Tattoos anyone?

[lisa]

I'm not sure what the earliest attestation is, but it goes way back.

[url:1tccy02e]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPQR[/url]

SPQR is all over Republican coins and continues to be used in the early empire. The senate and the people were the power in Rome before the civil wars brought about dictators and imperators. It was used to show that the senate and the people sanctioned something--an action, a person, etc.

In modern Rome, of course, it means something is public property, which caused much hilarity when one of my profs saw the SPQR on my hip and commented something to that effect. Every good Romanist should have that as a tattoo :wink:

[hoplite14gr]

Tatoos are a very personal choice.
In antiquity though, removable battle paint was asociated with "barbarians" and slaves and sometimes late roman reqruits were "tatooed" though branding or other unpleasant method.

Generally marking the body was frowned upon in the Greco- Roman world.


Now if a modern individual likes body art its his choice but better if it conservatively hidden for Greco- Roman renacting as Geofry suggested..

Kind regards

[Tarbicus]

I think the evidence of lots of Tattoo-removers in the Roman world is being discounted too easily. Frowned upon does not mean it did not happen, and just like today, where the establishment frowns upon certain activities, that has little bearing on what especially youths will actually do despite the disapproval. We have many accounts of latest fashions and hairstyles being deeply disapproved of, but they were still there. The moment establishment attitudes crop up in the discussion of a subject I get deeply suspicious of its value in practice when applied to fashion, etc, and think of this lady:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Whitehouse

[Magnus]

She's hot.

[hoplite14gr]

Well I didn't say it did not happen but chances are we would encouter the "untatooed" legionary or hoplite and his tatooed slave in the old times.
One person was thown out of the Myrrioi for having tatoos and piercings.
OK a possibility is to reenact a runaway slave who turned soldier but it was not a trate of the free citizens or upper classes.

Kind regards

[Tarbicus]

but it was not a trate of the free citizens or upper classes.

Stefanos, can you expand on why you're so certain that was the case, as it actually contradicts research that shows otherwise, especially for Romans. The 'military mark' does seem to have been a tattoo, not a a branding.

[thatguy]

Woah, this thing kinda took off without me really looking at it, but i think i might have mislead you all, i have done my fair share of research on the subject and i know a good amount of history on the following topics, but im not looking for a tattoo that romans may or may not have had, im looking for a tattoo that symbolizes rome because for one thing, ive been obsessed with roman history since i was a kid, and two, im italian and im trying to stay clear of the stereotypical flag n boot.

[Magnus]

Don't forget your name in your signature!