ancient worldz

Elagabalus is back! Obama, return of a historical figure?

2008-11-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

While reading a book on roman Emperors, I happened to stumble upon, a little known Roman Emperor named Elagabalus. I began to see some parallels between Varius Avitus Bassianus Elagabalus and the modern day Barack Hussein Obama. Get me clear now, many things are completely different form the modern day situation, and this past example. This is just my musings on the similarities the popped into my head while reading about Elagabalus.

Elagabalus and Barack Obama both share names from the middle east, and a mixed heritage. Obama has white and black heritage, Elagabalus had north African, Syrian, and Roman origins. Many people in the country were they came rule were bigoted against them because of their foreign origins.

Their childhoods are fantastically familiar to one another. Both had to leave the countries they would one day come to rule with their mothers . They were raised in a foreign states Obama in the Philippines and Elagabalus in Syria. Obama and Elagabalus's fathers disappeared from the scene at an early age. Because of the exodus from the comfort of the land of their birth both were raised primarily by both their mother and grandmother.

The former Emperor Macrinus was very unpopular because of his failure to gain victory over an inferior enemy (the Parthians who were from modern day Iraq) caused considerable resentment among the Romans. Sound familiar to Bush? Iraq? Malcontent with a long war with no victory? Macrinus also suffered from bad popularity in the late-summer of 218 A.D when a massive thunder storm caused catastrophic flooding, and Macrinus' appointee as urban prefect proved unable to repair the damage to the satisfaction of the populace and had to be replaced. The Romans became even more enraged when Macrinus never even showed up to comfort his people and oversee rebuilding. I believe this sounds familiar to Katrina and New Orleans, which caused his popularity to fall. One of the greatest early criticisms Obama and Elagabalus was their youth and inexperience. Elagabalus was only 14 when he became the youngest Emperor in Roman history at that time

The Romans said it was time for a change.

Elagabalus and his followers promised change to Macrinus's incompetent leadership and a return to Roman greatness. Macrinus was overthrown and Elagabalus started his reign as a extremely popular and hopeful new leader.

During the beginning of his rule, Elagabalus showed a disregard for Roman religious traditions and sexual taboos. This is similar to the way in which the conservative right views Obamas support of the Gay marriage leaders, and his abortion stance. In Elagabulus's case it was his open acceptance of transsexuals. The conservatives were silenced by the masses of Romans who just wanted to return to government that was not incompetent.

This was the situation at the beggining of the rien of Elagabalus.

Love to hear any questions, comments, feedback, good or bad.

imperial Spanish forces

2008-09-17T23:53:00.000-07:00

(click on picture for larger image)

This is my latest drawing and homage to the imperial Spanish soldier. These were the warriors that were the dominant fighting force not only in Europe, but also the Americas for nearly a hundred years; from roughly 1540 to 1640. Many of the same soldiers who fought the moors in north Africa, the French in Italy, native peoples in the Philippines and the dutch in Flanders were also the same adventurers who would conquer the new world. Within a few years of Spain uniting the Conquistadors would have fought on every continent besides Australia.

When reading about the Spanish Empire I began to see parallels to the modern American society. After Spain became a world power her armies were nearly invincible for a hundred years, today Americas armies cannot be defeated in any sort of "pitched battle" against a foreign army, and without question are the finest in the world today. Spain also had a global empire which brought it immense wealth. The United States while not having a global empire, it maintains a global presence. With military bases in Asia, the middle east, Europe, and naval fleets all over the world, and the benefits from trade and commerce that is gained from being the global police, and having far flung global contacts.

However the Spaniards became weak, soft, and corrupt above all; because all the wealth that empire brought, and the security that the professional Spanish soldier brought. America may face the same fate if it does not change. Americans have become weak, soft, and corrupt. We are so wealthy that one could not imagine a world without all the comforts we have become accustomed to, and the American warrior has provided the United States with such an untouchable feeling, that most Americans are living in a "mickey mouse land" in their heads which does not exist.

Running of the bulls

2008-07-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

THE GATEHOUSE OF VALENCIA

PAMPLONA DURING THE SAN FERMIN FESTIVAL

THE WALLS OF PAMPLONA
Recently I had an amazing trip to my motherland, of basque country in northern Spain. I travelled there with a friend and was able to witness, an over five-hundred year old tradition, the running of the bulls. I hope you enjoy my video of the running of the bulls.

