Chinese-Romans
Some scholars speculate that after the defeat of Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae (53 BC), the Parthians sold Roman prisoners along the Silk Road to fight for the Mongols in the Battle of Zhizhi (36 BC). Chinese historians record the novel "turtle" of overlapping shields (the Roman testudo formation) and the victorious Chinese emperor settled the surviving Romans in the city of Liqian (Legion = a Chinese name for the Roman Empire).
In China today the city of Liqian is promoted to tourists as Chinese-Roman descendants, and they have built Chinese-Roman buildings and perform Roman shows. In reality they are dirt-poor farmers that will do anything that brings an extra buck into the city - hey why not?! - but it would be great if the story could be proved true. In the same spirit, Legio VI Ferrata attends the Chinese Lantern Festival each year in solidarity with our Chinese-Roman brothers.
In China today the city of Liqian is promoted to tourists as Chinese-Roman descendants, and they have built Chinese-Roman buildings and perform Roman shows. In reality they are dirt-poor farmers that will do anything that brings an extra buck into the city - hey why not?! - but it would be great if the story could be proved true. In the same spirit, Legio VI Ferrata attends the Chinese Lantern Festival each year in solidarity with our Chinese-Roman brothers.
Between 239-265 AD, the Chinese historian Yu Huan 魚豢 wrote the Weilue 魏略 ("The Peoples of the West") about the Roman Empire. The complete text is online here at the University of Washington.
Here's what China had to say about their imperial neighbors:
"The kingdom of Da Qin (Rome) is also called Lijian. It is west of Anxi (Parthia) and Tiaozhi (Characene and Susiana), and west of the Great Sea. From the city of Angu (Gerrha), on the frontier of Anxi (Parthia), you take a boat and cut directly across to Haixi (‘West of the Sea’ = Egypt). With favourable winds it takes two months; if the winds are slow, perhaps a year; if there is no wind, perhaps three years. Now, if you leave the city of Angu by the overland route, you go north to Haibei (‘North of the Sea’ – the lands between Babylonia and Jordan), then west to Haixi (Egypt), then turn south to go through the city of Wuchisan (Alexandria). After crossing a river, which takes a day by boat, you circle around the coast (to the region of Apollonia, the port of Cyrene). From there, six days is generally enough to cross the (second) great sea (the Mediterranean) to reach that country (Da Qin = Rome).
The Roman Empire has more than four hundred smaller cities and towns. It extends several thousand li in all directions. The king has his capital Rome close to the mouth of the river Tiber. The outer walls of the city are made of stone. This region has pine trees, cypress, sophora, catalpa, bamboo, reeds, poplars, willows, parasol trees, and all sorts of plants. The people cultivate the five grains [traditionally: rice, glutinous and non-glutinous millet, wheat and beans], and they raise horses, mules, donkeys, camels and silkworms. They have a tradition of amazing conjuring. They can produce fire from their mouths, bind and then free themselves, and juggle twelve balls with extraordinary skill. The common people can write in hu (‘Western’) script. They have multi-storied public buildings and private; they fly flags and beat drums. They use glass to make the pillars and table utensils in the palaces. They manufacture bows and arrows.
They travel in small carriages with white roofs, and have a postal service with relay sheds and postal stations, like in the Middle Kingdom (China). The people are connected to each other. Every 10 li (4.2 km) there is a ting (relay shed or changing place), and every 30 li (12.5 km) there is a zhi (postal station). There are no bandits or thieves, but there are fierce tigers and lions that kill those travelling on the route. If you are not in a group, you cannot get through.
This country (Rome) has installed dozens of minor kings. The king’s administrative capital (Rome) is more than 100 li (42 km) around. There is an official Department of Archives. The ruler of this country is not permanent. When disasters result from unusual phenomena, they unceremoniously replace him, installing a virtuous man as king, and release the old king, who does not dare show resentment. The king has five palaces at 10 li (4.2 km) intervals. He goes out at daybreak to one of the palaces and deals with matters until sunset and then spends the night there. The next day he goes to another palace and, in five days makes a complete tour. They have appointed thirty-six leaders who discuss events frequently. If one leader does not show up, there is no discussion. When the king goes out for a walk, he always orders a man to follow him holding a leather bag. Anyone who has something to say throws his or her petition into the bag. When he returns to the palace, he examines them and determines which are reasonable.
The common people are tall and virtuous like the Chinese, but wear hu (‘Western’) clothes. They say they originally came from China, but left it. They have always wanted to communicate with China but, Anxi (Parthia), jealous of their profits, would not allow them to pass (through to China)."
Here's what China had to say about their imperial neighbors:
"The kingdom of Da Qin (Rome) is also called Lijian. It is west of Anxi (Parthia) and Tiaozhi (Characene and Susiana), and west of the Great Sea. From the city of Angu (Gerrha), on the frontier of Anxi (Parthia), you take a boat and cut directly across to Haixi (‘West of the Sea’ = Egypt). With favourable winds it takes two months; if the winds are slow, perhaps a year; if there is no wind, perhaps three years. Now, if you leave the city of Angu by the overland route, you go north to Haibei (‘North of the Sea’ – the lands between Babylonia and Jordan), then west to Haixi (Egypt), then turn south to go through the city of Wuchisan (Alexandria). After crossing a river, which takes a day by boat, you circle around the coast (to the region of Apollonia, the port of Cyrene). From there, six days is generally enough to cross the (second) great sea (the Mediterranean) to reach that country (Da Qin = Rome).
The Roman Empire has more than four hundred smaller cities and towns. It extends several thousand li in all directions. The king has his capital Rome close to the mouth of the river Tiber. The outer walls of the city are made of stone. This region has pine trees, cypress, sophora, catalpa, bamboo, reeds, poplars, willows, parasol trees, and all sorts of plants. The people cultivate the five grains [traditionally: rice, glutinous and non-glutinous millet, wheat and beans], and they raise horses, mules, donkeys, camels and silkworms. They have a tradition of amazing conjuring. They can produce fire from their mouths, bind and then free themselves, and juggle twelve balls with extraordinary skill. The common people can write in hu (‘Western’) script. They have multi-storied public buildings and private; they fly flags and beat drums. They use glass to make the pillars and table utensils in the palaces. They manufacture bows and arrows.
They travel in small carriages with white roofs, and have a postal service with relay sheds and postal stations, like in the Middle Kingdom (China). The people are connected to each other. Every 10 li (4.2 km) there is a ting (relay shed or changing place), and every 30 li (12.5 km) there is a zhi (postal station). There are no bandits or thieves, but there are fierce tigers and lions that kill those travelling on the route. If you are not in a group, you cannot get through.
This country (Rome) has installed dozens of minor kings. The king’s administrative capital (Rome) is more than 100 li (42 km) around. There is an official Department of Archives. The ruler of this country is not permanent. When disasters result from unusual phenomena, they unceremoniously replace him, installing a virtuous man as king, and release the old king, who does not dare show resentment. The king has five palaces at 10 li (4.2 km) intervals. He goes out at daybreak to one of the palaces and deals with matters until sunset and then spends the night there. The next day he goes to another palace and, in five days makes a complete tour. They have appointed thirty-six leaders who discuss events frequently. If one leader does not show up, there is no discussion. When the king goes out for a walk, he always orders a man to follow him holding a leather bag. Anyone who has something to say throws his or her petition into the bag. When he returns to the palace, he examines them and determines which are reasonable.
The common people are tall and virtuous like the Chinese, but wear hu (‘Western’) clothes. They say they originally came from China, but left it. They have always wanted to communicate with China but, Anxi (Parthia), jealous of their profits, would not allow them to pass (through to China)."
