tattoo on thigh

[jpvdgiessen]

In the Bible in Revelation 19:16 is written "And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written,"
I read in a commentary that's a custom for Roman officers to tattoo the name of their garrison on their thigh. Could some of you learned people tell me if this is true and if so provide me with some sources.

[Carlton Bach]

In the Bible in Revelation 19:16 is written "And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written,"
I read in a commentary that's a custom for Roman officers to tattoo the name of their garrison on their thigh. Could some of you learned people tell me if this is true and if so provide me with some sources.

I think this explkanation is very unlikely. What theyy are most likely referring to is the 'military mark' mentioned by Vegetius. That has been discussed in great detail elsewhere and here

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... ht=tattoos

here

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... ht=tattoos

and here

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... ht=tattoos

If this form of tattoo ever existed, it may not have duriong the Principate. If it dids, it most likely affected only the rank and file. It is very unlikely that the unit or garrison was tattooed since soldiers sometimes changed units and units were moved around. Officers certainly are unlikely candidates since (unless you're talking about centurions and principales), moving between units was pretty much a prerequisite for the officer career. Also, the thigh looks like a strange place for it if the point is visibility.

Alsdo, I think 'thigh' in the Bible has an interesting semantic history. It's meron (with an eta - does this thing do Greek fonts?) in the Koine text. Does anyone have a Septuagint handy to check whether that matches the OT use? This could simply tie back into the Prophetic books.

[jpvdgiessen]

I also found this explanation unlikely. more likely is this name was written on the lower end of the garment, about thigh-size. In this case kai (ϰαί) is not translated as "and" but an "explanatory joint word" (which is also possible as translation)

[A_Volpe]

I also read it as "he has on his garment and [on the] the thigh [of the garment] is a name written"

I'd like to think if it was a tattoo of some sort, the wording would be a more specific or descriptive to indicate it's a tattoo on the skin.

maybe by thigh refers to the bottom hem line on a tunic?

[Robert Vermaat]

I read in a commentary that's a custom for Roman officers to tattoo the name of their garrison on their thigh. Could some of you learned people tell me if this is true and if so provide me with some sources.

Where did you read that? That's incorrect. Besides, if that had been the case, taking into account the number of garrissons that a soldier could be posted to, their legs would have been tattoo'ed all over!

When was Revelations written? If we should indeed be thinking of the recruitment tattoo, this was in my opinion more a thing opf the later empire than of the Principate.

I've also so far never come across garments with any names written on them??

[jpvdgiessen]

I read in a commentary that's a custom for Roman officers to tattoo the name of their garrison on their thigh.

Where did you read that?
...
I've also so far never come across garments with any names written on them??

About the tattoo I found as a handwritten remark in Leon Morris "The Revelation of St. John" (Tyndale, 1976). That's why I was interested in this idea.

The other part about names written on garments. See also L. Morris. But also in the Studiebijbel (SBNT): ‘op zijn mantel, ter hoogte van zijn dij’, zoals dat bijvoorbeeld bij Romeinse soldaten het geval was. (On his robe, on the height of the tigh such as by example the case with Roman soldiers)

[Robert Vermaat]

About the tattoo I found as a handwritten remark in Leon Morris "The Revelation of St. John" (Tyndale, 1976). That's why I was interested in this idea.
The other part about names written on garments. See also L. Morris. But also in the Studiebijbel (SBNT): ‘op zijn mantel, ter hoogte van zijn dij’, zoals dat bijvoorbeeld bij Romeinse soldaten het geval was. (On his robe, on the height of the tigh such as by example the case with Roman soldiers)

As I assumed, not a work about the Roman military. Who knows where Morris got his knowledge from.

[M. CVRIVS ALEXANDER]

When was Revelations written?

Revelation - note the singular, the plural is a common error - was likely written either around 68-69 C.E. or in the 90s C.E., although, of course, there are other views

I would go with the reading (suggested above), "And he has upon his garment, that is, upon his thigh, a name inscribed..."

[Robert Vermaat]

Revelation - note the singular, the plural is a common error

Interesting. The Dutch Bible uses the plural - 'Revelations of John (Openbaringen).

I would go with the reading (suggested above), "And he has upon his garment, that is, upon his thigh, a name inscribed..."

'
That would mean writing on the garment, indeed. Well, never heard of that before.

[jpvdgiessen]

Interesting. The Dutch Bible uses the plural - 'Revelations of John (Openbaringen).

To be more correct in Revelation 1 verse 1 "the revelation of Jesus Christ", what version are you using?

But to get on topic: Do some of you have sources about the writings on garments?

[M. Demetrius]

Remember, of course, that the Rider mentioned is not a Roman soldier, so Roman military conventions might not apply at all. :wink: