EUREKA - Roman army troops

[Sean Manning]

Much of the material centres on Roman religion, orientation and politics. As to the conquest of Italy, I was discussing this with a professor about how the increase in tribes seems to show when they reach a certain population figure, those who they are at war, or have been selected for a war, will be annihilated. It’s almost like the Romans have calculated their territory, its holding capacity, then when their population has increased in size, a war begins. A lot of this goes to explain why the tribes increased in increments of two. There is one period with an increase of four, but this is still two increments of two. All this shows an ongoing strategy of expansion followed by generation after generation of senators. They also create colonies in strategic positions to hem in their enemies, knowing the enemy will before long, attack the colony, thereby giving Rome its pretext for war. In Tolkien terms, the Romans are Morder, and the Roman senate, Seranin (spelling). They are an evil people.

Wouldn't the tribes increase in increments of two to prevent tied votes? IIRC votes of the tribes were resolved by simple majority, and every tribe always cast a single vote.

Comparative historians have noted that societies tend to be most warlike when young unmarried men make up a large proportion of the population. Think Kipling's "The bachelor, he fights for one ..." So warmaking is common after a period of population growth in societies with low life expectancy like ancient Rome. You do have to be careful studying early Rome though, since the surviving historians had almost nothing but oral tradition to work with.