Danger Men at Work

[Beano Boy]

Picture is in Public Domain

As we travel around we often see warning signs, but this one is very different.

I have been doing research stuff on Roman Fortifacations for a new topic,and came upon this picture and others too. So looking at this picture I asked myself "Paul what can you glean from it?" To the right a wooden fortification is being set a fire by the Roman`s and their cavalry are plainly entering the place probably mopping up as we refer to it today.Obvious the battle to win this place is nearly over. What really caught my interest in the picture is it shows four Roman Legionaries who are making a road. One soldier swings a pick-axe( A Doladra ),another moves earth with a wicker basket.The Romans did not use wheel barrows they had not been invented. They work in their armour,with helmets and shields nearby in case of surprise attack. Two chopped off heads have been set up as a warning.There is a purpose to this grisly display. It means " Danger Men at Work Do not Disturb." The hair should have been red on the chopped off heads,because they have to be Dacian. All the soldiers are Legionaries which mean that they are all bonna fide Roman citizens. Extra info:Dacian settlements have been recorded as being in Romania and Moldova,Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Ukraine.BB

[Ochoin]

. Two chopped off heads have been set up as a warning.There is a purpose to this grisly display. It means " Danger Men at Work Do not Disturb." .BB

Hardly!

It clearly means 'Roadwork Ahead".

donald

[Beano Boy]

Nice One Donald.

Concerning the first picture,I can not decide upon the issue of those tall object`s.Are they infact Siege Tower`s and not buildings ? There is no detail other than the brick weave pattern and the sloping roof on them ?



Above another picture in the same style! Lets,Just have a closer look see gander at it.
So what can be seen,or indeed not seen in this picture?

Here above the shield wall has collapsed, but the odd thing in this picture is, it has an almost total absence of weapons. Did they sensor painting`s way back in the day? Or was this picture just a Roman Propaganda excercise depicting,it as a Push Over? BB

[Ochoin]

Weapons were 3D (maybe even actual weapons). Common practice with Greek sculpture.
And of course with the Clay Army soldiers of the First Emperor in China. These were reputedly stolen by rebels shortly after the tombs construction. The Roman ones rusted away.

[Beano Boy]

Nice info Ochion,these picture are part of a long running horizontal Frieze ! BB

[Beano Boy]

BB

[Peter]

Now you can pin heads like in the picture!

[Beano Boy]

Sorry guys,I hit the button before commenting. Yes it is possible to make up a cheap copy of the picture above,and as you see the shields ( £5, and heads too, £2.50 ,but this is 28mm scale.These metal shields are so cheap why bother to recast extra ones yourself. ) Also Roman Legionaries constructing an encampment before turning in for the night could be modelled. It was a prickly and most tired-out occupation being able to march 20 or so miles in one day and then build a camp with ditch and perhaps defend it too with a most confident, assertive aggressen.

Research shows how Roman infantry relieved the pain in their legs by using Stinging Nettles to aid pain-relief. This does sound exstreme ,



but it must have been ,a bit like Ten`s Machines:battery pack`s today creating ellectric shocks to replace and override other cronnic pain. As always Thank You all, for reading my waffle! BB