10-05-2012, 05:07 PM
Quote: I only meant to demonstrate that from the time of Augustus onward that the emperors had to resort to conscription and relaxing military discipline regarding legionaries taking up common wives and raising children in order to maintain the ranks. Things were very different during the Republic.
And they became even more different in the late Empire, judging by the frequency of laws against self-mutilation to avoid service.
Quote:Given the opportunity and some careful planning I don't think procuring weapons would have been much of a problem for the Christians, especially the Jewish-Christians who could have joined the revolt.
One problem was they didn't have a home turf or territorial base like the Jews, who were the majority in some areas.
Quote:I agree. And I think what you said also applies to the pagan populace during the principate.
Citizens willing to become soldiers were really exceptional in the fifth century when paganism was practically gone.
Quote:According to Libanius, Julian was killed by one of his own Christian soldiers.
I have doubts. They could've made that up to avoid the embarrassment of an emperor killed by the enemy.
Quote:But I think it's safe to say that the army was almost purely Christian by the sixth century. This army was able to reconquer many of the Western provinces and stand up to Persia.
Sure. I guess by then, a whole new generation had grown up long removed from memories of the persecutions or original pilate gospel. Sort of like the Illyrians by the third century--long enough after the (re)conquest of Illyria by Augustus.
mile:
