# Dragons in Ancient Rome



## Druico (Aug 31, 2015)

Hey guys,

Been tossing this idea around for a while now and just wanted some general feedback of the concept. Two things I love writing about are Dragons and ancient history and so I thought why not put them together. In my head I'm seeing it as an almost alternative historical fiction type of novel/story. So encompassing real characters/people as well as wars and battles, but adding in the element of dragons and dragon riding, specifically in a military aspect.

Then over the years the element of dragons and their role in history has been lost or something along those lines.

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated 

Thanks guys,
Dan


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## Vandor (Aug 31, 2015)

Take a look at the Temeraire novels by Naomi Novak. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Majesty%27s_Dragon

Its doable, and has been done well, though you're suggesting a different time period and possible epic focus; the series remains in the Napoleanic Wars. She takes it as an alternate history, did a significant amount of research, and even references the origins of taming dragons and their coexistance with humanity as early as the Roman empire. Definitley worth reading, even if for the similarity of the premise.


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## Druico (Aug 31, 2015)

Yeah that's a similar sort of concept, may pick up the first one and give it a read.

I would also use it as an alternative history, perhaps the fall of the Roman Empire also entwined with the fall of the Dragon species. The same as real events would be used from history but with added dragons, so Hannibal crossing the Alps but with Dragons, Caesar in Gaul etc etc.


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## A.A. Kingsbury (Sep 27, 2015)

Sounds like a good concept. 

When I first read this the first thing that came to my head was using one of the founding myths of Rome. For example the brothers Romulus and Remus being raised by wolves. Its no great leap to replace wolves with Dragons? And have them appear continuously throughout history.

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WWW.THECROWNSOFALMACH.CO.UK


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## SeverinR (Sep 28, 2015)

Just remember to adjust history to account for Dragons, unless Dragons suddenly appeared. People would have to figure out how to defend against a rogue dragon attack, defending supply lanes against dragon attacks. Defense against a military use of dragons if possible.

If dragon's suddenly appeared, then the characters must think of how to deal with them all at once. If dragons have been around for hundreds of years, then people would have some forethought of how to deal with them.  (defense/offense and tactics)
Also since we see in history people hunting predators to extinction to protect human civilization, why hasn't it happened yet with dragons? Even if dragons avoid people, they are still "scary" to people, so to prove themselves, idio...I mean brave warriors must seek out and slay a dragon, even if the dragons are no threat.
Just some thoughts to answer before you begin.


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## pskelding (Oct 2, 2015)

If you really get the details right for instance how does the regular populace perceive and react to dragons?, then you might have a winner on your hands. Temerarie gets the details right as does Of Bone and Thunder a mashup of fantasy, Vietnam War and dragons. As they say the devil is in the details.


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## Britannicus (Jan 25, 2016)

I've just published my first historical fantasy novel (_The Eagle's Wing_), set in a version of late Antiquity, and I made the deliberate decision _not_ to include dragons. I reckon that the more grittily "realistic" the feel of your imagined universe is, e.g. like George Martin's late medieval/early Renaissance-style novels, the more you risk making it seem silly with dragons, orcs and goblins. It might seem like sacrilege to say it, but for me the dragon stuff in _Game of Thrones_ detracts from its quality.


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## Britannicus (Jan 25, 2016)

By the way, the Romans weren't unaware of dragons (the concept may have filtered through from China via the Persians). Roman auxiliary cavalry carried the _draco_, a windsock-type standard, and the Welsh dragon, supposedly the oldest national symbol in the world in continuous existence, may have been copied either from the cavalry _draco _or from the capricorn standard of the II Augusta legion, which was stationed in South Wales.


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