10-24-2021, 11:09 PM
(10-24-2021, 09:55 PM)Renatus Wrote: He says of the Britons that they were 'serendis frugibus incuriosos', 'careless about sowing corn' (Church & Brodribb). 'Incuriosus' means 'careless' or 'negligent' and, therefore, implies that they had failed to do what they might otherwise have done... if they were about to embark upon a revolt that might last many months, it would have been a waste of time...
Although we also have to bear in mind the rest of the statement. They were 'careless about sowing corn, people of every age having gone to the war, (or 'turned to war'?) while they reckoned on our supplies as their own.' (omni aetate ad bellum versa, dum nostros commeatus sibi destinant.)
So they were not neglecting their crops because they were about to embark on revolt, but because it had already started and they were not physically present!
This is, I think, Tacitus pointing out that barbarians were essentially childish folk who go rushing off to war while neglecting the important things of life. But he is also, incidentally, telling us that the war was in progress during what would usually be the sowing season. So the fighting was happening during either March or October; if the revolt started during the Roman campaign season, which of those options seems most likely?
As for crop patterns, the bit I quoted from Shimon Applebaum in this post seems quite persuasive. Britain was exporting grain to Gaul in this period, so the Britons would hardly still be using a prehistoric summer cultivation pattern; winter grains were far more likely the main crop, as they were elsewhere in Europe at the time.
I completely agree with your thoughts about Suetonius and his ships and the end of the war though.
Nathan Ross
