12-04-2004, 08:40 PM
"Frankly what amazes me is why in the devil Augustus didn't replace these three legions."<br>
<br>
I suspect a combination of reasons.<br>
<br>
1) Augustus' whole programme of giovernment (so to speak his election platform) was based on peace. The empire is littered with altars to 'Pax Augusta'. That's a winning program in a country full of people who remember the civil wars very well. Holding a full-scale legionary /dilectus/ is liable to create all kinds of flashbacks of the kind the emperor doesn't want. Bear in mind that Auguistus may found a 400-year succession of emperors, but he doesn't KNOW that. As far as he knows, he may be going the way of his adoptive father yet. So, best not make waves when you don't have to. In fact, looking at the grievances voiced in the mutinies on the Rhine later it seems there weren't even enough replacements to keep existing legions up to strength.<br>
<br>
2) Apparently, he didn't need them. The empire got along fine without the XVII, XVIII and XIX.<br>
<br>
3) I think the defeat also got blown out of proportion, perhaps as a propaganda ploy (need a reason why Germany did not get steamrollered into submission? Well, they FIERCE...) or perhaps because it genuinely shocked Augustus. If the war had been pursued with more intelligence than vengefulness in later years - who knows? <p></p><i></i>
<br>
I suspect a combination of reasons.<br>
<br>
1) Augustus' whole programme of giovernment (so to speak his election platform) was based on peace. The empire is littered with altars to 'Pax Augusta'. That's a winning program in a country full of people who remember the civil wars very well. Holding a full-scale legionary /dilectus/ is liable to create all kinds of flashbacks of the kind the emperor doesn't want. Bear in mind that Auguistus may found a 400-year succession of emperors, but he doesn't KNOW that. As far as he knows, he may be going the way of his adoptive father yet. So, best not make waves when you don't have to. In fact, looking at the grievances voiced in the mutinies on the Rhine later it seems there weren't even enough replacements to keep existing legions up to strength.<br>
<br>
2) Apparently, he didn't need them. The empire got along fine without the XVII, XVIII and XIX.<br>
<br>
3) I think the defeat also got blown out of proportion, perhaps as a propaganda ploy (need a reason why Germany did not get steamrollered into submission? Well, they FIERCE...) or perhaps because it genuinely shocked Augustus. If the war had been pursued with more intelligence than vengefulness in later years - who knows? <p></p><i></i>
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!
Volker Bach
Volker Bach