ARMY OF MACEDON

2008-03-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

This is my still almost completed Macedonian army. The mass of Phalangites form the phalanx in the center of the army. Hypaspists secure the flanks, while the Macedonian elite Calvary attempt to counter flank the enemy army (they are caring a Xyston(a long, two-handed lance between 11-14 feet). Also, Thracian mercenaries and a war elephant advance on the left flank.

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry macedonians and thracians)

The Dark lords of Hattusha

2008-01-27T21:36:00.000-08:00

This is a truly awesome documentary about the ancient Hittites. Detailing their achievements and sincerely spectacular culture and society. A must see love to hear what anyone thinks :)

Chariots of war

2008-01-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

Chariots of War

Here is an essay I wrote a while back for school about bronze age war chariots.

The Bronze Age was the era of the chariot. Massive Empires were ruled by great kings clad in gold. The King’s might was demonstrated before foreign nations by an impressive show of force, technology, wealth and authority, by means of the chariot. Any respectable army of the time would have a considerable chariot wing. The New Kingdom era Egypt was at the height of her splendor, prosperity and territorial dominance. The Hittites were the contemporary super power of the age. These two great Empires would clash in several epic battles pitting the technology of the two peoples against one another. The robust and reliable Hittite war chariot would bring to the battlefield power and strength; the Egyptian chariot of war was speedy and maneuverable, able to be used to the utmost strategic advantage. Over time each machine has been called the superior weapon of war, this controversy has been enhanced by the ambiguity surrounding the outcome of the battle of Kadesh. The Egyptian chariot’s characteristics of speed, maneuverability, and durability as well as its ability to adapt made it superior machine of war.

Although in Egypt’s early days, all her armies’ essential and fundamental roles were filled by various types of infantry, Egyptian military thinking was turned on its head after the invasion of the Hyksos. The conquering Hyksos introduced the horse as well as the chariot to Egypt and after the Hyksos were expelled by Egypt’s Pharaohs, the military was able to adopt and adapt the chariot into their army. The consequence of Egypt’s triumph over the Hyksos was that the Pharaoh Ahmose, and his descendants, were able to forge a choice chariot corps.[i]

The Hyksos had been the mentors for the Egyptians in the arts of chariot construction and warfare. Afterwards, the Egyptians would obtain knowledge and techniques from the Canaanites, Mitanni, Syrians, and other Mesopotamian peoples. Ultimately the Egyptian chariot would evolve into its own distinctive and unique form, which would mirror its specialized battlefield role.

The centre of Anatolia in the Bronze Age was the foundation and hub of the Hittite Empire, it was known as Hatti to all the predominant peoples of the time. Throughout Hittite history there was a constant lust for expansion which brought them into conflict primarily with Mittani and thee Egyptians with the focus of this conflict remaining in Syria and the greater Levant. During this time the Hittites were known for their innovation in iron work and primarily for their proficiency and capability for constructing and handling chariots.

Egyptian chariots were of lightweight maneuverable and stable pieces if equipment. Put side by side with the other chariots of the day the Egyptian chariot gave the impression that it was somewhat fragile even rickety and unfit for the battlefield. The appearance of the Egyptian chariot is somewhat deceiving; while the heavy Hittite chariot was designed for the charge and concentrated close combat. The Egyptian chariot was designed of reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, counter attack, and the massive deployment of archers to strategic positions on the battleground and was manned by a lightly armored charioteer-shield bearer and another warrior armed with a composite bow, several short spears and a heavy side arm called a khopesh (sickle sword)[ii].

Unlike the Egyptian chariot’s apparent unbalanced and lightweight appearance, it was extremely stable. Both wheels were fastened together with the axle by a small lynch pin, in addition to this secured by a tough and flexible thong that passed all the way through to the lower end. Created from specifically chosen pieces of ash or tamarind wood, and painstakingly covered in birch-bark the entire axle was positioned as close to the rear as possible. Having a large, strong, and heavy axle so far back balanced the lightweight vehicle with the hoses and crew; this seriously improved the speed and maneuverability of the chariot. The Egyptian engineers also designed the chariot to have a very wide wheel track, produced to be much longer than the width of the cab, this gave the chariot enhanced permanence and steadiness while making sharp turns, moreover the wide wheel track provided maximum shock absorption over difficult terrain. The wide wheel track and axle suited the Egyptian battle chariot for almost any kind of situation and terrain the ancient Middle East to through its way[iii].

