Adamklissi

[Peroni]

Quote:
They are wearing their swords on the left too!

....which suggests one of two things - if convention is being followed, then the two figures are officers/centurions ...or....the gradual changeover to wearing swords on the left began as a fashion among the Praetorians ( perhaps trying to imply that as guards, their status was equivalent to 'line' officers? )

I agree with the 'or' the gradual changeover. There is another metope (XIV) of three (what appear to be) auxiliary soldiers with their scabbards clearly on the left too.

Among the scenes on Trajan's Column there is one particular scene where we see a group of auxiliaries defending their fort from Dacian attack, and all of the soldiers that have their baldrics visible are wearing their swords on the left side. At first I thought that the image had been produced in reverse, but after double-checking against others it is not. You can see the shields are being held 'normal fashion', in the left hand.

[Tarbicus]

I can see only one metope where the foot soldiers (not cavalry) are both wearing the sword on the left AND are facing to the left.

I'm wondering if it's an artistic trick to simply show the sword, and if it's also repeated on TC where there would be no way to show the sword hanging on the right because it would be blocked from sight, not even the pommel?

[Paullus Scipio]

Adrian/Peroni wrote:-

I agree with the 'or' the gradual changeover. There is another metope (XIV) of three (what appear to be) auxiliary soldiers with their scabbards clearly on the left too.

There are in fact a number of metopes where scabbards and/or baldrics show swords worn on left:-
3 of auxilia,(the other one showing auxilia, heavily damaged, has been 'recreated' as on right, but I am doubtful of this)
4 of cavalry ( all cavalry shown thus)
2 of officers are shown left.
1 of Praetorians shown left

On the other hand;
18 of legionaries, all shown right
2 of musicians, shown right
2 of standard bearers, shown right

On Trajan's column, it is much more difficult because baldrics/scabbards are so frequently not carved at all, but from what is visible, legionaries are again universally right, while auxiliaries are both left and right........

[Paullus Scipio]

Tarbicus/Jim wrote:-

I can see only one metope where the foot soldiers (not cavalry) are both wearing the sword on the left AND are facing to the left.

....I'd be doubtful that this was an artistic trick, Jim, because, of the three auxiliary metopes referred to above, one faces right and the other two left, all the cavalry face right and the Praetorians face the front - but all are depicted with baldrics and/or scabbards on the left.......

On T's column we have all angles - left,right, front and rear.......

[arklore70]

Josephus in Book 3, Chapter 5 where he describes the Roman Army and Roman Camp, he goes on in paragraph 5 to describe each footman as having a headpiece, breastplate, and "have swords on each side, but the sword upon their left side is much longer that the other; for that on the right is no longer than a span".

Now wouldn't it be funny if we have had it wrong all along?
:roll:

Course I believe I have been told that this is perhaps as Josephus is facing the Legionary or the Auxilia Troops as they walk by.

Cheers,
Mike

[Ebusitanus]

I´m intrigued by those metopes "lost" into the river. Was this a semi recent thing? Could they not be recovered from the river later on?

[Paullus Scipio]

Four metopes have 'disappeared' in the sands of history, and one or two were lost into the Danube in the course of (modern) transportation to Bucharest. They have probably sunk irretrievably into the soft silt river bottom........

[Nicholas Gaukroger]

They have probably sunk irretrievably into the soft silt river bottom........

To be found many years later by a hobbit ...

:lol:

[Robert Vermaat]

They have probably sunk irretrievably into the soft silt river bottom........

To be found many years later by a hobbit ... :lol:

My precioussss! Try wearing a METOPE on your finger!

[Tarbicus]

Four metopes have 'disappeared' in the sands of history,

Bet you they're the ones showing segs :roll: :wink:

[Nerva]

Four metopes have 'disappeared' in the sands of history,

Bet you they're the ones showing segs :roll: :wink:

Actually I believe they were found by Ridley Scott and used as the basis for 'Gladiator' :lol:

[M. Demetrius]

I'll bet one of them is the list of officially sanctioned tunic colors, too.
:lol:

[Nerva]

I'll bet one of them is the list of officially sanctioned tunic colors, too.
:lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: ...excellent :lol:

[Caballo]

"I have a complete set of folio images of all the metopes ( including reconstruction drawings of badly damaged ones, and 'lost' metopes (fell in the river in transit), but they are too large to scan and are b/w and somewhat faded images from long ago........ "

On the Raiders of the Lost Metopes thread, I am really intrigued as well. Even faded/ bw etc they would be better than nothing.....is there any way round this to show the pics?

Alternatively, could you describe them? Would leave me hungry for more, but even so.....

Thanks in advance!

Caballo

[M. Demetrius]

Nothing wrong with black and white images of limestone relief carvings. They might show as much or more detail as color.

Can we see them someday soon, please, sir?