Late Roman Army - seniores and iuniores

[Julian de Vries]

Steven James: The only other civilization besides the Hebrews that describes its growth in the life of a man is Rome

This reference from an anonymous commentary in Plato’s Theaetetus (1st cent. AD) preserved in a 2nd-cent. Graeco-Egyptian papyrus might be useful:
https://www.academia.edu/35105940/The_Pa...thagoreans

T10 The argument about that which grows was first posed by Pythagoras, but was also posed by Plato, as we noted in our commentary on the Symposium

T11 Epicharmus, having been acquainted with the Pythagoreans, successfully put on stage a number of dramas, and in particular the one about the growing man, which he treated with a systematic and reliable argument

T11a Epicharmus, since he was a pupil of the Pythagoreans, explained well a number of philosophical opinions, and brought to completion the argument about the growing man in a systematic and reliable way.

Steven James: In 181 BC, some Roman priest knew that the gods were destined to perish and tried to use this information to strike back at the Roman senate for their persecution of the Bacchanalia, of which many priest were members.

I find this event of Roman History thought-provokingly fascinating.

Steven James: One interpretation of the omen as given by Claudian believed that the might of Roman was to be unimpaired. However, another interpretation believed the portent threatened destruction on Rome and her empire. Claudian goes on to say: “then they reckoned up the years and, cutting off the flight of the twelfth vulture, tried to shorten the centuries of Rome's existence by hastening the end.”

Another omen of the destruction of the Romans might be found in the book of 2 Esdras. The eagle with twelve wings symbolize Rome, the second wing according to a commentator I read might represent emperor Augustus:
https://www.biblehub.com/gntd/2_esdras/11.htm

[Steven James]

Thank you for the references Julian. All very helpful.

 

The fact that under the emperors Rome was in its old age means that death followed. The Romans knowing the demise of the gods was imminent, to me, explains why the pagan Romans did not start a civil war, with a pagan army fighting a Christian army. All the pagans did was to plead for the right to continue the rituals of the saecula ceremonies, which would keep favour with the gods.

 

With Rome in its last age (the sixth), having units termed the seniores seems appropriate…seniores = men of the sixth age. Under Diocletian, Rome as a man was 63 years of age (seniores). At Cannae, Rome as a man was 32 years of age (princeps). Saint Augustine's six ages of the world and Pythagoras' six ages are one and the same.

 

Julian wrote:

I find this event of Roman History thought-provokingly fascinating.

 

The forged Pythagorean documents were burned as they were a threat to the state and must have contained information about the demise of the gods, something only the priest knew about.