The Heavy Hittite chariot was not suited of the sandy deserts and uneven grounds which typified Egypt and Canaan. The Egyptian chariot was lightweight, strong and flexible making it perfect for unpredictable terrain. According to Rovetta et al. “…the wheels are flexible with respect to the body and offer a high degree of functionalism vis-à-vis bending and perturbations due to ground irregularities. The wheels are elastic because the rims and spokes are elastic thus offering a remarkable level of comfort during both slow and fast motion. The coupling between wheel and the axle is built with low friction durable bearings. When the outer surface of chariot axles and the internal surface of the bearings are in wood, animal grease, which reduces friction and increases running duration, has been used. Chariots with wooden axles and internal hub surfaces covered by metal are more durable with increased mechanical resistance.”[iv] The engineers who made them used this system of loose tolerances so that in the field they would be able to navigate over diverse terrain features without causing a without the danger of adverse effects such as loosing control and ejection as well as allowing archers to maintain aim in battle.

Hittite chariots are fundamentally known through the Kadesh reliefs (made by the Egyptians)[v]; which illustrate the axle passing underneath the center of a hefty well-built cab, giving it further stability. The box shaped cab’s axle was not situated in the rear as was the norm with Canaanite, Syrian, Mesopotamian, and Egyptian chariots. Furthermore the draught pole continues from the front to the rear of the cab making the structure tremendously well built and sturdy facilitating the chariot’s capacity to carry a crew of three. The crew consisted of an unarmed charioteer and a shield-bearer/spearman who were both armored in light textile armor and an un-shielded heavily armored warrior caring a long thrusting spear. They would have also had available side arms for such as axes and maces[vi].

The Hittite chariot was first and foremost designed for the charge, and close combat using the sheer weight of the vehicle to shatter through lines of peasant infantry. Coming in strong, their goal was to mutilate and overwhelm their victims in the initial collision, and then continue the attack at close quarters; taking full advantage of the initial shock as well as the elevation and weight benefit which the crew of three would benefit from in order to cause the hapless enemy to flee causing a gap in the line that the rest of the Hittite army could pour into resulting in victory.

During the reign of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, the great king of all the Hittites, Suppalliliumus, marched into the Levant to do battle with the Pharaoh. However, Akhenaten dropped dead, and the Egyptians sued for peace offering Akhenaten’s daughter in marriage to Suppalliliumus’s son as an incentive for peace. With this offer, the Hittites withdrew, however, the Egyptians broke the truce rather preemptively and killed Suppalliliumus’s son before he was able to claim his bride. Because of this treachery, war broke out and continued primarily though Egyptian and Hittite raids upon one another.

The ultimate result was the battle of Kadesh. The great Pharaoh Ramesses II was fixated on destroying the army of the Hittite King Muwatallish. Both armies relied on the chariot divisions as the main striking force, with masses of infantry fallowing in support. As Ramessess’ army marched into central Syria, where the Hittite force lay in wait behind the fortified city of Kadesh, where the Egyptian Army began to make camp along the banks of the river Orontes. The Hittite army dashed across the river and the chariot charge overran the Egyptian division setting camp. The Hittite chariots were able to charge across the plain, and with help from yet another chariot arm were able to devastate another Egyptian regiment. Despite this, Ramesses and his personal division of chariots were able to maneuver out of harms way and regroup and adapt to the situation allowing him to counterattack and route the Hittite chariots. Afterwards, a non aggression treaty was put into effect; a testimony that neither side emerged dominant. However, the Egyptian’s version of the battle is not completely backed by the Hittite accounts; this has led to countless disagreements over the battles results. According to Antonio Santosuosso “…to argue that Ramesses lost at Kadesh is probably going too far. At least initially, he must have remained master of the battlefield, which meant, according to most periods, that he was the winner”[vii] Nevertheless, the fact remains that solely on the Egyptian chariots ability to adapt and maneuver prevented their utter annihilation.
It is apparent that the strategies employed by the Egyptians, to counter the chariots of the other super powers, were well developed and quite sophisticated by the height of the New Kingdom. In particular they were deliberately constructed in a lightweight way so they could take full advantage of speed, flexibility and maneuverability using techniques that until recently were thought too advanced for the ancients. Rovetta et al. says that “These chariots appear to be the first mechanical systems involving the use of kinematics, dynamics and lubrication principles.”[viii] In short, these machines were advanced for their time. In contrast the Hittite chariot was designed for the flat lands of Eastern Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Taking full advantage of the unobstructed countryside, the chariot could use its weight to its maximum advantage, allowing momentum and acceleration to build up so that it could plow through the enemies’ lines causing it to break. As effective as this was, this specialized role did not allow it to have the versatility of the Egyptian chariot. The ability of the Egyptian chariot to adapt to the situation and the landscape allowed it to take full advantage of its own characteristics making it the superior machine of war. The Egyptian chariot’s characteristics of speed, maneuverability, durability, and most importantly its ability to adapt, made it the superior machine of war.
[i] Watkins, Trevor. Warfare In The Ancient World. Facts On File (1989): pp. 29

