Discovery of 49 beheaded skeletons at York

[Praefectusclassis]

Except that decimation traditionally included being pummeled to death by comrades. Hard to pummel someones head clear off with a club, methinks. <p>Greets<br>
<br>
Jasper</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

John,<br>
Our friends of 'Roma Antiqua' are trying to deal some covering of travel costs for my group, otherwise we wouldn't be able to attend. Not everybody from us is free for that date but a detachment would be 'ready for action' if we get some help!<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Aitor,<br>
<br>
Are you talking about attending the York Roman Festival this year, Aitor? It would be great to see you!<br>
<br>
Sandra <p></p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Maybe part of my group, not myself, unfortunately! Perhaps things will fare better in 2006...<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=aitoririarte>Aitor Iriarte</A> at: 3/3/05 11:00 am<br></i>

[Nathan Ross]

Quote:</em></strong><hr>Hard to pummel someones head clear off with a club, methinks.<hr><br>
<br>
Aye, well, methinks likewise, although I doubt a practical experiment would prove feasible... There is also the small matter of the seven children - the recruitment situation in 200AD having surely not got that desperate, it would seem my last theory is collapsed!...<br>
<br>
(The method of decimation by group beating as described by Polybius would, of course, have had the advantages of symbolically spreading the responsibility for the death amongst the fellow soldiers, and of avoiding the dismemberment or mutilation of the body, which seems to have been a taboo in traditional Roman society (hence crucifixion/hurling from rocks/sewing into bag with snake etc)... by the later empire, though, punishment by beheading, as well as mutilation, seems to have become more common. There is an apocryphal martyr story dated to c.495 of the decimation of the 'Theban Legion' under Diocletian - the story itself almost certainly bunk but the details of procedure possibly having an origin in fact - which describes soldiers being executed 'by the sword'. Well, maybe, maybe... But this is pure speculation...) <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Salvete all,<br>
<br>
Sorry to digress from the original thread.<br>
<br>
As I've already mentioned to Aitor, it'd be great to get more late Romans in the York Festival and get this period a bit more straightened out.<br>
<br>
HOWEVER, York has a full Roman history from the first century onwards. the organisers are trying to show York's diversity on a budget and, for a festival in its infancy, doing rather well.<br>
<br>
It would be nice to work together to show all aspects of York's Roman heritage. Anyone can snipe, it takes a little more work to lay differences aside though.<br>
<br>
We can ALL learn things from each other, If we can manage to work together.<br>
<br>
Mummius<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Mummius,<br>
Of course that the correct thing is to show Roman soldiers of all periods at York!<br>
My criticism was only about early imperial legionaries hailing Constantine as Augustus, instead of late Roman ones!<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Nice to meet you Mummius<br>
<br>
I'm sure we are all doing our best with regards to the York Roman Festival, and that it will become an established feature of York's calendar, as much as the Jorvik Viking Festival is earlier in February. As you say, if we all work together, we can show York's Roman Heritage off to good advantage.<br>
<br>
I think last year, some bits worked, and other didn't. It's important to think critically about events and try to improve their content.<br>
<br>
btw, for those interested, there's a Festival website, which can be found at:<br>
<br>
www.yorkromanfestival.com/<br>
<br>
<br>
Viventia/Viventius<br>
www.tegula.freeserve.co.uk/<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Aitor,<br>
<br>
Comitatus was there to salute Constantine! It's just that the early Romans get in all the pictures for some reason<br>
<br>
Viventia <p></p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Viventia,<br>
That must be surely because we don't look like 'Romans' to them...<br>
<br>
Aitor

<p></p><i></i>

[Primitivus]

That must be surely because we don't like like 'Romans' to them...

Sad to say, but I think this is true. From the "common" perspective, all Roman legionaries look alike. Same armor, etc. We've a long way to go to better educate the masses...

[Primitivus]

And that one with the iron shackles "that may have been put to stop the dead from escaping"... What about a more simpler "to stop the living from escaping?"

I hardly think they would bury valuable shackles to rust in the ground if they did not desire to communicate some special intention. In a single case, it could be a mistake... but repeated, it appears to be intentional.