Syrian Auxiliaries

[tDub248]

Picture is here:
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41 ... aries2.jpg

Hey guys, I’m trying to come up with some variations on 1st cent. Syrian, auxiliaries; like ones you might see taking Jerusalem with the legionaries in the first Jewish war. Although not limited to Syrian, but an eastern Roman auxiliary style. I know there’s not a whole lot of stuff on them, but I thought it would be cool to run it by you guys to see if there’s some neat information that might better shape this illustration.

Left

That’s a chain mail shirt, that’s just a little too tedious and not effective to draw in the rings.

I have no idea with the sword. I wanted to give him a more Eastern-Parthian style sword, but I could really find anything on it… I have Osprey’s “Rome’s Enemies 5” and “3”, which show the cataphract swords, but my thoughts were that they were a little to expensive looking for a guy like this, and they looked long, as though for cavalry. Also, in the other book there lots of illustrations of a simple sword that would suit a guy like this, but I can’t find any remains to better understand what going on in the illustration… (like in panel D,E, and F of Rome’s Enemies 3) Anyone have any information?

Middle

Hopefully he’s self-explanatory enough. His dagger is based on a Syrian knife.

Right

His helmet is based on that 2nd cent. Bosnia Helmet. I know its not the right time period though…

I was thinking a simple wooden handled knife. No real reason, haha, maybe he spent all his money on his belt so he couldn’t afford a sweet knife.

Well, I’d love to get some input, thanks!

Also, I plan to do another illustration exploring some different variations, so if anyone has any ideas for that, I’m all-ears. I’d like to give one a cloth belt, and do some sleeves for one’s squamata. Also throw some different helmets in there.

[Theodosius the Great]

Neat. I wonder where I can find information on that Syrian knife.

One small thing you can do, Travis, to give them an even less Roman look is to switch their swords to the left side. AFAIK, the Romans are the only people known to wear swords on the right side.

Eastern Auxiliaries around the time of Christ and up to the fall of Jerusalem may still have worn Celtic armor and weapons. In the Hellenistic era there was a huge Celtic influence on Eastern Mediterranean armies emanating from the Galatians of Anatolia. Hence we see the emergence of medium infantry known as Thureophoroi who were armed with Celtic style shields (thureos) and long spears but not, oddly enough, the Celtic long sword. In fact, they probably didn't carry any swords. Here's a good article about the evolution of Hellenistic infantry : http://www.ne.jp/asahi/luke/ueda-sarson ... ates2.html

So, my Auxiliary impression will reflect Celtic and Hellenistic influences rather than Parthian. Although I'm not sure how prevalent Parthian styles were in the Eastern provinces I think it may have been limited to cavalrymen since their infantry did not exactly inspire much fear. So, if you're going to show a cavalryman, Travis, I think some Parthian style equipment would be more on the mark.

BTW, those plates you mentioned in Rome's Enemies (3) seem way too late for your purposes. They're all Sassanian era figures.

~Theo

[Graham Sumner]

Hello Travis

I would be interested to see what you come up with with your research. Your archer is clearly based on Trajan's column with the long flowing robe. However this image has been dismissed by Bishop and Coulston in particular the latter who has also written on archers equipment. Coulston argues and I would agree with him, that you do not see Roman archers shown anywhere else wearing these robes. Including Syrians.

However if Trajan's Column is attempting to depict an 'eastern' ethnic look for the audience at home, well I am not sure that is right either, as long flowing robes do not to my limited knowledge, feature a great deal in eastern art of this period. If anyone can correct me I would be pleased to hear from them. The nearest I have seen is an Indian. Now there is a thought!

Calf lenghth tunics worn over baggy trousers would appear to be the norm for the Middle East but again I could be wrong there too! :?

What is needed is some extensive trips to the Middle East to see what sculptural evidence is tucked away in various museums or lying around on site, generally unpublished or unavailabe to the general public. So if anyone wants to pay for my expenses I would be very happy to go and do the research for you.

Graham.

[D B Campbell]

Calf lenghth tunics worn over baggy trousers would appear to be the norm for the Middle East but again I could be wrong there too! :?

Here are some knee-length tunics with baggy trousers. Hatrene not Syrian, I'm afraid.
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[Graham Sumner]

Hello Duncan

Yes that is the sort of costume. I would have thought that if Trajan's Column was intending to show ethnic eastern dress the archers would dress something like this. Indeed they look more like this on the column of Marcus Aurelius with a little cap as well. So the long flowing robes on the so called 'eastern' archers on Trajan's Column are a bit of an anomaly.

Graham.

[tDub248]

Interesting about the swords, I just looked over all the books I have that show Eastern style carving, they’re all on the left. Thanks for pointing that out. And that’s a cool article.

Thanks for your responses! The calf length tunics do appear to be the norm. Although I still don’t want to completely let go of the idea of an ankle length tunic. If you guys have Rome’s enemies 5, take a look at page 38. You’ll notice a couple of guys with ankle length tunics and sandals (although it may be texture from the stone, the standing guy may also have pants on, but the other does not appear to). They are from Duro Europos, 2nd to 3rd cent, so not quite the right time or place, but I guess the point is that it may not be unheard of. Also, we should all be able to agree that this Eastern area (Judea, Syria, and all the way to Babylon) in the 6th cent BC and back, a full-length tunic was something you could easily see a man wearing.
I wonder if part of the reason you would see practically no full-length tunics is that it was A. not a style of Royalty, and B. not a comfortable thing for Calvary (of which there was a lot of Calvary in the East), Both of whom would have the majority of stone carving made after themselves.
I think when I start coming up with some other variations on the Syrians, I won’t do any more full length tunics. ?
This makes me wonder, why in the world are Judeans so often portrayed in long tunics? Is it just poor research on Holywood’s behalf? Or would the Jews hold to an older style of clothing; pushing away the Hellenistic/Roman influence as best as they could for as long as they could?

Anyways, thanks again for your responses!