01-02-2014, 10:37 PM
Bryan,
We may disagree on the use of 'short' in this context; I'm just using it against the other common Roman sword, the 'longer' spatha; and certainly 'shorter' than many of the Celtic (sic) types.
But as your pictures certainly show - it's actually just perfect for the type of usage I envisage, although as the longest of the styles we see, it does just nicely fit behind a shield when the arm is cocked and the body turned slightly.
As to any sort of 'modern discussion', I am surprised that you are arguing differently of all people. I have no concerns at all that Roman culture (particularly of the Patrician and Equestrian) extols 'warrior virtue' et al, it would be a very unusual military/warrior culture if it didn't.
But, as far as the soldier is concerned, given the discipline we happily believe they were under, I am absolutely 100% positive that their centurions and optio's would not have trained them as 'heroes' - you only need heroes when things go wrong (and that's when they appear); and pre-battle they can be happily psyched up to perform their best. But you train them simply to kill, with the minimum of thought and the maximum efficiency possible - that would have been the entire purpose of many hours at the post; as well as responding to the simple commands necessary to get the century to go where 'I' wanted it to go.
The formal profession of an Army Officer is as a 'manager of violence' - that's what I was taught 30 years ago (even in this rather cultured and wimpy modern era) and I am absolutely certain that applies to the Roman 'officers' in spades.
Remember also that the Romans decried the flamboyance and posturing of the barbarian warrior cultures - you just kill them - stab and kill, or cut and slice and let them bleed to death; as efficiently as possible.
We may disagree on the use of 'short' in this context; I'm just using it against the other common Roman sword, the 'longer' spatha; and certainly 'shorter' than many of the Celtic (sic) types.
But as your pictures certainly show - it's actually just perfect for the type of usage I envisage, although as the longest of the styles we see, it does just nicely fit behind a shield when the arm is cocked and the body turned slightly.
As to any sort of 'modern discussion', I am surprised that you are arguing differently of all people. I have no concerns at all that Roman culture (particularly of the Patrician and Equestrian) extols 'warrior virtue' et al, it would be a very unusual military/warrior culture if it didn't.
But, as far as the soldier is concerned, given the discipline we happily believe they were under, I am absolutely 100% positive that their centurions and optio's would not have trained them as 'heroes' - you only need heroes when things go wrong (and that's when they appear); and pre-battle they can be happily psyched up to perform their best. But you train them simply to kill, with the minimum of thought and the maximum efficiency possible - that would have been the entire purpose of many hours at the post; as well as responding to the simple commands necessary to get the century to go where 'I' wanted it to go.
The formal profession of an Army Officer is as a 'manager of violence' - that's what I was taught 30 years ago (even in this rather cultured and wimpy modern era) and I am absolutely certain that applies to the Roman 'officers' in spades.
Remember also that the Romans decried the flamboyance and posturing of the barbarian warrior cultures - you just kill them - stab and kill, or cut and slice and let them bleed to death; as efficiently as possible.
