Re: Septimation

From: Stewart Stansfield <stu_stansfield_at_...>
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 16:03:14 -0000


Hi Simon and all,

> One of the horrors of decimation was that the punishment was
carried out by
> the soldiers' comrades, not by external executioners. Just imagine
being made
> to beat your best friend and comrade to death, knowing that if you
refused
> you would be put in his place. There's no need for a Septimator or
similar
> rank, for the regular soldiers would carry out the punishment.

Very true and a good point. And fustuarium as a punishment inflicted by comrades is renders an inclusivity to the situation that is highly appropriate for Lunars.

What I was trying to do was use the basis of roman military punishment and conflate it with the idea of the 'elite, honourable executioner', to provide something a little different. A 'hero' that would be an interesting foe for Humakti and others, and could build a a (perhaps honourabe) relationship throughout the siege, from initial skirmishes, through to death... or dispatching his foe on the chopping block.

Could the crucible of battle forge a respect that went beyond ideological differences? That meant the Lunar 'Septimator' refused to deliver the final blow, and instead tossed the Humakti a sword before the shocked gasps of the amassed Lunar army, to finish it mano a mano... or at least let him die with a sword in his hand? [Okay, I'll stop now before it starts getting even more fetishistic about military honour ;)]

Still a possibility? The idea of comrade-inflicted fustuarium for the Lunars is great (if that word is remotely appropriate), but I wonder if the Septimator motif cannot be used elsewhere? [from the execution of prisoners to the 'decimation' of other cultural forces and units]. Most dramatic conflicts have some element of the 'noble enemy' to play on.

All the best,

Stu.

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