Hello frens

“Parthia and Judea are at it again. Send in the troops stationed in Alexandria and Syria, and arrange a meeting with the cliënt Kings of Emesa, Galilea and Commagene for aditional auxiliaries. Keep stacking sats in the meantime. “ Julius Ceasar, Commentarii de Bello middle eastern

WILL THE PARTHIANS RETALIATE?

🔘 THE YOUNG CONSTANTINE “This Constantine, then, born of Helena, a mother of very common origin, and brought up in the town of Naissus, which he afterwards splendidly adorned, had but slight training in letters. He was held as a hostage by Diocletian and Galerius, and did valiant service under those emperors in Asia. After the abdication of Diocletian and Herculius, Constantius asked Galerius to return his son; but Galerius first exposed him to many dangers. For when Constantine, then a young man, was serving in the cavalry against the Sarmatians, he seized by the hair and carried off a fierce savage, and threw him at the feet of the emperor Galerius. Then sent by Galerius through a swamp, he entered it on his horse and made a way for the rest to the Sarmatians, of whom he slew many and won the victory for Galerius. Then at last Galerius sent him back to his father. But in order to avoid meeting Severus as he passed through Italy, Constantine crossed the Alps with the greatest haste, ordering the post-horses to be killed as he went on; and he came up with his father Constantius at Bononia, which the Gauls formerly called Gesoriacum. But his father Constantius, after winning a victory over the Picts, died at York, and Constantine was unanimously hailed as Caesar by all the troops.” The Anonymus Valesianus

Imagine being the kings son and being raised not for the throne but for an administrative or priestly office, and you learn how to read and write. Then you somehow become the king after all and are very proudfull that you CAN read and write, (Assyrian kings can’t generally) and decide to build a massive library. You also invaded Chaldea, destroyed Elam, conquered Egypt, sacked Thebes. Ninevah is your capital and you order to make a giant reliëf depicting you hunting lions. Decades later your empire gets destoyed and 2500 years later archeologists dig up your massive library. And nobody talks about you because people only want to talk about the Roman Empire and WW2.

Fear not.

Touching the grass of Germania Inferior 🟣🟠

If you know what this is I want to follow you.

🔵 PATRIOTISM “The story goes that Horatius Cocles, while fighting with two enemies at the head of the bridge over the Tiber, which is the entrance to the city on the north, seeing a large body of men advancing to support his enemies, and fearing that they would force their way into the city, turned round, and shouted to those behind him to hasten back to the other side and break down the bridge. They obeyed him: and whilst they were breaking the bridge, he remained at his post receiving numerous wounds, and checked the progress of the enemy: his opponents being panic stricken, not so much by his strength as by the audacity with which he held his ground. When the bridge had been broken down, the attack of the enemy was stopped; and Cocles then threw himself into the river with his armour on and deliberately sacrificed his life, because he valued the safety of his country and his own future reputation more highly than his present life, and the years of existence that remained to him. Such is the enthusiasm and emulation for noble deeds that are engendered among the Romans by their customs.” Polybius, histories

🟣 SANDALS EVEN IN THE COLD? Roman legionaries typically wore sandals called caligae as their standard footwear. These sandals were well-suited for the Mediterranean climate, which is generally mild. However, the Roman Empire and its legions operated across a vast area, including much colder regions. While caligae were the norm, it's highly probable that legionaries took measures to keep their feet warm when stationed in colder climates. They likely used some form of socks, perhaps made of wool, and possibly foot wrappings of wool or other materials for added insulation. There's also some evidence suggesting they may have thickened the soles of their sandals with cork to provide a bit more protection from the cold ground. Eventually, as the Roman Empire evolved, especially in its colder regions, legionaries transitioned to wearing closed boots, which offered significantly better protection from the elements.

The siege of Syracuse.

⚪️ GALLIC BATTLE EQUIPMENT “Their trumpets are of peculiar nature and such as barbarians use, for when they are blown upon they give forth a harsh sound, appropriate to the tumult of war. Some of them have iron cuirasses, chain-wrought, but others are satisfied with the armour which Nature has given them and go into battle naked. In place of the short sword they carry long broad-swords which are hung on chains of iron or bronze and are worn along the right flank. And some of them gather up their shirts with belts plated with gold or silver. The spears they brandish, which they call lanciae, have iron heads a cubit in length and even more, and a little under two palms in breadth; for their swords are not shorter than the javelins of other peoples, and the heads of their javelins are larger than the swords of others. Some of these javelins come from the forge straight, others twist in and out in spiral shapes for their entire length, the purpose being that the thrust may not only cut the flesh, but mangle it as well, and that the withdrawal of the spear may lacerate the wound.” Diodorus Siculus

GM. It’s a beautiful day frens.

🟢 EVOLUTION OF THE BATTERING RAM “I have said as much as I could on these matters; it now remains for me to treat of those things relating to attacks, namely, of those machines with which generals take and defend cities. The first engine for attack was the ram, whose origin is said to have been as follows. The Carthaginians encamped in order to besiege Cadiz, and having first got possession of one of the towers, they endeavoured to demolish it, but having no machines fit for the purpose, they took a beam, and suspending it in their hands, repeatedly battered the top of the wall with the end of it, and having first thrown down the upper courses, by degrees they destroyed the whole fortress. After that, a certain workman of Tyre, of the name of Pephasmenos, turning his attention to the subject, fixed up a pole and suspended a cross piece therefrom after the method of a steelyard, and thus swinging it backwards and forwards, levelled with heavy blows the walls of Cadiz. Cetras the Chalcedonian, was the first who added a base to it of timber moveable on wheels, and covered it with a roof on upright and cross pieces: on this he suspended the ram, covering it with bulls' hides, so that those who were employed therein battering the walls might be secure from danger. And inasmuch as the machine moved but slowly, they called it the tortoise of the ram. Such was the origin of this species of machines.” Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, de Architectura

⚫️ A VIRTUOUS PROFESSION “It is true that to obtain money by trade is sometimes more profitable, were it not so hazardous; and likewise money-lending, if it were as honourable. Our ancestors held this view and embodied it in their laws, which required that the thief be mulcted double and the usurer fourfold; how much less desirable a citizen they considered the usurer than the thief, one may judge from this. And when they would praise a worthy man their praise took this form: "good husbandman, good farmer"; one so praised was thought to have received the greatest commendation. The trader I consider to be an energetic man, and one bent on making money; but, as I said above, it is a dangerous career and one subject to disaster. On the other hand, it is from the farming class that the bravest men and the sturdiest soldiers come, their calling is most highly respected, their livelihood is most assured and is looked on with the least hostility, and those who are engaged in that pursuit are least inclined to be disaffected.” Marcus Cato, Agriculture