Mystery: The unexplained disappearance of the 6,000 legionaires
from Ninth Legion in Scotland is the inspiration behind two
competing films
Posted on 04/25/2009 9:25:45 AM PDT by yankeedame
Over the course of its ...1,000-year history, Ancient Rome gave rise to many extraordinary stories which live on to this day.
...No wonder Hollywood has always loved Rome, whose ...sheer spectacle have given rise to great epic movies from Ben-Hur to Gladiator.
Mystery: The unexplained disappearance of the 6,000 legionaires
from Ninth Legion in Scotland is the inspiration behind two
competing films
Yet the latest movies... comes not from the heart of Rome, but from a remote northern province...we now call Scotland, but which the Romans knew as Caledonia.
Both films (still in production) concern the Roman Ninth Legion and the bizarre fate that befell them in the mists of the Scottish Highlands around AD117.
The Eagle Of The Ninth will vie with rival project Centurion, starring British actor Dominic West and Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, to do this epic tale justice.
Hadrian's Wall is the only visible
landmark that remains testimony
to the Ninth's disappearance
- an admission of defeat by
the Romans
The Ninth Legion was one of the toughest and most experienced legions in the entire Roman Empire.
It was raised in Spain in 65BC, hence its nickname, the Hispanica,...
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
That’s what I read.
A good contemporary author and expert on the Legions is Adrian Goldsworthy. I have two of his books.
Another author is Stephen Dando-Collins who wrote a series of “biography” books on the legions. I have his books on the Quadrigesima Gemina, Sexta Ferrata/Sexta Victrix, and the Tertia Gallica. If any others come out, I’ll pick them up too.
Dando-Collins states that the Nona Hispana was wiped out in Britain in 122 A.D., but other sources state otherwise.
Can’t wait for them to come out.
By the way, “Putie” is putting out some great Russian epics of questionable accuracy, like Taras Bulba and 1612. I saw 1612 with English subtitles and its awesome. “Putie” pulls out all the stops when grinding out propaganda, but they are great films nonetheless.
Propaganda is my fear here, too. I'd love a rollicking adventure set in Roman times, but I wonder why Hollywood got the idea now, not just one studio but two. I'm afraid this could be another tiresome Hollywood political morality play, with the Romans standing in for Americans, being swallowed up by the Scottish "quagmire."
As for the fate of the Ninth, it seems odd that it would simply disappear from the rolls of the Legions, which suggests a catastrophe or disgrace. But where? Scotland or elsewhere? Several suggest it might have happened in Palestine, although I don't recall any Roman disasters there during the Rebellion. In an era of resurgent Scottish nationalism I can see why many like the idea of a catastrophe happening there. :-))
Well, we may never know. But I’m sure the historical record from that period is anything but complete.
Agreed. It’s not like anyone was writing unit histories back then - unless your commander happened to become emperor. :-))
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