There are also quite touching ones. Found in letters in the british garrison of Vindolanda. A soldier, writing home to beg for some woolen socks or a woman, inviting a friend to her birthday. Lots of everyday stuff that make these people so similar to ourselves.

(October 14, 2015 at 6:41 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

Quote:Wow, 5000 to 12.500 Denars is quite heavy. Back in the olden days I used to know what a Denar could buy and it wasn't that little.

Under Augustus, a centurion of the first rank was paid 15000 denarii per year.  One denarius was roughly equivalent in purchasing power to about $30, so yes, that was a pretty stiff fine.

Boru

You are telling me a Primus pilus gets paid the equivalent of a half million dollars a year?

And exactly what is equivalent purchasing power, there being so vastly fewer things to purchase?

(October 14, 2015 at 8:10 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Some centurions commanded cohorts which would make them something akin to a major.

The denari was supposed to be the standard wage for a laborer for one day during the late Republican/ early Imperial period.

Although administratively a centurion would be a equivalent to non-commissioned officer, the responsibility of the head centurion of a legion, the primus pilus, would be more like the chief of staff of an army division, which would equivalent in power and responsibility to a modern colonel.

Still can't imagine he would be paid the equivalent of a half million dollars a year.

(October 14, 2015 at 9:45 pm)abaris Wrote: There are also quite touching ones. Found in letters in the british garrison of Vindolanda. A soldier, writing home to beg for some woolen socks or a woman, inviting a friend to her birthday. Lots of everyday stuff that make these people so similar to ourselves.

Why should it be otherwise, after all, modernity in Europe started with an appreciation that pre-Christian Roman values had more in it that are intrinsically worthy than ever Christianity had managed to acquire with the Mumbo jumbo that must be rammed down people's throats with threat of hell fire.

So.. Still no Jesus?

Nope.  Jesus exists only in the dreams of believers.