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Widows and Orphans
#1
What happened to the wives and families of killed soldiers? I imagine the common legionary did not have a family, but there must have been those who depended on the military income to support their families. Was there any sort of compensation the families would get when their soldier was killed, or were they just S.O.L.?

Athena
Marat Marat its all in vain
You studied the body and probed the brain
In vain you spent your energies
for how can Marat cure his own disease


Athena Kendall
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#2
I think they were on their own if they weren't officially a spouse, but I imagine the deceased soldier would leave provisions for his dependents in his will. There's a paper that touches on the subject, but I can't remember the name off the top of my head. IIRC they were evicted if living in the same military house, which also brings to light questions about the nature of co-habitation in the army.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#3
In the 1800's camp followers in the European armies picked a new 'husband'. On the death of their current husband, they could auction themselves off, or go with a friend of the deceased or try to fend for themselves. We don't know a whole lot about what happened in antiquity, although a couple of times there were reports that some armies, (Persians before the invasion of Greece?) would kill the camp followers. I think that would make some soldiers much less willing to fight for their leaders, but ......
That may also be propaganda put about by the Greeks.

We see what happened at Alesia, where Julius Caesar refused to allow his men to take the Gallic Alesian women who were offering themselves, and instead forced them to starve to death. I wonder if there were any women in Caesar's camp, since they were being so careful of rations and supplies.

Different times and different commanders would lead to different answers. We see from some wills that the soldier could bequeath his possessions, but since he was out of the power of his paterfamilis, then would his family have any responsibility to his offspring? Again, depending on the time period, and the wishes of the people involved.
Caius Fabius Maior
Charles Foxtrot
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#4
I read somewhere that according to a papyrus the mother (the parents?) of a dead soldier were given some of his shares, e.g. one tenth of the sum for a tent.

Maybe this papyrus is mentioned in Fink, Roman Military Records on Papyrus, but it might well be one of Carol van Direl-Murray's articles.

Don't have the time to look it up at the moment, sorry Sad
Florian Himmler (not related!)
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#5
Athena, maybe you could find this article interesting:

Marriage, families, and survival in the Roman imperial army:
demographic aspects


[url:3v1u4vcl]http://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdfs/scheidel/110509.pdf[/url]

Vale,
TITVS/Daniele Sabatini

... Tu modo nascenti puero, quo ferrea primum
desinet ac toto surget Gens Aurea mundo,
casta faue Lucina; tuus iam regnat Apollo ...


Vergilius, Bucolicae, ecloga IV, 4-10
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#6
Quote:I read somewhere that according to a papyrus the mother (the parents?) of a dead soldier were given some of his shares, e.g. one tenth of the sum for a tent.

Maybe this papyrus is mentioned in Fink, Roman Military Records on Papyrus, but it might well be one of Carol van Direl-Murray's articles.

Don't have the time to look it up at the moment, sorry Sad

It's certainly mentioned in B&C2 ;-)

An interesting aspect of this is, since soldiers fell under the patronage of their commander, whether their dependants likewise benefitted from such protection.

Mike Bishop
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#7
Titus,

Great article, frater.

Laudes for posting it.

Edge
Gaius Aurelius Calvus
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#8
Quote:Athena, maybe you could find this article interesting:

Marriage, families, and survival in the Roman imperial army:
demographic aspects


[url:p2fzsk2c]http://www.princeton.edu/~pswpc/pdfs/scheidel/110509.pdf[/url]

Vale,

Thanks! I found it very interesting!
Marat Marat its all in vain
You studied the body and probed the brain
In vain you spent your energies
for how can Marat cure his own disease


Athena Kendall
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#9
Quote:Marriage, families, and survival in the Roman imperial army: demographic aspects

That was a cracking read. Thanks Big Grin
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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