Where was burned the body of Caesar? Where were collected his ashes?

Most of people knows that Caesar was killed in the curia of Pompey (nowadays the archeological area of Torre Argentina), but where did his body was burned? The roman historician Appiano says that it was burned in a spot of the Roman forum at the right, watching the Foca column, of Dioscuri temple. In that poin it was built, first an altar, later a temple in honor of Caesar.

  

Nowadays it remains only the external circular part of the temple with some remains of the altar. 

The legend says that the ashes were collected in a bronze globe that was put on the top of the obelisk that now is in S. Pietro square. Originally we know that this obelisk was into the "circus" of emperor Nero. However, no evidences of ashes were found into the globe.

The shows of naval battles (naumachiae)

The "naumachia" was one of the shows that Romans have organized to entertain the people. The show consisted in a naval battle. The first was organized by Julio Caesar in the 46 b.C., during the celebrations of his triumph. The event was taken in the "Campus Martius" in Rome, that was flooded by river Tevere.

In this battle there were used "biremi", "triremi" and "quadriremi" ships. There were about 2000 sailors fighters and 4000 rowers; these people were sentenced to death.
Years later, Augustus organized again the same event.
Emperor Claudius organized a naumachia in the lake Fucino.
These events were representations of historical battles, where each fleet represented a nation. Caesar recreated a battle between Egyptians and Phoenicians, while Augustus did the same with Athenians and Persians.
Maybe since Emperor Nero, Romans started to organize these events in the amphitheatre. For sure we know that Emperor Tito did one in the Colosseum.

Bibliography

• A. M. Liberati, s. v. Naumachia Augusti, in E. Steinby (éd.), Lexicon topographicum urbis Romae
• L. Cordischi, Note in margine di topografia romana: « Codeta, minor Codeta » e « Naumachia Caesaris », Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica comunale di Roma
• J.-Cl. Golvin, L'amphithéâtre romain. Essai sur la théorisation de sa forme et de ses fonctions

Tattoos of the roman soldiers

First, we have to say that the tattoos, called "stigmata" in Latin, were not good considered from wealthy and important roman citizens. In fact, tattoos were a characteristic of the barbarians. The only kind of roman citizens, not born as barbarian, that had tattoos was the soldier.
These soldiers were used to get tattooed "SPQR", the name of their legion, the symbol of their legion (see the post Military symbols ) or the name of their general officer. In the imperial age soldiers were used to get tattooed also the name of the Emperor.

Bibliography:

"Tatuaggio; dalle origini ai giorni d'oggi" di Andrea Palmeri

Military symbols of ancient Romans

Insigna: it was a sign distinguishing a company of the army. It was made by a pole with a drape, usually red, put on its final part. At the end of the pole there was a sculpture of an animal, representing the company. The animals used were topically ferocious ones, such as lion, panther or eagle.
The insigna was used to lead the soldiers, showing them where to move along  the battlefield.

The eagle: The eagle with the open wings and the right turned head was the symbol of the roman empire. It was carried by the soldier called "aquilifer", who had to defend it. He had to be ready to die rather than letting the enemy take it. In fact, the loss of the eagle was considered even worse than to lose the battle.

The vexillum: it was a red squared standard with inscribed the name or the symbol of the legion or of the cohort. The soldier who carried it was named vexillifer. The symbols of the legions and cohorts were usually the same kind of animals used for the insigna. Also the function of the vexillum was the same.

The signum: it was the standard of each manipolum (a unite made by 2 centuria) and each centuria (military unit of about 100 men). It was a pole with the final part decorated with a spearhead or a open hand. Along the pole there were, as decorations, garlands and metal discs; the number of the manipolum and the centuria; military decorations and other typical informations about the unit. The soldier who carried it was called signifer. The function of the signum was the same as the vexillum.

Immago: it was a representation of the Emperor, a sculpture or a high relief, carried by a soldier, the immaginifer. This was done to remember to the soldiers the link with the Emperor.

