06-23-2003, 07:44 PM
Rob,<br>
<br>
Quote:<br>
"I don't think though that the single painting of an armoured man from Nero's Palace in a green tunic is enough proof that the praetorians wore green, because it's in no way certain that it actually was a praetorian. The classical Greek equipment makes it more likely that it was to represent a god."<br>
<br>
I agree, but I am going to throw out a a specuation. Setonius notes about Nero "He had planned an expedition to the Caspian Gates, enroling a new legion of Italian-born recruits, all six feet tall, whom he called "The Phalanx of Alexander the Great". (Nero, 19, Graves translation). I recall a second source that I cannot find, having just skimmed Tacitus with no luck, that I believe states this legion, the I Italica, was armed in the manner of the Macedonians. I know Caracalla pulled this same stunt. The shield device on the Golden House painting has a sunburst design reminicent of ones attribited to Hellenistic armies, and the figure is holding a sarissa like weapon. May this be a representation of the outfit concocted by Nero for the I Italica? Woulden't want Nero's Own looking like the regular riff-raff would we? This dude may be Mars, but the artist still might portray him in the manner the Devine One just decided was the fashon trend for his brainchild, immitation being flattery. Green dye, being expensive, may have appealed to Nero's vanity. The same being true of a gilded lower part of the segmentata. Again, this is specualtion.<br>
<br>
Gaius Aquilius<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
<br>
Quote:<br>
"I don't think though that the single painting of an armoured man from Nero's Palace in a green tunic is enough proof that the praetorians wore green, because it's in no way certain that it actually was a praetorian. The classical Greek equipment makes it more likely that it was to represent a god."<br>
<br>
I agree, but I am going to throw out a a specuation. Setonius notes about Nero "He had planned an expedition to the Caspian Gates, enroling a new legion of Italian-born recruits, all six feet tall, whom he called "The Phalanx of Alexander the Great". (Nero, 19, Graves translation). I recall a second source that I cannot find, having just skimmed Tacitus with no luck, that I believe states this legion, the I Italica, was armed in the manner of the Macedonians. I know Caracalla pulled this same stunt. The shield device on the Golden House painting has a sunburst design reminicent of ones attribited to Hellenistic armies, and the figure is holding a sarissa like weapon. May this be a representation of the outfit concocted by Nero for the I Italica? Woulden't want Nero's Own looking like the regular riff-raff would we? This dude may be Mars, but the artist still might portray him in the manner the Devine One just decided was the fashon trend for his brainchild, immitation being flattery. Green dye, being expensive, may have appealed to Nero's vanity. The same being true of a gilded lower part of the segmentata. Again, this is specualtion.<br>
<br>
Gaius Aquilius<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
