Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Doug]

Image of _dolabra_ at:
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LOTDETAIL.ASP?sid=&intObjectID=4265323\n&SN=5524

The Roman legions were renown
for their engineering skills and the regular
disciplined layout of their
camps. Tacitus in his Annals relates that during the
revolt of Sacrovir (21 A.D.),
the legionaries had immemse problems in fighting
his gladiator army with its
quilted armour, which proved effective against
swords. The soldiers in the
end resorted to using thier dolabras (entrenching
tools) to hack through the
enemy formation. Frontinus in his Stratagems wrote
that one of Rome's greatest
generals, "Domitius Corbulo, used to say that the
pick was the weapon with
which to beat the enemy".

--

Doug
The price of freedom is infernal vigilantes

"That the People have a right to keep and bear Arms; that a well
regulated Militia, composed of the Body of the People, trained to
arms, is the proper, natural, and safe Defence of a free state." --
Within Mason's declaration of "the essential and unalienable Rights
of the People," -- later adopted by the Virginia ratification
convention, 1788

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Doug, while I agree and am amused with your Roman comments, I caution
everyone to remember that the Romans wrote everything down. They
always appear smarter and better since they told us they were.
However, if one were to research the evolution of the legionare
closely, they would find that every aspect of the Roman panolpy was
coopted from an enemy that defeated the previous version of legionare.

Also adaptability is the main differentiation noted by anthropologist
between us and the various other hominids. All can manipulated
objects with great dexterity, many can make and use tools, but only
man can use tools for purposes other than that intended. It is the
same brain that uses the side of a wrench for a hammer that uses a
pick for an ax :)

Wanax


--- In WarriorRules@yahoogroups.com, Doug <rockd@p...> wrote:
> Image of _dolabra_ at:
> http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/search/LOTDETAIL.ASP?
sid=&intObjectID=4265323&SN=5524
>
> The Roman legions were
renown
> for their engineering skills and the regular
> disciplined layout of
their
> camps. Tacitus in his Annals relates that during the
> revolt of Sacrovir (21
A.D.),
> the legionaries had immemse problems in fighting
> his gladiator army with
its
> quilted armour, which proved effective against
> swords. The soldiers in
the
> end resorted to using thier dolabras (entrenching
> tools) to hack through the
> enemy formation. Frontinus in his Stratagems wrote
> that one of Rome's
greatest
> generals, "Domitius Corbulo, used to say that the
> pick was the weapon with
> which to beat the enemy".
>
> --
>
> Doug
> The price of freedom is infernal vigilantes
.

[Doug]

> However, if one were to research the evolution of the legionare
>closely, they would find that every aspect of the Roman panolpy was
>coopted from an enemy that defeated the previous version of legionare.
>
>Also adaptability... only
>man can use tools for purposes other than that intended.
>
>Wanax

Ah, but if the Romans were so smart, how come they didn't figure out
the trick of using their weapons left-handed while they were
occupying Palestine :)

[John Murphy]

Hi Wanax,

Warrior aside, just wonder then, for historical interest, who did
the Romans lose to that they co-opted the Lorica Segmenta from? Or,
going back further, the Pilum?

This sounds an awful lot like Craig Scott <if I may misquote him>
telling me that every single thing the Byzantines ever did, right
down to the organization and tactics in the Strategikon, was copied
from the Sassanid Persians! Then again, Craig usually knows what he
is talking about on that subject, and he certainly beat me up on the
game table enough times with that particular matchup, so who knows?

Curious,
John

--- In WarriorRules@yahoogroups.com, "Wanax Andron"
<spocksleftball@y...> wrote:
> every aspect of the Roman panolpy was
> coopted from an enemy that defeated the previous version

--- In WarriorRules@yahoogroups.com, "J. Murphy" <jjmurphy@s...>
wrote:
> Hi Wanax,
>
> Warrior aside, just wonder then, for historical interest, who did
> the Romans lose to that they co-opted the Lorica Segmenta from?
Or,
> going back further, the Pilum?
>

Wasn't the Pilum inspired by a similar heavy spear used by the
Spanish or Etruscans?

Martin