Login

07-23-2002, 11:23 AM

Question: My translation of this fine work has brought up a few questions in the translation itself. References are made to "company commander" and "knight". While I can pretty much figure out that a company commander is probably the loose (very) translation for a centurion, what the heck is is "knight"? 
 
Additional translation questions to come as I get further into the work. Marcus Bruttius Romulus 
Optio 
Legio III Augusta

07-23-2002, 11:36 AM

Salve, 
 
Some more specific information on where the terms are occurring would be helpful. 
 
The knight refers probably to an eques in the sense of an equestrian. Originally the ordo equester was the propertied class that supplied the legionary cavalry in the republican era, though later on its members served as officers rather than as gentleman rankers. In the late republican/early imperial period membership of the equestrian order was based on census rating of 400.000 sestertii (= 100.000 denarii). Members were distinguished by their boots, the thin purple stripes on their clothing and the right to wear a gold ring. 
 
The original texts are available online so a comparison can be made when uncertain of the Latin terms employed. 
 
Latin texts of Tacitus 
 
Regards, 
 
Sander van Dorst Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showLocalUserPublicProfile?login=sandervandorst>Sander van Dorst</A> at: 7/23/02 3:56:20 pm

07-23-2002, 12:30 PM

Thanks, Sander...you are correct...I located the passage I was curious about on the web page you referred me to and found that it indeed referrs to the equite in Latin. I am just trying to get things into perspective. 
 
The passage I was referring to was Book I, passage 29. 
 
It's a great read, by the way...I haven't had novels this good... [link=pub45.ezboard.com/fromanarmytalkfrm6.showMessage?topicID=53.topic]Rules For Posting[/link]

Marcus Bruttius Romulus 
Optio 
Legio III Augusta

Login
Username:
Password:	Lost Password?
	Remember me