Romans settled in China?

T

Tibs

Active member
Hi all,

Was just watching Discovery earlier on today, it talked about a theory that Romans may have settled in Ancient China 2000 years ago. I found an article on the net which is almost a summary of the program - ok, it's written in 2000, but haven't seen this posted anywhere so I decided to bring it up.

www.100megsfree4.com/farshores/aromchin.htm

Personally, I find this quite convincing (that is, if any solid evidence will ever be found). Just wanted to see how the rest of you think about this theory.
 
Yes, I saw the program about the Cauacasian Chinese mummies. I thought DNA testing and examples of tarten cloth found in the tombs had suggested they were Celts and not Romans?
 
Wierd, how would the Romans, much less the Celts, get all the way into China?

Would have thought it would have been like the Macedonians under Alexander the Great.
 
Actually the Celts controlled a much greater area of land than the Roman Empire. Just not under any unified command. It was all a grouping of tribes that formed their culture. Occasionally they could form alliances of tribes but there was never any lasting hierarchy. The land of the Celts extended from Ireland to Russia in width and from Scotland and the isles of Orkney in the north to the borders of Italy in the south. They are thought to have originated in Asia Minor and could've easily have extended to China just as they did to Russia. Alexander's empire did extend to the borders of China, but it lasted a short span of years. Not centuries like the Celts or, for that matter, the Romans.
 
I don't know, in my mind I could concieve of a situation where a some madedonians settle in the near east, a generation goes by and the new ones decide to do a little exploring into the far east.
 
Charge_7 said:
Yes, I saw the program about the Cauacasian Chinese mummies. I thought DNA testing and examples of tarten cloth found in the tombs had suggested they were Celts and not Romans?
Click to expand...

hah I thought they had decided they were Greek but given that Macedonians made it to India I wouldnt be at all suprised if they made it to China as well.
 
however, for the most part the celts were disjointed tribes who ussually fought each other rather than join together and capture Asia
 
Charge_7 said:
Yes, I saw the program about the Cauacasian Chinese mummies. I thought DNA testing and examples of tarten cloth found in the tombs had suggested they were Celts and not Romans?
Click to expand...

I used Romans as a generalized term. From what I know, the Roman army consisted of people of different cultures. Non-Romans were drafted to become auxillaries. When the auxillaries were given an honourable discharge they were granted Roman citizenship - so I think it's possible that Celtic auxillaries became Roman citizens, and their next generation (Also Roman Citizens because of their fathers) enlisted into the legions.

I guess another interpretation I could draw out is that many slave owners freed their slaves (by putting their names in the cencus, I think). Probably these slave-made-citizens began assimilating into the Roman society, and their children became citizens as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top