Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Dando-Collins, \'Legions of Rome\'
#11
Quote:
Caratacus post=349120 Wrote:(a) legio X Fretensis and legio X Gemina were the same thing (despite the fact that they served in different parts of the Empire simultaneously)

Wasn't his idea that X Fretensis was founded on the original Caesarian legion, rather than Gemina as usually assumed? Thus providing a good excuse to write about the Jewish war in his first book...

I've been highly critical of Dando-Collins in the past, although when I had a look through Legions of Rome I found what initially seemed quite an interesting and even (gasp!) persuasive theory that Legion X Gemina were not the Caesarian tenth, and that X Fretensis were not named after a sea battle off Sicily. .

Being written by SDC, it's all very confusing! He does admit that there were at least two '10th' legions. The actual quote is (p.285): "Although the 10th Gemina, a different legion, is mentioned, no title is ascribed to the 10th. (end quote) But which '10th' is he talking about here? I presume it's the 10th Fretensis. :dizzy: He then goes on to make some comments about the 10th legion (no name added now) having been raised and served in Spain until its recruiting ground and station was transferred to northern Turkey in the 2nd c A.D., i.e. Pannonia - presumably this is the 10th Gemina? We are then told that "the 10th legion is believed to have served in the Middle East throughout the imperial era". Which 10th is it now he's talking about, Fretensis? It's the continuous and undifferentiated use of the number 10 that suggests to me that SDC thinks they are the same unit.

The bit that caught my ire, however was the following quote (p.280): For all this, the 10th legion may have been known colloquially as the Fretensis. There is simply no evidence to support a suggestion that this was an official title" (end quote). Enter a small volume by one Edward Dabrowa and entitled: "Legio X Fretensis, A prosopographical Study, (I-III c. A.D.), Historia Einzelschriften, H.66 (1993). This small volume lists all tombstones (dozens of them), of officers of the legion and all of which refer to this legion by name. So, unofficial title, eh? I think not. It's typical of SDC's racy style of writing, coupled with poor research.

Mike Thomas
visne scire quod credam? credo orbes volantes exstare.
Reply


Messages In This Thread
Re: Dando-Collins, \'Legions of Rome\' - by John1 - 02-09-2012, 08:57 PM
Dando-Collins, \'Legions of Rome\' - by A_Volpe - 01-05-2014, 03:46 PM
Dando-Collins, \'Legions of Rome\' - by Marius - 01-06-2014, 02:32 PM
Re: Dando-Collins, \'Legions of Rome\' - by Caratacus - 01-06-2014, 06:03 PM
Dando-Collins, \'Legions of Rome\' - by Renatus - 01-08-2014, 10:34 AM

Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  New Book from Dando-Collins: Great Fire of Rome Narukami 25 7,512 08-12-2011, 04:44 AM
Last Post: rononmaximus
  Legions of Rome mcbishop 41 9,378 01-10-2011, 09:16 AM
Last Post: Vindex
  The Ides -- A New Book by Dando-Collins Narukami 2 1,904 03-29-2010, 03:25 PM
Last Post: Gaius Julius Caesar

Forum Jump: