traits of a Roman legionary

[richsc]

Carolyn Lawrence, who writes the Roman mystery series for children, asked me the following questions about how Flavia Gemina can tell the following. I gave her an answer, but purely speculative. What would you think?

Salve, Richard!

I hope you are well!

You do re-enactments, don't you? I'd love to pick your brain. I'm just writing
some short stories called 'The Legionary from Londinium and other
Mini-Mysteries'. Some of them will be set in Britannia. My question is this:

If a recently retired legionary walked into Flavia's atrium in an ordinary tunic
and sandals, how could she deduce -- Sherlock-Holmes-wise -- that he had served
in the Roman army?

His erect posture?
Biceps on his left arm bigger from holding a shield?
Some kind of ring?
Callus on hand or fingers from holding sword in exercises?
Key words in his vocabulary?
Over-developed calf muscles from long marches?

Can you think of anything?

Also how old would a legionary be on retirement?

Any feedback and/or suggestions would be hugely appreciated. :-D D

Vale.

Caroline
http://www.romanmysteries.com

[Tarbicus]

Scarred.

This could go on for a few weeks :wink:

[Octavianvs]

would he still have or use his caligae? every bit of kit was his. caligae are pretty comfortable so would they be used until they were worn out?

i doubt you would see much physical differance ( aside from be physical fit. ) not like say the longbowman from middleages when they have found remains having differing in armbones. there is not much known though how noticable it would have been. legionaries not only foung with thier weapons they were also builders so there was also physical labour. I am sure this would also help keep a person fairly similar in appearance.

[Tarbicus]

If a recently retired legionary walked into Flavia's atrium in an ordinary tunic
and sandals, how could she deduce -- Sherlock-Holmes-wise -- that he had served
in the Roman army?

Look to the Heculaneum soldier: Bow legged; broken and missing teeth (unlike the others found on the beach with him).

A common term for a soldier was 'caligatus', so he'd probably wear caligae. Perhaps (let's face it, his pugio) an ornate dagger.

Depending on the period, he wore his tunica hitched up high?

According to a book I'm currently reading, dissatisfied with being a farmer. Thinking of re-enlisting? No matter what, though; lots of stories to tell, compared to the peasants around him who he might have originally been like.

Maybe.

[Aetius Helvius Merula]

Characteristics? Emotional and mental would be the good Dr Watson's clues. A guy who'd spend 16 to 25 years fighting people with spear and sword would be one case hardened man. You'd have to see how he thinks of hostile tribes near Rome's borders-'those people', or 'meat' or maybe 'slaves and profit'. You'd also have to observe how our man acts around those in positions of authority. How instictively he acts when a praetor or senator conveys a wish, directed towards him.

[Magnus]

Don't forget also that he could still likely have some of his gear, namely his military belt and such. A thread just cropped up recently about veterans still being easily identified as ex-soldiers.

[Tarbicus]

You'd also have to observe how our man acts around those in positions of authority. How instictively he acts when a praetor or senator conveys a wish, directed towards him.

I don't think that would be any different to any other citizen, and bear in mind Octavian had a hell of a time getting the veterans to do what he wanted when it came to land allocation (meaning not to also take their neighbour's land as well). In fact, he didn't get them to do it at all, and he had to compensate the disposessed neighbours as well. They were quite capable of making their own minds up and were no pushover when they didn't want to do something.

[caiusbeerquitius]

I am not sure if weapons could give a clue. Wasn´t it illegal to carry weapons inside the pomerium? Or does that only count for swords?

[Carlton Bach]

A lot of this is going to be extremely speculative simply because we don't really know the mannerisms of the Roman military. As others pointed out - physical fitness, scars, possibly old war wounds. Then there's the gear - veternans still wearing the military belt (and I'm sure nobody would have objected too loudly to dagger and sword, either, in their case). If he is recently out of service, maybe the way if forehead is whiter than his face (helmet and/or cap), though that's probably not going to hold water before the 3rd century.

Now, forgive my ignorance, but who is Flavia Gemina? Lower, middle, upper class, Roman or peregrine, girl, matron, spinster? If she is upper class, she might notice that a soldier behaves with greater assurance around her than is consistent with his clothes and appearance. If she is lower-class or peregrine, he may be downright arrogant. Generally, Principate-era troops seem to havec been accustomed to the idea that they represented power, and that authority cfame down on their side when the chips were down. The stereotypical soldier of literature is brave and hardy, but also headstrong and short-tempered, a bully and a thief.

Many soldiers at the time would, of course, have been accustomed to violence and hardship, but that is not a given - this man could as well be a navy veteran with long service in Italy or a legionary carpenter, scribe, or equitation teacher. Not every miles ever saw action (in detail, this will depend on the timeframe. Shortly after the conquest or the civil wars, he's probably a war veteran. In the late 90s or the 120s, maybe not. Also, bear in mnind Roman society generally featured much more direct and overt violence than ours. Being used to fighting would not necessarily be an exclusive feature of soldiers.

Finally, while we don't really know what it sounded like, we know that there was a kind of 'military Latin'. Soldiers throughout the Empire write a remarkably similar style and use relatively similar vocabulary. Like with mannerisms, you could just make up something.

"The man wore his paenula hitched up at the sides, hands free despite the biting wind. His left held a small codex of wax tablets suspended from a carrying string held loosely between thumb and forefinger, the right thumb hooked into the cape's bottom toggle, studiously avoiding the place along the belt where obviously had been used to wearing hiw sword."

[richsc]

The character Flavia Gemina is equestrian class. Good point.

[Hibernicus]

Hmmmmm....

I would think a great deal would depend on his kind of service... how much combat did he see?

But as a generic line troop.. perhaps a distinctive walk... almost a swagger.. maybe a limp..

Thick hands, fingers, forearms, legs.. many small scars on hands, shins and forearms.. weather damaged skin on the hands, arms and face... area around the eyes perhaps more wrinkled than most from years of working outdoors.. I'm kinda partial to him having part of a finger missing.

A nose that's been broken once or twice..

When I had physical therapy several years ago the physiologists could see a distinct deformation of my body from years of weekend warrioring.. left shoulder beefier than the right, left arm shorter; right arm longer; forearm as thick or thicker than the bicep; spine slightly tweaked

Eyes of men who've worked outdoors most of their lives stend to be slightly discoloured, sun damage... some even having a horizontal line of discolouration on that part of the eye left exposed while squinting.

If he's been out of the service for a few years he might also be paunchy... less exercise and physical activity...

And maybe he has a habit of cracking the knuckles of his right hand, sore from a slight case of arthritis

.. and no bracers...

[Matthew Amt]

Bear in mind that an AWFUL lot of people back then did heavy physical labor, much of it outdoors, and would show all sorts of old injuries. Heck, my wife still has a toe that gives her problems because she was stepped on by a milk cow about 30 years ago. And most people walked everywhere, too. My guess is that the belt and shorter tunic would be the usual visual clues.

Valete,

Matthew

[Triarius]

There is one thing everybody has missed:

his eyes.

It's been described many times, in many ways. Combat vets have it. Veteran cops have it.

Some call it "the nine millimeter stare"—two holes going right through you.

[John M McDermott]

He would have been larger than average. He would have been healthier and perhaps reached an age greater than the average population. He would be very conscious and proud of his status.

[Scipio Bristolus]

Caligae? There is a definite mention (Petronius' Satyricon?) about the writer being robbed of his dagger(?) by a veteran who was wearing caligae. I guess that means an unarmed veteran was a tough opponent for a civilian armed with a dagger.