Type of unit needed:




A Roman Military camp was a very complicated and well built organization. The emperors throughout the years had created soldiers for almost any given situation. They had many soldiers for battle as well as many to do things around the camp. Shockingly, there was one unit that was needed and wasn’t included. A unit that would have been advantageous in Roman times and throughout their reign in the Roman regions, is a spy unit. A spy would have changed history if Romans had them. Before I go any further, there was a type of spy where there were citizens who would listen in and find out information about other nations, but they weren't actual Roman soldiers. These were people who just wanted to serve their country. Romans had almost every element that was needed in their camps including medics and trumpeters. A type of spy unit could have helped the Romans gain a stronger offensive battle plan. Spies would have been able to tell weak spots of camps and could have relayed this info back to the Romans giving them the necessary knowledge of how and where to invade. Spies would have been able to know when people were going to invade and also know the weaknesses of other nations. Knowing when their enemies were going to attack would have allowed them to be on the upper hand when it came time for them to strike. However, having spies also would have applied a risk for Rome. If a spy was captured or discovered they could be tortured and give out information. Also, it could give the other nations the idea of having spies. These spies could then infiltrate Rome and in turn give the other nations an advantage allowing them to take over easily. There would be a lot of equipment that this soldier would need. They would need to have hidden weapons to defend themselves if something went wrong while they were on a job. A spy might also want something to hide their identity like a cover for their face. Being a spy would be a hard job for any soldier. Being a spy takes a lot of skill. A spy has to be very convincing and would have to be able to get information without putting themselves or their nation in danger. We today don't know what could’ve or would’ve happened to the Romans without having technology that is out of our current knowledge. For all we know, a spy unit could have changed Roman history drastically both for the good and the bad.

The Armies of Agricola

My project detailed a story from the perspective of one of Agricola's soldiers or officers. It centered on the general's invasion of Britain during C.E. 78-84. Before my narrative took place, Agricola had been a strong supporter of the emperor Vespasian when he fought to take control of Rome. Following the principle of "quid pro quo," or giving "something for something," Vespasian rewarded Agricola with command of a legion in 69 C.E.

If there was one thing Agricola disliked, it was disorder. He was the guy who actually followed the pool rules. Soon upon arriving in Britain and securing a position of power, the general struck against rebels. Ironically, the legion Agricola commanded had been used by the previous commander to rebel against the ineffective governor. Nevertheless, Agricola quickly achieved control. I used those rather interesting circumstances to begin painting a picture of the general. He was able to take take a bizarre, chaotic situation and add Roman ideas of logic and order. In the process, I extrapolated that the native cultures probably wouldn't have been very significant to a person so confident in his civilization.

Commanding a legion was a vast responsibility. As Agricola must have known, armies were made and broken by strong leaders (Dando-Collins). For instance, a weak leader caused the Twelfth Legion Fulminata to lose their eagle standard, while strong leadership caused a legion to rescue Marcus Aurelius from far superior numbers of Germanic tribes. But no one ever doubted that Agricola was strong.

Later in my narrative, I skip forward a few years to when Agricola used his armies to destroy the Ordovices. They were an ancient tribe, having stood against Nero and lived, carrying strength. Unfortunately, the Ordovices were not content with Roman rule, so Agricola virtually obliterated them on the battlefield. To the general, rebellion was a disease that had to be treated with the utmost severity.

Caledonians vs. Romans

After putting down that rebellion, Agricola faced the Caledonians, a far greater threat. Their forces were much larger than Agricola's. They knew the land. They were fighting for home and country. In the end, though, they didn't stand a chance. Roman tactical abilities, augmented by Agricola's undoubtable expertise, and carefully positioned armies led to a total rout. No one could have argued that a few hundred casualties suffered compared to the Caledonians' tens of thousands was anything but a success. And yet, Domitian recalled Agricola soon after, at the height of his glory. Why? I asked myself. What could prompt an emperor to lose one of his most valuable clients? The answer may have been the Roman way of ambition and betrayal.

The narrator of my project was an officer close to Agricola. But every Roman had the emperor as the ultimate patron. One possible explanation of Agricola's removal, supported by Tacitus, was that someone realized how powerful Agricola was growing. Popular among soldiers, experienced with governing, and able to gain power and manipulate a political situation deftly, Agricola could have been a legitimate threat. The narrator of my story related that information to Domitian in the hopes of a reward.

Whether Agricola was truly a threat to the emperor, or the general was recalled for sinister reasons, or betrayal and greed played a part in his campaigns has been lost to history. All we can do is wonder.

Dando-Collins, Stephen. Legions of Rome: The Definitive History of Every Roman Legion. St.
    Martin's Press, New York, New York. 2010.
Johnson, Ben. "The Romans In Scotland." Historic UK. Web.
"Julius Agricola." Biography on Undiscovered Scotland. Web.
Tacitus. De vita Julii Agricolae. Rome. 98.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Gnaeus Julius Agricola."
    Encyclopædia Britannica. Web.

