‘Shortly thereafter [Mithridates] captured Manius Aquillius, who was the foremost agitator for this embassy and for this war. Mithridates led him around tied to an ass, and proclaimed himself Manius to everyone who saw him. Finally, at Pergamum, Mithridates poured molten gold down his throat as a rebuke against Roman avarice.’
Appian, Mithridatic Wars, 21
‘Don’t you realize that the Romans turned eastward militarily only after the ocean had blocked their westward advance? That since the beginning they have possessed nothing that they have not stolen: home, wives, lands, empire?’
Sallust, Letter of Mithridates, 17-21
‘While he appeared to be ready to answer their requests, he gave an arranged signal for his troops to surround the Jews. The Jews now found themselves in a ring of soldiers, three men deep, and they were dumbstruck at the unexpected sight.’
Josephus, Jewish war, 2.169-74
‘The Jews saw that war was now fast approaching the capital, and they abandoned the feast and ran to arms’.
Josephus, Jewish war, 2.517-19
‘This is because peace is not welcome to these people, and they cannot distinguish themselves more readily among dangers. Besides, a great retinue cannot be maintained except by war and violence.’
Tacitus, Germania, 14
‘The first reports of the Cimbri and Teutones’ numbers and strength were incredible... They most likely were German tribes, whose territory extends to the northern ocean. This idea is supported by their great size, the light blue colour of their eyes, and the fact that the German word for plunderers is ‘Cimbri’.’
Plutarch, Life of Marius, 11.2-6
‘Entrapped by forests, marshes, and ambuscades, the army was annihilated almost to a man by the same enemy whom it had been accustomed to slaughter like cattle...’
Velleius Paterculus, Roman Histories, 2.119
‘From earliest times this country has had an ambiguous national character and geographical situation...’
Tacitus, Annals, 2.56. on the Armenian plateau.
‘At the same time he talked in bold and menacing ways about the old boundaries of the Persian and Macedonian empires, and his intention of taking the territories that Cyrus once held and after him Alexander.’
King Artabanus of Parthia in: Tacitus, Annals, 6.31
‘He looked over the row of prisoners, without any regard to their individual records, and... announced that those ‘between the bald heads’ were to be lead away’.
Caligula in: Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, Caligula 27.
‘Finally, as if he were to embark upon a war, he drew up his battle lines and set out his catapults and other artillery on the ocean shore. When no one had the least idea what he intended, he suddenly gave the order that they were to gather sea shells, filling their helmets and the folds of their tunics. These were what he termed spoils owed by the Ocean to the Capitol and Palatine.’
Caligula in: Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, Caligula 46
‘As for his horse Incitatus... it is said, too, that he meant to make him consul’.
Caligula in: Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, Caligula 55.
‘Nero watched the fire from the tower of Maecenas, delighted with what he termed “the beauty of the flames” and, dressed in his stage attire, he sang of “the Fall of Troy”.’
Nero in: Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, Nero 38.
‘”I will carry out great vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the lord, when I take my vengeance upon them”.’
Ezekiel 25:17
‘And no more under slavish yoke to thee will either Greek or Syrian put his neck, barbarian or any nation, thou shalt be plundered and shalt be destroyed for what thou didst, and wailing aloud in fear thou shalt give until thou shalt repay.’
Sibylline Oracles, 8.121-9
A few more. again sorry i only have translations.
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