10-19-2011, 01:26 AM
[quote][quote="Peteris Racinskis" post=298191]I don't think the Romans were quite so scathing or generalising in their own lofty superior admonishment of others - but then I'm no expert on the Roman view and am waiting for somebody to explain that aspect of things better.[/quote]
Perhaps this would be the time to quote the letter by Perseus of Macedon (I believe?) admonishing the Greek cities to extent their citizenship to newcomers as the Romans did, and explaining that this tolerance was where Rome's success lay. Although I've recently heard quite a number of voices saying that the letter was probably an invention.
Still - I'd have to check the references - but I think the Romans copied the climate-theory from the Greeks (the Northerners are strong but stupid, the Southerners/Easterners are intelligent but weak and cowardly, the Romans are in the middle and have the best of all in the right measure). And the Aeneid at least has the Gods promise world domination to the Romans.
Beyond that, Caesar (and others, Roman and Greek) did tend to lump the people of "Gaul" and "Germany" under convenient labels ("Gallia est omnis divisa...") which are now more and more contested.
Perhaps this would be the time to quote the letter by Perseus of Macedon (I believe?) admonishing the Greek cities to extent their citizenship to newcomers as the Romans did, and explaining that this tolerance was where Rome's success lay. Although I've recently heard quite a number of voices saying that the letter was probably an invention.
Still - I'd have to check the references - but I think the Romans copied the climate-theory from the Greeks (the Northerners are strong but stupid, the Southerners/Easterners are intelligent but weak and cowardly, the Romans are in the middle and have the best of all in the right measure). And the Aeneid at least has the Gods promise world domination to the Romans.
Beyond that, Caesar (and others, Roman and Greek) did tend to lump the people of "Gaul" and "Germany" under convenient labels ("Gallia est omnis divisa...") which are now more and more contested.
M. Caecilius M.f. Maxentius - Max C.
Qui vincit non est victor nisi victus fatetur
- Q. Ennius, Annales, Frag. XXXI, 493
Secretary of the Ricciacus Frënn (http://www.ricciacus.lu/)
Qui vincit non est victor nisi victus fatetur
- Q. Ennius, Annales, Frag. XXXI, 493
Secretary of the Ricciacus Frënn (http://www.ricciacus.lu/)
