āI used imperial Rome as the model for my Legion precisely because it was so foreign, so alien. I'd seen what had become of the NCR's attempts to emulate the culture of Pre-War America - the in-fighting, the corruption. Rome was a highly militarized autocracy that effectively integrated the foreign cultures it conquered. It dedicated its citizens to something higher than themselves - to the idea of Rome itself.āā Caesar
The Roman Empire was a powerful ancient empire in the Mediterranean Sea.
Background[]
In the intro to Fallout, the Narrator remarks that the Romans waged war to gather slaves and wealth.[3]
When Edward Sallow was designing his Legion, he drew heavy inspiration from the Roman Empire, from books like The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. As such, the currency, titles, aesthetic, Latin language, militarism, and practice of assimilation are drawn from the empire.
Brotherhood of Steel scribe Veronica Santangelo refers to the commonality of homosexuality among Roman soldiers when speaking of the Legion, claiming legionnaires "mount their soldiers as much as they mount their women, so maybe they did keep a little something from the Empire."[4] This is in reference to the widespread belief in the Mojave Wasteland that many Legion soldiers are gay, despite same-sex relationships being punishable by death under Caesar.[5]
Notes[]
- Arcade Gannon, as well as the Courier and several members of the Legion, speak multiple phrases in Latin.[6][7][8][9][10]
- Arcade's interest in Cato the Elder and understanding of the Legion's historical context indicate an interest in Roman history.
- Roger Maxson compares the Brotherhood of Steel to the knights and scribes that protected western civilization after the fall of the Roman Empire.[11]
- In a message to someone close to him from before the Great War, Tex Rogers says that he doesn't care what he has to go by in the Brotherhood of Steel, whether it be senior knight or "grand poobah of the Roman Empire," so long as he is able to continue using power armor again.[12]
- Johnny Weston describes Sargento as a "two-bit wanna-be Roman emperor."[13]
Appearances[]
The Roman Empire is mentioned in Fallout, Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 76. It is also referenced in the intro to Fallout Shelter Online.
Gallery[]
The Legion standard, modeled off of the standards of many Roman legions
Condemned to Repeat It achievement icon showing a Roman gesture for gladiatorial games
References[]
- ā Gilda Broscoe: "Care to hear some of my stories, detective?"
The Sole Survivor: "All right."
Gilda Broscoe: "Keith and I first met when we acted together in Empire on the Nile. It was a period piece, huge production budget. He played Mark Antony, and I, of course, played Cleopatra. Ooh how I hated that black hair though. Sean Holzman, he was the director you see, well he threw the most lavish set parties. They were absolutely bacchanalian."
(Gilda's dialogue) - ā The Courier: "Isn't that the language that Caesar's Legion speaks?"
Arcade Gannon: "Caesar can cite Cato to suit his purpose. Many people have spoken Latin. Some of them were quite pleasant. It's unfortunate that the language is now associated with the gentlemen across the river."
(Arcade Gannon's dialogue) - ā Fallout intro: "The Romans waged war to gather slaves and wealth."
- ā The Courier: "What are your thoughts on the Legion?"
Veronica Santangelo: "Silliest band of raping, slaving marauders you'll see east of California, I'll say that. Where's that touch of Old World class? Although I hear they mount their soldiers as much as they mount their women, so maybe they did keep a little something from the Empire. No such privilege for the women, though. Figures. So... to answer your question... they're a bunch of hypocritical jerkwads. It's a word."
(Veronica Santangelo's dialogue) - ā The Courier: "I hear you were a slave of Caesar's Legion."
Jimmy: "What Marco said is true. The Legion attacked my village when I was 16. My parents were killed as examples. The rest of us, chained and dragged to some kind of camp. A Centurion there chose me as his tent servant. He was handsome, and gentle, most of the time. Said it was our secret, and he'd protect me. Gave me little gifts, stupid things. But Caesar punishes homosexuality with death, and we nearly got caught, and there were suspicions. So when he took me out into the desert... Well, I knew he was going to get rid of me. So I kicked him where it counts and I ran. And then swam. And ran some more. Wound up here."
(Jimmy's dialogue) - ā The Courier: "You don't sound too enthusiastic about it."
Arcade Gannon: "I'm enthusiastic about helping people, but nihil novi sub sole."
The Courier: "Nihi-what?"
Arcade Gannon: "Oh. Sorry. "There is nothing new under the sun." If agave and mesquite were that miraculous, the locals would have figured it out a few thousand years ago."
The Courier: "Isn't that the language that Caesar's Legion speaks?"
Arcade Gannon: "Caesar can cite Cato to suit his purpose. Many people have spoken Latin. Some of them were quite pleasant. It's unfortunate that the language is now associated with the gentlemen across the river."
The Courier: "Where did you learn that?"
Arcade Gannon: "Not from the Legion, if that's what you're getting at. Books. Sheet music. Gladiator movie holotapes. Bits and pieces here and there. The Followers have extensive libraries, but we all draw water from the same old well. Even Caesar."
(Arcade Gannon's dialogue) - ā The Courier: "What happened after you trained the Blackfoot?"
Caesar: "Divide et impera - divide and conquer. I led the Blackfoot against the Ridgers, their weakest enemy. When they refused to surrender, I ordered every man, woman, and child killed. When next we surrounded the Kaibabs and they likewise refused... I took one of their envoys to the Ridgers' village and showed him the corpse piles. This was new for the tribes, you see. They played at war, raiding each other, a little rape and pillage here, a little ransoming there. I showed them total warfare. Like I said, there's a lot you can learn from old books."
(Caesar's dialogue) - ā The Courier: "It will be an honor to fight for the Legion."
Caesar: "Good. "In hoc signo taurus vinces." Report to Legatus Lanius immediately - he'll brief you on the plan of battle. Come back victorious, or don't come back."
(Caesar's dialogue) - ā Legionary: "Ave, amicus."
(Legionaries' dialogue) - ā The Courier: "<Lie> I'm with the Legion. I'm here to kill you before you talk."
Silus: "[?] You're nothing. You're some inept mercenary the NCR is paying to supplement its own incompetent soldiers."
The Courier: "You're niave, Silus. Corruptio optimi pessima. Caesar sees you as a threat now."
The Courier: "Legum servi sumus. We are both slaves to Caesar's law. And you are in violation."
The Courier: "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. I posed as a mercenary to get inside the walls."
Silus: "[?] What? No! Listen, Caesar's secrets are safe with me. I stayed alive because Caesar would've wanted it. I'm useless to him dead."
(Silus' dialogue) Note: All three Intelligence 8 options are alternates for the second Intelligence check during the quest Silus Treatment. - ā About the Brotherhood
- ā Message to Marge 2
- ā A Vault Dweller: "Why bother saving him at all?"
Johnny Weston: "It was purely personal. Hal crossed me. I had to be the one to do him in, not some two-bit wanna-be Roman emperor like Sargento."
(Johnny Weston's dialogue)