Strategie militari

Dall'alto, da sinistra verso destra:

• Formazione a cuneo: le linee erano rafforzate nella parte centrale per sfondare lo schieramento nemico
• Formazione a linea singola: l'unica linea veniva schierata con la finalità di accerchiare lo schieramento nemico
• Formazione del centro debole: questo schieramento fu utilizzato durante la battaglia di Canne. Veniva lasciato di proposito il centro dello schieramento sguarnito, in modo da invitare il nemico ad attaccare per poi accerchiarlo. Richiedeva delle truppe di riserva per la parte centrale dello schieramento.
• Tattica utilizzata a Zama: venivano lasciati dei corridoi tra un manipolo e l'altro per far passare, senza che causassero danni, gli elefanti da guerra nemici.
•  Schieramento con l'ala destra rinforzata: le forze venivano concentrate nell'ala destra dello schieramento, con l'intento di sfondare l'ala sinistra nemica ed aggirare così la formazione nemica, attaccandola da due lati
• Formazione con un lato protetto: schieramento che prevedeva l'utilizzo di una barriera naturale per proteggere un fianco. La fanteria leggera e la cavalleria erano schierate nel lato opposto.

La "buona uscita" dei veterani della legione romana

Forse non tutti sanno che i veterani di una legione romana, al termine dei 20 anni di servizio, non ricevevano un diploma militare con i relativi privilegi, da parte della Repubblica e dell'impero romano. Unico beneficio concesso era quello relativo all'acquisizione della cittadinanza romana a titolo personale, nel caso non ne fosse già provvisto. A differenza dei veterani di altri corpi militari, non ricevevano né alcuna somma di denaro, né acquisirono la cittadinanza romana per i loro familiari, né ricevevano il diritto di sposarsi con donne straniere. Infatti i premi assegnati a questi veterani (appezzamenti di terreno e somme di denaro) venivano elargiti direttamente dal generale, a discapito delle proprie ricchezze personali.
Ma quali erano le ragioni che portano a negare questi vantaggi a questi veterani delle legioni ufficiali?
Fino al primo secolo d.C. potevano essere 2:

• La volontà di far tornare in patria i soldati aventi la cittadinanza  romana.
• Evitare che i legionari si affezionassero alle province in cui erano stanziati, preferendo costruire una famiglia con donne straniere dai costumi diversi da quelli romani.

Per i secoli successivi, rimane valida solo la seconda delle due ragioni descritte; infatti, in questo periodo storico i legionari venivano arruolati direttamente in loco.

ALCUNE ECCEZIONI 

• I primi veterani delle legioni I e II Adriutices formate da Nerone per fronteggiare le rivolte del 68 d.C.  
• I veterani della legione XXII Deioteriana,  sotto Domiziano, e coinvolta nella prima guerra giudaica 
• Alcuni veterani della legione X Fretensis, sotto Domiziano e coinvolta nella prima guerra giudaica 

Fonti: 

A. Degrassi, il papiro 1026 della Società italiana e i diplomi militari romani

W. Seston, Les veterans sans diplomes 

F. Castagnino, tesi di dottorato in diritto romano e storia del diritto presso l'università degli studi di Milano "I milites e i veterani: condizione giuridica e privilegi nell'età del principato"

The roman soldier who became Emperor of Britain

Around the 250 A.D., a Roman military officer, who was named Carausius, received the task of defeating pirates by the Emperor Maximianus. Maximianus named Carausius Chief of a fleet, with which to defeat the pirates. Carausius seems to have not sent to Rome the treasures of the pirates, and for this reason, the Emperor sentenced his death. More likely, this decision was taken also because of the increasing influence that Carausius was gaining especially in the Britain. This positive situation made possible for Carausius to nominate himself Emperor of Britain in the 286 A.D.. He did lot of propaganda, such as minting coins with his image. However, after just 7 years, he was killed by one of his ministers, Allectus. In the 296 the Britain was reconqued by Maximianus.


Source: The Scotsman newspaper