[ii] Fields, Nic. Bronze Age War Chariots. Osprey Publishing (2006): pp. 14

[iii] Fields, Nic. Bronze Age War Chariots. Osprey Publishing (2006): pp. 16

[iv] Alberto Rovetta, Iskander Nasry and Abeer Helmi. The chariots of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tut Ankh Amun in 1337 : kinematics and dynamics. Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol. 35, Issue 11 (Nov., 2000), pp. 1014

[v] Fields, Nic. Bronze Age War Chariots. Osprey Publishing (2006): pp. 19

[vi] Watkins, Trevor. Warfare In The Ancient World. Facts On File (1989): pp. 34

[vii] Santosuosso, Antonio. Kadesh Revisited: Reconstructing the Battle Between the Egyptians and the Hittites. The Journal of Military History, Vol. 60, No. 3 (Jul., 1996), pp. 444

[viii] Alberto Rovetta, Iskander Nasry and Abeer Helmi. The chariots of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tut Ankh Amun in 1337 : kinematics and dynamics. Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol. 35, Issue 11 (Nov., 2000), pp. 1030
Bibliography

Fields, Nic. Bronze Age War Chariots. Osprey Publishing (2006): pp. 1-22

Santosuosso, Antonio. Kadesh Revisited: Reconstructing the Battle Between the Egyptians and the Hittites. The Journal of Military History, Vol. 60, No. 3 (Jul., 1996), pp. 423-444

Watkins, Trevor. Warfare In The Ancient World. Facts On File (1989): pp. 15-35

Alberto Rovetta, Iskander Nasry and Abeer Helmi. The chariots of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tut Ankh Amun in 1337 : kinematics and dynamics. Mechanism and Machine Theory, Vol. 35, Issue 11 (Nov., 2000), pp. 1013-1031

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry egyptians)

Spartan

2008-01-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

This is a 28mm wargames foundry spartan miniature i have just painted

CARTHAGE IS HERE

2007-11-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

Here is an awesome documentary on Ancient Carthaginian technology. It shows how the ancient Carthaginians were a match for anything the ancient world had, furthurmore that they truly deserve thier place among the great civilizations and cultures of all time.

2007-11-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh I have been gone for some time in Miami and have not had time enough to paint and keep up with my blogs. will all change now:)

I also broke my digital camera and have just yesterday purchased a replacement.

I am almost finished with my Macedonians I have been painting.

almost done

2007-10-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

I've done more work on these minis, but school is keeping me from finishing, hopefully they will be done soon.

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry macedonians and thracians)

The Painting Process

2007-09-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

These are some minis I began to paint over the labor day weekend. They are all Foundry 28mm Macedonians and Thracians. They are far from complete... hopefuly I will be able to finish them soon. :-)

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry macedonians and thracians)

9-11

God Bless America!!

God bless our troops overseas!!!

Democratic will to fight

2007-09-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

The small fiercely independent city states of Ancient Greece, had mostly evolved from local monarchies that had been overthrown. Once the Greeks had achieved Independence, through militaristic action, they were all extremely martial. The Greeks were viciously militaristic, first out of necessity to survive, then out of lust for glory and to maintain a sense of security. Like the Ancient Greeks the early American colonists first fought to survive, then many years later to expand and to further our own influence and power. The Democratic Americans defeated the greatest nation on the planet though determination and purpose; the classical Greeks defeated the Persian Empire which was the greatest nation of the day through the same determination and cleverness as the early Americans had done.

In later years the Athenians, as well as the Spartans, were rather "gung ho" to dive head long into the Peloponnesian war. Just as the Union and confederate armies were eager to tare each other apart, in the American civil war. Does democracy in it self make people fond of conflict?

