03-05-2007, 02:10 PM
Infact.
Davide is right in pointing out that this kind of letter is not uncommon, even among our sources.
But the reason why I posted this one, is the wide range of topics it brings in (thanks also to Daniele for his post, good question; and also the interesting recruiting matter should still be discussed at length).
I agree with Jim and Brian about this letter not being a proof that this kind of attempt had good chance of being succesful.
Infact, I found extremely interesting the pattern of this letter: a first request, probably hopeless (to have the relative released) in order to give strength to a second, possibly more acceptable, request (even though not necessarily granted either) : to have him sent to a local unit of limitanei rather than the field-army (request which is not surprising and certainly wasn't uncommon, again as Brian points out), which was possibly the real aim of the begger.
As for the reference to God, that’s another matter who makes this letter very interesting.
It shows an approach to religion whose discussion would bring us far away from this topic, as you say.
It is also meaningful (even if this also should not surprise) the fact the besides the constant reference to God in the Abinnaeus documents, his soldiers (or at least part of the unit) were still rightfully devoted to pagan deities as Victoria and Fortuna, since remains of a contemporary statue of these deities have been excavated in the castra ad Dionysia (for references see again the book I mentioned in the first post of the topic)
Valete
Davide is right in pointing out that this kind of letter is not uncommon, even among our sources.
But the reason why I posted this one, is the wide range of topics it brings in (thanks also to Daniele for his post, good question; and also the interesting recruiting matter should still be discussed at length).
I agree with Jim and Brian about this letter not being a proof that this kind of attempt had good chance of being succesful.
Infact, I found extremely interesting the pattern of this letter: a first request, probably hopeless (to have the relative released) in order to give strength to a second, possibly more acceptable, request (even though not necessarily granted either) : to have him sent to a local unit of limitanei rather than the field-army (request which is not surprising and certainly wasn't uncommon, again as Brian points out), which was possibly the real aim of the begger.
As for the reference to God, that’s another matter who makes this letter very interesting.
It shows an approach to religion whose discussion would bring us far away from this topic, as you say.
It is also meaningful (even if this also should not surprise) the fact the besides the constant reference to God in the Abinnaeus documents, his soldiers (or at least part of the unit) were still rightfully devoted to pagan deities as Victoria and Fortuna, since remains of a contemporary statue of these deities have been excavated in the castra ad Dionysia (for references see again the book I mentioned in the first post of the topic)
Valete
Iuppiter Optimus Maximus resistere atque iterare pugnam iubet
(Liv. I.12)
Tiberius Claudius Nero
a.k.a. Carlo Sansilvestri
CONTUBERNIUM
SISMA - Società Italiana per gli Studi Militari Antichi
(Liv. I.12)
Tiberius Claudius Nero
a.k.a. Carlo Sansilvestri
CONTUBERNIUM
SISMA - Società Italiana per gli Studi Militari Antichi
