guy 156 Report post Posted March 19, 2023 (edited) [Scene from the movie “Gladiator” in which the former general Maximus (who has fallen out of favor of the Emperor Commodus) is captured and being sold in a slave market.] The article below made me delve into the controversy whether typical ancient Romans had tattoos, and if they did, how were they accepted by Roman society. https://antigonejournal.com/2023/03/stigma-ancient-tattoos Tattoos were, in fact, common among legionnaires. Modern scholars aren’t certain what the looked like, however, but they probably indicated the unit in which the soldier belonged. They were possibly used to identify those who left a unit without permission. Below is an old thread from UNRV that dealt with the legionnaires at Hadrian’s Wall who had tattoos. (Marc Antony shortly before his suicide after the Battle of Actium.) For the Romans, tattoos were mostly commonly associated with barbarians and the least respected elements of society. (Tattoo of the preserved arm of a Scythian chiffon from 500 BCE) This interesting article below discusses the fact that tattoos were using seen among criminals, slaves, and the military. Everyday Romans and the elites, however, didn’t have tattoos. https://worldhistoryfaq.com/did-the-romans-have-tattoos/ Edited April 19, 2023 by guy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