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry greek miniatures)

Medieval Mycenaeans

2007-08-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

The Mycenaeans were the Greeks who inhabited Greece at the time of the Trojan war; they were a warlike people persistently preparing for war and battle. Their cities were massive fortresses with unbelievably thick walls. For over 300 (roughly from 1500B.C-1100B.C) hundred years this citadel dwelling warrior society dominated Greece and eastern Anatolia. The warrior aristocracy fought in plate bronze armour, much as the medieval knights. Society was organized into fifes (counties, provinces) around the massive citadels (picture # 4 remains of the Mycenaean Citadel of Tiryns walls).

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry greeks miniatures)

The Classical Warrior

2007-08-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

Classical Greece, which lasted roughly from just 500B.C to 336 B.C, was responsible for many of the beginnings of Western civilization. Modern philosophy, astronomy, art, warfare, mathematics, rhetoric, language, history, and all the sciences owe a great deal to classical Greek influence. Why did all this happen in a period lasting little over a hundred and fifty years? One word, Democracy and meritocracy... O.K that was two words.

These are the same reasons that the United States has succeeded. The political and social rights that the common people have, is directly linked to the Political and social success of the society. If a man knows he has no stake in a society, he will not want to contribute to it; he will be selfish. However, if one knows that with a little hard work and determination their voice will be heard; moreover they can even become part of the ruling class, they WILL be more motivated. A society with the most motivated people running it WILL be more successful. The economic, cultural, and intellectual components of a society will be hyper successful, when the persons with the most merit achieve the highest positions.

The more so this is true, the more successful.

Republic!

2007-08-09T00:55:00.000-07:00

These are some pics of my 28mm Republican Romans.

The army of the early-mid Roman Republic was responsible for most of the conquest, and growth that the Empire maintained. The Republics armies had major differences from the Imperial Roman army. It was comprised of a citizen army, not a professional army. Furthermore, the equipment was not standardized till the time of Marius in the late Republic. The Republican Romans were also drawn into five warrior classes based on wealth, Velites (pic#6 skirmishers, also the youngest and poorest ) Hastati ( pic#3 &7 light infantrymen, the lower middle class, young men who fought in the first rank), Principes (pic# 1&2 medium infantrymen, men in the prime of life, they had better armour, and were a bit more wealthy than the Hastati), Triari (pic #4 heavy infantrymen, who fought with a spear opposed to a javelin used by the other ranks; these were also the old wealthy veterans, who could afford the best armour), and the Equites or knights (pic# 5 these were the highest social class of plebs who could afford a horse and maintain it on campaign),

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry republican roman miniatures)

Egyptian army

2007-08-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

This is my 28mm New Kingdom Egyptian Army, ever since I saw the Ten Commandments (with Charlton Heston) as a child I have had a love of chariots. They were the super weapon of the late bronze age and any respectable army would have had a considerable number of them. The great Hittite, Babylonian, Mitannian Empires were the contemporaries of the Egyptians of the late bronze age; they all had their own distinct designs and functions. The Egyptian light chariot, has to be my favorite, it sleek, fast, and extremely deadly.
The ancient Egyptians created arguably the most stable, long lasting, unchanging, and distinct cultures in history. This culture was built around a vast pantheon of animal/human gods. Some historians and modern people believe that the ancients were ignorant and dim-witted people compared to today's people. I believe that the ancients were just as intelligent as today's people; the fact remains that for well over 2,000 years this advanced civilization worshiped and believed in falcon headed people, hippo-headed ladies. I believe this may have had to do with either habitual and routine use of drugs by individuals in Egyptian society; or demonic worship... or is that too strange? Nevertheless, I believe there is more to the story of the Egyptians worshiping and maintaining belief for over 2,000 years in thier strange Gods.

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry egyptian miniatures)

Late Republic, America today

2007-07-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

I have often wondered if the modern day United States is traveling down the path that the Later Republican Romans were headed down. The late Republic had achieved Hegemony (supremacy, leading role ) in the whole western world after defeating Carthage, Gaul, and Alexander's successors in the east. America has achieved hegemony after Europe was weakened during two world wars, and Russia was economically crushed during the cold war. But today, like our Roman counterparts, we have some of the weakest and most unfocused leadership that we have ever had. Conservatives believe that the leadership has socially and economically betrayed it's base, and secular socialist as well as liberals feel that they have not seen the country move into the direction they want as fast. The senate approval, as in ancient Rome, has plummeted. Americans, as well as the ancient Romans, feel that our leaders have become detached from the common people, and will further their own goals no matter who is voted in. Are we at a pivotal changing point, as our Republican Roman predecessors were?

