06-09-2011, 11:52 PM
Quote:I understand that auxiliaries recruited from the Batavian homelands of the Rhine delta (and probably other places as well) are believed to have served under their own commanders until the Revolt of Civilis in AD 69.Later than that, I think - the officers commanding Batavian cohorts mentioned on the Vindolanda tablets (c. AD 90-100) are quite possibly romanised Batavian nobility (mentioned, IIRC, in Bowman's Life and Letters on the Roman Frontier, and possibly elsewhere).
Quote:The Sophia helmet is probably a good example of a piece of equipment which has been made in the shape of a native piece of kit but which has been made by a craftsman far more familiar with mediterranean artistic styles, hence its classical decoration.That's a good point - we know from epigraphic evidence that many of the men of 'eastern' cohorts on the Danube (Cohors Hemesenorum / Itureorum) actually came from Syria well into the 2nd century. The appearance of these 'eastern' conical helmets around the same area might suggest they brought their kit with them - but, as you say, these appear to be 'romanised' pieces, so perhaps they were produced 'on site' as a deliberate synthesis. Then again, there was considerable syncretism in eastern religions within the empire anyway - Jupiter-Baal at Baalbek, for example - so they could still just be native items.
- Nathan
Nathan Ross
