ROME IN THE WEST AND ATTILA

[Nathan Ross]

he took my suggestions on things like Aetius used tactics we see in the Strategikon, other little stuff I came up with.

I hadn't realised that the author had also posted up his chapter on Chalons as a separate document - my apologies!

However, I've read through it, and then read back through yours as a comparison. There are similarities, which isn't surprising as you're both describing the same battle using the same set of very limited evidence. His note on the Strategikon isn't as detailed as yours, and I don't think breaks any particularly new ground on the subject - but neither does there seem to be any direct quotation or copying. I believe Elton and others had already suggested the connection anyway, without going into any great depth.

But, as Robert says, it's understandable that you feel frustrated; I'm sure we all know the feeling to some extent. However, I do still think that accusing another writer of plagarism is taking things too far - unless you could cite direct verbatim quotation without attribution, or the use of some concrete material research. It could be damaging to his academic career as well, of course; even a whiff of something like that posted online can have a negative effect.

It's quite usual for anyone researching a subject to check any related material on Academia and elsewhere, so again it's not surprising that the author would have seen your own work. But, again following Robert, ideas are not copyright, and the past does not belong to any of us anyway!