05-25-2006, 06:26 PM
Quote:No coming back from defeat isn't unique to Rome, but the manner in which Rome did so and it's stubborn refusal to make terms with the enemy during the years of the Republic when all seemed lost are rather unique. Certainly unique enough to have been mentioned and commented on by historians and writers.
The Han in the same manner had the same occurrence with XiangYu of the Chu dynasty. The Han dynasty's first battle with XiangYu ended pathetically. Han elite cavalry was defeated by a mob of quickly assembled soldiers out of desperation. In fact, XiangYu won WAY more battles than he lost, but in the end he lost the war. Don't ask me how it happened, I don't know how. Right now I'm trying to find a reason on how XiangYu won every battle he went into but lost the war. It's MINDBOGGLING.
Quote:Xiong Nu may have never suffered 'huge' defeats, then again those same 'strengths' that allowed them to melt away insured that they didn't achieve anything even remotely approachable to the civilization of the Han, though that's a different issue.
Yes, the XiongNu lacked behind sedentary civilizations such as Rome/Han in many parts, as do all nomadic civilizations. I was merely comparing the amount of power projected by the XiongNu. Their influence militarily was indeed great as their pressure to other civilizations caused these very civilizations to attack both Rome and Han.
Rick Lee