Curse Tablets

Curse Tablets are a very serious offense. Let's be honest anytime you wish someone would die you obviously are a little crazy. Crazy enough to then write it down and show people. If someone were to do that today it would be a serious offense.  However back in the time of the Romans it was not a serious offense. It was much more common and accepted. People would curse events and other citizens. They would inscribe different curses on a tablet with a plea to gods that would help their dream come true.
Curse Tablets were made of lead and would then be inscribed with a saying. You can the attempt my group made to replicate this delicate process. My group chose to stay away with cursing an individual we cursed our midterms with bad weather. Take a look.

Unlike other Latin literature which was mostly written by groups curse tablets are written by slaves, women voices anything you name it.  No matter where you were in the social ladder you could create a curse tablet. Most of the curse tablets that have been found have been found throughout England in cities like Bath and London. You can read about a recently found Curse Tablet HERE.  They are very interesting pieces of history considering how many people actually made them. You have to take into account how many people actually wanted others to be physically harmed and the aggressors would even go to the extreme limits to achieve their goal.

We don't see Curse Tablets today. For the most part people wont go around appealing to the gods that another person would get hurt. Maybe today the closest we get in my opinion is libel although its not a physical offense it publicly attacks someone.

For more on curse tablets look HERE












"Curse Tablet." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2015.
"Curse Tablets from Roman Britain: Cursing for Beginners." Curse Tablets from Roman Britain: Cursing for Beginners. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2015.
"Roman "Curse Tablet" Discovered in England." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2015.

Influence of a Region of World on Weaponry

Influence Of Region of World on Weaponry-Joe Murray & Max Moss



Weaponry vs. Region of World, How Ancient Roman Weaponry Supports That


Throughout time there are many civilizations that come to power. These world powers dominate there territory of living throughout the course of mankind by building an amzing millitary. Almost all of the millitaries that exist have certainly been unique and individual. Each millitary has some sort of aspect that sets them apart from the other failed nations. This uniqueness in particular is very specific to the region and climate of which their territory is located. Many millitaries have adapted and developed their own strategy in order to survive and dominate in their respective time periods. For instance, the Russian army will have much different weaponry and armour than and African country or a tribe in South America.






My partner, Joe Murray and I, researched the affect that each region of the world has on a specific armies weaponry and armour, and how Ancient Romans connect to this based on their region. We not only researched Ancient Roman weaponry and that specific time period, but other militaries and empires that were dominent throughout the history of time that were in various regions of the world.









Soviet Union (1939-1945)


The Soviet Union of Russia was a prime example of a dominating millitary that adapted to its conditions. During World War II this Russian empire became one of the most distinct millitaries of the modern day. The first issue that had to be delt with was the weather. This was most prominent influence on The Soviet Unions Weaponry and Equipment. Russia is certainly no carribean vacation spot. The winters are deathly cold with tempertures as low as nearly -30 degrees celcius! These temperatures were also their biggest advantage during the war. Not only was their weaponry and equipment revolving around the weather but, Their opponets had never faced anything like this weather before. While fighting against Finland in 1939-1940 in their home territory, The Soviets were disguised in all white winter suits and painted their tanks white to disguise themselves in the snow. Not only did they use the weather for disguise, they also used skiing as a sufficient way of transport. The weather also benefited tank warfare because it is easier for tanks to travel on snow. The Soviet Union clearly took advantage of their surrounding and modeled their weaponry, armour, and strategy around it.













Native Americans (1622-1700)






The Native American type of warfare is second to none when it comes to originality and making the best of their environment around them. The equipment and weaponry used by the Indians was widely influenced by their surroundings and weather conditions. During the early 1600’s Native Americans were faced with a new species of human on their turf and these humans had much more advanced weaponry. The only way to survive was through out smarting the enemy by using a type of warfare that was aided by their surroundings. This warfare was none other than guerilla warfare. The main strategy of the Indians was short and quick attacks on their enemies and to keep moving while fighting on their own terms. The Native American technology during the time was far behind the rest of the world. With rifles being as foreign as the people of Jamestown, the Indians surely had to improvise by using what they had around them. The main weapon that most indians would use is the classic bow and arrow. This was great for the battle field because of its stealth yet lethal ways of attacking. The Native Americans were also able to hand craft most of their weaponry by using the wood from trees around them to make their arrows and bows. Native Americans would also use spears which were also hand crafted from their surroundings.









Ancient Romans (27 BC-476 AD)


The Ancient Romans were influenced by the climate aroudn them as well. In particular, the warmer climate. This climate caused the armour that they wore to only cover the most essential parts of the body. This includes the Chest, Shoulders, the crotch area yet often the legs were left unguarded. This type of Armour led to maximum mobility for the Roman soldiers. They would only wear sandals which although did not provide much protection but allowed the body to stay at a reasonable temperture in the scalding heat. If too much Armour was worn during the "heat" of the battle, the soldier would pass out of dehydration as it was just too hot to be wearing an immense amount of protection. This also called for the soldiers to have fewer weapons than usual soldiers. Many soldiers fought with a "pugio." This was a small dagger which was built for mobility and quickness. The Romans also had a fair amount of darts that were attached to their shields. The most important technological advance of the Roman army was the "Lorica Hamata." This was essentially interlocked metal rings that provided chain armour and was very light and effective. It is clearly evident that Roman armour and weaponry was directly affected by the temperture of the region around them.









