12-09-2005, 07:31 AM
According to my boss, the SHA was written at the end of the 4th century, in the time of the Theodosian dynasty. There are a few hints and allusions to this period - but much ink has been spilt about this subject, and a definitve answer is probably never possible.
The book is HIGHLY fictional, but not every piece of information was invented, and the vitae of the 'official' emperors (usually a coup d'etat with success in the long run) are somehow reliable.
So Aurelian could indeed have had 20 elephants (at least!), but did he use them as war elephants ? I don't know. No elephants are mentioned in the battle against the Palmyrene cavalry army (Zosimos).
The book is HIGHLY fictional, but not every piece of information was invented, and the vitae of the 'official' emperors (usually a coup d'etat with success in the long run) are somehow reliable.
So Aurelian could indeed have had 20 elephants (at least!), but did he use them as war elephants ? I don't know. No elephants are mentioned in the battle against the Palmyrene cavalry army (Zosimos).
Florian Himmler (not related!)
