From: "Andrew Bollen" 
Subject: Re: (urth) Latro's Greek
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 16:06:43 +1000

Crush:

> So where could Latro have heard the word "laconic" in absence of a
knowledge
> of the Spartans? Certainly not during his campaign in Greece. In Egypt?
> Perhaps.

I think he may have learned Greek in Egypt, on campaign, from the Greek
contingent in the Persian army. Her 3.1: ""... Cambyses the son of Cyrus led
an army consisting of contingents from all over his empire, including some
Ionian and Aeolian Greeks." I guess Latro's band somehow ends up as a
mercenary unit in this army.

But Rome certainly had dealings with Greek communities in Italy and Sicily
at this time, so he could have learned it there, I suppose.



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