Ancient armies of Italy

[Peyrol]

Warrior of the ''Syracousan Sicilian Empire'' under Dyonizyon Ist






(note the Trinacria on the shield)

[SardiniaAtlantis]

I know that someone stated on the forums that are not Samnites but in some way related to Sardinia or to Sea Peoples. In any case it's a tomb fresco from Nola (Campania) 4th century BCE conserved at the Museo archeologico nazionale di Napoli (inv. nr. 9363) and it's part of the collection called Etruschi e popoli italici in Campania (Catalogue) not still open to public. All the infos I got on the web.

Yes exactly from what I have always known it was the Etruscans representing the Sea Peoples with the Shardana warrior on the left carrying the flag that almost recalls the 4 mori interestingly enough...

[Ulla]

Yes exactly from what I have always known it was the Etruscans representing the Sea Peoples with the Shardana warrior on the left carrying the flag that almost recalls the 4 mori...

I guess that the fresco is heavily influenced by Etruscan paintings. Etruscans had some colonies in Campania at that time and Nola is properly in that area.

[Ulla]

Warrior of the ''Syracousan Sicilian Empire'' under Dyonizyon Ist

Etruscans vs a Siracusan Hoplite

[Ulla]

Yes exactly from what I have always known it was the Etruscans representing the Sea Peoples with the Shardana warrior on the left carrying the flag that almost recalls the 4 mori interestingly enough...

Well, in my honest opinion if the flag recalls the 4 mori would be a very bizarre anachronism. I guess that 4 mori is a more recent symbol, medieval times. Four heads of Moors is even findable in the shields of German medieval cities.

[Ianus]

The Roman soldiers were mostly from outside Italy.

Only in the Late Roman Empire, before majority come from Italy.

[Ianus]

Celtic warriors

[Xanthias]

didn't the Romans also have this ?



and from where and when did it come in Italy ?

[Mens-Sarda]

Well, in my honest opinion if the flag recalls the 4 mori would be a very bizarre anachronism. I guess that 4 mori is a more recent symbol, medieval times. Four heads of Moors is even findable in the shields of German medieval cities.

the 4 Moors Flag has a medieval origin, maybe Spanish, the 4 Moors are found also on the flag of the Kingdom of Aragona, and only 1 Moor on the Corsican Flag

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sardinia#Origin

Sardinia Flag



Aragon Flag



Corsica Flag

[Ianus]

didn't the Romans also have this ?



and from where and when did it come in Italy ?

Lokks like signifer, a stand bearer of the roman legions