Conclusion






To conclude this presentation, ancient weaponry essentially would depend on the weather, technology, and the area in which the civilization lived in. For example, The russians had to mostly adapt to the climate around them but this would also aid them cause no one could wage war in their territory. Native Americans were able to survive amongst the British because of their use of the area around them and using different techniques that were enhanced by the terrain around them. With the Romans they were influenced by the hotter climate which called for lighter weight equipment and a good amount of skin showing so they would not overheat. As one can see, organized militaries throughout humanity have been directly influenced by their region in the world and the Romans appropriately speak to that point.






Bibliography






"American-Indian Wars." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.






Glanz, David (1998). Stumbling Colossus: The Red Army on the Eve of World War. University Press of


Kansas






"Roman Military Equipment." Roman Military Equipment. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2014.

Three Religions

Three Religions


As I've studied the differences between different religions of ancient societies briefly, I've come to discover overarching trends that seem to connect humanity as a whole, leading me to believe that humans will almost always come to the same conclusions. One of the first patterns I began to notice was in how gods were worshipped, the way they would praise them or pay them back for protecting and providing for them. While sacrifice was common, it varied in form. Romans would sacrifice animals and Aztecs would sacrifice people, and yet that was considered an honor among them. On a lighter end of the spectrum, Shinto sacrifice was much more docile, with offerings of rice, saki, and other crops they would grow in order to appease the kami, or spirits. In addition to these, they fervently worshipped certain gods who were thought to bring life, and in different religions they were different gods, however a common trend is worship of a chief sun god. This differs in the Roman and Greek pantheons, as they worship a god of storms, which could just as well bring life through rains. Below is an example text of a fictional 'immortal traveler's journal' that shows more clearly a comparison between the three major religions mentioned above.






Fictional Journal: Immortal Traveler






"Rome;


I have been living in a small wooden apartment deep in the city for a few weeks now. The light seeps in through cracks in the walls like it would a forest, light streaming through the trees, not so nice when it rains though. The people next door are nice enough, they showed me around the neighborhood, gave me food for a night. I was more interested in the temple of Jupiter, however. I go by every day and see people sacrificing animals at the foot of a large statue, tearing out the innards and studying them. Upon closer inspection and further research it seems they seek to see the future using certain organs, and sacrifice the rest to their gods in a pyre. An interesting practice indeed, I intend to study these people further.






Ise;


The architecture of the people here in the nation of Japan are far different than anything I have ever seen, and the religion even more diversified from many other cultures I’ve seen. As compared to the Romans who, sadly, fell a century or so ago, the god they worship as the leader of their kami, their name for gods, is a god of the sun, her name is Amaterasu-ōmikam. When I visited the shrine to this kami, I found many different offerings left, though I must say they were much less visceral than several others that I’ve seen. It was mostly rice from the first harvest, a unique wine called saki, and small amulets, all left for the kami to eat and wear, and to ward off other spirits, rather than to appease their wrath. These gods seem to be slightly more peaceful than some others I have seen.






Tenochtitlan;













I am one of the first to reach this ‘New World’, and I can only hope others won’t arrive for some time. I fear the violent nature of these Aztecs would clash with the violent nature of Europeans, but who is to say. Even the gods of these warriors are violent, hungering all the time. Their pantheon is led by a god of the sun, Huitzilopochtli, also their war god. It is said that they must always sacrifice, perhaps the darkest of the ones I’ve encountered, human hearts, taken from the warriors of the tribes that they’ve conquered. After all these years of travel and study, I can finally see human nature more clearly, the nature of the world in fact. We cling to what provides life, what is the epicenter of that life as well, and we make them gods. And these gods, we sacrifice to them, either to stay their wrath or to ask them to provide us with protection, or sustenance. This is human nature, to cling onto life whatever the cost, even if it means sacrificing things dear to us. "












Roman Practices: (pg. 57)


Aztec Practices: http://www.aztec-history.com/ancient-aztec-religion.html http://www.ancient.eu/Aztec_Sacrifice


Shinto Practices: http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/category.php?categoryID=16


http://www.religioustolerance.org/shinto.htm

Cursed Tablets

Cursed tablets were used in the Roman Times to curse something they disliked. In their age they would usually curse someone they didn't like. They usually not only cursed the person but went into excruciating detail as to what they wanted to happen to them. Nowadays openly cursing someone is less common. Yes, sometimes people will passively curse someone, but they never pray to Gods death or illness upon them. These "spells" that they cast they believe will make the Gods favor them and curse their enemy.

Roman Military Strategies

The Romans were the strongest military force on the face of the earth from its rise and fall from power. It had advances in its recruitment system, weaponry, and its greatest advance is its strategy. Romans had some of the greatest militarily strategic minds in the whole world during the empires glory. They came up with many strategies to render an enemies forces helpless. They had strategies to take out the defensive units of an army and stir chaos on the battlefield. If their forces were weaker than another army, then they use the terrain to their advantage. They had many maneuvers to take on any threats to the nation.