04-21-2004, 02:26 PM
Did anyone catch the USA Spartacus? I caught a few snippets (hey there's NHL: playoffs going on!).<br>
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Rather than focus on what was wrong in what I saw, (I'm sure a few guys here can make a cottage industry on that what with leather-looking lorica segmentata and whatnot), I'll focus on what I liked about what I saw. (Really like 10 minutes of one battle) which included some wooded area fighting and whatnot.<br>
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1: They had a fair number of actors/extras. I'd say the Roman contingent alone had about 2 cohorts worth of guys (and farther off some (no doubt) computer inserted additional cohorts. Maybe 150 cavalry of Romans/ oppostion.The broken nature of the terrain was used by the filmmakers to good effect to achieve mass.<br>
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2. The Romans lead off supposedly with skirmishers.<br>
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3. Spartacus' troops included a fiar number of presumably ex-slave "celts" with the painted faces and what not. They chose to fight in their familiar fashion.<br>
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4. We saw a fair number of slingers in action which was nice. The Romans went into testudo to cover up from the barrage which then allowed the ex-Slaves to close and attack. It included at least one guy on horseback that just vaulted right into the top of the testudo, thus breaking it up, which lead to the slave infantry getting into their formation. The Romans rallied and did drive off this attack, but at a prearranged signal (horns and flags, they did show both armies using various communications methods too) the enemy retreated back to the woods, precipitating an ill-advised rush to pursuit which the woods-hidden celts then took advantage off. Bottom line: big fiasco for the Romans which resulted later on in Crassus resorting to decimation of some surviving Roman units to save his own face.<br>
<br>
In and of itself I was glad I caught that seen and wished I had at least taped the series just for some of the battles. Though I still believe the original Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) was more convincing. Many of the USA channel slaves looked to me like pretty boys. You know, the type looking for work after Xena was shut down.<br>
<br>
Los<br>
<p></p><i></i>
<br>
Rather than focus on what was wrong in what I saw, (I'm sure a few guys here can make a cottage industry on that what with leather-looking lorica segmentata and whatnot), I'll focus on what I liked about what I saw. (Really like 10 minutes of one battle) which included some wooded area fighting and whatnot.<br>
<br>
1: They had a fair number of actors/extras. I'd say the Roman contingent alone had about 2 cohorts worth of guys (and farther off some (no doubt) computer inserted additional cohorts. Maybe 150 cavalry of Romans/ oppostion.The broken nature of the terrain was used by the filmmakers to good effect to achieve mass.<br>
<br>
2. The Romans lead off supposedly with skirmishers.<br>
<br>
3. Spartacus' troops included a fiar number of presumably ex-slave "celts" with the painted faces and what not. They chose to fight in their familiar fashion.<br>
<br>
4. We saw a fair number of slingers in action which was nice. The Romans went into testudo to cover up from the barrage which then allowed the ex-Slaves to close and attack. It included at least one guy on horseback that just vaulted right into the top of the testudo, thus breaking it up, which lead to the slave infantry getting into their formation. The Romans rallied and did drive off this attack, but at a prearranged signal (horns and flags, they did show both armies using various communications methods too) the enemy retreated back to the woods, precipitating an ill-advised rush to pursuit which the woods-hidden celts then took advantage off. Bottom line: big fiasco for the Romans which resulted later on in Crassus resorting to decimation of some surviving Roman units to save his own face.<br>
<br>
In and of itself I was glad I caught that seen and wished I had at least taped the series just for some of the battles. Though I still believe the original Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) was more convincing. Many of the USA channel slaves looked to me like pretty boys. You know, the type looking for work after Xena was shut down.<br>
<br>
Los<br>
<p></p><i></i>
Los
aka Carlos Lourenco
aka Carlos Lourenco
