Complexion of the roman emperors

[Alanus]

I really can't add much in the Roman context, but it seems possible that our modern assumption that Romans were dark and swarthy might come from too many hours watching Sicilian gangster movies. Throughout the broad spectrum of antiquity, many nationalities were known to have blonde and red-headed individuals. From my eastern research, many Iranian-speaking cultures had their share of blondes-- all the way to China-- the Tarim Yue-chi, the Saka, the Wusun, were all described by Sima Quan and several eastern historians as being blonde, red haired, with either blue or green eyes. Then why not the Romans or Greeks? :whistle: