I was under the impression that Romans believed that tattoos, hair product, and to a lesser extent facial hair, were barbaric. But it would make sense for a 3rd century Germanic soldier in the employ of the Empire to have tattoos.
Re: Romans and tattoos
I was under the impression that Romans believed that tattoos, hair product, and to a lesser extent facial hair, were barbaric. But it would make sense for a 3rd century Germanic soldier in the employ of the Empire to have tattoos.
Re: Romans and tattoos
I know Roman soldiers were tattoed to avoid them deserting.
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Re: Romans and tattoos
There is also the scene in The Gladiator when Maximus removes the SPQR tattoo
from his shoulder. But movies dont care about historical accuracy.
Re: Romans and tattoos
But I do get the impression that part was respectful to accuracy. I dunno. Not very familiar with Imperial-era armies. There's just nothing -happening-. Guard, guard, guard, occasional German raid, guard, guard, guard.
EB DEVOTEE SINCE 2004
Re: Romans and tattoos
As an aside, I've read the Late Roman "barbarisation" of the army wasn't really very literal - most of the recruits still came from within the Empire - but rather cultural. The military had became uncoupled from the civilian life already when the old militia system withered; in the centuries afterward it had quite enough time to develop a culture entirely of its own, and if I've understood correctly that took to consciously affecting "barbarian" (or in any case, what Roman stereotypes regarded as "barbarian") customs, modes of dress, fashions etc. to further distinguish itself as "a world apart" - and of course also due to the associations such paraphenelia had with the toughness, ferocity etc. the Romans regarded as characteristical of the "barbarians".
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Re: Romans and tattoos
Hmm, I never really looked at it that way. I wonder if career soldiers today experience that kind of feeling. Especially with the never ending cycle of deployments that the armed forces in the U.S. face.
Re: Romans and tattoos
I can tell you during my time in the service we all got tattooedOriginally Posted by mjmehrer07
but we were infantry soldiers,
tankers and artillery love tattoos also
kind of bonding thing, kind of a look at me i am so bad ass thing
btw my time only ended 2 years ago so might be different rules now
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