rome\'s most fearsome enemy

[aitor iriarte]

Mmmmhh, I'm afraid that sillyness isn't forbidden at this forum... :|

Aitor

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

hehehehehe...........

was worth the try.........



M.VIB.M.

(who is a direct descendant of Roman Neanderthal man)

[Robert Vermaat]

The Romans looked different than others physically. They had a sinuous type muscular feature and facial features that was strangely not European looking. If they were a Latin tribe they did not resemble the others.

Ralph, we have discussed that topic elsewhere on this forum. The outcome may not have pleased you, but it seems a bit silly that you now take up this case yet again, as if the answers and contributions by other members have not been made at all.

[varistus]

Answers are just not what i expected,looking for science experts(genetic), not historians I guess.

[Agraes]

Rome's origins have been misunderstood, Romulus and Remus are not the sons of Mars they come FROM Mars, this explains their superpowers and why Romans were able to conquer half of the world with small swords.

Come on...
Since Rome conquered Italy, Romans were no longer from Rome, they had latin origin, then greek origin, then gallic, etc. Rome's soldiers weren't all from Rome at all, so even if (and I don't think so) first romans were physically superior to other men, the legions that gave to Rome its empire weren't made by 100% first romans. This is HISTORY.

Beeing a medicine studient, I know a bit about RNA, genetics, etc. And people have to be VERY cautious when speaking of gene pools and such for certain civilisations... we all know what happened in a somewhat recent past...

Note that I don't despise scientist's works on specific population origin, this issue is kinda more specific.

[Ron Andrea]

I referred to high-altitude adaptations, referred to below:

“Indigenous highlanders living in the Andean Altiplano in South America, in the Tibetan Plateau in Asia, and at the highest elevations of the Ethiopian Highlands in east Africa have evolved three distinctly different biological adaptations for surviving in the oxygen-thin air found at high altitude.â€

[taira1180]

I remember reading once that must of the patrician families were a mixed of etruscan and latin families who intermarried in the monarchy, but latter were united to expell the kings.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Many leading "Roman" families, were from towns and areas outside of Rome, some being Etruscan, Campanian, etc! So much for the ethnically pure ROMAN race! They were as pure a Race as the Athenians were a Race. Not!

The Romans success was based on their pig headed stubborness, and not playing the game when defeated!

No real mystery there! :wink:

[Avatar]

The Romans success was based on their pig headed stubborness, and not playing the game when defeated!

No real mystery there! :wink:

Agreed! Just look at the response to Hannibal marching across the italian peninsula!

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

Gaius Marcus wrote:

The Romans success was based on their pig headed stubborness

I'd say better: "character"...

And remember that the Romans deeply believed that they had been tasked to rule and civilize the World by divine right, conscious about their direct descent from the Gods, and so fully aware about the responsibilities of their sacred mission. So, spiritual superiority, not biological...

And that could give you a certain strenght, in all senses. :wink:

Valete,

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Sorry, did not mean it as a bad thing! :oops: :lol:

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

Oh yes! I know!

Vale,

[varistus]

Too bad many early Romans burned their dead however, their really is a slim chance of finding DNA markers in todays population...think I read the 'Romansh' people of Switzerland may have the greatest chance of Roman ancestry. Can anyone send me a sample of their blood

[petrinus]

my family has been in napoli since there have been people there i think, but that doesnt qualify me as roman proper, only provincialy so dont expect any blood in the mail!

[Paullus Scipio]

To Peroni :- Neither would I ! Luckily, Dacians didn't have two-handed falxes, but rather their Bastarnae allies (of whom there were many fewer,thank Jupiter! ) - sorry to be pedantic.
I think S. Severus has probably got it right, though the Dacians after handing out one beating (to Domitian ) were fairly quickly polished off by Trajan.....
The Germani across the Rhine, on the other hand, had been a menace in the late republic (Cimbri and Teutones et al ), again in the early principate ("Varus, give me back my legions ! "),and unlike Dacia (occupied) remained free, to cause further trouble to Marcus Aurelius (Quadi,Marcomanni and Allemani ) so one would have to rate them above the Dacians as enemies to be feared in the early principate.
But who did the Romans themselves think was their worst enemy, the stuff of nightmares ?
Only one enemy entered legend, and was used by Roman Mothers for centuries to frighten naughty/loud children.......the dread words "Hannibal ad portas !" (Hannibal is at the gates ! )