05-31-2010, 03:29 AM
Actually, I said 1 in 100-- five times lower than 500. The term "Italians" came from the History Channel video, titled "The Roman Legions," and actually they claimed it was 1 in 1,000. How the HC people knew they were "Italians," I'm not sure. (Perhaps from diagnostic traces of spagetti sause.) :lol:
I actually agree, the point is useless and could be argued infinitum. However, in the higher ranks of the extremely-late, falling-over-the-cliff period, we see a lot of Richomeres, Ordovacers, Arbogasts, etc., while all the names of the Gauls, Syrians, and Greeks, who served at that time were recorded in fading ink.
The simple point I was trying to make, is that there had to be a significant number of Germans in the Roman military throughout the Imperial period. And-- exactly like you said-- it's impossible to tell the ethnicity of all the Roman soldiers through the ages, with the few exceptions of those with marked funery steles.
I actually agree, the point is useless and could be argued infinitum. However, in the higher ranks of the extremely-late, falling-over-the-cliff period, we see a lot of Richomeres, Ordovacers, Arbogasts, etc., while all the names of the Gauls, Syrians, and Greeks, who served at that time were recorded in fading ink.
The simple point I was trying to make, is that there had to be a significant number of Germans in the Roman military throughout the Imperial period. And-- exactly like you said-- it's impossible to tell the ethnicity of all the Roman soldiers through the ages, with the few exceptions of those with marked funery steles.
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
