08-21-2009, 09:45 AM
Quote:I have found an Ovid reference that outlines the whole Roman modus operandi, which governs both the political and military. Ovid is the only person whose works survive to have touched on the subject. After his digression on the maniple, Ovid (Fasti III 107) writes ...For anyone who might be interested in following this up, the reference should be Ovid, Fasti 119-126 (Latin text here / English translation here).
The poem is about how Romulus named the first month of the year after his father Mars. Lines 117-118 are interesting: "A long pole carried the hanging bundles from which the soldier takes the name of the maniple". (It's a poem, so there are all sorts of random Romulan thoughts rattling about.)
I'm less convinced of your incremental counting theory, though. Ovid says that "From that time, Romulus separated the 100 senators (patres) into ten circles, and instituted 10 spearmen (hastati) and he had a body of the equivalent number of front-men (principes) and just as many javelin-men (pilani) and those who legitimately merited horses (Fasti 127-130). I don't see how this can spin out into your gradually incrementing system. It all sounds a little vague and, ... well, poetic.
Quote:I do hope the above Mr Campbell, does not disturb your peaceful slumbers.On the contrary, I was fast asleep by the time I got to "The original 10 voting centuries represent the 90 to 100 centuries band of one cycle of 100 centuries". I hope your examiners love numbers as much as you do! :wink:
