Race of the ancient Romans?

[Comte Arnau]

What race were the Romans, the Egyptians, the Greeks...? Is it really so difficult to believe that the most probable and logical thing is that populations then and now are pretty similar, unless there are attested dramatic changes in the population?

A probable thing, though, is that there are way prettier/healthier people nowadays. The so much appreciated beauties of the past would not stand out much today.

[Cato]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latins_(Italic_tribe)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latins_...tribe)#Origins

[Cato]

Roman originally referred to the inhabitants of Rome itself (the Latins), then also the Roman territories in Italia where Roman colonists settled, then also the Italic peoples after the Social War (Sabines, Samnites, Marsi, Oscans), then also the Romanized foreigners granted citizenship as the Republic began to expand outside of Italy after the Punic Wars, then.....

It's a fluid term.

[Hussar]

Probably the same as what they are now.

Yes, but WHO are they now ? Their direct descendants ?

[Cato]

Yes, but WHO are they now ? Their direct descendants ?

Given that the Romans planted colonies all over their empire, I'm sure lots of people are.

[Curtis24]

We will never know,but contemporary descriptions of peoples living further to the North (Gauls and Germans) always stress their bigger frames and their lighter pigmentation,and that tells in my opinion that they were mainly Mediterranean,and probably a bit darker than the average Italian nowadays,not the other way around.

That is a good point, the Romans did make racial distinctions between themselves and the Gauls/Germans.

[QUOTE]

What race were the Romans, the Egyptians, the Greeks...? Is it really so difficult to believe that the most probable and logical thing is that populations then and now are pretty similar, unless there are attested dramatic changes in the population?

A probable thing, though, is that there are way prettier/healthier people nowadays. The so much appreciated beauties of the past would not stand out much today.

You are right that population genetics remain the same except in times of dramatic change, but most European countries have experienced such dramatic changes multiple times throughout their history.

In the case of Italy, Italy experienced numerous population declines and foreign intrusions throughout Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. I reject the Nordicist beliefs that modern Italians are descended from Mideastern slaves or Arabs, but I don't think its a far stretch to say that North Italy has been Germanized by invasions during times of low population. South Italy is probably the same as it was in ancient times.

You are right that modern people are prettier(due to better health) as well as much taller.

[Hussar]

Given that the Romans planted colonies all over their empire, I'm sure lots of people are.

The problem is that original roman stock was limited demographically, in comparison to to grand total of population of Roman empire.

But to be really precise.........romans didn't constitute more than a fraction of te population of the Italy only.

I mean that a good part of current italians aren't descendant of romans.

[Sol Invictus]

Everyone knows the Romans were shapeshifting Reptilians from Planet X. I mean, come on!

[Guapo]

how about him?

Continental Borreby, maybe with a bit of gracile element.

[Guapo]

Yes, but WHO are they now ? Their direct descendants ?

Lazio fans, Irreducible.