The Legions: boys with an attitude

[Anonymous]

Letter from a Marcus Flavinius, centurion in the 2nd Cohort of the Augusta Legion (probably IIIrd Augusta, based in Lambesis, todays Algeria) to his cousin Tertullus in Rome:<br>
"Make haste to reassure me, I beg you, and tell me that our fellow citizens understand us, support us and protect us as we ourselves are protecting the glory of the Empire.<br>
<b> "If it should be otherwise, if we should have to leave our bleached bones on these desert sands in vain, then beware of the anger of the legions!"</b><br>
I wonder if someone knows the context in which that letter was written. It seems to imply there was some opposition in Rome about something the legion was doing then.<br>
The reference to bleached bones makes me think about an expedition of some kind.<br>
But anyways, these were boys with an attitude, no doubt about it.. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showLocalUserPublicProfile?login=antoninuslucretius>Antoninus Lucretius</A> at: 3/28/02 6:30:46 pm<br></i>

[Praefectusclassis]

Since Legio III Augusta was mainly sitting on their hands in the North-African sun, this letter might - but it's a wild guess - belong to 238 when this legion was involved with the Gordians and their struggle against Maximinus Thrax. After this the legion was disbanded, only to be reinstated in 253.<br>
<p>Greets<BR>
<BR>
Jasper</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/ujasperoorthuys.showPublicProfile?language=EN>Jasper Oorthuys</A> at: 3/28/02 6:52:21 pm<br></i>

[Anonymous]

You're right, that figures. "The glory of the Empire" could pretty well describe Maximinus' military efforts and the tone of the letter could reflect massive rejection of his policies by the Italians. <p></p><i></i>

[Goffredo]

Apart from the issue of the historical setting this passage sounds to me like the usual lack of communication between a professional military man and a civilian. Interesting.<br>
<br>
ciao <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

That reminds me of this ancient text about civilian's feet squashed by the soldiers' hobnailed caligae, or beaten up..<br>
Until quite recently the military were generally speaking boys with an attitude..<br>
Reminds me of a report still in the archives in France regarding an incident with three napoleonic hussards. Those brave soldiers, most probably drunk out of their skulls threw a citizen into the Seine river from a bridge "for the motive that he had given them a side look".<br>
Punishment: three weeks suspension of pay...E EM<br>
It is not known whether the citizen survived the plunge... <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showLocalUserPublicProfile?login=antoninuslucretius>Antoninus Lucretius</A> at: 4/4/02 3:58:00 pm<br></i>