Ha! Good one, LEJ! You're quite right, the Romans didn't give a flying f**k whether anyone liked them or not, in fact I think they actually relished being universally feared and detested...as it furnished abundant proof of their prowess as conquerors.

The fact is, we are living in a genuinely more merciful and enlightened age now, with a more international consciousness than in the past.

The only problem is that we've got far more dangerous weapons than the Romans did, and the risks are a lot higher when a conflict arises.

Maybe we should start a thread now saying "Are You Ashamed To Be A Mudcatter?" Just think of the controversy that could generate... :-)

- LH