Closing of the segmentata in the column trajana

[sulla felix]

If instead, the Dacians had attacked Rome, but the Romans had won, perhaps we would have seen a very different Column as the sculptors might have seen real live legions in the first place?

I do not necessarily think that this would be the case. What we see on this "propoganda" is stylistic representation, or at least that is what everybody seems to be saying. That does not suggest that the sculptors had not seen a "real live legion", merely that they chose to represent what they had seen in a particular way. I find it interesting that certain elements of the column depictions are condmened (armour) whilst others (shield shapes, shield emblems, military construction techniques to name but a few) are seemingly accepted at face value. There is a tendancy to forget here that the close up examination of every inch of the column that we see in modern scholarship is not what the people of Rome would have seen at the time. They would have seen a representation of their glorious legions, complete with nice shiny metal weapons (and who knows even in colour?) from a distance. At 40 or 50 feet up in the air I am sure they were not able to discuss at length whether the sculptural depictions of the armour were "accurate".

[marcii ulpi messala]

Well, then if these images are designed not to be observed closely for that they detail the closings of the segmentata? For example, in Marco Aurelio's column the segmentatas do not detail these closings. It would not be that the artists of the trajana if they knew the system of closing of the seg and because of it they included still without power turn for the distance?
Another observation, if what was claimed in the TC, was to give the impression and advertising of an invincible army, on having represented the segmentatas, would not it be devoting himself understanding that this type of armor was the best and preferred by the Roman army for his soldiers in the combat?

Bien, luego si estas imágenes están diseñadas para no ser observadas de cerca ¿por que detallan los cierres de la segmentata? por ejemplo, en la columna de Marco Aurelio las segmentatas no detallan estos cierres. ¿No sería que los artistas de la trajana si conocían el sistema de cierre de la seg y por eso lo incluyeron aún sin poder verse por la distancia?
Otra observación, ¿si lo que se pretendía en la TC, era dar la impresión y publicidad de un ejercito invencible, al representar las segmentatas, no se estaría dando a entender que este tipo de armadura era la mejor y preferida por el ejército romano para sus soldados en el combate?