Rome and China Redux

[Alanus]

Obviously, the socalled unit of Roman soldiers who ficticiously arrived in China went there because they had heard of flying Chinese women. "Wusha!-- take That... and That." (clinkity, clink. clinkity, clink.) :woot:

[Titus Manlius Verus]

Perhaps Mulan (Disney movie) was actually fighting stereotyped Romans. :wink:

Anyways, it's far more likely that the 10,000 Romans taken prisoner were either enslaved or took Parthian wives and dispersed among the population.

[Titus Manlius Verus]

As we are talking about the Far East, I was reading Legionary by Philip Matyszak, and he mentions that the Roman fleet at Alexandria (Classis Alexandria) escorted trading ships to India. However, he is unclear if they voyaged all the way to India. Anyone hear of Romans in India? :-?

[Alanus]

I've heard (through the Hindu Kush Grapevine) that Titus Valarius Gandi, Preafect of the 19th Legio Elephantians, was a good friend of the Buddha. They both liked pork, but Valarius preferred it barbecued. The Buddha liked it smoked, but he had a hard time fitting in his pipe.

This could be just a rumor. I'm not sure of my source, but it may have been Shecky Pliny, cousin of Pliny the Younger, nephew of Pliny the Elder, and author of 101 Romano-Indian Jokes. :dizzy:

[M. Demetrius]

Of course the "Ancient Aliens" guy would have his stock theory...but what is the reasonable idea about where these Caucasians really came from? That their bodies exist is common knowledge. Some have reddish hair (which would be rare for Italians of that day.)

[Nathan Ross]

Anyone hear of Romans in India?

There was an established Roman sea trade between the Red Sea coast of Egypt and ports on the west coast of India from the early 1st century. This continued earlier Greek and Hellenistic practice. Strabo mentions that over a hundred ships a year sailed from the Egyptian port of Myos Hormos to Muziris (probably somewhere in modern Kerala), and Pliny states that the voyage across took forty days. Both ships and sailors were probably Egyptian, Greek or Indian, however.

The Alexandrian fleet was based in the Mediterranean, so would not have accompanied shipping in the Red Sea. There are mentions of a Red Sea fleet (classis Maris Rubri) under Trajan and later, but what it involved is still obscure - it may just have been the name for the collected merchant shipping in the sea, rather than a military unit. There are inscriptions from the Farasan islands, off Saudi Arabia, suggesting the presence of Roman troops there, but that's still within the Red Sea itself.

In any case, a forty-day sail across open ocean would be well beyond the capabilities of an oared Roman warship. Merchant ships may have hired mercenaries to guard against pirates, but actual Roman military support is unlikely. As for Romans visiting India - it's possible, but we have no evidence for it!

[M. Demetrius]

Roman warships had sails. The trouble would be carrying enough water for a hundred or more oarsmen per ship. Surely they must have put in at islands or somewhere, whether merchant or military ships, to resupply and refill? 40 days is a long time.

[Alanus]

Of course the "Ancient Aliens" guy would have his stock theory...but what is the reasonable idea about where these Caucasians really came from? That their bodies exist is common knowledge. Some have reddish hair (which would be rare for Italians of that day.)

David,

You said, "That their bodies exist is common knowledge. Some have reddish hair..."
Who are you talking about and where are these bodies? Then those who are following this thread could have a "reasonable idea about where these Caucasians really came from." :-)

[Robert Vermaat]

You said, "That their bodies exist is common knowledge. Some have reddish hair..."
Who are you talking about and where are these bodies? Then those who are following this thread could have a "reasonable idea about where these Caucasians really came from." :-)

I think David might be referring to Tocharians? I also recall red-haired bodies found in China.

[Titus Manlius Verus]

I believe that it's safe to say, that unless someone happens do dig up a segmentata in india, we'll never know if Romans were in the far east. :-|