At 01:33 PM 11/22/2011, E.P. Grondine wrote:
I am interested in the report of an impact killing a Roman legion.
That's one I have not heard mention of.
I'm not aware of report of a meteorite killing an entire legion.
There is the story that Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo along with many
of his soldiers were struck down by the "descent of the sky",
according to Julius Obsequens in his Liber de Prodigiis.
Cn. Octavio L. Cinna coss. [A.U.C. 667 / 87 B.C.]
56a. Cinna et Mario per bella crudeliter saevientibus
Romae in castris Gnaei Pompei caelum ruere visum, arma
signaque tacta, milites exanimati. Ipse Pompeius
afflatus sidere interiit. Lectum eius populus
diripuit, corpus unco traxit quod discrimine civili
perseverasset periclitanti patriae non succurerere,
cum et imperium et maximos haberet exercitus.
When Cinna and Marius were cruelly savaging Rome
through civil war, in the camp of Cnaeus Pompeius the
sky seemed to descend, weapons and standards were
struck and killed the soldiers. Pompeius himself
perished from the star's fiery breath. The people tore
down his bier and the body was dragged on a hook,
because during the civil disturbance he had pursued
his own interests and had not come to the help of the
state, when he had both the military authority and the
largest army. (Tr. Alex Nice)
Pliny the Elder wrote that Pompeius was paralyzed by a
star, which is usually taken to mean Pompeius was struck by
lightning.
-- Philip R. "Pib" Burns
p...@pibburns.com
http://www.pibburns.com/
______________________________________________
Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
Meteorite-list mailing list
Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com
http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
