Comments on: Pyrrhus meets Rome; the world takes note

By: Let me now start to unravel some of the mysteries I have been setting up in my recent thread about Carthage, Rome and Hellenism–the historical backdrop for the main plot in my coming book.… | lloyd shepherd dot com

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:23:56 +0000

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By: Man of Roma

Man of Roma — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:20:30 +0000

Excellent and marvellously written.

By: Drewsky

Drewsky — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:42:26 +0000

Men were required to stay in an active reserve of sorts from 40-60; in war time they could be activated, but were mainly used for logistical support if activated (i.e. helping with supplying the army food and weapons)

By: Mr. Crotchety

Mr. Crotchety — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:35:20 +0000

I think you’re on to something, Jag. A solution to several social challenges. How about if we (U.S.A.’ns) take our social security from ages 20 to 30 (party, see the world), study and work for another twenty five years, and then go off and fight. That is, all the old folks who would otherwise send the young folks off to war, are forced to do more fighting and less talking (and golf). If the chance of death during battle is high, then we ‘decrease the surplus population’ relieving the strain on our health care for the elderly. Golf courses go out of business, pleasing the Greens.

By: Jag (defensive punster)

Jag (defensive punster) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:45:28 +0000

Christopher – your post may be cross culturally pyrrhic. It’s byline date is 1st April – which in UK is April Fools Day – and there its taken much more, ahem, seriously.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:16:39 +0000

While I realise this is slightly off topic from Pyrrhus and the Romans, here’s something which may be of interest to those concerned about the future of newspapers – a topic you’ve written of many times on your blog. The Guardian (UK) has just announced it’ll be published on Twitter:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/apr/01/guardian-twitter-media-technology

If other newspapers, like the NYT, do likewise, it could save them from their imminent demise.

By: andreaskluth

andreaskluth — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:17:52 +0000

I recall reading that too somewhere. Socrates was apparently serving in the Athenian army as an old man against the Spartans. In the Roman army, age was implicitly behind the formations: in the first line stood the hastati, the youngest and greenest; in the second line the principes, and in the third line the triarii, the old and battle-hardened men, ready to jump in if the battle was on edge. I don't think that the ancients had any notion of retirementas such.

By: Jag (no longer fit to fight)

Jag (no longer fit to fight) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:54:07 +0000

Minor question – I read that citizens were required to serve as hoplites till they were 60. Is that true? Seems at odds with modern notions of age appropriateness.