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry republican roman)

Ancient worldz Thracians

2007-07-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

Thracians were one of the oldest eastern Europeans peoples, to inhabit that area. They were fierce warriors, and were known for their metal work and light infantry mercenaries.

Herodotus describes the Thracians "They went to the war wearing the skins of foxes upon their heads, and about their bodies tunics, over which was thrown a long cloak of many colours. Their legs and feet were clad in buskins made from the skins of fawns; and they had for arms javelins, with light targes, and short dirks. This people, after crossing into Asia, took the name of Bithynians"

The Bithynians settled in the City of Byzantium, which would one day become Constantinople (after the Roman Emperor Constantine). The Thracians would found the city that would one day become the capital of the Roman Empire(along with Greeks), and eventually the Byzantine Empire ( Rome's surviving half in the East).

What greater legacy could a people leave than creating the city that would become the seat of the greatest Empire of the time.

They were eventually run over by successive waves of Macedonians, Dacians, Sarmatians and Slavs

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry thracians)

Ancient Assyrians

2007-07-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated by the ancient Assyrians because of their capacity for cruelty and for their technological and cultural advancement the coexisted with their vary warlike civilization.

The Assyrians were perhaps one of the cruelest civilisations to have existed. Their kings boasted of skinning people alive and assembling massive piles of heads in front of cities. Plundering and raping nations was just the beginning of an invasion with this ancient empire.

Do you think Americans could become this cruel?

(These are some of the first miniatures I painted for building an ancient army:)

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry Assyrians)

Greek City States

2007-07-21T00:22:00.000-07:00

All Democracies and republics will become oligarchies, and all oligarchies will become tyrannies over time. :(

The people do not have the political will to stay in power for very long and will turn to an oligarchy for the mundane role of running a nation-state. Over time the oligarchy will decrease in size, and become corrupt. Then the nation will turn to a single ruler to end the corruption, and restore order.

COULD THIS HAPPEN TODAY?

i think so

( all miniatures are 28mm foundry greek miniatures)

2007-07-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Here are two pictures of one of my imperial Roman minis from the reign of Trajan. Also, I have included a picture of my whole Republican Roman army.

(They are all 28mm foundry, or crusader miniatures figures)

Ancient Romans have been one of my favorite subjects since the time I was very young. Out of all ancient peoples they seemed to be the most like Americans. Both of our nations (some say empires) started out as a heaven for outcasts and misfits. We were a subject of the British Empire, Rome was subservient to the Etruscans; and then we both overthrew our masters and created a Republic!

Both Romans and Americans were problem solvers and inventors; Americans may not be the greatest academics, but we can see a problem, and adapt to it, and find a solution. The Romans were the same way if not more so, they invented modern urban planing, and created countless inventions to deal with the large populations of cities(aqueducts, massive sanitary systems, food handouts, mass entertainment). Even as the massive Roman Empire crumbled they managed to adapt and change to keep the whole thing running. They knew they could not maintain the massive empire on the highly skilled loyal heavy infantrymen, which took a stable empire to back them up.Yet, a new approach was developing. Third century Emperors spent little time at Rome, often spending most of their careers in the frontier provinces where the action was. Naturally enough they tended to take their court around with them and attached to this was the comitatus or 'companions', at first (perhaps under Gallienus in mid-century) an assemblage of cavalry units possibly intended to form a highly mobile central reserve which would enable the Emperor to respond rapidly to any new incursions (or usurpations?) that might arise. Many such field armies were created to replace the legions. No longer was Rome defended by hundreds of thousands of heavy infantry men who could defeat any nations armies in pitched battles; but her armies were now comprised of small cavalry and light infantry units that could be trained more easily in turbulent times, and were effective at repulsing barbarian raids.

Moreover, both America and ancient Rome were (are) meritocracies. Out of all the socities that have existed Rome and America are the two that anyone could rise from the lowest of ranks to the highest places of power.

Welcome to ancient worldz

2007-07-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog.!!!!!!!!!:)

In this blog I will discuss my views on the ancient world, and how they relate to the modern world, and some rather unique views on the past.

I will also post pictures of my 28mm soldiers which I sometimes fanatically paint.

You will hear again from me soon

Thanks soooooooooo much :).