09-15-2003, 03:31 PM
That was a most interesting essay, gashford. As the writer says:<br>
<br>
"...what it eventually gets down to is not the weapon or even the art, but the individual (their conditioning and attitude) and the circumstances. Bottom line, it's about personal skill."<br>
<br>
What that means is that if you have an example where a Roman beat a Gaul or vice versa, it doesn't really prove anything because you don't know that it was the best trained, most naturally skillful Roman against the best-trained most naturally skillful Gaul. So many factors come in to play that might be different another time and result in a different outcome.<br>
<br>
(Just me fence-sitting as usual. )<br>
<br>
Wendy<br>
<br>
Wendy<br>
<br>
<p>"I am an admirer of the ancients,but not like some people so as to despise the talent of our own times." Pliny the Younger</p><i></i>
<br>
"...what it eventually gets down to is not the weapon or even the art, but the individual (their conditioning and attitude) and the circumstances. Bottom line, it's about personal skill."<br>
<br>
What that means is that if you have an example where a Roman beat a Gaul or vice versa, it doesn't really prove anything because you don't know that it was the best trained, most naturally skillful Roman against the best-trained most naturally skillful Gaul. So many factors come in to play that might be different another time and result in a different outcome.<br>
<br>
(Just me fence-sitting as usual. )<br>
<br>
Wendy<br>
<br>
Wendy<br>
<br>
<p>"I am an admirer of the ancients,but not like some people so as to despise the talent of our own times." Pliny the Younger</p><i></i>