08-03-2016, 05:38 AM
why would he? Well suited families would not send their sons into war underequipped... we are talking about Middle class citizens, not Proletarii.. It doesnt matter when that term started to be used. Read his sentences again. There is no mention of Triarii being better equipped than Hastati, or Principes.
and yes, i have ignored the first sentence, because its complemented by the second where wealth is not mentioned at all, only age.
and regarding age, Velites were supposed to be 15-17 years old, Hastati 18-24, Principes 25-35, while Triarii 35-45. Lets not forget that all Middle class citizens (or citizens under census if you will - land owners, small business owners and their families) were supposed to serve 15 (or was it 20?) years in the legions, but that again doesnt mean, they were in the legion every single season, or that they served for 15 years at once... Of course Census limit was lowered multiple times, or ignored during crisis like situation after Cannae.. but poor proletarii were not normally summoned to join the legions, only those with particular wealth could..
You are making mistake assuming that some family would kick out their adult sons, but that was not the case. One example from Ukraine - when war started, and soldiers were sent to Donbass, Government had no money for soldiers ballistic protection, or even boots... practically all families who's sons were supposed to go there, spent all their money to buy whatever armor they could, so their sons had a chance to survive... better suited families bought the best protection they could..
I would expect same thing from Romans.. Usually, farms are family business.. sons work there together with father.. assumption that if somebody is supposed to go as Hastatus, he would be ill equipped is flawed.
and yes, i have ignored the first sentence, because its complemented by the second where wealth is not mentioned at all, only age.
and regarding age, Velites were supposed to be 15-17 years old, Hastati 18-24, Principes 25-35, while Triarii 35-45. Lets not forget that all Middle class citizens (or citizens under census if you will - land owners, small business owners and their families) were supposed to serve 15 (or was it 20?) years in the legions, but that again doesnt mean, they were in the legion every single season, or that they served for 15 years at once... Of course Census limit was lowered multiple times, or ignored during crisis like situation after Cannae.. but poor proletarii were not normally summoned to join the legions, only those with particular wealth could..
You are making mistake assuming that some family would kick out their adult sons, but that was not the case. One example from Ukraine - when war started, and soldiers were sent to Donbass, Government had no money for soldiers ballistic protection, or even boots... practically all families who's sons were supposed to go there, spent all their money to buy whatever armor they could, so their sons had a chance to survive... better suited families bought the best protection they could..
I would expect same thing from Romans.. Usually, farms are family business.. sons work there together with father.. assumption that if somebody is supposed to go as Hastatus, he would be ill equipped is flawed.
