02-05-2001, 02:36 PM
Salve,<br>
<br>
It appears that the sort of crowd control was meant to be keeping people in check in a peaceful manner rather than killing off the public indiscriminately. While Roman troops on riot control duty could use rather brutal force to keep the peace (as described by Josephus on several occasions), the emperor's guard was usually restricted in their freedom of operations in the City itself, even if running battles between populace and guardsmen did occasionally occur. This use of the lancea was compared by Speidel to that of the optio's hastile, the spear shaft without a sharp head used to keep the troops in their place in the line. This was rather humane of the Romans, the Celts for instance are recorded as using real spears for keeping shirkers at their duties, an early predecessor of the German and Soviet blocking units of WW II who shot retreating troops.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Sander van Dorst <p></p><i></i>
<br>
It appears that the sort of crowd control was meant to be keeping people in check in a peaceful manner rather than killing off the public indiscriminately. While Roman troops on riot control duty could use rather brutal force to keep the peace (as described by Josephus on several occasions), the emperor's guard was usually restricted in their freedom of operations in the City itself, even if running battles between populace and guardsmen did occasionally occur. This use of the lancea was compared by Speidel to that of the optio's hastile, the spear shaft without a sharp head used to keep the troops in their place in the line. This was rather humane of the Romans, the Celts for instance are recorded as using real spears for keeping shirkers at their duties, an early predecessor of the German and Soviet blocking units of WW II who shot retreating troops.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Sander van Dorst <p></p><i></i>
