08-15-2012, 06:59 PM
Could it be that publicly they were not recognized as what they were? No resources to support this, just curious. :|
E.g., "Here we have one of our most illustrious undercover agents, Lucius Marcus Secretus Maximus (but of course we've changed his name for his own protection). He has been instrumental in finding out state secrets from various city officials in Calabria and Illyria, besides sitting on the Council in Masillia. Some of the information he has brought us has led to the trials of 32 corrupt city officials, all of whom were convicted and executed. He is a great Roman. Let's have a round of applause!"
hock:
I suspect covert then is like covert now. The use of the word Occultus probably means just that. Only the most inner circle of officers and Imperial counselors would know who he was. The rest would receive communication from couriers, probably, and some code word or instructions from higher ups would lead the local legatus or tribunus to take the information seriously.
E.g., "Here we have one of our most illustrious undercover agents, Lucius Marcus Secretus Maximus (but of course we've changed his name for his own protection). He has been instrumental in finding out state secrets from various city officials in Calabria and Illyria, besides sitting on the Council in Masillia. Some of the information he has brought us has led to the trials of 32 corrupt city officials, all of whom were convicted and executed. He is a great Roman. Let's have a round of applause!"
hock: I suspect covert then is like covert now. The use of the word Occultus probably means just that. Only the most inner circle of officers and Imperial counselors would know who he was. The rest would receive communication from couriers, probably, and some code word or instructions from higher ups would lead the local legatus or tribunus to take the information seriously.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
