaeterna.org/galleria/sala1/foto4.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
<p></p><i></i>
Nathan Ross
