EUREKA - Roman army troops

[Cheyenne]

I'm interested in hearing more about this venture - I am however, always a little dubious when I hear that someone has ascertained a mathematical equation that claims to solve specific questions about what is essentially, an ecologically emergent and culturally contingent issue.

Systems & middle range theory (which, if I am not mistaken - you are using to answer some of these questions) has its limitations when dealing with indeterminacy in human aspects of the socially constructed environment. Are we to assume that the ways in which these legions were organised for over 400 years were a rigid as you suggest?

Archaeology has, in reality has been calling for an interdisciplinary approach to its material ever since post-processualists rejected the inherently reductionist attitudes of people such as Binford, Clarke et all. in the 1970's. I'm not saying that such an endeavor would be met with hostility, but drawing on maths and maths alone to explain an issue which is considered through complexity of cultural frameworks (such as the variations in religious or cultural practices between romanised and non-romanised peoples) would present problems we have been trying to work through in Prehistoric archaeology for a number of years

I'm still interested in how you would overcome variations in regional and local attitudes and how you would account for risk analysis in historically contingent conditions

I hope this doesn't sound too negative - I'm just considering the theoretical and philosophical implications of what you are trying to achieve

Cheers

Claire