10-14-2012, 04:51 PM
Quote:Possibly, but earlier defeats were against an 'external' enemy, with a perceived threat to Rome. When the battles are jumped-up generals fighting each other for political power, would people in the West want to sign up?
I don't think it mattered much who they had to fight provided they got pay and other benefits. (Fighting Persian cataphracts could be at least as dangerous as fighting other legionaries.) After all the internecine fighting and other chaos from 193-97 and 235-60, powerful armies capable of winning battles reappeared soon enough.
